I have a 94 ES300 with 100K mi. The other day, when I started the car, the check engine light came on and the O/D light on the dashboard started blinking. I took it to the dealer and they said that it was either a solenoid going bad or the transmission was going bad. This is the second time the problem has appeared, the first time they pretty much dismissed it since the transmission checked out OK. They stated that a new transmission would run me almost $4k. Ouch. I love the car, bought it new, hasn't missed an oil change, regular maintenance, or major things like timing belt, etc.

I'm asking any other owners of like car, if they have experienced the situation and would they trade their car in, repair it, or let it go until the problem really got bad.

I know that this is pretty subjective, but I'd really like to hear others and their opinion.

jP

 

I am having the same problem with my car it was driving fine then the overdrive light started flashing and it seems like it is starting in second gear. I took it to the dealer and they told me to just replace the car that it is shot. I just payed off the 5 year load on this car and can't believe that it is something so major. when I first bought the car I had to have the dealer put in a new transmission whcih was still under warranty. can anyone give me a clue

 

The flashing o/d light means a fault has been stored on the memory. There are about 12 different fault patterns. The manual has 200 pages of troubleshooting info for the transmission alone. No dealer could say it was shot without going through the manuals trouble shooting. It could be as simple as a speed sensor or solenoid.
PS I am currently trying to figure out my own tranny problem. (early upshifts to lockup)

 

hmm i think a lot of us are having ES tranny problems recently (meaning past many months or so). Funny cuz (i think) most of us just think it's a rare instance, but then again someone always chimes in with "i have that problem too." oh yeah...my tranny was screwed up...so I sold the car a few weeks ago but I regret it a bit to this day.

 

Wow this is interesting. All my friends that have a Gen3 Camry 1MZ-FE (MCV10) with over 100k miles have had NO problems. I know of one of them having over 200K miles on the original tranny and motor.