I own a 2000 Rx300 and we just got hit the other day in the right front door. Thankfully, nobody was injured, and all it looks like I'll need is the door replaced as far as body work. Bad thing is though, now my transmission does not work. The car runs fine, but when you put it in either gear, it will not respond. Also, when we tried to push the car, it seemed as though the wheels would hardly turnover, like someone was holding the brake pedal down. Anybody know what this wreck could have done to make the transmission act this way? Thank in advance!

 

Sorry to hear. Most likely rear planetary gear finally exploded. You need your transmission rebuild. What was the mileage?

This is what I wrote in other thread 2 days ago: "Trannys on RX300 AWD usually don't fail gradually, most commonly rear planetary gear explodes resulting in locked up vehicle that cannot be even pushed."

 

Meetya could be right, BUT there are lot more possibilities, specially if the problem happened after the accident.

Simplest one is that comes to mind are the linkages down to the tranmission. Also wires leading to the transmission etc etc.

If any thing, be very careful dealing with insurance comapnies as your damage could be accident related.

Glad no one was hurt.

Salim

 

Since you mentioned the right front door, the vehicle's ECM is in the glove compartment and of course on the right side. This thread shows where that location is, https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=217896

The transmission is actually on the left side.

However, a strong jolt to that door may jarred the brains so to speak of that ECM and/or wires linking to it.

A lot of the errors that show up under OBDII show ECM.

 

Ron, if it is wires or ECM, tranny will stuck in 3rd gear (all solinoids off) if shifter is in "D" position. If you move it to "N" and it still stuck, the trasmission locked up. It is really easy to diagnose since the gear shifter mechanically connected to the manual valve of transmission. It is obvious that when they "tried to push the car", they set the shifter in neutral position.
1highhog Am I right? You set shifter in "N" before pushing?

 

Dmitry,

There are about 3 valves, manual valve being one of them, or so that came to mind when they said they couldn't push it any which way (regardless of where they shifted). However, I am very curious to see if the damage in any way hit any of those wires that flow out of the ECM. I just can't in my mind picture a hit from what he is describing affecting something mechanical in the tranny itself. Though hitting a tire and knocking an axle out of whack could, given it is on the right side here, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

Other thing I am curious is if any Check Engine Lights popped on.

Ron

 

Then again, exactly how hard was this hit?

 

Also transfer case and front differential can damaged.
You remember those old cars what if got rear-ended while in gear transmission would crash? I think this might be the case, if the hit was powerfull enough, and if the tranny was about to fail.

There are total 5 electric valves (solenoids) -- 3 shift, 1 torque convertor lockup and 1 is a pressure regulator.
Also there is a manual valve mechanically connected to the gear shifter **** with a cord. So it is possible to set the tranny in "N" with no electric power unless the tranny is locked up due to internal damage.
Manual valve looks like this:

 

Now that's definitely true.

I have seen what you described occur to a few old vehicles here.

I guess we will have to wait and here just how much of a pounding this RX took in the door.

 

Meetya, yes, we set it in neutral to push it. The tires would roll, just acted as if someone was holding their foot on the brake.

 

LexMex, as far as I can tell, the tire or axle don't seem to even be touched. As far as the wires your talking about, where are they located? The only wires I've noticed is the wiring harness that feeds through the front part of the door.

Also, there are no check engine lights that have popped on, that's the strange thing to me.

 

The ones that feed through the door are the ones I am referring to. One trick when I get issues (works for a lot of things, but probably won't work here) is to disconnect the battery cables for a few minutes) reconnect them and then start up again.

How hard was the hit?

 

It was not hit that hard, I'm getting ready to take it to a transmission shop this week.

 

I also tried the disconnecting the cables, that did'nt do the trick, and I looked at the wires that feed through the front door, they seem fine.

 

Push the transmission shop to diagnose it as "... as a result of the accident ...". This is no fraud, they are transmission specialists, most of the time they are too lazy to fully diagnose the cause.
Tell us how it goes, all right?