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Lexus ES 300/ES 330

5443 messages,  Last post on Aug 14, 2010 at 9:21 AM

You are in the Lexus ES Forum.

What is this discussion about? Lexus ES 300, Lexus ES 330, Sedan

Messages Page 491 of 545

#4895 of 5443 Re: . [maxhonda99] by bkinblk

Apr 25, 2005 (6:12 pm)

Replying to: maxhonda99 (Apr 25, 2005 2:18 pm)
Hope you guys don't mind, I'm jumping over from the Toyota hesitation forum. I recently took my 2005 V6 XLE to a Lexus shop foreman. He told me he has had numerous TSB's over the past couple of years for the ES300-ES330 that called for reprogramming the ECU to correct to shifting problems (always under the title "check engine light", and not under "transmission". You can speculate on your own as to why that is. Anyway, there is a new revision to an August 4, 2003 TSB that is dated April 1, 2005. It calls for new calibration I.D's for 2002-2003 ES-300 and 2004-2005 ES330. So far, he has only done one reprogram on an ES330 about 10 days ago, and he has not heard anything from the owner (good news, I think). Hopefully, Toyota will follow with their own revised upgrades in the near future. As to whether this is a software or hardware issue. He told me that if you went to Japan and drove one of these cars, you wouldn't find any problem at all. It all has to do with EPA restrictions and software programming issues. Otherwise, why would a vehicle perform as expected immediately after a ECU reset or 10 minutes after disconnecting and reconnecting the negative battery terminal. The computer relearns the whacky shifting pattern in about 2 days (or less) and it's back to square one. Has anyone taken their car in for the NEW REVISION that came out April 1, 2005? It is revised from the original TSB TC004-03. It lists old calibration codes and the new calibration codes.

#4896 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [scoti1] by future1

Apr 26, 2005 (4:52 pm)

Replying to: scoti1 (Apr 25, 2005 1:42 pm)
quote: Future1, can you provide a little more info on that TSB? We have been debating it in the Engine Hesitation forum and could use some input from you.
  
We cannot find this April '05 update of the TSB listed on any of the usual sources (NHTSA, Alldata). One of the posters took a printout to his dealership and was told it was a fake. Another person was told that his '05 model vehicle already had the most recent update performed. I am thinking that maybe this is too new to have reached the dealerships. Have you had any luck getting the work performed? Can you share where you obtained the TSB?
 
1. I found the TSB in question in another Lexus forum. Can't post a link, because it's against this board policy, but I guess you can figure it from these two words: club lexus.
 
2. I have no idea how genuine this TSB is, but I think it's unlikely someone would invest their time to fabricate something like this.
 
3. I have not yet had a chance to run it by my dealership, but I will pay them a visit this Saturday. Will report here after that.

#4897 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [scoti1] by kreativ

Apr 26, 2005 (6:29 pm)

Replying to: scoti1 (Apr 25, 2005 1:42 pm)
You can't find the April '05 update of the TSB because it is simply a revision of the August '03 TSB and is still listed under that TSB #.
 
As for what people are told at the local dealership, it depends on who you talk to. It is highly doubtful many of the service advisors actually keep up with all the new TSBs for every model and year Lexus, let alone revisions of original TSBs. Most of the time, it has to be brought to their attention before they know about it. This TSB revision is quite new after all. But there has already been a news report this month in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette about this latest computer upgrade covering the 2002 to 2005 model years. The original TSB didn't include the 2004-2005 model years.

#4898 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [kreativ] by bkinblk

Apr 26, 2005 (7:14 pm)

Replying to: kreativ (Apr 26, 2005 6:29 pm)
The question is: Is the new revised "fix" the same as the old 2003 TSB (which did not correct the problem), or is the new revised "fix" really a new fix (reprogram) applied to all years with the U151E transmission. Our hope is that this will result in a final satisfactory resolution. Since my Camry was manufactured in Feb, 2005, I don't know why it wouldn't already have the "fix", but it very obviously does not. You Lexus guys will know before us (Toyota).

#4899 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [bkinblk] by kreativ

Apr 26, 2005 (7:54 pm)

Replying to: bkinblk (Apr 26, 2005 7:14 pm)
Think of it as software versions. The version continually increases as changes are made in the hopes of improving the software. And newer versions are based on the older ones. Then it's up to Lexus to decide when the transmission behavior has changed enough to warrant a software update to be released to current owners. Obviously, the original '03 software update for current owners didn't work out as they had hoped. And it wouldn't make sense for Lexus to try to apply old '03 software code onto an '05 ES330...the software versions in the '04 and '05 should already be based on improvements of the '03 software code.
 
So I think it only makes sense that this is a new update. But with the Lexus shop foreman you have contact with, you probably have a better source for this information than most of us here.

#4900 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [kreativ] by bkinblk

Apr 26, 2005 (8:03 pm)

Replying to: kreativ (Apr 26, 2005 7:54 pm)
The Lexus foreman told me he had peformed only one new calibration so far, and it was from the revised April 1, TSB . It was on an ES-330, and 12 days later he has not heard from the owner (good news, I think).

#4901 of 5443 Re: Transmission Fix [future1] by scoti1

Apr 27, 2005 (7:45 am)

Replying to: future1 (Apr 26, 2005 4:52 pm)
future1,
  
Thanks for clearing that up so quickly!
  
So, it looks like the TSB revision for the ES300/330 is likely the real thing.
  
It also appears that the April Pittsburgh Post Gazette article, which implies that Toyota/Lexus has a software upgrade for all the the 5-speed automatic transmissions, is a little misleading.
  
I am looking forward to hearing from the ES300/330 owners to see if this does the trick! I know with the previous upgrades that initially the drivers felt like it fixed the problem, but the old hesitating ways returned. If you read through the Transmission Problems in ES300? forum at the time of the release of the first TSB, there are some owners who initially reported positive results but later changed their tune when hesitation returned. I think it took several months and several 1000's of miles of driving before the condition returned, so if initial results are positive, that will be good, but realistically, it may take some time to determine if it is The Fix.

#4902 of 5443 Insight/Suggestions on ES350? by bosox04

Apr 27, 2005 (12:17 pm)

I'm faced with quite a quandary. I was literally about to go a purchase a new ES330 this weekend and while doing final negotiations on price I contacted a couple of other dealers in the area. When asking about what changes are in store for the ES and when the new model would be out I basically got 3 stories. As you can imagine the dealer I was about to buy with claims the new ES350 (which he says will be the '06 version) will only be very slight changes (primarily engine) and any new body changes won't be until the '07 model which would be out until late '06. The other two seem to be saying that the ES350 will first be introduced on the '07 and it will be out before April '06, likely with a new body style (which seemed to imply the '06 would still be the ES330 introduced later this year). Here in lies my dilemma, I have a vehicle that has over 110k miles so timing is an issue yet the thought of a larger engine on this vehicle and potential body changes (if not an entirely new body style) would certainly be reason for me to wait----the problem is I have no idea what is truly coming and when. Does anyone out there have any insight or at least suggestions? Thanks.

#4903 of 5443 Re: ES 330 Transmission [scoti1] by lepflorida

Apr 27, 2005 (12:29 pm)

Replying to: scoti1 (Jan 25, 2005 6:58 am)
Thanks for your advice Scoti1. Lexus has agreed to buy me out of my lease of a year and a half before the lemon law process went to arbitration. The only charge is a Florida required mileage charge, which I will gladly pay. Lexus is expected to pick-up my ES330 within 30 days. Thanks!

#4904 of 5443 Re: Insight/Suggestions on ES350? [bosox04] by cfazzari

Apr 27, 2005 (12:52 pm)

Replying to: bosox04 (Apr 27, 2005 12:17 pm)
Oh God...I'm Helping a Red Sox Fan!! (I'm Sorry Mickey, Babe, Lou, Joe D, Lefty, etc...)
 
My dad used to say "Buy a car when you do NOT need one..." And he was 100% correct. If you wait until your current car blows an engine or tranny you'll regret not getting out of it earlier. That being said, I'm not sure 110K miles means the end is near - my Dodge Intrepid has 148,000 miles on it and I'm expecting the engine to easily top 250,000 or even 300,000 miles. I expect around 200,000 miles out of the tranny before the gears start to wear out.
 
Chasing heat (the latest and greatest) isn't very productive. You may wait for a 2007 and then go to the auto show in 2006 and see a 2008 you'd like even more....then what? You can't kiss ALL of the girls!! If you like the current ES330 then buy it (be aware of the critisisms of this car on this board).
 
The point is I believe you're dealing from a position of strength. You don't need to buy today, but if you feel the end of your current ride is near, all you need to do is make a decision sooner rather than later.
 
Good Luck & Have FUN!

Messages Page 491 of 545

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