Gearbox Woes

[robertmj]

Has anybody actually solved the problems with the Lexus manual gearbox?

Do the new models have a revised gearbox?

The reason I ask is that I have had an IS200 Sport for nearly three years now and in that time I have never been happy with it (the gearbox).

Initially it was silky smooth but it soon developed the dreaded clunk into second gear problem. I got the "they are all like that" routine from Bristo's Ipswich. Then it started lurching with little touches of the throttle when trickling in traffic. And the final straw was when it started "going to sleep" when trying to pull out in to traffic.

The guy from Lexus cam to Bristo's and said that the syncromesh parts needed replacing and that they would fit new air sensenors (flow measurer?). This was done and all was OK for three months, then it was back to the problems above.

Bristo's lost / gave away (depends who you talk to) the franchise and now Hadleigh have it. Chris their head tech has been most helpful and after many calls to Lexus the GEARBOX was replaced, at the same time as a new set of alloys were fitted. He also reset the ECU and all was fine for a short while.

The lurching and non-responsiveness has returned again along with the most awful rattle when pressing or releasing the clutch (although gear changes are smooth). This is most noticable in reverse. I have driven their demonstrator and if anything it was the same or worse than mine.

Chris is now arranging for the Lexus rep to talk direct to me as he has been told he can't replace the box again (we'll see about that).

I feel sorry for the dealer as they are stuck between the customer and Lexus UK, but at the end of the day the gearbox and engine management system is :tsktsk: .

What would you do?

Mike Roberts

Ipswich

[yemgi]

I have the same problem, the solution maybe getting an ACT clutch and a Getrag gearbox :duh: Erm... reminds me something

[Veece]

Should be getting my first replacement gearbox within the next few weeks.

Problems with severe clunking when engaging first and changing from first to second.

Let you know more soon.

Paul

[BESTY]

you lot are scaring me ,how much is a gearbox

[kev dood]

mate don't ask.

I'm glad (in a way) that someone else feels the lurching when rolling in traffic. Doesn't happen all the time so haven't done anything about it.

You know what happens, you take it in they drive it and theres nothing wrong then do nothing and you look a tit!

[Monster-Mat]

well if anyone has a knackered gearbox, and is out of warrenty i have a perfectly good un for £300

no problems at all with it, and i will throw in the clutch

[TonyGoose]

Mike.

If yours is the blue x-reg 200, think Chris may have taken me for a spin in it.

It was while they were fitting 2nd replacement clutch in mine (+flywheel + clutch slave).

Went something along the lines of.. think you have problems? Listen to this!!

Bristo's had apparently done the box - now a noise on drive take up etc?

Anyway, i've also mentioned the lurch or 'surge' as i described it on small throttle...

I just want rid of the judder.. After clutch etc replaced, it's now worse than ever

I hope they're not fitting clutches from their cheaper 'remanufactured' product line...

Maybe they should volunteer to install a TRD instead

It's all a bit of a shame though.

Don't like to moan too much. As you say, dealer people are helpful enough.

They're just being completely shafted by the manufacturer - 5 H1T design + parts !!

[Rob]

you lot are scaring me ,how much is a gearbox

a new box is in the region of 2.5K or so the dealer told me

[robertmj]

Tony

It could have been mine, as yours was there when I took mine in once. I can't remember if it was when I was having the box done or when I left it for Chris to "assess".

What really worries me is that their demonstrator rattles like a bag of old nails , if the demo at Bristo's had done that i would never have bought one. As it is I can't even get shot of it private as anybody with half an ear would walk away from it.

Don't get me wrong folks, I would love to keep the car, the rest of it is fantastic (looks, equipment etc.) but when friends suggest it sounds like a diesel Transit van when I reverse in to a parking space, well................

Just to re-iterate the current symptons / problems are:-

1. Loud rattle and "clonk" when depressing / releasing clutch peddle (much worse in reverse). The strange thing is that gear changing is fine, although moving the stick while at rest produces a metalic clanking noise.

2. Clutch judder when trying to crawl in town traffic (this only appeared after the gearbox was replaced).

3. Lurching / surging in slow traffic. eg. Drive along under 30 mph and lift foot of the accelerator to slow for traffic. Traffic starts to move, so just touch the pedal and....... wham the car jumps forward. Repeat for whole commute home

4. Going to sleep. You know the situation, siting in side road trying to join a never ending stream of traffic. A small gap appears and you gun the engine. What should happen is that you rush forward, traction control controling wheelspin and join the traffic flow. My experience is (sometimes!):-

"Come on accelerate you *******!"

"Oh, **** he's going to hit me!"

Then voom it accelerates. This seems to be due to the intelligent (sic) ECU that learns how you drive. Great, but when I spend a week mostly commuting it thinks like I drive like an old f*rt and detunes the engine. Removing the Battery connection to reset the ECU restores full power, but shouldn't be necessary. A car should respond the same everytime you drive it! I want to know that if I tell it to accelerate, it will.....NOT when it thinks I want to!

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 And relax........There I feel a bit better now :D

Mike

PS. What does Mr TDI think? Would a clutch, lightened flywheel and UNICHIP solve all my problems?

[TonyGoose]

Mike

With the exception of some of the gearbox woes, this all sounds VERY familiar.

I feel a minimeet / group winge + gripe coming on...

What dya reckon ?

[robertmj]

Tony

Sounds like a good idea :)

We can have a chin wag and compare notes.

I'm about most evenings but will have to fit it inbetween the IAM motorcycle training that I do.

Suggest a couple of nights when you are available and we can meet somewhere and have a drink (non-alco for me ).

Mike

[kev dood]

Do you have an auto then? I thought it was just them that learnt the drive type! But you also mention about clutch judder!

nos 3 and 4 sound familiar, thought it is just how they all are. I notice especially when the engine is cold, the car will lurch when on and off the throttle. Its annoying but dies down slightly once warm.

Regarding the crap pull away, again cos the car is so heavy and the engine isn't that powerful til the revs pick up, its hard to move off quick! I have tried (not too hard though) to get the tyres smoking and failed each time. Only managed it in a IS300 and that was in the wet!

[robertmj]

Kev

As I understand it all the IS models adapt the engine tuning and Valve Timing depending on the way you drive. This is different to the learning auto-box.

As you say 3 and 4 seem to be reported a lot but mine seems particularly bad. I really don't see why the car has traction control, I can turn it off, pull out of a side road, foot to the floor and the tyres don't light up (dry or WET!). With such wide tyres and a wet surface 150bhp should be able to spin the wheels no matter how good the suspension / geometry design.

NB. I have tried this in the dealer's demo and all hell breaks loose - not recommended unless you have a lot of space and know how to control a slide (or its someone elses car ).

Mike

[TonyGoose]

Tony

Sounds like a good idea :)

We can have a chin wag and compare notes.

I'm about most evenings but will have to fit it inbetween the IAM motorcycle training that I do.

Suggest a couple of nights when you are available and we can meet somewhere and have a drink (non-alco for me ).

Mike

Well, tonight and tomorrow for starters ....

[robertmj]

Tony

To-morrow (friday) will be fine.

Suggets we meet at Lexus Hadleigh at 20:00 and then we can nip across the road to one of the local pubs or diners.

Mike

PS.You are an early poster aren't you :)