Lexus ES300 - Motor revs, but car doesn't move

#11

Not where they are made, by who makes them. You don't think there are
actually "Toyota transmissions", "Toyota gas", "Toyota spark plugs",
"Toyota tires" do you?

Aisin AW (Aisin-Warner) is the company that makes transmissions for
Toyota and some other makes, including some GM and Ford cars!! They
had a joint venture with Borg Warner for all the transmission
technology, that's why a division is called Aisin-Warner. There are
different divisions that makes truck transmissions and probably goes
by other names, like Aisin Seiki, etc. That said, Toyota does invest a
sizable chunk in the company.

The new U-series clunkers came into play after they discontinued the
joint venture, and that seemed to coincide with a lot more
transmission problems like shifting and gear skipping issues we've
heard about.

On Jul 1, 8:19*pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" <newstr... (AT) frontiernet (DOT) net>
wrote:
These inexpensive Aisin A-series transmissions......
==================

Is Aisin a brand name, or are you attempting to describe where they're
made?

#12

Well, as far as the underlying engineering, Lexus is just a Toyota. So
while we agree that they're nicely dolled up (for example, the Camry-
based Lexus ES, RX), you don't get any more engineering in a U-660E
transmission sold by Aisin, either in a Toyota or a Lexus, or
whichever car company wanting to buy the problematic U-660E from
Aisin.

On Jul 1, 3:22*pm, "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el... (AT) nastydesigns (DOT) com> wrote:

Quote:

But I will always look at Toyota transmissions as being weak. *There's
no excuse for the Lexus brand to have that particular trouble.

#13

I'm always amazed when any manufacturer is able to look at many examples of
things that work, and then make a conscious decision to make things that
don't work. Genius Scott Adams is exploring a similar issue at the moment.
Check July 1, 2 and 3.

http://dilbert.com/strips/

"john" <johngdole (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> wrote

Not where they are made, by who makes them. You don't think there are
actually "Toyota transmissions", "Toyota gas", "Toyota spark plugs",
"Toyota tires" do you?

Aisin AW (Aisin-Warner) is the company that makes transmissions for
Toyota and some other makes, including some GM and Ford cars!! They
had a joint venture with Borg Warner for all the transmission
technology, that's why a division is called Aisin-Warner. There are
different divisions that makes truck transmissions and probably goes
by other names, like Aisin Seiki, etc. That said, Toyota does invest a
sizable chunk in the company.

The new U-series clunkers came into play after they discontinued the
joint venture, and that seemed to coincide with a lot more
transmission problems like shifting and gear skipping issues we've
heard about.

On Jul 1, 8:19 pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" <newstr... (AT) frontiernet (DOT) net>
wrote:
These inexpensive Aisin A-series transmissions......
==================

Is Aisin a brand name, or are you attempting to describe where they're
made?

#14

john wrote:

Quote:

Well, as far as the underlying engineering, Lexus is just a Toyota. So
while we agree that they're nicely dolled up (for example, the Camry-
based Lexus ES, RX), you don't get any more engineering in a U-660E
transmission sold by Aisin, either in a Toyota or a Lexus, or
whichever car company wanting to buy the problematic U-660E from
Aisin.

On Jul 1, 3:22 pm, "Elmo P. Shagnasty" <el... (AT) nastydesigns (DOT) com> wrote:
But I will always look at Toyota transmissions as being weak. There's
no excuse for the Lexus brand to have that particular trouble.

Sounds like you just can't afford a Lexus. Wasn't that you crying the
other day when you saw a new Lexus drive down the street while you were
in your 2001 Toyota Corolla with torn cloth seats, bald tires, and three
tone paint?

#15

john wrote:

Quote:

Not where they are made, by who makes them. You don't think there are
actually "Toyota transmissions", "Toyota gas", "Toyota spark plugs",
"Toyota tires" do you?

Aisin AW (Aisin-Warner) is the company that makes transmissions for
Toyota and some other makes, including some GM and Ford cars!! They
had a joint venture with Borg Warner for all the transmission
technology, that's why a division is called Aisin-Warner. There are
different divisions that makes truck transmissions and probably goes
by other names, like Aisin Seiki, etc. That said, Toyota does invest a
sizable chunk in the company.

The new U-series clunkers came into play after they discontinued the
joint venture, and that seemed to coincide with a lot more
transmission problems like shifting and gear skipping issues we've
heard about.

On Jul 1, 8:19 pm, "JoeSpareBedroom" <newstr... (AT) frontiernet (DOT) net
wrote:
These inexpensive Aisin A-series transmissions......
==================

Is Aisin a brand name, or are you attempting to describe where they're
made?

If you could get a better job that paid you more than the $9.75 you get
now, you could dream about getting a luxury Lexus but that will always
escape you. Too bad. HA HA HA HA

#16

Gary L. Burnore wrote:

Quote:

On Fri, 3 Jul 2009 10:36:53 -0700 (PDT), john <johngdole (AT) hotmail (DOT) com> top
posted like an ignorant fucking moron and wrote:

Well, as far as the underlying engineering, Lexus is just a Toyota.

Yeah, and Cadillac is just a Chevy, Lincoln is just a Ford, Acura is just a
Honda ... ... ...

So
while we agree that they're nicely dolled up (for example, the Camry-
based Lexus ES, RX), you don't get any more engineering in a U-660E
transmission sold by Aisin, either in a Toyota or a Lexus, or
whichever car company wanting to buy the problematic U-660E from
Aisin.

I still think you're pissed because Lexus got your wife pregnant.

That wasn't Lexus, that was a Donkey that got his wife pregnant!

#17

On Wed, 01 Jul 2009 02:52:47 -0700, condor_222 wrote:

Quote:

Dear Experts,

I'm hoping to find someone who might have heard of this problem/symptom,
and know the solution.

I have a 99 Lexus ES300 Coach Edition, with about 86K miles now. Automatic
transmission. Very similar to a Camry XLE V6. Bought used last year.

This past week, it wouldn't start without a boost. So today, I changed the
battery. And installed a powerful 800 cold cranking amp battery. The old
battery had a bad cell.

But even before I did this, I noticed that the transmission wasn't
engaging the way it normally did. On the way to the battery shop, the
engine started. I put my foot on the brake and put the car in gear. But
the familiar push from the idle was not there. I had to rev the engine
before it moved.

And tonight, when I was driving home, I had to rev the engine to about 5
or 6 thousand RPM before it accelerated.

And soon when I was driving down the highway, any more gas (RPM) would not
make the car go any faster. I was just coasting, and coasted over to the
side of the road. After that, it would not go forward or backward. Even
if the engine was running at a few thousand RPM.

So, the symptom is that the engine seems to run fine. Up to 6K rpm fine.
But when you put the car in gear, it won't go at all. But there are no
new lights illuminating the dashboard, such as the check engine light.
There doesn't seem to be any strange mechanical sound.

Only 86K miles! My Camry went to 180K and the transmission worked fine.

Does anyone know what would be the cause and/or solution would be? I'm
hoping that it will be something simple like an electrical issue. Perhaps
the NOX sensor?

Thanks a lot!
=======

That's rough, having that kind of transmission problem so soon after
buying the Lexus. Good luck to you. It might have been a good idea to
have gotten an ATF fluid analysis done on the car before buying it.
Blackstone Labs would have charged $22. 86,000 miles sure is premature
for a transmission failure.

#18

On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 02:52:47 -0700 (PDT), condor_222 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com wrote:

Quote:

Dear Experts,

I'm hoping to find someone who might have heard of
this problem/symptom, and know the solution.

I have a 99 Lexus ES300 Coach Edition, with about 86K miles now.
Automatic transmission. Very similar to a Camry XLE V6.
Bought used last year.

This past week, it wouldn't start without a boost.
So today, I changed the battery. And installed a
powerful 800 cold cranking amp battery. The old
battery had a bad cell.

But even before I did this, I noticed that the
transmission wasn't engaging the way it normally
did. On the way to the battery shop, the engine
started. I put my foot on the brake and put the car
in gear. But the familiar push from the idle was not
there. I had to rev the engine before it moved.

And tonight, when I was driving home, I had to
rev the engine to about 5 or 6 thousand RPM
before it accelerated.

[snip]

This sounds like something I had and probably why I got the
car at such a good price. An ES300 with 86K on it is barely
broken in, so I doubt it is the transmission.

For me it was some kind of electronic control, possibly even
related to cruise control. Sorry I don't remember all the
details, or even any of them. I do remember after they did
some diagnosis they replaced a control unit and everything
worked fine after that. It wasn't easy for them to find, so
don't buy "the transmission needs to be replaced" until they
really check. I remember it was less than $1K.

#19

"Cloud Burst" <DoNotReplyViaEmail (AT) example (DOT) com> wrote

Quote:

On Wed, 1 Jul 2009 02:52:47 -0700 (PDT), condor_222 (AT) yahoo (DOT) com wrote:

Dear Experts,

I'm hoping to find someone who might have heard of
this problem/symptom, and know the solution.

I have a 99 Lexus ES300 Coach Edition, with about 86K miles now.
Automatic transmission. Very similar to a Camry XLE V6.
Bought used last year.

This past week, it wouldn't start without a boost.
So today, I changed the battery. And installed a
powerful 800 cold cranking amp battery. The old
battery had a bad cell.

But even before I did this, I noticed that the
transmission wasn't engaging the way it normally
did. On the way to the battery shop, the engine
started. I put my foot on the brake and put the car
in gear. But the familiar push from the idle was not
there. I had to rev the engine before it moved.

And tonight, when I was driving home, I had to
rev the engine to about 5 or 6 thousand RPM
before it accelerated.

[snip]

This sounds like something I had and probably why I got the
car at such a good price. An ES300 with 86K on it is barely
broken in, so I doubt it is the transmission.

For me it was some kind of electronic control, possibly even
related to cruise control. Sorry I don't remember all the
details, or even any of them. I do remember after they did
some diagnosis they replaced a control unit and everything
worked fine after that. It wasn't easy for them to find, so
don't buy "the transmission needs to be replaced" until they
really check. I remember it was less than $1K.

As I mentioned before, the proper diagnosis for the condition described by
the OP would be to check the condition and quantity of ATF and install a
transmission pressure gauge to measure line pressures. These simple steps
will tell a competent technician whether or not the transmission is good or
not.
--

Ray O
(correct punctuation to reply)

#20

Ok, it's fixed, and here is the update.

First of all, thanks so much to John for recommending ATRA!

I first took the car to a transmission place that I went
to last year. They wanted $3200 to rebuild the tranny!

I searched for ATRA members in my area, and found
another place. In the end, I went there, and only
paid $1700 for the rebuild!

Both places said that it needed a rebuild. That these
Lexus transmissions were one of the Lexus weaknesses.

There were metal shavings/dust that was sticking to
the magnets in the transmission pan.

When the transmission was apart, I took a look at
all the damage. There were chipped gears. And a
cyndrilic object that had metal chewed off the
outside edges at the end. About 4 inches in diameter,
and 6 inches in length. Welds holding gears that had
loosened. Lots of damage! No wonder it didn't want to move.

He said it looked like the transmission had already
been replaced. And that one gasket had been put on the
wrong side of an object. That was the reason it self
destructed. So, from what he told me, it was an off the
shelf rebuilt transmission. Put together wrong.
And slowly self destructed over time.

Now that it's replaced, the car sounds different.
I'd thought after I bought the car, that it sounded different
from my old Camry. There was always some noise
when I accelerated, and coasted. Now, the Lexus sounds
more like my Camry did. It's quieter.

Fortunately, there was no reason to change any of the
electronic sensors, which would have been extra. I'd had no
lights coming up on the dash.

One thing I learned when I contacted the Lexus dealership.
These transmissions require the Toyota number 4 transmission
fluid. Regular Dextron 3, will cause the transmission
to self destruct over time. The Lexus parts guy said that
Jiffy Lube had indirectly been one of their best customers.
Because they kept causing so many failed transmissions by
using Dextron 3.

So, I hope this helps anyone else who has issues with their
Lexus. Good luck!