My car has 92,000 miles and I just had the timing belt replaced. On a drive from SF to LA, the car performed flawlessly for the first 4 hours. After filling the gas tank, and getting back onto the freeway, the car would not shift out of second gear. Warning lights did not come on. After resting overnight, the car ran properly for 35 minutes and then, would not shift out of second gear. Again, no warning lights. At one point, there was a loud sound as the car switched from first to second gear.

The Lexus dealer is puzzled but the friendly neighborhood mechanic said that the car is in "limp mode". I understand that this occurs when the engine CPU receives conflicting information and limits power to prevent possible damage.

Can anyone please verify if this is the case and if so, is there an easy fix?

Thank you in advance

 

There can be multiple reasons to get into limp mode, or even problem in the xmission (including the shift lever) which can lock you in a gear.

First order of business would be to get the diagnosis done. I would suggest taking the RX to the dealership. They should have the right equipment to diagnose.

Please check if your CEL bulb is working and I would suggest connecting up to the code reader.

Salim