rebel7254

Yep, that's the most likely explanation for why I and the other 70% of the respondents in the poll above are experiencing issues. We're all just a bunch of kids who don't know how to drive.

debtfree1

i drive smoothly, maintain speed and look ahead and plan accordingly. I have been a hazmat petrochemical transport operator for going on 15 years. I average around 250-300 miles each day. I operate a sedan like I do my heavy equipment. Hard shifts happen when transmission cannot keep up to breaking and speed changes. It’s not rocket science. Slow down and drive smoothly. Or sell your es at a loss which isn’t smart. I’m just a millionaire truck driver, what do I know.....

E46CT

People who experience jerkiness should post their model year. Maybe a software revision exists for later years?

Just some background info from what I found online, the Aisin/Toyota co-developed UA80E 8AT is also used in the following cars:

2017 Highlander (V6)
2017 Sienna (V6, last gen)
2018 Camry 2.5 (actually uses the Aisin/Toyota UB80E--similar transmission but rated for less torque)
2018 Rav4 2.5 AWD
2019 Avalon (V6)
2019 ES350 (V6)

Might be worth checking forums for those models to see if any issues with roughness.

rebel7254

I'm not a millionaire truck driver, but I've been driving for over 20 years. I've owned more than 10 other vehicles with traditional automatic transmissions. I know what a smooth transmission feels like, and the ES 350 I had definitely was not it. In fact, the shifting in the ES 350 was easily the most distracting out of all the vehicles I've owned. As I mentioned in one post above, I test drove a 2018 Genesis G90 with a V8 and 8-speed tranny....couldn't discern the shifting 95% of the time unless I intentionally paid close attention or watched the tachometer. I drove it the same way I drive any other time. I understand that you're going to occasionally notice shifts with any traditional (non-CVT) transmission. The problem with the ES 350 is that no matter how gingerly I drove the vehicle, I could distinctly feel almost every single shift. It was literally a distraction, and every time it happened I felt frustration and regret that I've spent $50k for a new luxury vehicle only to be distracted by the gear shifting during every commute.

As for trading the ES 350 at a loss not being "smart"...having peace and satisfaction with my daily commuter vehicle is pretty valuable to me, and if that means having to spend another $7k to get there, then I'm ok with that. I'm very fortunate and blessed enough to be able to do that without creating any kind of financial hardship on myself or my family. If I'm going to pay out $50k+ for a luxury vehicle, then I want a luxury driving experience. The 2021 ES 350, because of the transmission shifting issue, simply failed to deliver on that. Maybe I could have taken it to the local dealership and they could have done something to help, but after being linked to a thread here several pages long with people complaining about the jerky transmission and not having a solution, I decided to just go ahead and bail on it.

If you're happy with the ES 350's transmission shifting, then that's cool. The most appropriate response in that case is to simply state that you're not having a problem, rather than make blanket assumptions and accusations about my driving habits (and by extension, the driving habits of everyone else who has complained about it).

rebel7254

Well, there's this and this and this.

artbuc

A. Zero correlation between net worth and driving ability; B. Millionaires are a dime a dozen these days.

CJS57

The Lexus 8 speed has serious shifting issues, period. This will be my last Lexus after 4 new ones in the past. Unforgiveable. Next car will be electric with no shifting issues for sure.
PS. If you drive like an old lady going to church on Sunday you will not notice any shifting problems.

artbuc

Or a millionaire truck driver.

E46CT

Before switching to electric for the sake of eliminating hard shifts... try an ES hybrid. seamless acceleration up and down w/ the added benefit of the engine just simply turning off up to 75 mph.

Shaboom

I acknowledge jerky shifting but I’m absolutely convinced that sport mode reduces it very much. Now I automatically turn it on every time I get into the car.
We had CVT in Prius and late model Corolla too, I think. It was a pleasure! Could CVT be a possibility for non hybrid Lexus ES 350?

mikemu30

I routinely drive in SPORT as well but the same jerkiness when I leave it in NORMAL. CVT - not for me. I'll tolerate the jerkiness for now.

Prado

I was surprised by every one's comments here stating that there is jerkiness from the transmission. I drive my YE 2020 F sport 350 every day and it is very smooth and even I have other people with transmission back ground check they had the same conclusion.

could it be my is a Japan made?

july1988

Yes like everyone said this is horrible at low speed like 20-30 mph or below, if you accelerate the car will jerk then it will speed up.

Happens to me everyday I'm start to hate my 19 ES FSport, when you start the car or stop completely at a Stop sign/ red light and speed it up, it will jerk; if you are at a stop and go traffic, it will jerk, if you are slowing down at a red light, and the light changed to green, you try to speed up, it will jerk. WTF

I am bring it to do a fuel pump recall to see if it is better which I doubt but will update.

mikemu30

I try to forget how awful this trans is but then I drive my wife's RX and realize what a silky smooth trans is supposed to feel like. Fuel pump swap will have no impact on this issue.

bc6152

The trans in my 2013 ES was very smooth shifting, almost imperceptible. Although it's too late for my 2019, I would hope that Lexus engineers can improve the 8 speed from the poor performance. I wonder how the other entry level lux car makers transmissions perform. Gotta be better than Lexus...