Could also be a bad valve body…
Low fluid… (perhaps from very slow leak)
Bad torque converter…
Another idiotic decision
Hello fellow drivers,
My car is a 2004 Lexus LS 430 with approximately 150k+ miles. No major repairs throughout ownership. Excluding wear and tear such as brakes, tyres and suspension, minor ones are the door actuators, oil leak (engine gasket) and cruise control. Now, I am hit with a $6000 bill for the transmission. Anyone with the ability of making logical judgement would sell the car in the blink of an eye but my heart often overrides the brain.
A few months ago, the car was sluggish occasionally going in reverse but once it was given enough time to warm up, it reversed without any problems. Fast forward to last week, instead of difficulty in reverse, the car was sluggish to accelerate. Again, the car drove fine after a few minutes. Two days ago, the car did not move upon start up unless the engine hit 2000 rpm, which is ridiculous. My experience is that the car only hits 2000 rpm or above when travelling 60 mph+.
Although as ignorant as I am, I do not need a dealer to tell me the transmission is failing. What it is beyond comprehension is that at this astronomical repair cost, the dealer would only put a re-manufactured one to my car. If the donor car has more or less the same mileage as my car, if not more, it is just a matter of time for the donor transmission to fail. Perhaps I may be better off to roll the dice, buy a used transmission from eBay and pray a transmission shop will do the job right at a fraction of the cost. The pain of losing my love is still excruciating and certainly I do not want to experience anything similar again (over the years, I have developed bonding of some kind with this car). Selling it is the last thing I hope for.
Are Toyotas made to last? I will leave this to your judgment. My answer to that would be 'depends'. Honestly with the age of this car, it is understandable that something starts to fail. As with my other newer LS, a failing suspension at 26k miles is ridiculous. This is why my jaw drops each time reading stories of Prius / Camry / Corolla that never breaks at unbelievably high miles. Why is not the case for Lexus?
Thank you for taking the time to read.
My car is a 2004 Lexus LS 430 with approximately 150k+ miles. No major repairs throughout ownership. Excluding wear and tear such as brakes, tyres and suspension, minor ones are the door actuators, oil leak (engine gasket) and cruise control. Now, I am hit with a $6000 bill for the transmission. Anyone with the ability of making logical judgement would sell the car in the blink of an eye but my heart often overrides the brain.
A few months ago, the car was sluggish occasionally going in reverse but once it was given enough time to warm up, it reversed without any problems. Fast forward to last week, instead of difficulty in reverse, the car was sluggish to accelerate. Again, the car drove fine after a few minutes. Two days ago, the car did not move upon start up unless the engine hit 2000 rpm, which is ridiculous. My experience is that the car only hits 2000 rpm or above when travelling 60 mph+.
Although as ignorant as I am, I do not need a dealer to tell me the transmission is failing. What it is beyond comprehension is that at this astronomical repair cost, the dealer would only put a re-manufactured one to my car. If the donor car has more or less the same mileage as my car, if not more, it is just a matter of time for the donor transmission to fail. Perhaps I may be better off to roll the dice, buy a used transmission from eBay and pray a transmission shop will do the job right at a fraction of the cost. The pain of losing my love is still excruciating and certainly I do not want to experience anything similar again (over the years, I have developed bonding of some kind with this car). Selling it is the last thing I hope for.
Are Toyotas made to last? I will leave this to your judgment. My answer to that would be 'depends'. Honestly with the age of this car, it is understandable that something starts to fail. As with my other newer LS, a failing suspension at 26k miles is ridiculous. This is why my jaw drops each time reading stories of Prius / Camry / Corolla that never breaks at unbelievably high miles. Why is not the case for Lexus?
Thank you for taking the time to read.
1 - 20 of 150 Posts
Low fluid… (perhaps from very slow leak)
Bad torque converter…
May have to be matched to the VIN… not a big deal though if it is required…Refurbished $2,700.00 give or take plus shipping.
View attachment 682541
" refurbished" may mean they changed the shift Solenoids.
Have it looked at by an INDEPENDENT mechanic.
Then decide.
FIFY 👍Sounds to me like it just needs a band adjustment. A simple procedure, but not an everyday do-it-yourself project. Tell the STEALERSHIP to f/off and drive the vehicle to a transmission repair shop.
Without actually seeing the vehicle I would most likely go with burned fluid and clogged filter first… change those, reset transmission software and see what happens… JMOQuick research indicates the problem is common in that make & is often resolved with a software update.
Cost will obviously depend on type of fluid (some are upwards of $30 per quart), and type of trans, auto or CVT. Not really familiar with Toyota cars, I will admit…She should be able to do BOTH for under $500.00
Just changing fluid & filter will tell you a LOT about the transmission.
Too much metal = SELL. Even if it shifts good.
Car should be good till 300,000 miles with no Major repairs.
Software update & transmission filter/ fluid change is just ROUTINE MAINTENENCE.
Would definitely agree to sell the vehicle if metal is found on magnetic plug or in filter…
We didn’t get that far yet… it was coming up shortly…Blinker fluid, muffler bearing, and flux capacitor was never mentioned.
Very disappointed in you guys.
Flushing could cause other major problems to appear as the old gummy fluid or metals floating around could get stuck in valve body completely destroying it.I would change fluid & filter NO FLUSH !
Flush in 18 year old car could cause leaking seals.
And REPROGRAM SOFTWARE .
IT IS BASICALLY A FANCY TOYOTA .
SHOULD BE MORE LIFE LEFT IN IT.
Also if you are going to change transmission, you should also change torque converter.
We did not fail on anything… and why are you yelling??! 🤬Holy failed troubleshooting you guys!
Jessica. Before you do anything check your fluid level. Keep the car running in park. Find the transmission dip stick. Pull it out. Wipe it off. Put it all the way in, then pull it out. What is the reading on the stick?
Low fluid levels will produce the classic symptoms she is experiencing.
Oh, not all cars actually have transmission dipsticks anymore or oil dipsticks for that matter…
Before I forget, clearly some transmission dipstick p0rn going on in your post…Holy failed troubleshooting you guys!
Jessica. Before you do anything check your fluid level. Keep the car running in park. Find the transmission dip stick. Pull it out. Wipe it off. Put it all the way in, then pull it out. What is the reading on the stick?
Low fluid levels will produce the classic symptoms she is experiencing.
With Lucas??? LOLJessica, if your fluid level is in the normal range on the marks on the dip stick, again don't do anything. I will give you a link to a treatment you should try before changing the fluid or certainly before giving up on this transmission.
Not trying to be a know-it-all. Been there. Done that. I have brought transmissions back from the dead.
That requires a temperature controlled fill by a shop that has the right equipment to do as such…Google says that thing doesn't have a dipstick. Just a fill and a drain plug.
So, how many more posts until the first official fight starts in this thread? Lmao
Is that like putting pepper in your radiator to stop a leak?Sawdust !
Modern day transmissions do not have bands… they have clutches instead…There are LEXUS FORUMS.
DONT TRUST US.
GO TO LEXUS FORUM.
VIEW SOFTWARE FLASH.
MANY SWEAR IT WAS A FIX FOR THE PROBLEM YOU " SEEM" TO BE HAVING.
Changing fluid will allow judgement of band wear.
At 150,000 miles . . . It is time.
@W00dbutcher prob had best answer… just refill the blinker fluid…All you guys are doing is hijacking the thread. Everyone just stop posting if you are actually interested in helping her. She often only checks the forum once in a while and will be confused from all the posts. Yes, I hijacked the thread because that is where you start.
More modern than 1974… so yeah lolSame thing.
Fancy terminology.
2004 is " Modern"?
Bands are adjustable clutches are not. If the clutch pack fails it needs replacing… this is true for both wet and dry clutches.Same thing.
Fancy terminology.
2004 is " Modern"?
Nothing like tagging yourself in your own post… lol@W00dbutcher is not responsible for any repair advice related to up.net.
Now you have to take apart 1/2 the car to change that same front seal… and it cost $5 today… lolIn 1974 models . . .changing transmission fluid could kill those old 3 speeds. Loss of " grit" could cause slippage .
Remember dropping the WHOLE damn transmission to change out a $2.00 front seal ?
76 nova-305 and 73 Pontiac Catalina. 400.
In the Catalina I had to add 1/2 quart of " reconstituted" transmission fluid to pull away from a red light sometimes !
Kept on going though.
Fun job by yourself when using only a floor jack to put car in blocks & to lower transmission when you got it loose !
1 - 20 of 150 Posts
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