GX550 Luxury + at the dealer for a new transmission (5k miles)

[RAVEN550]

I experienced an unusual jerk in my luxury+, which made me think it might be a transmission issue. The dealer confirmed after a week, and a new transmission is scheduled to arrive in mid-November (on back order ).

 

[S SUBERI]

Sorry, what do they think caused the problem?

 

[FJMainiac]

Could you provide additional details on the issue you were experiencing? When I come to slow stop, it feel a double bump. Kind of like a hard downshift just before I come to a complete stop. It happens about 25% of the time, I cant figure out what conditions trigger it and why sometimes it comes to smooth stop with no thump.

 

[RAVEN550]

Could you provide additional details on the issue you were experiencing? When I come to slow stop, it feel a double bump. Kind of like a hard downshift just before I come to a complete stop. It happens about 25% of the time, I cant figure out what conditions trigger it and why sometimes it comes to smooth stop with no thump.

That was my exact issue. It occurred for me at least 50% of the time.

 

[RAVEN550]

Sorry, what do they think caused the problem?

I'm not sure, but they just called back and said it needs a new transmission, which is on back order. The expected delivery date is currently the second week of November.

 

[FJMainiac]

Interesting your issue is exactly what I'm experiencing. Are you continuing to drive the vehicle while you wait for the repair?

 

[RAVEN550]

No, it's been at the dealer for the past three weeks.

 

[Bluegill]

Could you provide additional details on the issue you were experiencing? When I come to slow stop, it feel a double bump. Kind of like a hard downshift just before I come to a complete stop. It happens about 25% of the time, I cant figure out what conditions trigger it and why sometimes it comes to smooth stop with no thump.

The truck's automatic transmission drops into 1st gear at about 3 mph. Sometimes it's more noticeable than other times.

Even when you have the transmission in "manual" mode, you can watch it automatically downshift as you slow down. If you watch the manual gear display in the heads-up display you'll see M1, M2, M3, etc. displayed. If you're up to speed on a typical road at about 45 mph and you're in M6 or M7 for example, then you slow down for a stop light but you don't manually downshift, you can see the transmission downshift on it's own as you slow down. M6, M5, M4, M3, then M2 as you get below about 10 mph, then it snaps into M1 at about 3 mph.

 

[FJMainiac]

Thanks Bluegill. That may be what I'm noticing, the downshift to first at around 3 mph. I did some searching and see others have commented on that noticeable downshift just before stopping.

 

[Bluegill]

The downshifting is too aggressive on this truck, in my opinion. This truck doesn't "coast" well at all. It's always dragging itself to a stop with the over-aggressive downshifts, even in Eco mode. I understand that the downshifting prevents the transmission from hunting for gear and lagging in acceleration, but you'd think they'd let it sail along in a tall gear when you take your foot off the gas in Eco mode.

 

[jaytee]

Could you provide additional details on the issue you were experiencing? When I come to slow stop, it feel a double bump. Kind of like a hard downshift just before I come to a complete stop. It happens about 25% of the time, I cant figure out what conditions trigger it and why sometimes it comes to smooth stop with no thump.

Is yours also the luxury?

 

[Pottsy]

Will be very interested to hear if the new tranny changes that rough downshift. Keep us posted!

 

[FJMainiac]

Is yours also the luxury?

Mine in OT model

 

[jaytee]

Mine in OT model

Guess that means can happen in any model. Makes me nervous. I put my deposit down in April and I heard from the dealership yesterday now arriving November 16. Hope it’s not a lemon.

 

[FJMainiac]

I've been paying more attention. It only happens after I've been driving about 30 minutes or so. The transmission stays in 2cnd or 3rd while I slow down for a stop, and then right when I stop (well below 3 miles) it bumps, sometimes twice, with a hard downshift to 1st. When the vehicle has been driven less than 30 minutes, the downshifts at very low speed just prior to stop are smooth and occur at higher speed not right when I stop.

 

[Michael T]

My OT consistently has the downshift thud going to first at 1-3 mph as well.

They’re replacing my brakes for the squeal next week and will get them to look at and report back

 

[usuzukuri]

I also observed this while testing driving the Premium + model as well. I thought it's caused by the auto brake. Hope Lexus fixed this in 2025 models.