To my recollection, our 99 RX300 has always done this (OD lock out thing until the engine warms up). I assume it is normal and further assume that it was Toyota's weird way to get a cold engine's temps up quickly to normal operating temps so as to reduce cold engine emissions. Cold engines emit more pollutants all things considered. If the tranny stays in 3rd gear the engine will rev higher and heat up quicker. What do you think about that theory?

 

It IS normal for OD to be locked out...

 

Your third gear is OD??? You definitely have a problem transmission!

 

I misread your post, but... either way, it's completely normal to have delayed shifting when the car isn't up to optimal operating temperature, this subject has been beat to death numerous times.

 

Mine is the opposite. 1999 rx300 shifts to overdrive when cold and will not when it warms up. Any ideas? I also have a check engine code for running lean.

 

Welcome to CL.

Please have the problem of running lean (Fix root cause of CEL) and most likely your limp mode will go away.

Salim

 

I'm with you on the disagree with it being normal but all things considered so far it only seems to be affected by the cold driving, once it's warm it functions normally. I guess if all I have to do is simply let the car warm up and it's indestructible in the snow, ok.

May I ask what applied in your instance? I'm curious!

 

The lean issue is a touchy one isn't it? The common solution normally seems to 1. check the gas cap 2.replace the oxygen sensor but,,,

I've found the car to frequent the check engine light around fuel changes. Mine apparently doesn't like going low and will punish me for it. It is also more apt to go on and stay on for longer periods should I be using a cheaper grade fuel & let the level go low in the tank at the same time.

Once the light stuck so I used injector cleaner and premium and just like the manual says, 3 starts and shutdowns and it's right, it eventually goes off.

 

Per Lexus it is by design to shift up until it reaches a certain temperature

 

I'll wade in on this topic as my RX300 has begun to exhibit the same behaviour. It won't shift out of 2nd until the engine warms up a bit. I have to drive about a kilometre at 80 k/h and just above 3000 rpm. before it will shift down. Raising the rpm or lowering the rpm doesn't bring on the shift. This is definitely not normal. I changed the fluid and cleaned the filter this summer in anticipation of the problem. I made no difference. I have 280,000k on the car.

I've been reading a Volkswagen forum where changing a temp sensor in the tranny corrected the problem. (See the link) It seems to be a much more common problem with VW (Ya think).

http://forums.vwvortex.com/showthrea...2lexus%20forum (scroll to the bottom of the page. read, "Sonicraze, 2nd last post.)

So, does my RX300 have a similar sensor. I could always go back in and change it. Not a difficult job.

 

Mine does this too on cold mornings, higher rpms before shifting until it warms up.

I just try to keep it under 3000 rpms which can be a pain sometimes..

 

This is a feature to prevent knuckleheads to destroy the engine by trying to push heavy (read: cold) engine oil through the moving parts by revving the crap out of the cold engine. Use common sense.

 

The high gear is locked out by design till things get warmed up in a hurry. There is nothing wrong that needs to be fixed. Just keep your engine rpm below 3k till the engine reaches optimum temp.

Now if after reaching the optimum temp, you are locked out of a gear then there is a problem that needs fixing.

Salim

 

The engine temp and trans temp are two different things. They both warm quicker when you drive. I (and the user manual) recommends against idlling to warm up.

You may need couple of more drains and fill ... a good portion remains inside and some one did a study that after 13 drains or fills the majority of the fluid will be fresh and around 19 times high 90s (like 98%) would be fresh.

Do you park your vehicle outside and how cold does it these nights. Try driving slow (engine rpm below 3k) till the coolant temp reaches normal (near 1/2 way point).

Can you share the rpms when the shifts are happening.

Any CEL codes?

Salim

 

2003 Highlander V6 AWD 284K miles. Original Owner. Mine has done the cold weather no-OD thing since new. I can even tell what the outside temp is by how far the car goes until it starts to shift normally. First stop sign is exactly 1.0 mile from my driveway. If it starts to shift before the sign it is 30 deg. (F) or higher. If 1/4 mile past then 20's, if 1/2 mile then single digits. The record was 2.3 miles from home. It was 18 below zero that day. Brrrrrrr!
Haya....