I don't know if this is the right way to describe it but recently I began experiencing hesitation with the transmission at start up from 0 mph. Basically what happens is I'm at a light and I step on the gas and it struggles to smoothly get going. I feel the RPM going up and it isn't until a split second or second later that the car is really in motion - during the split second it does move but not with the reaction I want. Once I'm at 15 mph and higher things are fine.

Has anyone else experienced this? This is on a 2006 GS300 AWD. Is something like this I can take the car into the lexus dealer for? Would any repairs or configurations be covered by the powertrain warranty? My 48 months are over.... Is there any minor maintenance I can do myself to get rid of this problem? to my knowledge the only things done to the car so far are oil changes, new tires, alignment, and new air and cabin air filter.

 

yeah i know what you mean. I notice that in "stop and go" traffic. I have found by putting it in "snow mode" the transmission is slightly smoother in the lower mph range. I know it sounds wierd but I have been testing it when I go to work and it feels smoother on my transmission.

I guess take it in, and see what lexus says. Most likely they are going to tell you its normal or smoething like that. Anyways , good luck..

 

You may have a stick throttle body. Clean it out and see what happens. GL!

 

RPM wouldn't move up if it's a sticky throttle body. Perhaps your torque converter is starting to slip.

 

Hey All,

My wife's GS300 did the same thing, and we ended up taking it to the dealer. The dealer said that there is a Technical Bulletin regarding 'weak' valve springs, which they replaced under the drive train warranty. The engine runs great now, with very little hesitation! You might want to inquire about this bulletin at your dealership.

 

Sounds like that prerequisite TSB for the carbon builup issue... you just told them it was sluggish accelerating and they performed that? I can't get them to even clean the valves with the stumbling etc, let alone replace the valve springs without codes.

 

Holy crap, how many TSB's are there now?

How many drivers aren't even noticing these issues?

I took my dealer through a whole host of things I didn't think were right. For example I get quite a bit of jerkiness moving from park to reverse after I start the car. Sometimes I get a large noise from the back of the car also.

He said it was probably the noise of blah blah blah and I say "Is a Lexus supposed to do that?" and they don't answer.

There are a lot of things that aren't as "smooth" as they should be. But nobody seems to know what the standard should be.

 

Does it happen when stopped at an incline? The hill start assist may be holding the brakes until enough RPMs build up to get the car going without rolling back.