Lexus ES 330

I haven't driven one, but my assumption is that Lexus has chosen a certain path with the ES transmission to favor ride and not aggressive behavior. Based on my experience with my 2002 ES300, I have no plans to buy another Lexus.

I have a 2004 ES330 and I experience no hesitation. It just goes.

The interesting thing is that not all ES300 owners reported the transmission problem. I wonder if it still exists in the ES330, but the results are mixed amongst different drivers. It could be the way the computer "learns" the driver's style. I'm heavy on the accelerator, so perhaps my driving habits contribute to the problem. Regardless, I just want my car to move when I hit the gas, and its behavior seems to be totally random. It makes me second guess whether I want to pull into traffic, because I never know what it will do.

I really think Lexus horsed up the transmission design in the ES, but they're not owning up to it. Far be it from the prestigious Lexus to admit they have a defective product. I'm suspicious of their computer programming of the transmission/accelerator logic, I think this one got away from their engineers.

THE SHIFT IS MORE NOTICABLE AND HESITANT THAN ANY OTHER RECENT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT WE DRIVE. THIS CAUSES A SENSATION OF HESITANCY THEN SURGE. OUR AVALON AND FOR THE THAT MATTER OUR 7 YEAR DODGE CARAVAN HAVE SMOOTHER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL SHIFTING.

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BOTH MY WIFE AND I NOTICE THAT WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1 TO 2 AND 2 TO 3 THAT THE SHIFT IS MORE NOTICABLE AND HESITANT THAN ANY OTHER RECENT AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION THAT WE DRIVE. THIS CAUSES A SENSATION OF HESITANCY THEN SURGE. OUR AVALON AND FOR THE THAT MATTER OUR 7 YEAR DODGE CARAVAN HAVE SMOOTHER AND MORE FUNCTIONAL SHIFTING.

Howard wrote:

I have a 2004 ES330. There is a very definate hesitation when I hit the gas if it is necessary for the transmission to downshift. For about 1-1.5 seconds, the motor accelerates only slightly, even if I've pressed the gas pedal to the floor. Then, after the delay, the transmission downshifts and the motor suddenly revs up. The net effect is that when I press the gas pedal down either moderately far or all the way to the floor, if it is necessary for the car to downshift, there's a 1-1.5 second pause during which the car does nothing, and then it suddenly takes off like a rocket. It's very disconcerting because I can never predict whether this will occur, but it happens at least half of the time. I'm very nervous about changing lanes with this car because of this transmission. As a comparison, I used to have a 2002 V6 Camry, which had a similar engine but a 4 speed transmission. That car had a very quick response to the gas pedal. This car, although very luxurious and loaded with features like Navigation, etc., has been a major disappointment. I will not buy another 5-speed transmission car from Toyota, and I will not buy another Lexus again, either. This car is supposed to be Toyota's top of the line product, and it cost a lot, yet it has a design flaw that makes it substandard. I just wish that Toyota would equip its 4 speed transmission Camry (I know it has a smaller 4 cylinder motor, but it's quite capable) with amenities like Navigation and VSC/TRAC. I would trade this Lexus in in a heartbeat just to get the much better 4 speed transmission.

-Doug in VA

Whaaaaaaaaaat? You don't like the way the computer controls your car? Fly-by-wire throttle and black box transmission governance not to your liking? Seems obvious that you are trying to drive the car instead of driving the computer that controls your car. LOL Suck it up! It's only gonna get worse!

Edmunds has a list of TSBs for the 2003 ES300 at

the first two are the ones that seem to fit with the hesitation you have both mentioned.

The 2004 ES330 has, as far as I know, a bigger engine but the same transmission and ECM as the 2003 ES300 (Don't take my word for this but I couldn't find any information on

or saying it was a new transmission or ECM.) It may be worth asking your local dealer if they could look into the TSBs, (take a print out of the page for the service department to look up the numbers) and ask Lexus if it may be a similar problem with the 2004s?

If it is the same transmission/ECM and the same problem then it may just be a case of a few ECMs slipping through the net and not being calibrated.

Talk to your Local dealer and see what they can find out for you.

HTH

I will never buy another Lexus again. My 2002 ES300 has been a terrible experience with the transmission/computer lag. The Lexus engineers truly have no clue how to program the onboard computer on their vehicles.

On MSN auto reviews, the es330 is being taken to shreds for this exact problem. I hope Lexus notices soon. I have a 2004 es330, and have not experianced the problem yet. Its around 500 miles, so I am not driving it hard. I hope mine does not have that issue. Is there anyone here with a es330 that doesnt have this issue?

I actually think this also has something to do with personal driving habits. For instance, I like to give gas about half way through a corner, yet it seems that is when the lag is the worst. Based on what I've experienced with my 2002 ES300, it seems the engineers programmed the computer to not give it gas during a corner to prevent fishtailing. That may not be the case, but that's the behavior I've noticed. I don't have a problem with drive-by-wire, but I would prefer that they would have directly translated the driver input right to the throttle and transmission instead of trying to make another decision for the situation. I think it all has to do with improving MPG ratings to meet EPA requirements. They apparently can't easily make a more efficient engine to meet the increasing standards, so their best way to boost MPG is to prevent the driver from punching it. Here's a prediction: Watch this problem disappear in the hybrid gas/electric models, as the takeoff is handled completely by the batteries.

Steve Larson wrote: noticed. I don't have a problem with drive-by-wire, but I would

I don't think it is a drive-by-wire issue. I used to have a 2002 Camry V6, which is also drive-by-wire (and has a similar engine to the ES330, but has a 4 speed automatic). It did not have the transmission lag problem. As a matter of fact, that car had the best acceleration of any family car I've ever been in.

As far as the hybrid goes, which is completely drive-by-wire, there is no downshift lag (I used to drive a Prius). However, the hybrid has its own annoyance: When you start from a dead stop, the car first accelerates very slowly because the 40 HP electric motor is doing most of the work (the gas engine shuts off when you're sitting still). Then, after you get up to about 10 MPH, things pick up a bit; I think this might be because the effective "gear ratio" between the gas engine and the wheels becomes more favorable due to the higher RPM of the driveshaft and the gas engine can start helping out the electric motor -- I'm just hypothesizing about the reason here.

-Doug in VA

I wonder if the RX or Highlander hybrids will have more power with their electric moter. I would think it would have to. I really think the Lexus engineers have screwed up big-time with the ES computer, and they've lost all professional credibility, in my opinion. I will definitely spend much more time researching vehicles before my next auto purchase. My 2002 ES300 was a little too quick, and I'm paying a price for that haste.

I had read about issues with the ES300 transmission issues and bought into the Lexus' claim of improved acceleration over the ES300 when I was looking at ES330s. When I test drove the ES330, I thought the acceleration was very responsive and good. I ordered my car and the night I drove it off the lot, I noticed that the acceleration was sluggish and non-responsive compared to my test drives. I complained about it on my free checkup services, but they claim no trouble found. The second time I brought it in, I borrowed a 2003 ES300 loaner and the tactile responsiveness was night and day for me as a driver. It was much more aggressive. I again complained to the service writter and he had the tech clear the computer memory that tracks the drivers driving style... no change.

So maybe it's just certain cars. I can live with the issue by adapting to the way the car drives, but I am disappointed in the overall performace characteristics of the car.

agreed, I never know when my 2002 ES300 will go or not. This was my first experience with a Lexus vehicle. I thought I had finally made it to the big leagues, but I was mistaken. I'll never buy a Lexus again as long as they have this computer problem with their engine/transmission.

Guess I lucked out... no hesitation whatsoever with a 2003 IS300 Sportcross. (no gas mileage either...)