ls430546

Hi, FlexnLexus. I believe Shift Solenoid C corresponds with Shift solenoid valve S3 in the diagram I have above. I'm pretty sure but may want to do some more research to confirm this. I do recommend getting a used OEM solenoid and not going aftermarket. While aftermarket may work, it may also not, and then you're stuck not knowing if it's because of a subpar part. Honestly I may even suggest to also replace the SLU and SLT solenoids. SLU controls the engagement of the clutch in the torque converter, failing lock up could cause slipping which may result in not being able to upshift like you're experiencing. Also SLT solenoid controls the line pressure, which when not operating properly can also cause slipping or not going into higher gear. I only suggest SLU and SLT because they affect general shift quality/performance in all gears and could cause all sorts of issues when they fail. But, it is up to you. But for sure your S3 needs to be replaced (I'm pretty sure it's S3, double check). I was told I needed a new tranny or rebuild and it would've cost thousands, so I believe it's worth it to try this fix yourself and throw some money at fluid and a few solenoids. Good luck, I'm interested to see how it goes.
-Justin

DC777

Hello,

I have been on here a lot trying to solve my issues. I took my 2004 LS430 UL with 200,000 miles into a mechanic and had them replace the solenoid. Long story short, I didn’t like how they handled things and don’t feel they did a good job. They wound up putting in a non Lexus solenoid even though I supplied them with the solenoid I wanted installed. They didn’t follow the procedure for replacing the transmission fluid at proper temperature and I had to go about doing it myself. They refunded my payment after some back and forth. Anyways, I still have P2757. It triggers the hard code after two vehicle on/off cycles when speed reaches above 50mph (I believe the P2757 has to do with the 5th gear solenoids). No noticeable shift issues. I am considering sending in the ECU for a repair. However, I still feel unsure about what that mechanic even did to my transmission while he was in there. Not sure if I should just break down and drop the pan myself and install this Lexus solenoid that I have and see if that fixes things? Any thoughts?

enermotion

+1 for the link to amayama.com, thanks for that! Considerably cheaper than most of the other options I found.

I didn't want to go aftermarket, but I also didn't want to pay $400 for solenoids lol. I could have gone to a junk yard, I was considering doing so. I just opted not to at this time.

Also thanks for linking to the service procedure for checking the temp!

I actually was able to acquire the exact service procedure from the lexus dealership, and I believe these instructions are copied exactly from lexus manuals. The document I received from the dealership is attached, named "LS430 TRANSMISSION FLUID ADJUSTMENT.pdf"



Are you suspicious that maybe they didn't actually replace the solenoid? Did they give you the old part by chance?

Another lexus dealer mentioned to me that if it isn't the solenoids, the ECU is a possible cause as well.

bradland

It's well worth your time to do a couple trial runs a day or 2 before you actually do any work.
Do the OBD shifter procedure and let the car get to temp so you're familiar with the process. My car usually takes 7 or 8 minutes.
This way you know what to expect when the D shift indicator goes into check mode and also when it reaches the proper temp.

ls430546

Hi , @DC777 personally, I think you should replace the solenoids. I can only speak from my own experience, but replacing the SLT and SLU solenoids totally fixed all issues/symptoms regarding my P2757 code. Similar to you, my code also popped up before I had any actual discernible symptoms in driving; weird symptoms started popping up after a few weeks of the code initially coming up.

FlexnLexus

Much appreciated Justin! So I went ahead and purchased an OEM S3 solenoid. Although the S1 and S3 solenoid are the same, the mounting bracket is on different sides, so one couldn’t simply order an S1 and use it as an S3 solenoid.

Plus I am sure that the voltage ratings and how they operate could be different as well.

I plan on doing the job myself once the part gets here which will be in about a week or so. I’ll definitely document on how everything turns out.

BTW do you have to do the temperature check for the ATF while refilling the trans fluid?

I would think if the transmission takes exactly 2.5-3 quarts of ATF after a drain, there would be no reason to have to check to make sure the trans is not overfilled.

Also, my OB2 scan tool can read the ATF temperature, so do I have to use Techstream?

I wonder what causes these solenoids to fail, is it old burnt fluid, bad wires inside the connector, regular age, because it seems like some of our 04-06 owners can have zero transmission issues, while others like myself and others here, have problems with them.

Thank god though that these solenoid replacements are pretty DIY friendly and are easily accessible. I think transmission shops purposely scare people into believing that the only way to replace these solenoids is to drop the transmission which can cost thousands so they simply recommend while the transmission is out of the car, you might as well replace it with a new/rebuilt one therefore, owners get cold feet and sell their cars not knowing that this kind of repair can be done by yourself or at a competent shop that knows how to work on these transmissions.

This is why I highly distrust so many repair shops. As a car guy, I research like crazy, and always try to do the work myself if possible. If not, I do have a reputable trust worthy shop that I could always take my cars too.

I’ve been lied to and gaslite so many times from shops claiming that I needed this or that for my car, when I knew for a fact that these particular shops were trying so desperately hard to rob money from me. When I would confront them about their lies, or force them to show me what was wrong with my car or what needed to be replaced, they would laugh and play it off and then say that “well it’s not that serious, you can wait to have it fixed”. Or some BS statement like that because they knew they were lying and couldn’t prove that my car needed XYZ of repairs.

bradland

BTW do you have to do the temperature check for the ATF while refilling the trans fluid?
Yes (after not while)

I would think if the transmission takes exactly 2.5-3 quarts of ATF after a drain, there would be no reason to have to check to make sure the trans is not overfilled.
The A761E is basically bulletproof but also rather sensitive to not only the correct type of fluid (WS) and the correct level.
You're not only checking for an overfilled state but also under filled.
Toyota has built the tools you need into the car to do the job right. I don't know what scan tool you use but it should be fine.
From your post #15-
"I got records from the previous owner getting the ECM replaced, including having the transmission filter and gasket replaced.
But the transmission shop that the previous owner went to, looked super ghetto and trashy. So who knows how the quality of work was done."

Replacing fluid based on an assumed amount from what you've removed operates under the assumption it was correct before you touched it.
Did the ghetto trashy shop use Toyota WS fluid AND get the level correct?
What is "exactly" 2.5 to 3 quarts..?

TominPT

The amount you drain from a "drain and fill" depends on the angle of the car- up on ramps close to 3 quarts, car level more like 2.5 qts from my experience.

FlexnLexus

I have a receipt stating that the shop refilled 5 quarts of transmission fluid when the owners manual of the 430 states that a drain and refill says it’s only 2.5 quarts of fluid. But who knows, maybe the shop charged the old owner for 5 quarts and used less. I won’t know until I drain the fluid out.

It’s also very possible that the previous shop overfilled the trans, and they most likely didn’t use WS fluid because it’s not mentioned anywhere on the paperwork. The transmission shop that the previous owner took the car too has bad reviews online for their quality of work, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if I find mishaps while I’m replacing the solenoid.

I can’t even register the car into my name at all at the moment since it won’t pass smog. Even with clearing the codes and disconnecting the battery a couple of times, the check engine light comes on fairly quickly when before it took some time. Or the scanner will say the code is pending. So I’m really hoping that replacing the solenoid and adding some fresh ATF, a new OEM strainer, will fix the issue. It’s just more unnecessary money that I really don’t have at the moment to spend especially since the holidays are coming up, just to get the car not only running right, but to be able to pass smog.

BTW what are your guys thoughts about using Idemitsu ATF? They look like a OEM supplier for ATF for a lot of Asian brands. From what I know is that I believe Mobil or some other lubricant manufacturer makes Toyotas ATF.

BaconLS430

Idemitsu TLS-LV is supposed to be specifically compatible with WS. I've used it in both the 05 and 06 LS430 in my signature and it seems to work fine. The 05 had over 172,000 miles on all original fluid, I replaced approximately 3 quarts, and has continued to be trouble free in the subsequent 40,000 miles. The 06 has a strange delay shifting from 5th to 6th on a cold start that was present before any fluid service. It had all original fluid up until 179,000 miles when I did a drain and fill on it, and another at 186,400 miles. It continues to shift and drive fine aside from the aforementioned cold start shift. I'd say you're fine using Idemitsu (or even Aisin) fluid in your 05. That said, the only way to get actual licensed WS fluid is to purchase it from Toyota as they don't license 3rd party fluids as meeting their specifications.

FlexnLexus

Thats great to hear, I’ll go ahead and order a 4 quart jug off Amazon then. Once the sensor comes in, I’ll get on tackling the job. New fluid can definitely make a huge difference in the way a transmission performs. It’s probably one of the only major components on a car that you can immediately tell how much smoother the trans operates just by replacing a few quarts of dirty and old burt ATF vs, say an oil change where you might not notice any improvements at all in how the engine runs.

JffGRY706

on a cold start the transmission will not shift into 6th until a certain temperature is reached. I believe that is what you are experiencing

BaconLS430

That was my initial thought as I experienced a similar condition with a Chrysler Sebring not shifting past 2nd gear on extremely cold mornings until it warmed up enough. However, my 06 delays that initial shift year round, even on cold starts in ambient temperatures over 80 or 90*F (it just delays it for a shorter period of time) and my mom's 05 doesn't present that delay in the slightest.

enermotion

Well, I did the job over the weekend and I believe I have been successful.

I enlisted the help of my 12 year old son for $20 and a double quarter pounder from McDonald's. We got started bright and early on saturday morning.

We jacked the car up level and got under. Started first by draining the transmission fluid from the pan. I noticed the color was a dark brown when it first came out, but after a few moments, I saw some red in the fluid as it drained into the pan. Retrospectively, I wish I had checked the fluid level with the D shift indicator first, but I did not do so.



After the pan drained, we got to work on removing the pan. Using an battery operated impact wrench and a 10mm socket, we removed all but a few of the 10mm screws holding the pan in. I later saw that these screws are pretty fragile sometimes, and I'm fortunate that I didn't snap the heads off of any of them. To remove the front screws, we needed to take out a small linkage holding on the exhaust. The exhaust bolts gave us a little bit of trouble, but after spraying some liquid wrench on, they broke free safely.

Bolts out, dropped the pan. I was aware that it would still have some fluid in it, but we still got some minor spills due to a limited amount of space. After draining the remaining fluid, and with the valve body now exposed, we were able now able to see the solenoids. I had one in my possession already - we had to wait for the other one to come via USPS. I replaced the SLU - the Torque Converter Lockup Control Solenoid. At first it would not move free, but then it did suddenly come free easily. I did not see the little pin that happened to fall out, but while watching a youtube video of someone else doing the procedure, he pointed out the pin. I found the pin on my floor without much trouble (I'm just glad it wasn't in the drain swimming in a sea of trans fluid). With the new SLU in, we replaced the pin and it's mounting bracket which had small 8mm screw. I put it back in to finger tight, and then a gentle turn of my socket wrench to avoid over-torquing it.

Torque Converter Lockup Control Solenoid


Then we removed the SL1 Shift Solenoid using the diagram that I linked earlier. I cleaned the transmission pan thoroughly, removed and gently scraped off the old gasket, and noted the condition of debris on the three magnets of the pan - the debris was minimal and extremely fine. I also replaced the transmission filter because I figured it was unlikely it had ever been done in 255k miles and nearly 20 years. We waited around for the new one to come in the mail. When it did, I realized that I had probably ordered the wrong part! The old one was much smaller, and the part that came in the mail absolutely would not work just by looking at it.


Shift Solenoid #1 - This is part that came out of the car, not the wrong one that came in the mail.


I quickly ran out to the junkyard. I would have loved to take my son, but their policy prohibits kids of his age in the yard. I had wanted to avoid going to the junkyard if possible... But considering the circumstances, it worked out great. I got in, found my donor car. Somebody had already snipped the exhaust linkage and taken out one of the bolts, so I only had one very easy bolt to remove. I drained the trans pan into the old cupholder of some car next to me, and zipped out all of the screws. Got a little bit of trans fluid on my shirt, but you've get dirty sometimes I guess. Took out correct solenoid, and ran back to the front of the yard. I was barely under the car for 10 minutes, absolutely my fastest junk yard run ever. I think I'll go back and pull a telescoping steering wheel adjustment motor later, as mine seems to have gone out.

Drove home, got the new part in the car. Now it was just a matter of reassembly.


A very clean transmission pan, free of old gasket material and with magnets cleaned off. I noticed a spot for a fourth magnet, but there were only 3 in the pan.


We carefully placed the new rubber gasket around the the shiny transmission pan and fed 20 screws through 20 holes. We then placed the transmission pan up to the transmission and hand-threaded four or 5 to hold it on. We then hand-threaded all of the rest of them very carefully. Once it was clear that all the screws were started, we started wrenching them all in progressively in a fairly random pattern around the pan. This was my son's first time really doing some real work under a car, and he complained a little of soreness but got 10 of the screws in like a champ - I was proud. No screws were harmed during this exercise.

We reinstalled the exhaust linkage with the 2 screws and the 2 exhaust nut/bolt combos.

Then it was time to re-fill the drain pan. I used a 10mm wrench to take the two bolts out of the fill port cover, and removed the fill plug with a 24mm wrench (I had to buy one just for this job, a socket would have been very difficult to get into that area so I went with a wrench instead). Utilizing a pump designed for this purpose, we pumped 2.5 quarts into the pan until we got a little bit of a dribble coming out of the overflow.

I had borrowed a code reader with live data intending to use it to verify the transmission fluid temperature, but it seems this particular code reader did not read the temperature of the ATF. (it was the Ancel AD310 in case anyone is wondering).

I remembered that bradland had pointed out the jumper method to trigger fluid temperature check mode, and decided I would use that method in the morning - it had been a long day, and it was already 6:00 p.m. after starting at 8:00.


Jump pin 4 to pin 13 with a paperclip. The car was not on jack stands, so I did not jump pin 11 at all.


The following day, I got up and got back to work. I found a paperclip and used that to jumper pin 4 to pin 13 as the service procedure directs. When starting the car, the whole dashboard lights up like a christmas tree. I followed the instructions to shift the car into neutral and drive, back and forth for longer than 6 seconds, at about a second each time. Then shifted back into park. I noted on the dashboard that the drive indicator light came on for about 2 seconds (even though it was in park and the park light was also on). I waited while the car warmed up, wondering if it was going to work - it did. After 10 minutes or so, the drive light came back on, and I heard a loud alarm coming from the dash indicating that my turkey was cooked.


I jumped under the car, pulled the overflow plug -- and got nothing. Barely a drip. I guess the car must have been low.

I went through the same process 3 more times until I got a trickle of trans fluid coming out, so I'm glad I went through this procedure. Credit to @bradland for recommending it!


I drove the car to work this morning and I did get a check engine code that I was expecting, a pre-existing code: p0171 (and i'm still expecting p0174). But not p2757 or p0751!

The car shifted very smoothly through all the gears on the highway and gave me no trouble at all.

I will be closely monitoring its performance for the next few weeks, watching for transmission fluid leaks and trouble codes. I intend to do another drain and fill at the next oil change most likely.

bradland

Nice job, way to get the little guy involved. He'll be changing your timing belt before you know it..👍

One thing to add, in the interest of future readers, is ALWAYS remove the fill plug on the side before draining fluid from the pan.
If you don't have the right tool to get it out after draining fluid you're dead in the water.
You obviously noticed how tight it is with no access for a ratchet/socket. Also, the 24mm* wrench is not commonly found in just any tool box.
A wrench is basically the only way to get it out. The fill plug has a rather thin head so I wedge a thin piece of wood next to the wrench holding it in place as I turn the fill bolt out.
-* a 15/16" wrench also works as there's only .007" difference.