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Cupcakes,

Fixed the cigar lighter.

Got a mk4, no paperwork, no book, no manual, had it for about 4 months, lpg converted. Passed its MOT, been serviced, first time in years possibly.

The ect pwr green light on the dash has started flashing. This is a cyclic flash, once every 2 seconds. Pressing the ect pwr button has no effect, although it will go into snow mode (whoopee). Guess that it is a warning signal. I strongly suspect also that the gearbox is not going into 5th gear. Occasionally, the ect pwr light will stop flasing during driving but I can usually start it off again by taking the gearbox from D into 4, whilst driving of course. Also, switching the gearbox from D into 4 does not seem to have any affect on the gearbox. No change in revs, no obvious gear change. So it looks like the two are related. It has definitely changed from 5th into 4th before when forced, I remember checking, and before the current ect pwr problem.

Car is perfectly driveable but I would like to get rid of the pesky flashing and also driving in 5th would be nice for the fuel consumption. If any of you are keen encough for a gearbox/revs comparison, I get 2000rpm at 60 mph, 2350 at 70 and about 2600 at 80 mph, quite likely in 4th gear, on the flat and lightly loaded.

Your thoughts, as always, would be appreciated etc...

Nick

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I think it is indicating the gearbox has a fault code stored in its ECU.

Also possible the pwr switch is faulty?.

I've yet to need to try my OBD reader on my LS400 yet , but its one of the cheap < £4 ones on fleabay and has been good on other OBDii cars.

your rpm's do sound about right , remembering cold tickover can be up to 1500 .

I find the 4 changes up to 5th are easy to notice if you accelerate aggressively. (even not in pwr mode it'll rev up to 6k if you have the guts to keep it floored!)

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Did you check yhe trans fluid level and its condition?

As above check this 1st, there is a set proceedure for doing the level check.

Drive the car for a least 30 minutes and then with the engine running move the selector slowly from park through all positions and back to park twice. Pull out the dipstick, wipe reinsert and then remove and check the fluid level on the HOT scale marks. Don't turn the engine off whilst doing this.

If all is OK with the fluid level check the colour,it should be a dark cherry red,if is is orange/rusty in colour have the fluid replaced only with Toyota Type IV, also smell the fluid on the dipstick does it smell burnt.

As the service history is unknown it may be worth having the fluid replaced in any case.

Then proceed to a diagnotic code read for the transmission if this flags up shift solenoid problems there are replacement kits around.

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RoyT, Steve etc,

Many thanks, just had it OBD'd at my local garage, free, and it came back with two faults:

P0135 heated oxygen sensor heater circuit bank 1, and

P0763 shift solenoid c electric

If anyone could explain with the shift solenoid fault is, how it affects the driving and the parts and likely cost for the work I'd be mega grateful. I'm still driving the car, btw and it seems to be fine but I'm still not convinced that she's changing into 5th. Paranoia maybe.

The oxygen sensors can wait until another life for the time being, along with the headlamp levelling fault which wasn't picked up, since these do not appear to affect the MOTness.

Off to Shrewsbury, might pick this thread up on the hardshoulder.

Nick

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RoyT, Steve etc,

Many thanks, just had it OBD'd at my local garage, free, and it came back with two faults:

P0135 heated oxygen sensor heater circuit bank 1, and

P0763 shift solenoid c electric

If anyone could explain with the shift solenoid fault is, how it affects the driving and the parts and likely cost for the work I'd be mega grateful. I'm still driving the car, btw and it seems to be fine but I'm still not convinced that she's changing into 5th. Paranoia maybe.

The oxygen sensors can wait until another life for the time being, along with the headlamp levelling fault which wasn't picked up, since these do not appear to affect the MOTness.

Off to Shrewsbury, might pick this thread up on the hardshoulder.

Nick

Hi Nick

The shift solenoid is programmed to enable a smooth shift between gear changes and virtually pr-empts the pressure change required for the hydraulic fluid to enable the gear change .The solenoid is activated by the ecu when it receives information on engine load and engine revs from the engine.It will need eventual replacement because when it fails completely the gearbox will not change up or down from that gear and may go into safe mode which will only allow the car to be driven in a low gear.If it is the top gear solenoid that as failed probably that is the reason you don't beleave she is changing up.

As for cost of replacement the Mark 1 solenoids were accessable without having to drop the box but I am not sure about the later models as there are two more solenoids on them.

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On my series two, according to the w/shop manual the solenoids are accessable after removal of the trans oil pan.

You need to try and isolate which is faulty first, use the built in diagnostic system.

code 46 open or short circuit in #4 solenoid valve

code 62 open or short in #1.

code 63 open or short in #2.

code 64 open or short in #3.

there are other codes for speed sensor fault and kick down switch.

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This might help with the symptoms being the same and some pictures to boot.

There have been cases where the shift solenoids have partially seized up and a good clean has sorted the problem.

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=60302

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Thanks folks for your time and advice. Does the P0763 code the garage got mean its open or short in #2? How much is a new solenoid and is it a big job to replace, for a garage...And am I ever going to buy a workshop manual?

Light remained off all the way to Shrewsbury and I definitely got into 5th, 70mph at 2100rpm instead of 2350rpm so it looks like its a 5th gear thing. A sort of anti-overdrive, or perhaps Underdrive.

Watch this space....Nick

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