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Annoying Gear Change


Redsteve
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Hello to you all.

My LS has got a very annoying fault. :megaangry:

When the car is accelerating there is one gear change which is not smooth, I think it is from 3rd to 4th but I am not sure.

When the car is downshifting it is silky smooth. All other gear changes are perfect.

If I accelerate hard then the gear change is quite violent. :o

The car is a MK IV with 154000 miles on it and a full Lexus service history.

I have checked the ATF, the fluid looks OK and the level is good. I have tried the PWR and SNOW settings on the gearbox but it makes no difference.

This is really beginning to bug me now, I have had the car for about a year and it has always done it but it has got no worse in that time.

Does anyone have any ideas what the trouble may be.

Many thanks.

Redsteve.

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Hi,

have you got rough gear changes all through the box or is it just one gearchange?

I would have thought that if it was the fluid causing my problem then all the changes would be bad.

Redsteve.

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i've found it depends on outside temperature to be honest

when it's cold out the gear change is a little rough... but smooths out once the car has been driven a bit and the fluid warms up.

I get a bit of gear whine through the 1st 2 gears but they are smooth... it's the higher gear that can be rough when flooring it onto the motorway.

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If it's just happening between 2 gears then I say it's more than likely to be a shift solenoid. I'd try a flush & new oil as it should improve things & will be a hell of a lot cheaper than pulling the box to bits.

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If it's just happening between 2 gears then I say it's more than likely to be a shift solenoid. I'd try a flush & new oil as it should improve things & will be a hell of a lot cheaper than pulling the box to bits.

Thanks for the info.

Are the solenoids adjustable or do they have to be replaced?

More importantly, are they easy to get to, to either adjust or change them?

Is it one solenoid per gear?

So many questions...

Redsteve.

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Solenoids are a replace only item unfortunately. There can be anywhere up to 8 in a trans but it's probably only one causing the trouble. Pretty specialist job working on an auto trans so no it wont be easy or cheap, that's why I recommended trying a flush. Is yours a 4 or 5 speed?

Maybe have a chat to your local lexus dealer & see if they've ever stuck the problem before.

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Thanks for the reply.

My car is a 5 speed.

I am a bit reluctant to go to my local dealer as they have already tried to fleece me once before, they told me my previous LS needed £5000 of work to get it through it's MOT. I had the tested somewhere else and it sailed through with no advisory notices for the next two years after which I had to sell it.

I will try a flush and see what happens. I will also be on the lookout for an Auto Trans specialist.

Once again, thanks for the tips.

Redsteve.

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