I have 92 ES 300 with 67,000 miles. The shift lever will go into D and all available gears will light up when the lever is the appropriate gear except D. The D indicator light will not go on and the car will not shift into D. All other gears and lights work fine. The car also shifts fine, but will not go into overdrive.

I use 93 octane, and have turned the engine off and have restarted with no success several times

Any help would be appreciated.

 

To be clear, is it the just the indicator light on the dashboard? If it will not shift into D, how can you get it moving? My ES goes PRND21. Are you stuck with just the options of PRN? Does it goe into drive with the lever and just not on the dash? A little more info may be necessary to get the answer you are looking for.

 

The shift lever will move to available positions. The indicator light will not light on for D and will light up for every other gear as well as the shift lever being able to be place in all available gears. There is no change in rpms whether in 4 or in D. This is at any speed that would be high enough to engage the overdrive. For example, when cruising at 60 MPH the rpms do no change when the lever is in 4 or the lever is in D. When the shift lever is in D the D light is not on.

Therefore, overdrive is not being engage when the shift lever is placed in the D position.

 

isn't the 92 a 4 speed auto?

 

I had the same problem in my '99 ES. Basically, my o/d light was not coming on when I used it, nor was the car down shifting when I was traveling 60+ MPH. When I took it to the mechanic he suggested the solinoid switch was old and thought that it needed a new one. In the meantime, I had another mechanic look at it and he diagnosed it as an electrical problem. The solinoid switch for the o/d was working properly, it was actually the electrical connection from the computer (ECU) to the engine. Therefore, overdrive had never been engaged when this problem was occurring (similar to your situation). The mechanic just fixed the electrical wiring problem by soldering the connection back onto the chip board carefully and the o/d began working again. It was a minor problem but if your car is not going into overdrive this could effect your mpg as well as unnecessary high revs.

 

Thank you Mike. I will have a mechanic explore your suggestions. It sounds like your problem was the same as mine is. The OD , when in cruising mode, gives me about 8 more MPG.

I will advise of the outcome.

 

Got my car back from the Lexus dealership. Electronic shift control assembly was replaced. Three hours labor+ $300 parts.

I checked with two independent garages and both of them referred me to a transmission shop with a 1 hr diagnostics fee charge. Had the car repaired at the dealership with a 1 year guarantee on the repair.