ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed

#11

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll ask for a tranny fluid flush the next
time I get the car serviced. My wife is especially incensed about the
poor performance of the ES300 engine. Last weekend, we were going
uphill, and she wanted to pass. She gets into the passing lane, goes
foot to the floor... and nothing! The car doesn't react.

Not what I expected from one of the supposedly premier automakers.
Ride quality is awesome, but this engine/transmission combo just
sucks. My wife IS your typical granny-type driver and even she doesn't
like the way it drives.

#12

Well, here's the extra insult. The ES300 was restyled for 2002, I bought
mine soon after they came out. Today I just saw a tv commercial for the new
ES330 (330, not 300) with the same body style as the ES300. I didn't catch
the whole commercial, but the end of it appeared as if they were showing the
ES330 as a performance/sport version of the ES. If that's the case, I'll be
pretty pissed at Lexus for screwing me with an underperforming ES300, then
launching a new version of it within 2 years. I bought the ES thinking it
would be around in its current form for at least 3 or 4 years, and preserve
my expense and resale value a little longer. By introducing the ES330 so
quickly, they've just screwed everyone who trusted Lexus and bought an
ES300. Not sure I'll be returning to the sales side of the Lexus business
anytime in the future after this little episode. I haven't tried the tranny
fix in my ES300 yet, but I've read mixed reviews from others who have.
Let's just say that Lexus has lost some respect in my book.

"triplezzz" <ichor0416 (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

Thanks for the suggestion; I'll ask for a tranny fluid flush the next
time I get the car serviced. My wife is especially incensed about the
poor performance of the ES300 engine. Last weekend, we were going
uphill, and she wanted to pass. She gets into the passing lane, goes
foot to the floor... and nothing! The car doesn't react.

Not what I expected from one of the supposedly premier automakers.
Ride quality is awesome, but this engine/transmission combo just
sucks. My wife IS your typical granny-type driver and even she doesn't
like the way it drives.

#13

Hey! Helmar! I just traded my '02 ES300 for an '03 LS430...same car as you.
Drop me a private Email and we can chat about our vehicles.

"Helmar Herman" <BenAndMarsha (AT) mail (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

This was a problem on my '99 LS400 and is still a problem on my '03
LS430.

Is that fix available for the LS430?

On Tue, 9 Sep 2003 10:07:47 -0400, "Steve Larson" <r (AT) NOSPAM (DOT) com
wrote:

I notice the problem quite frequently, and it is very dangerous at times.
There are times where my 2002 doesn't know when to kick into passing gear
and it literally hangs for about 3 seconds not doing anything. Try
having
that happen on the I-285 speedway around Atlanta and see if you feel safe
driving this car. I also notice it when doing the "California roll", or
turning a hard corner without ever coming to a complete stop. The tranny
gets confused, and I either sit and wait for it to accelerate, or I have
to
press the pedal down farther, causing the engine to race. Very
frustrating,
very dangerous. It does fine from a complete stop, and it does fine if
you
drive like a stereotypical grandmother.

I received my letter last week, but haven't made it in yet to have the
fix
applied. If anyone has not experienced the problem, I suggest that their
driving habits have not revealed the problem yet. Bear in mind, in your
decision not to apply the fix, Lexus has spent at least a year developing
and testing this fix. I spoke with Lexus USA, and they said the new
firmware is going into the new vehicles at the factory. I would really
suggest staying current with the firmware that Lexus feels is the best
solution for this car. Anything short of doing that is saying that you
don't mind an occasional game of Russian Roulette. I hope for your sake
your tranny doesn't misbehave the one critical time you need it...at
least
you know there are plenty of airbags to help soften the impact...

"Bernard D. Newman" <bernardnewman (AT) comcast (DOT) net> wrote in message
news:jd23b.211895$It4.98967 (AT) rwcrnsc51 (DOT) ops.asp.att.net...
There is a full discussion of this at CLUBLEXUS.COM. I have an '02 and,
frankly, don't see what the problem is, even though those folks at
CLUBLEXUS
swear it's in all '02 and '03 ES cars. I got the notice but probably
will
NOT have the work done. If it ain't broke....

"RG" <nospam (AT) nospam (DOT) com> wrote in message
news:vkp3ea67s6d993 (AT) corp (DOT) supernews.com...
My wife took her 2003 ES300 in for it's 5K mile service. The dealer
told
her
that Lexus had just started sending out notices about an "adjustment
to
the
computer to fix the transmission problem". Even though we had not yet
received the letter the dealer said they would go ahead and make the
"adjustment" if she wished. She told them to do it.

She picked the car up yesterday and said she didn't notice the
hesitation
when downshifting and the car seemed to run a little stronger. She
only
drove it a few miles (it was going to rain and she didn't want to get
it
wet) but she did try to duplicate the conditions in which the
hestitation
was noticable.

Has anyone else had this "adjustment"?

#14

go to the dealer and get the updated ECM reflash. keep in mind too that
these new cars are no longer accelerator cabled, they are 'fly by wire'
meaning there is no direct connection between your foot and the throttle
plate. i drive a wrangler, and sometimes ES and LS drives me nuts with
the FBW
--
Ben Jerew
ASE Master Technician
New Country Lexus of Latham, NY
Amateur Off-Roader

#15

Thanks, Ben. I'm going to try the fix, but clearly Lexus realized they had
a problem with the ES300 very early in its 2002 release in order to come out
with the newer version only 2 years out. It's easier for them to fix the
engine in the ES and just give it a new model number (ES330) than to take
responsibility for the problem with the underperforming ES300. I feel like
Lexus has let their customers down, not to mention cheated a whole bunch of
us who trusted them.

"MudPuppy" <animal76 (AT) nycap (DOT) rr.com> wrote

Quote:

go to the dealer and get the updated ECM reflash. keep in mind too that
these new cars are no longer accelerator cabled, they are 'fly by wire'
meaning there is no direct connection between your foot and the throttle
plate. i drive a wrangler, and sometimes ES and LS drives me nuts with
the FBW
--
Ben Jerew
ASE Master Technician
New Country Lexus of Latham, NY
Amateur Off-Roader

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ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed

Lexus Discussions about Lexus cars and trucks (alt.autos.lexus)

Re: ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed - 09-13-2003 , 02:27 PM

Re: ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed - 09-14-2003 , 06:20 PM

Re: ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed - 09-15-2003 , 05:55 PM

Re: ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed - 09-16-2003 , 09:47 PM

Re: ES300 Transmission Hesitation Fixed - 09-16-2003 , 10:13 PM