Jerky Transmission at low speeds on 2016 GS350
03-02-17, 09:48 AM
#1
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Jerky Transmission at low speeds on 2016 GS350
Hi guys,
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
03-02-17, 12:43 PM
#2
Driver School Candidate
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Hi guys,
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
03-02-17, 01:22 PM
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Hi guys,
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
I've been meaning to post this for a while and have been searching for information on the internet but did not get anything really useful. So the problem I am experiencing with my GS 350 (non F sport) is that when you step on the gas from low speeds, maybe around 5-10 MPH, especially after making a turn, the car will "jerk" forward in a very unpleasant way. And the sound from the engine/transmission sounds as if the transmission is not finding the right gear. This problem is most pronounced when the weather is cold and before the engine is fully warmed up. Sometimes this is so annoying that I start to miss the CVT in my previous ES hybrid. But other than this I am quite happy with my GS.
I am no car expert or enthusiast so I don't know if my problem is described accurately but hopefully you guys can get my point. The reason why I am reluctant to go to a Lexus dealer is because I'm 99.9% sure that they will tell me that it is normal and it is what it is. So I am wondering if any of you guys have experienced this problem and potentially know if there is a fix. Thanks!
It is always best to treat a cold drivetrain (even on a hot 100° ambient temperature day) with care and not give the engine much throttle until the engine and transmission adequately warms up. And, just because the coolant temperature reaches normal on the instrument cluster gauge does not mean the engine oil and the transmission fluid have reached anything even close to their normal operating temperatures. Engine wear is at its maximum at cold startup and soon thereafter.
03-02-17, 01:51 PM
#4
Intermediate
I bought a 2016 GS 200t (non F-Sport) with the 8-speed automatic transmission. I do find the transmission rough, with jerky shifts, when the car is cold. However, it becomes smoother as the car warms up. Here are a few things to note:
1. I am coming from a 2009 Maxima with CVT which had absolutely no shift shock. So any A/T, however smooth it is, will feel somewhat jerky as long as it changes gears.
2. I felt this shift shock during my test drive. So I test drove a Camry V6, Avalon and ES 350, all with regular A/T (not CVT) and felt shift shocks in all of them. The Camry was the worst with hard shifts even when the car had warmed up enough while the ES 350 had the smoothest 6-speed A/T. As far as I know, all these cars share the same 6-speed A/T. When my GS is warmed up, it is comparable to the ES 350.
3. The shifts in my car are jerky mostly at lower speed. At higher speeds (above 40 mph), I do not feel almost anything. Further, the shocks are more if I drive like a grandma in ECO-mode because the A/T downshifts often. If I drive hard in ECO-mode or drive normally in Sport-mode, the shocks are less.
4. The current generation RX 350 seems to be having transmission issues which are discussed in this forum. Google "RX 350 transmission problems".
IMHO, all luxury vehicles (at least non-Sport models) should come with CVT because shift shocks are not desirable in such vehicles. Adding the number of gears to a traditional A/T might make it more fuel efficient but will not make it smoother. I feel very sad when some manufacturers try to emulate traditional A/Ts in CVTs by introducing false shift shocks.
1. I am coming from a 2009 Maxima with CVT which had absolutely no shift shock. So any A/T, however smooth it is, will feel somewhat jerky as long as it changes gears.
2. I felt this shift shock during my test drive. So I test drove a Camry V6, Avalon and ES 350, all with regular A/T (not CVT) and felt shift shocks in all of them. The Camry was the worst with hard shifts even when the car had warmed up enough while the ES 350 had the smoothest 6-speed A/T. As far as I know, all these cars share the same 6-speed A/T. When my GS is warmed up, it is comparable to the ES 350.
3. The shifts in my car are jerky mostly at lower speed. At higher speeds (above 40 mph), I do not feel almost anything. Further, the shocks are more if I drive like a grandma in ECO-mode because the A/T downshifts often. If I drive hard in ECO-mode or drive normally in Sport-mode, the shocks are less.
4. The current generation RX 350 seems to be having transmission issues which are discussed in this forum. Google "RX 350 transmission problems".
IMHO, all luxury vehicles (at least non-Sport models) should come with CVT because shift shocks are not desirable in such vehicles. Adding the number of gears to a traditional A/T might make it more fuel efficient but will not make it smoother. I feel very sad when some manufacturers try to emulate traditional A/Ts in CVTs by introducing false shift shocks.
03-02-17, 02:03 PM
#5
Driver School Candidate
This is one of the main reasons why I went with a 6-speed tranny over the 8 speed. I absolutely cannot stand jerky shifts. Went through this with a 2015 7/8(I forget)-speed Acura TLX SH-AWD and traded it in after 3 months for my 2013 GS. Never been happier.
03-02-17, 02:53 PM
#6
Lexus Test Driver
Yeah, the 8-spd is jerky when it's cold and is lazy at downshifting most of the time. It wakes up when I shift to M. 8-spd is way too many for a car, we don't need this.
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03-02-17, 04:27 PM
#8
Lexus Champion
Lexus transmission logic functions to shift the transmission in the softest way when cold to minimize wear and tear. Sometimes its shocking how lazy it feels, but it only lasts for the first two minutes of driving. It is the same with the 6 speed, only more gears to row through now.
03-02-17, 07:43 PM
#9
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Guys, thanks for all the replies. I really think the GS is a fantastic car except that the transmission is acting weird sometimes. I understand that the transmission might shift a little awkwardly when the system is not warmed up, maybe as a self-protection mechanism. But I do believe that this is not a valid excuse for it to jerk the whole car such that me and the passengers feel uncomfortable each time this happens. There are plenty of other cars, whether luxury or not, that do not have a jerky transmission.
I still like the car a lot, but I hope that Lexus can come up with a fix, preferably via software update, to address this issue. But unfortunately I think this is very unlikely.
I still like the car a lot, but I hope that Lexus can come up with a fix, preferably via software update, to address this issue. But unfortunately I think this is very unlikely.
03-03-17, 04:59 AM
#10
Transmission shifting parameters are different when the engine and transmission is cold. Many vehicles will purposely retain a lower gear under very light throttle to 3k rpm or higher when cold. You'll likely find that lower gears are held a bit longer and shifting can be a bit unusual until the engine and transmission moderately warms up.
It is always best to treat a cold drivetrain (even on a hot 100° ambient temperature day) with care and not give the engine much throttle until the engine and transmission adequately warms up. And, just because the coolant temperature reaches normal on the instrument cluster gauge does not mean the engine oil and the transmission fluid have reached anything even close to their normal operating temperatures. Engine wear is at its maximum at cold startup and soon thereafter.
It is always best to treat a cold drivetrain (even on a hot 100° ambient temperature day) with care and not give the engine much throttle until the engine and transmission adequately warms up. And, just because the coolant temperature reaches normal on the instrument cluster gauge does not mean the engine oil and the transmission fluid have reached anything even close to their normal operating temperatures. Engine wear is at its maximum at cold startup and soon thereafter.
03-03-17, 07:30 AM
#11
I bought a 2016 GS 200t (non F-Sport) with the 8-speed automatic transmission. I do find the transmission rough, with jerky shifts, when the car is cold. However, it becomes smoother as the car warms up. Here are a few things to note:
1. I am coming from a 2009 Maxima with CVT which had absolutely no shift shock. So any A/T, however smooth it is, will feel somewhat jerky as long as it changes gears.
2. I felt this shift shock during my test drive. So I test drove a Camry V6, Avalon and ES 350, all with regular A/T (not CVT) and felt shift shocks in all of them. The Camry was the worst with hard shifts even when the car had warmed up enough while the ES 350 had the smoothest 6-speed A/T. As far as I know, all these cars share the same 6-speed A/T. When my GS is warmed up, it is comparable to the ES 350.
3. The shifts in my car are jerky mostly at lower speed. At higher speeds (above 40 mph), I do not feel almost anything. Further, the shocks are more if I drive like a grandma in ECO-mode because the A/T downshifts often. If I drive hard in ECO-mode or drive normally in Sport-mode, the shocks are less.
4. The current generation RX 350 seems to be having transmission issues which are discussed in this forum. Google "RX 350 transmission problems".
IMHO, all luxury vehicles (at least non-Sport models) should come with CVT because shift shocks are not desirable in such vehicles. Adding the number of gears to a traditional A/T might make it more fuel efficient but will not make it smoother. I feel very sad when some manufacturers try to emulate traditional A/Ts in CVTs by introducing false shift shocks.
1. I am coming from a 2009 Maxima with CVT which had absolutely no shift shock. So any A/T, however smooth it is, will feel somewhat jerky as long as it changes gears.
2. I felt this shift shock during my test drive. So I test drove a Camry V6, Avalon and ES 350, all with regular A/T (not CVT) and felt shift shocks in all of them. The Camry was the worst with hard shifts even when the car had warmed up enough while the ES 350 had the smoothest 6-speed A/T. As far as I know, all these cars share the same 6-speed A/T. When my GS is warmed up, it is comparable to the ES 350.
3. The shifts in my car are jerky mostly at lower speed. At higher speeds (above 40 mph), I do not feel almost anything. Further, the shocks are more if I drive like a grandma in ECO-mode because the A/T downshifts often. If I drive hard in ECO-mode or drive normally in Sport-mode, the shocks are less.
4. The current generation RX 350 seems to be having transmission issues which are discussed in this forum. Google "RX 350 transmission problems".
IMHO, all luxury vehicles (at least non-Sport models) should come with CVT because shift shocks are not desirable in such vehicles. Adding the number of gears to a traditional A/T might make it more fuel efficient but will not make it smoother. I feel very sad when some manufacturers try to emulate traditional A/Ts in CVTs by introducing false shift shocks.
03-03-17, 07:42 AM
#12
10th Gear
Thread Starter
Can't agree with this at all. I hate CVT's, and in fact, could not buy a Maxima or other vehicle that can not come with a proper transmission. The 6 speed in the GS is better than the 8 speed that replaced it according to many. Personally, the 6 speed in my '13 GS is the best auto trans I've ever had.
I also don't get the point of the new 8 speed transmission. Did it improve acceleration? No. In fact, multiple reviews have indicated that the power gain from 306HP to 311HP as well as the new transmission did not make the car accelerate faster at all. Did it improve fuel economy? Maybe marginally, but the GS is still not a fuel efficient car. Did the extra gears make the transmission more easily confused? Yes.
03-03-17, 08:53 AM
#13
Lexus Test Driver
My only problem with CVT is when u let go of the gas and floor it again it takes a while to get moving again, there is a huge delay in power delivery. But I'm talking about Prius, CT, and 4-banger Accord here. I don't know about the bigger engine cars like the Maxima and GS 450h with gobs of power.
03-03-17, 09:11 AM
#14
Intermediate
Here is the RX 350 transmission hesitation thread: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ost-159-a.html
There seems to be a TSB for the RX 350 only which has been applied and found to be useful. Here is the TSB: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ml#post9787284
There seems to be a TSB for the RX 350 only which has been applied and found to be useful. Here is the TSB: https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...ml#post9787284
03-03-17, 09:23 AM
#15
Intermediate
My only problem with CVT is when u let go of the gas and floor it again it takes a while to get moving again, there is a huge delay in power delivery. But I'm talking about Prius, CT, and 4-banger Accord here. I don't know about the bigger engine cars like the Maxima and GS 450h with gobs of power.
Having said that, the CVT is by no means perfect. However, it is a better option than adding gears to a traditional A/T. I agree with ItzFilyO that 8-spd is way too many for a car and we don't need this. However, the new LS has a 10-speed! And I am sure manufacturers are considering even more gears. So how many gears is sufficient? Instead of coming up with a new A/T with more gears every few years, why don't the manufacturers research the CVT that is already known to be more fuel efficient (that is why all hybrids have CVT) and smoother, and try to make it more responsive and be able to handle more power and torque (BTW, it can reliably handle 300 HP in the Maxima)?