eric

I have a 2000 gs 300 that has the most annoying problem I have ever encountered in 45 yrs of driving. If i don't press the accelerator just right when moving off from a stop, the car will jump. The dealer told me this problem was caused by "the new electronic accelerator" and that they had many complaints & Lexus would probably come out with a "fix" . this was over a year ago and no fix yet. I called the Lexus customer satisfaction number & they told me they had no complaints.


Anyone having this same problem please call customer atisfaction at 1-800-255-3987

LexusRules

try driving with your car in "snow" mode, tell us if that helps

Brian S

My GS400 used to do the same thing. Well, it still does, but I adjusted my driving to rid the jump. It's a strange thing that it does this. But if you adjust your pedal pushing habit, you can effectively get rid of the lurch. A non-linear soft initial push, following with a normal linear acceleration should make the jump less noticable. It take some practice, but I barely notice it anymore and don't even think about how I'm pushing the pedal.

You can put it in snow mode, but that will rob of a whole lot of power. I'd imagine in your car it would be like driving a 4-banger.

Brian

LexusRules

i hate snow mode, but we find its the best way to get rid of the lurch because you start in 2nd gear.

DevilDog

Eric,

Try resetting the learned memory in the engine ecu. With the car off, remove the cover on the engine ecu then disconnect the connectors for about ten minutes. Then reconnect them and take it for a test drive. Your condition could be a bad learned value in the ecu. Let us know what happens.

RealMarty

Eric,

Sounds to me like your dealer is full of crap. Is there another dealer you can take it to?

When you spoke to Lexus customer service did you ask about getting a district rep to check it out? This is not the way the car should drive and (maybe I'm naive, but) I believe Lexus will put in the energy to get it fixed if you move beyond this a**hole dealer.

Brian,

What did your dealer say when you told him about what you have to do to drive your car?

Brian S

RealMarty,

I believe my dealer said something about transmission linking up -- didn't beleive it. I assume we're talking about the same thing. You hit the accelerator, nothing happens for a few milliseconds, then, as if storing your pedal depressing, it lurches forward. We're not talking major lurch here, but it is a little jerky motion. AFAIK, this is a very common problem on the GS. I've got a 99; maybe they fixed on the later years. It really annoyed me when I got the car, but like I said, I adjusted my driving habits and the problem is greatly muted now.

Brian

RealMarty

Brian,

I have an early 98 GS400 and never encountered this (granted, different engine, but same fly-by-wire accelerator). Common problem or not if I were you I'd work my way up the Lexus service organization until I got this fixed under warranty. Granted, I can be a pain in the *** (maybe more so than most) when something isn't right, but why live with a car that's not performing as it should? Especially when the car can be such a joy to drive when it's as it should be.

My belief is that Lexus as a company does not want unhappy customers and your dealer doesn't want Lexus pissed at them. Sounds like your dealer has made life difficult for you. It's time you put some heat on them.

Rock the boat and see what happens...and keep us posted.

Brian S

I frankly don't think it is an auto defect per se. I went through this after I bought my car over two years ago. The problem is not severe and I see it more as a characterristic of the vehicle. You may have it and not even notice. Are you telling me that you never have even the slightest of a 'jerk' motion when in 1st or 2nd gear. You push the accel, then a couple milliseconds the gear kicks in. I know our years had problems with a slow to respond drive system and I thought this problem was part of it. In fact, there was an ECU update, I never got it because the problems didn't bother me anymore.

Brian
<edit>I spelled my name wrong. </edit>

RealMarty

The only time I experience this is in situations where I'm slowing for a red traffic light and then it turns green. I sometimes get a lurch as I'm trying to match the accelerator to the rolling speed of the car. Otherwise never...including from a standing start.

babyGS3

Thats exactly when it happens on mine... at a red light... pausing.. then trying to accel up again.... it's a characteristic of the car... you do get used to it...

RealMarty

I've experienced this occurance to some degree in every automatic transmission car I've ever driven.

I don't believe it is peculiar to the GS since in any auto transmission car the tranny doesn't know what to do until it gets input from the gas pedal.

Are you saying that the GS is more likely to hesitate than most?

Perhaps I just got used to it 3 years ago and didn't realize it, but I don't think it's any worse than any other auto. Just my .02

biggie27

my car has a slight hesatation too but I know its from the first gen. RMM intake it takes it a few seconds too launch but when it goes it goes!!!!!!!!