JenzLEX

Today as I was leaving for work, my car seemed to be straing to get up the hills around here. Well I thought not too much of it since there was no warning lights on. Well leaving from work the car feels the same way and lights come on. The engine light and the overdrive light, The o/d light was flashing also. I didn't think I would have enough power to get it accross the road. When you got going, it seemed ok except for those lights. I had the transmission fluid changed about 2 mths ago and it's had most of the maintainance kept up. Does anyone have any idea what this may mean and what it may cost. I am supposed to be leaving for upstate WV in a few weeks and I'm scared to drive it now. Really need help!!! Thanks.. By the way I called Lexus on the way home to tell them what was going on and they asked if I had any transmission work done recently and I told them toyota changed the Trans fluid and was told to take it over there cecause maybe a plug was missing. I think I would have noticed that a while back if fluid was leaking. It seems everytime I turn around I have to chop a $$$tree down for this car.

steviej

iTrader: (1)

Jenz, first off it would help if we knew the year (92-93 or 94-2005).

First thing to do is go to Autozone immediately to get the codes read for free, copy all of them down and post them up here. We can't advise if we don't know the specific codes that the warning lights are hinting at. Just to make sure, is it the O/D light or TRAC OFF light that is illumintated in addtion to the CEL.

Start the car and let it idle for about 20 minutes. Pull the tranny dipstick, wipe it off, replace it and pull it out again. Make note of the fluid level and the color (red, brown or black) and the smell (sweet or burnt).

steviej

1993ES300x

Jenz. it's said on your profile that you have a 94 es300. i don't think autozone would help you get the code .. i think they only do 98-up.. well that's what the autozone in my area said to me.

you should go to www.troublecodes.net , it will show you all the codes and what they mean.
simply put a paperclip or a small wire , one end on the TE1 and another on the E1 on your diagnosis box.. it's located near the passenger side , near the powerstering reserver... and just turn the Key to ON, but don't start the engine.. and just count the flash and puase of the check engine light..

about your tranny fuild.. i also have a question about that.. where should the oil level be when it's HOT??.. after a 30minut drive. i shift from 1,2,D,N,R,P and from P down to 1.. then i check the oil. but it seems to be always Above the top edge and never between the top two edge(on hot).. is there too much tranny oil??.. and if i am to check it cold.. just take it out early in the morning and it should be between the bottom two edge??..

JenzLEX

Well I can't do either right now. My car is sitting at the toyota dealer right now. I didn't think it would have made it to Lexus and plus they would have closed by the time got there. If I would have had time, I would have checked it my self but there was no way I could being at work. I just don't know what is wrong with it. I just really hope it's not that extensive. Money wise. I want my vacation to start out fun. Not with a broke car. The trans fluid? Not sure.. Mine has always been between the marks on the stick. But like I said, this time I didn't get to check. I have read in here about one guy with the same problem and said after spending a lot of $$$, LEXUS finally said the cause was a connecter on the back of the dashboard loose. That would be better news than my transnission going bad.

Lexusfreak

How many miles on your 94 ES Jenz?

JenzLEX

There are about 160,000 on it. It has had most all of it's maintainance. It is still at the toyota dealer. They said there is definitely something wrong with it. They are going to pull up the codes I guess. I want it over at the lexus dealer. At least they have never screwed me over like toyota has.

1993ES300x

160K isn't bad.. my car has 205K right now.. i'm having some O2 problem and the car shakes in start up when it falls to 1000rpm from 2000.. anyways.. i hope everything work out for you.. should get triple A... that why you're save a lot of money... just Toyota pulling the code for you.. they will charge around 90bucks... that's what they told me . until i did that TEI and EI thing..

JenzLEX

Ok. I went and got my car from the tyoyota dealership about 2 hrs ago. They said I had a lot of meatl fragments in the fluid. Ok. They were supposed to check all that out 2 mths ago when I had the fluid changed. I guess not. In other words, I need a new transmission. Well figuring since they tried to screw me over before, I took it to the lexus dealership. After about 10 minutes of driving, it is running fine. The o/d light is not flashing but the check engine light remains on. Right now the car is at Lexus. I pray that it's not the transmission. That will be at least $2000.00 that I don't really have to spare. It's always something. My a/c, the amplifiers, cv joints, broken motor mounts(I do NOT drive the car rough at all!) which may have came from the 88 year old man that I bought it from. It has had the 02 sensors replaced twice before I got it and haven't had problems with it. I just want to go to WV and see my friend that I haven't seen in 4 years. I am soooo depressed.

JenzLEX

I forgot to mention that this is what the Toyota place came up with... FOUND CODE STORED. SHIFT SOLENOID A. RECC REPLACING TRANSMISSION ASSY. Not sure if this is a code but the #'s are 30T0Z06

1993ES300x

i don't think that's a code.. at less not from what i see in troublecodes.net .... when dealers tell you to fix something. it's always a good idea to search around the net first and shop around with your local autoshop.... stuff like tune up or changing mounts . your local auto shop can do for a lower cost..

JenzLEX

I just got my car back from Lexus. They said that they couldn't find anything wrong with it. The lights went off and it drives just fine. I'm not sure what the problem is . I told them about how toyota said there were metal shavings in the trans fluid but they didn't see any. Wouln't you have to drop the pan in order to do that? Toyota also said the trans fluid was greyish looking. I finally had time to check it myself with my dad and it was marroon/pinkish whatever color it is supposed to be like new. It may have been that toyota screwed up and fixed the problem rather than admitting, they wanted me to believe that I needed a transmission. Just cuz I'm a girl, I don't wanna be screwed over. But I went ahead and got a price for a transmission at lexus......$2,700............What?!?!?! I wonder if the car's book value is even woth that. It is to me. I love it!!!! I got rid of a newer car to get it. Anyways, I"ll let ya'll know how it does today. It's been a while since I drove it so it's had time to cool down and that's when problems pop up.

steviej

iTrader: (1)

Actually, the ES became OBDII with the 94 model. Most other cars didn't switch until the 96 model year. Autozone goes by year and not the model. If you tell them it is a 94, they will say no way, they don't have the proper reader. This leaves you two options,

1. Tell Autozone it is a 96 they will read the codes.
2. Try to educate the clerk, explain the 94 ES is OBDII compliant and lead him to the connector under you dash and insure them that their reader will work.

That would be my guess.

Now that it is riding smoothly, enjoy it. But do keep an eye on the color of the fluid (at least monthly or every 1000 miles).

steviej

1993ES300x

thanks Stevie. i guess the engine difference between my 93 and 94 -later i, s a lot of different. considering that one is made by iron and the other, NOT.. so. Jenz.. now you can go to Auto zone and get your code... you should ALWA"YS get the code and fix the problem.. cuz in the long run. it'll cost you the same or worst, MORE. for example.. if i would of fix my O2 sesnor.. i could of saved up a lot of cash on Gas..... and still have to change the O2 sensor anyways..

JenzLEX

ok. I took the car a couple days ago to Advanmce Auto Parts. They checked the codes for me and it came us as P0753 SHIFT SOLENOID A Circuit Electrical. The car has been sitting at the lexus delership for about 4 days now. They can't seem to come up with a diagnosis on it. It drives fine one minute then terrible the next. It takes sooooo long to get up to speed when this happens. Lexus "thinks" it is my transmission. $2,700 for another one w/o labor. Then said it could be the solenoid. They just can't determine what it is. I have no clue to what a solenois is in the first place. other than it regulates something. So now I am driving the loaner 330 RX. It's nice but I want my car back with out spendind that much. Also, went to lexus yesterday and test drove the 2001 es coach edition. It had 45000 miles on it and they want $22,900 for it (sale price I might add), is that too much? I really want a newer es because I absolutely love them. They said I could get a good deal for mine since everyone up there said mine was the best kept up 94 they have ever seen. Made me feel good but then again. They or I have no idea in hell what is wrong with it.

TLW

ok did a little investigating

http://www.autoshop101.com/forms/h16.pdf

read page 11

might just need to replace a sensor on the valve body

you might want to try a trans shop like Lee Myles or Aamco

but this is just my guess Good Luck JL

-johnny