Not my car, my aunts, just trying to help. 2001 RX300 with about 150k on it I believe. She complained it started making noise like a bad power steering pump a couple weeks ago, kept driving it, then suddenly it stopped going into gear and moving. Her son checked fluid in trans and it was low. He topped it off, and then it would drive again. They brought it to me to test drive. I tested it and it seemed mostly fine, except a little gutless in 2nd through 4th gear unless you hammered on it. No lights until late in the test drive, VSC light and Check Engine light. Code reads p0770. According to my reading, shift solenoid maybe, but possibly whole trans is trash?

Just looking for advice at what direction to go. She just bought this car a few months ago for $4k, so taking it to a shop for a $3k trans swap doesn't make any sense. Is it worth a drain and fill, clear codes and just drive it until it doesn't? Or worth replacing a solenoid? It is still whining pretty bad, so the fluid didn't cure it when it was topped off.

I know there is a hundred threads on this, but if I'm being totally honest, I don't have the time to go through them all, so I'm hoping some of you more knowledgeable Lexus folks would be willing to lend me a few minutes of your time and let me know what to tell her to do.

Thanks in advance.

 

Unless you can diagnose the issue, you will have to take it to a transmission shop. It can be as simple as a broken wire or more likely a bad shift solenoid. The whole transmission being bad is a possibility too, but the determination should not be based on hunch or speculation.

Salim

 

So you're saying I'm going to have to take the time to read the other threads to get real information. Thanks.

 

Regrettably no one can sit in their chair and diagnose a problem. Actual inspection, measurements and analysis is needed.
So think about the choices you have:
1) Expect some one sitting on the net to randomly (and hopefully correct) tell you to replace a part.
2) Develop/use expertise to diagnose yourself and then be capable [skill, tools etc] to fix the problem.
3) Take it to trusted shop.
4) ?

I cant make the choice for you. We can gladly discuss any.
My suggestion is 3 but then I don't know 4.
2 has its problems as it predicates the tool/setup to fix. ex: Oil analysis points out worn slip discs. But I don't have the facility to drop transmission, rebuild it and put it back.

Salim
ps: Don't use 1 unless it is a no cost/little_effort. I call it grasping at straws.
Note: This is a forum for enthusiasts and although trained techs are welcome, but any advise here should be taken as a suggestion.

 

Taking it to a "Trusted shop" as Salim suggests is what I would do.

If the transmission is whining you may need someone to do some hands on testing and shifting and driving to properly diagnose.
Even with that, all we can hope is they diagnose the problem right the first time.

As seen in may posts even the pros misdiagnose transmission problems frequently and the car can end up at one shop to another before they figure out what's going on. lol

 

Spent time searching out a "trusted shop" took it there, and they said transmission is toast. Upon asking what their tests showed, all they did was read codes and guess based on that and symptoms. So, exactly what I did, but for an extra $185. No fluid analysis, no test drive, nothing. Quoted between $3800-5900 for a used/refurbed trans. Asked them about the solenoid and they said maybe, but that would be like putting a bandaid on a bullet wound.

So needless to say, I should have just done more reading on here, as the people that are so called enthusiasts and not "experts" are more reliable sources of information on common problems than the professionals at "trusted shops" are.

So, I guess I'll start the search for a used unit and until then I've got an egg shaped paperweight in my back yard since I'll be the one to fix it for her anyway.

 

And he knows this how??? haha

Not even a test drive for $185.00.
Sounds like they want to make a lot of money for doing nothing and if anyone is dumb enough to pay them $3-5k when it's not exactly clear what you get for the money- just word salads. haha

 

If you have the vehicle and have time and capability, how about changing the solenoid [I am not sure where it is or how hard it is to replace... it can be right in front and all you need is drop the pan]. When you drop the pan, you can see if there is evidence of pulverized gear. The small grey particles can get stuck in the passage ways of the valve. Regrettably once the pulverization is in progress, you will have more issues.

I wish the place had done more testing for you, but most shops would always do the max to prevent a customer coming back with complaints. Talk to them, if they would just change sensor for you. Or even pay them for time to drop and inspect the innards + fluid change. [you can do these yourself too]

All of the above changes, if you do not have the vehicle and time + skill + tools.

Salim

 

Yeah it is currently residing in my back yard until I've got time to work on it. I'm stuck on 7 day weeks at work until September, so it will probably just hang out until then. She has another car that is in rough shape, but its getting her around. I may try to come up with some time to just drop the pan and check things out. I haven't priced a solenoid beyond what I've seen mentioned on here, and $300 for a sensor is more than I'd be willing to gamble unless it looks really nice on the valve body side of things. Realistically I can buy a wrecked parts car for about $1-2k so I can't justify 15-30% on a swing for the fence with the sensor unless I've got good reason to believe it will fix it. Especially having wasted $185 on the "diagnostic" already.