Can you program a tranny to slip? I thought the tranny was pretty much mechanical and fluid. The computers tell it to shift up or down based on RPM, but I don't believe a computer can tell a tranny to slip.

Slip is not a programmable function for a tranny.

 

It’s not programmed to slip, there is a command under way by the computer that take about 1 sec to complete that’s what your experiencing, a I sec. flare. It’s talked about in the repair manual. But I think oak is right that it seems the computer keeps missing up regardless the transmission it is talking too. Maybe they should replace both the transmission and what is it call the computer that controls everything.

 

Some people don't know thye have a problem. A few months ago, I was parking at the local post office and another ES350 pulled in behind me. I asked the woman driving it how she liked her car. She said it was nice but not as good as her previous ES300. I asked her about her transmission and did she have any problems. She asked me why would I ask her that. I related the shift flare and replacement of the transmission. She then said she thought there was a problem with her transmission when cold but thought that's the way it was supposed to shift. She was going down to the dealer to complain.

 

I found this on the Lexus Canada site. It was in the ES350 features.

This highly advanced transmission uses additional electronic controls to adjust hydraulic pressure gradually for extremely smooth shifts. The ECT-i computer also has a limited ability to adjust for transmission wear and to learn and respond to a person's driving behaviour. (based on the resulting engine input conditions).

What if the "electronic controls" are not working as they should.....I would think the revs could spike during the shifting of gears. Can the experts out there comment.
oakplank

 

OAKPLANK, it could be an electronics problem that is causing this behaviour.
Or it could be the valve body.
Or it could be the transmission fluid levels.
Or it could be a bad transmission from one of the 3 supposed manufacturers to date of the trans.
Or it could just be a truly bad trans design.

You would think that a very large company that makes Billions of $$$$ each year could get their act together and solve this within a few weeks. But we're at 10 months into these problems, and we've got nothing. Other than a few TSIBs. We've mostly solved the wind noise problem here at Club Lexus ($0 engineering resources), so you'd think Toyota could at least fix the trans issue