baby_igor

I have just over 30K miles on my 04 5AT TL. Over the past week or two, I'm experiencing lugging or chugging when the tranny goes from 2nd to 3rd. The RPMs are around 1500 and speed 25-30 MPH.

This just started to occur, and like most annoying problems is not consistent nor of the same severity every time, but it is quite clear when it happens.

This is not the 5th gear 55MPH vibration issue well documented in this forum.

I hope this is not the 2nd gen TL AT issue come back to life

Anyone else experience this?

AcuraVic

Does 'chugging' mean the car speed is fluctuating without you changing the excelerator position?

Since you are still under warranty, I would let the dealer handle this. I have 56000 on my 04/TL 5AT. I barely notice the shifts at that speed.

pgriherd

If you mean "chugging" as in the car is not moving smoothly and hesitating, I have that. It's terrible -- the car is an 04 5AT with 40,000 miles. It's been at the dealer for a week and they haven't found anything. I actually had to go to the dealer and drive it with him to show him the problem. It happened immediately after, on the phone, he suggested that I was being too sensative about any problem with the car.

Also, it was in the dealer in the first place because the power steering hose leaked power steering fluid on the exhaust manifold and the car had a small fire. I like the TL, but I have had to replace the rotors when brand new, the bluetooth jammed and really doesn't work, part of the trim on the headliner had to be replaced, the fire by the power steering pump, and now the transmission.

Hello, Lexus IS350!

Anyway, can you confirm that we are talking about the same tranny problem? I'll let you know via this post if the dealer finds anything.

Thanks,
Pete

rec

..."If you mean "chugging" as in the car is not moving smoothly and hesitating, I have that. It's terrible"...

I've started noticing this as well on my 06 5AT w/ 3000 mi. and had just added it to my list of things to bring up when I go back to the dealer for the first time.

abhi101cru

oy veh...you guys are scaring me. I have an 06 with 700 miles on it, i better not start having problems. I have a 99 TL with 90,000 miles on it and we never had any problems with the transmission on it. Hopefully this car stays the same as well! Keep us updated on your situations, I'd really like to know how it turns out.

special-ed

have you checked/changed your tranny fluid yet? I've got over 65k on mine with amsoil ATF. No issues here.

baby_igor

I had this issue for about 2-3 weeks now. It is fairly consistent. When I am increasing speed, and the transmission is going from 2nd to 3rd (right after it goes into 3rd), the cars does not have the smooth acceleration, you can feel the chugging. The speed is around 30 MPH, the tach around 1500. After that point going forward it is fine. Sometimes the feeling is subtle, other times quite clear. I know this is going to be fun to show this at the dealer, but if the test drive is long enough I'm sure it will manifest itself.

I also tried hard acceleration and that does NOT have the problem. Only when I'm driving secondary roads, where average speeds are 35-45 mph, and I'm accelerating at gradual rates.

My car just passed 30K, and I was ready to do my first tranny flush, but I'm holding off until I can get over to the dealer. I did look at the fluid, and it is mostly pink, with a hint of brown.

BustedJack

Don't believe everything you read. Nitrotiger has a WDP TL with 78,000 and no problems.

JDM5lugHatch

Mine has been doing the same practically since new. Recently it was thought that changing the IAT (intake air tempature) sensor might be a fix for the problem. I replaced the sensor and all seemed fine for a few days and then it started acting up again as the tempatures around this area started to rise along with the humidity. The sensor was only $34 so it was worth the money to see if it was indeed a fix.

When the humidity is really high and it's really hot with the city/suburban driving around here the car definitely get's sluggish. It almost seems like the car is missing during acceleration. I think I will try changing to the amsoil fluid to see if it is better at keeping down the heat. It definitely seems to happen faster if I am using SS mode. Definitely a heat related issue and I am pretty sure a tranny cooler would fix it. Ugh, well back to the drawing board again I guess.

Do you use SS mode a lot like myself?

baby_igor

JDM

Yes, I do use SS on a regular basis, mostly for nimble lane changes.

I also had a similar thought on the weather, as you know its been 90/90+ here in the DC area for the past few weeks.

I'm going to have Radley look at it next week, so I'll update the link with anything interesting.

soxx111

I have an 04 with 41000 miles on it and I've noticed the same lugging issue over the past 500 miles or so. It also happens on rural roads at about 1500 rpm when accelerating gradually. On highways under harder acceleration, I have not felt the problem possibly because the transmission goes through this shift point at a much quicker pace.