winsalem

does anybody else feel the transmission is unusually jumpy?

i'm still experiencing a lot of jerks from the transmission in my GS300. the worst is in bumper-to-bumper traffic, where you are in "creeping" mode, moving ahead a few feet at a time, then stopping, and the tranny shifts up to 2nd and than back down -- resulting in a very obvious jerk. i've even tried to prevent this by going into the 'manumatic' mode and holding it in first, which of course does nothing, it still upshifts to 2nd even if i'm only moving 10 feet forward, and then as i slow to a stop again it jerks back down into first.

my dealer says it's nothing unusual, that this car was engineered to do that, but all of my previous Lexi have shifted extremely smoothly. i can remember a few times when because of slowing down and then accellerating again, the transmission might 'wander' a bit and then find its best gear. but this transmission wanders all over the place, and even passengers have asked me "what's that lurch?". really annoying, and really bums me out.

costanza

I've noticed it too. I also noticed it takes too long to go into drive after reversing. We press the gas to go, but since the tranny took a second or so too long, we always find we get a lurch forward where the revs have built up before it drops into drive.

06GS300

I've experienced this same thing both in bumper-to-bumper traffic, or when slowing down in a merge lane and then having to accelerate...there is an obvious jerk in the transmission.

costanza

I'm seeing a revised tranny ecu program in this model's future.

INHOCJP

Hmm, haven't experienced this in my new GS, but I had a similar problem in my '99 GS300.

Ex996

I've noticed too. Going up my steep driveway with light throttle at 2mph, apply more throttle, it downshifts into first and lurch!

Hey Lexus, how about a REMAP!!!

LexuSteve

i also have knoticed this with my gs300. i have knotified lexus through the gs300 survey i recieved.

SGT

Can anyone with the GS300 AWD provide input on this? I'm planning on getting this in the very near future and hopefully it isn't the case with this particular model.

DrComputer

Make sure it is not in ECT mode. This changes the shift patterns to hold out each gear longer. In slow traffic, it will make it seem "jerky". There should be no green ECT on the dash.

winsalem

...if you are also experiencing this problem.

I'm guessing that we won't get a TSB initiated unless enough owners complain. The service manager at my dealer [Flow Lexus in NC, an incredibly competent dealer, no kidding] said she would be glad to "check it out" but they had no current instructions on how to improve or fix my problem. Evidently I'm the first to complain.

Now that I think about it, I've never had a problem with any Lexus that required any "grassroots" campaign for a TSB. I know I'm spoiled, but my transmission is a jumpy mess...not up to Lexus standards for smoothness and quiet (and definitely not appropriate for a $52k vehicle).

chicagoblknazn

I have this issue with my 01 GS3. It comes and go, so I am assuming the ECU adjusts thinking that I'm in traffic, but it comes back too.....I hate it.