Nutmegs

Hi Guys, Just thought I would bring you uptodate with my own situation, and comment on what I believe to be a travesty by Lexus Corporate who leave lexus owners lying in their wake of poor workmanship and poor service processes. I believe the ECU should be replaced Free, I beleive this is the problem..... while I had mine repaired (burnt computer board from heat) I should have replaced it - but at the time I had put up with 18 months plus of throwing good money after bad with trying to sort this issue. IE solenoids replaced, transmission servicing, ECU and wiring & throttle positioning valves etc, etc... Lexus Perth couldnt give a tinkers, stating they couldnt find anything wrong and quoting me an open charge/fee to check 'everything' out - but said if in doubt replace gearbox. Well stuff that! I did find an Audi A5, traded (yeah, that did happen) my GS300 2005 - and haven't looked back. do I miss my Lexus ..... Yes, would I have sold it if the issue was fixed like other cars within a few days ... No! Is the Audi like my old Lexus No! and I wont go into all the differences, but while I enjoy driving a great car again because Audi Quattro's are brilliant especially the A5 - it just doesnt have the luxury level a Lexus has, while there are no optional extras with Lexus, there are heaps with Audi - enough said. If Lexus Corporate read these posts, I have one word for you guys SHAME! shame on you! (ok 4 words!)

Geez that's tough. I will say though I looked around before, deciding to sell at wrecks - there were quite a few around the country, and I had a good transmission guy say to buy if from a wreckers, give it to someone (specialist in these types of gearbox's) and get them to overhaul it, fit it and you may get away with a $3500 job all up. I have to agree with you on the Lexus luxury, no optional extras and smooth and quiet to drive - I still love 'em to death. But I use my car to make a living and it needs to be reliable, I bought the Audi AF 3.0 TDI (turbo diesel) and it flies, but returns a 6.5/100kms - brilliant. Good luck with whatever decision you make.

Hi Listo, I am sorry to hear about your woes too! Bloody shame Lexus doesn't come out of the cupboard and admit the problem instead of ignoring it like it doesn't exist. Too many people having the same issue that dealerships ignore, and when you go to specialists and experts they are scratch their heads. I sold my lexus and purchased an Audi A5 and love it! I think if money was a consideration, and was 100% going to keep the lexus I would've bought a 2nd hand gearbox and had it reconditioned and start again. But still the issue hangs over your head - will it stick in 3rd gear again at some stage. I sold and never looked back. I am not on time when seeing my clients and traveling somewhere, anywhere stress less is brilliant. Good luck to everyone putting up with this terrible complaint and shame on you Lexus!

Sadly I sold the car. After 18 months plus, the stress of never knowing when the problem would resurface killed it for me. I am now driving an Audi - not the same, and cannot compare to the lexus, but after repeatedly talking to 'experts' in the field I was just throwing good money after bad with no end in sight what made it worse, was I would talk to one mechanic/technician who would want to try this or that and then going without car for 2-3 days finding out my pocket is poorer, car is no better.

Wow! at least that narrows it down even more... My Audi deal fell through this morning, apparently the Audi was a repairable write-off - lucky the finance company did the search - so back to concentrating on my Lexus... So you are in Perth, who did you use in Queensland? And did someone do the transmission service here? Appreciate your feedback ..... you could be a life saver.

Hi Ed, Funny you should post a reply ... as in a few days I may have great news for me!! First let me say, I believe this problem is unique and doesn't detract from the pleasure I get from owning this great car. I love it and when it drives normally is a smooth enjoyable car to drive. So I would never seek to put someone off from having one - because once you have had a Lexus, it's hard to move to another brand, for me anyway. Ok! Possible prognosis - I was recommended to see a particular auto trans specialist - and they did a pre-assessment and believed the offending issue was the 'ECU' - now if you remember the codes being spiked are P0761 & P2714. Solenoid 'C' - which I replaced, and 'D' and the Position Throttle Sensor assembly. - last on my possible list was the ECU and ECU harness. So in conjunction with another specialist in Sydney, they believe they have found the problem ...... an electronic 'board' in the ECU (similar to a computer electronics board is discolored, they believe the discoloration is caused from heat and causes the issue I'm having sticking randomly in 3rd gear). Apparently they have had numerous vehicles with the same problem, not just Lexus. They have relayed to me that they are 99% sure this is the issue. I still have my fingers crossed and everything else - but will know around the 8th of February when I get the car back. I will post the results here then ... and if successful let the Lexus community know of both these automotive businesses as referred people to visit. Grahame

To anyone who can either shed some light Or a fix for an annoying problems that is threatening to cause me serious self harm, and selling my beloved GS300. I will try and be as brief as possible, but please bear with me ..... I have a 2005 3rd gen GS300, 6 -speed transmission which fronted to codes initially being P0761 & P2714 ... Solenoid and position sensor issues... Lexus want an arm and leg for their parts, and were not able to diagnose specifically, so it would've been trial by error... by them and they admit to not knowing what the issue is. So following my nose we started to eradicate obvious parts by the codes that surfaced. Replaced the following: Tranny oil flushed and replaced, replaced 'C' and 'D' solenoids, replace whole of Throttle body position sensor (theres a grand there, just for the sensor body) and guess what ... still sticking in 3rd gear, changing tranny oil did help the car run more smoother, but still randonly sticking in 3rd gear. Only response when that happens is to disconnect battery from between 4 and 13 minutes, to reset computer and then restart, Lexus goes through its start and set up procedure and off I go again, but here's the thing it will run for a week normally (mind you driven like an old lady pushing a Coles Supermarket trolley, actually had a few pass me eck, grrrr!) Or randomly will recommence sticking in 3rd at any time, 5 mins down the road after resetting computer or 2 hours, 2 days later completely random. In between gears sticking the cars runs like a dream, smooth through all gears... So, you can see Im ready to put a hole in my head or sell the Lexus - and frankly would rather keep my head and the car. I'm thinking next move is to change the computer unit, but then Ive read that has to be re config'd to specifications with a Lexus dealergroup????? I really dont want to exchange gearboxs, again expensive and no guarantees.............................. Has anyone experienced the same? Or knows of someone that has a fix? Cheers, for your help and suggestions

Yeah, a first for me too! I love my car, so have to get to the bottom of it .... some advice I have received is to change the transmission fluid.... and I have a new 'C' solenoid ready to replace the faulty one. While the problem with the sticky gear (2nd to 3rd) is consistant in it's behaviour, the randomness of it happening is the thing that confuses me. If I stop the car, take off both battery terminals and wait 15 minutes before replacing terminals and re starting the car - go through all the resetting of radio channels, air cond settings, and all electrics on windows, sun roof - bingo the car runs like new .. can be for a day, to 5 days and then at any moment in between the gear will stick and wont change up to next gear, revs drop dramatically to idle even if you are doing 70klms per hour ....... ?@#$%!^& Finding a mechanic/technician who understands this, knows how to rectify is the improtant key now - wish me luck!!

Hi King, Apologies for not replying sooner - was recovering from the headache my Lexus is giving me! Seriously, its been enlightening to a point ..... I managed to speak with a a mechanic who had some experience with Lexus UK and they thought it strange that my car would sometimes have a sticky solenoid (gear change - where it wouldnt move up to 3rd) and that the problem was random to say the least - went a whole week without going pear shaped and then 4 times it occurs in a morning! remedies are: 1. pull over to side of the road - be stationary and then pull away again sedately and foxed Or 2. pull over to side of the road and switch off engine, restart and again drive off again sedately Or 3. Pull over and undo negative battery terminal (this is when VSC light comes on) wait 5 minutes and off you go again ... Or 4. When VSC light comes on following a few gear changes resulting in sticking in 2nd ... pull over, remove both positive and negative terminals, wait 15 minutes and the computer re sets itself and it drives like new .... again! So, they looked at the codes - same as last time - called a mate (from Lexus) he comes over and puts his code machine to my car and oh! hasnt had the latest upgrade, this could be the fix!!! Alas No, 24 hours later having driven 200ks - gear change gets stuck again - revert to items 1 to 4 above. So I purchase an OEM 'C' solenoid from Japan, arrived today and considering letting lose a technician on the tranny to change this solenoid, and change tranny oil (hopefully both remedies replacing oil and solenoid will do the trick, fingers and everything else crossed)..... Interesting to read on another Lexus site someone having the same types of issue on a newly purchase 2006 GS300 (and this guy being a lexus techy) some of his feedback just slated the car and said in other words the "2006 GS300 was a 'lemon' and get rid of it" - a tad bit drastic, wouldnt you say? Warm regards, Grahame (nutmegs)

Issue: So, a service shows up two codes after engine light comes on ... More relevant = P0761 and lesser P2714..... 2006 GS300 in great condition with 170ks on the clock and no major issues ever.... Now I understand the Solenoid C is the normal culprit to not being able to move from 3rd gear to 4th - however upon reading many feeds there may be a correlation between electrical issues such as loss of power from Drivers door to control all 'other' windows? A sunroof that wont 'automatically close' without heaps of minor adjustments on the open/close buttons? And a new battery that keeps slowly discharging??? Yes, pulling negative connection off battery solves the issue of P0761 and car sedately changes gear almost perfectly again but then last an hour or 3 days of driving, until codes disappear when battery disconnected again!!! It seems to me that after researching most of the forums or feedback there seems to be at least 5 different remedies but I have yet to see a definitive solution. Can anyone shed a good news story on this before I loose my mind (if not already)? Would really appreciate some input! Grahame (Nutmegs)