Hello

I'm still new to how a lexus is "supposed" to feel since I just recently purchased mine, so I don't know if what I am experiencing is normal lexus behavior. Here's the deal, I noticed that when I am braking I can actually feel the vehicle downshift. The RPM count when deccelerating would fall at a normal rate, then all of a sudden jump up for a second, not much jump but maybe 500RPMs, enough for the car to give me a feeling that I am accelerating when I am actually braking. My friends been telling me that this is normal and is actually good because its a "strong-shifting transmission". I driving automatics pretty much since I started driving and have never experienced this, that is why at first happend, I was pretty surprised. In the past, I have driven a 96 stratus and a 98 camry xle, both of which didn't give me that "down-shifting" RPM jump.

Another thing, when I am accelerating, I sometimes see that my rpm count almost hits 5000 before my MPH count actually goes up, in fact, sometimes I feel like the car is "stuck" and not accelerating at all. This happens at low speeds or when I am making turns, so generally below 35MPH.

I don't know if this is related to all the other transmission problems this board is experiencing, but I figured that since I have a 2000 model this shouldn't be the same right? I'm relatively new to how a car operates and even after reading through technical documents of how engines work, I am still not sure why these two phenomenas happen.

By the way, background, my car was purchased in late December, 40K miles on it.

Thanks in advance.

Tony

 

I have the same deceleration effect on my '01 ES, and from what I understand, that is normal behavior. I too thought it was irregular when I got the car in April 2003; I never experienced that kind of behavior from my '96 ES. My understanding is that this is coming from the VVT-i (variable valve timing with intelligence) engine in the ES. Basically this is a smarter and improved engine for all '99-'01 ES, compared to the ECT (electronically controlled transmission) engine used in all '98 and below ES.

Quote:

when I am accelerating, I sometimes see that my rpm count almost hits 5000 before my MPH count actually goes up, in fact, sometimes I feel like the car is "stuck" and not accelerating at all. This happens at low speeds or when I am making turns, so generally below 35MPH.

This doesn't happen on my car (mine would go up towards 3000 RPMs before hitting 2nd gear during the first drive). You might want to check your transmission fluid first and see if it needs to be changed (if the fluid is dark-colored, time to get it changed). Not too sure if that itself would solve the problem, but can't hurt to try it out

 

Thx for the advice,

Even if the vehicle is recently purchased I should get it checked out? Shouldn't the dealer pretty much ensure nothing is mechanically wrong with the car before I get it?

So for the deceleration effect, will that go away with time as the VVT-i "learns" my stuff?

 

if it doesn't feel right to you....get it checked out. That is why we have warranties. Some dealers may pass off vehicles as mechanically sound and hope you take the car and say "that must be how this car is" and you learn to live with it. Then the warranty runs up and you get stuck paying for the repair in the long run.

Use the warranty. Get it checked out, and if you have to get a second opinion from a second source. If you don't think it feels right...by all means have the dealer that sold it to you look at it and repair any problem that is found or any potential problems that is brewing.

you paid good money for the car, have take full advantage of any warranty you may have. Don't wait. Little problems become HUGE problems if not resolved when they are little.

Another option is to go to a dealership that has a 2000 ES and test drive it. See if it does the same thing you are experiencing in yours.

steviej