Sign In Join 



Transmission problems with Lexus ES?

1381 messages,  Last post on Nov 26, 2009 at 12:56 PM

You are in the Lexus ES Forum. Your Hosts are pat & karens

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


Messages Page 47 of 139
1
...
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
...
139
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion

#452 of 1381
Consider this...... by georgeb7
May 27, 2004 (1:41 pm)
Reply
It may not be in the best interest of Edmunds.com to single-handedly report that the Lexus 330 has a bad transmission. Just food for thought.
#453 of 1381
Conflict of interest?? by toydriver
May 27, 2004 (6:37 pm)
Reply
Obviously, Lexus as well as all other manufacturers pay Edmunds for advertising.
 
Does Edmund's pass on website chatter to reviewers?? Probably not.
You'd think that if you were in the business of reviewing cars, that you'd know and factor in what is being said by the customer base (those of us on this website).
 
Good question for our host. Why don't Edmund's reviewers comment on the transmission issues with the ES ???
#454 of 1381
by Mr_Shiftright HOST
May 28, 2004 (4:29 pm)
Reply
Probably because it didn't happen to them, would be the most logical answer I could come up with.
 
The reviewers are usually pretty good about jumping on a glaring defect, if you read through some of the other reviews.
 
However, your comments (basic content, not identities) are very helpful and are directed to management for possible forwarding to manufacturers. We hosts often note any reptitive mention of problems with a car and send that observation along.
 
You have to remember that even a 10% failure rate in a car's component would be very unusual, so it makes sense that the Edmunds car wouldn't show it.
#455 of 1381
ES330 Reviews by mrdlexus
May 29, 2004 (6:03 am)
Reply
Believe it or not there is an honest person that is reviewing this car. Ann M. Job of the Associated Press reviewed the Lexus ES330, and was quite honest. Direct quote from her review,"I just wish more attention had been put into how the transmission and engine worked together in the test car. Occasional, clumsy-feeling upshifts were felt by passengers. There were enough of them during my test drive that I wondered what had happened to the silky smooth shifts that I had enjoyed from the predecessor ES. I also noticed occasional hesitation, as if the transmission were indecisive about which gear to be in , when I travelled on hilly highways". That is a perfect review of an imperfect car, this is what we are all complaining about. Stay away from the ES330 until Lexus fixes the problem, it's been 3+ years an counting!!!!!!!!!!
#456 of 1381
mrdlexus Re: ES330 reviews by toydriver
May 29, 2004 (7:22 am)
Reply
Poor Ann M. Job !! She probably won't be getting another Lexus to review, with those comments about the ES.
I think about recent scandals with stock analysts and how they had conflicts of interest with the companys they reviewed.
 
My biggest concern, now that my ES has 10K mi, is how likely is it that this transmission will completely fail prematurely.
#457 of 1381
Re: ES330 Reviews [mrdlexus #455] by davidz
May 30, 2004 (6:57 am)
Reply

Replying to: mrdlexus (May 29, 2004 6:03 am)

The irony of Ms. Job's review is that she "wondered what had happened to the silky-smooth shifts" that she "had so enjoyed from the predecessor ES." Based on the complaints that I've read, isn't the sluggish transmission problem much worse on the ES330's predecessors (specifically the 2002 and 2003 ES300s)?
#458 of 1381
Re: ES330 Reviews [davidz #457] by mrdlexus
May 30, 2004 (10:32 am)
Reply

Replying to: davidz (May 30, 2004 6:57 am)

I think she is referring to the time when the es 300 had a 4 speed automatic instead of the current 5 speed. It is true that 2002 and 2003 models were the worst, with marginal improvement in the 2004 model year. The fact remains that when Lexus changed from the 4 speed to the 5 speed, that is when all the complaints started occurring. The 4 speed was silky smooth!!!!
#459 of 1381
posts 443 and 455 by wrd
Jun 04, 2004 (9:00 am)
Reply
Those posts describe the problem perfectly. A wonderful automobile that shifts like crap. My 02 has 30k with no improvement or deteriation in shift quality. Will it last 100k? Who knows. Will Lexus stand behind their product if it fails? I am beginning to doubt it. I have driven many 02/04 loaners (300's and 330's) and every one had a noticeable shifting problem. I will never believe it is just 10% of production.(Lexus has admitted to 12%). Just 10% of aware owners. Last time I checked NHTSA'S site, there were 37 reported accidents and one death attributed to ES300/330 transmission problems.
  I am also driving my second LS400 and had plans to buy a new 430 until I read posts from two owners complaining of abnormal shifting with their new 430's.
#460 of 1381
Why Bother Fixing this problem? by amf1932
Jun 05, 2004 (6:41 am)
Reply
I've been complaining about the crappy shifting on my '03 ES from the time I purchased this car till the present, but when I read about Lexus's sales figures from "Auto Spy" I ask this question: Why would Lexus even bother?
Quote from Auto Spy:
"Lexus passenger cars also posted strong sales of 12,762, an increase of 13.9 percent. The ES 330 luxury sedan recorded best-ever May sales of 7,099 units, up 23.9 percent. The
LS 430 flagship luxury sedan posted sales of 2,763 units, up 55.3 percent."
#461 of 1381
Re: Why bother fixing this problem?? by toydriver
Jun 05, 2004 (8:38 am)
Reply
Well, the way I see it, Lexus/Toyota is starting to "rest on their laurels" the way the "big 3" did before they slid into disrepute, falling sales and slumping stock prices. Toyota considers themselves as the best car/truck manufacturer. Yes Lexus has a way to slide, but if they can get by with cheaper production, of course they will.
 
The interior of the ES sells itself, so by the time the test drive occurs, the customer is more focused on the wood grain, quiet and ambience of the cabin and not on the transmission.
 
Well, Lexus should be more concerned about RETAINING customers as much as aquiring new ones.
 
This customer has NO plans to buy another Lexus after owning 3, and having problems with 2 of them. Next time, I will look elsewhere.

Messages Page 47 of 139
1
...
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
...
139
Prev
Next
Last
Go To Msg #
Search This Discussion
To POST a message, please Sign In.

New? Join Now!

Forum Tools

Please sign in.
Email Address:

Password:

Forgot Password?

Search Forums

Enter Keyword(s)

Advanced Search

Browse by Vehicle



View All Vehicles
Advertisement
Ask the Community
See What People Are Asking

Browse by Board

Browse by Topic


View All Topics

Today's Chats

Advertisement