WK08 KXL ISF SILVER

[Connor]

Hello people 

just a quick warning about a isf out there .

was mine and hey is a brilliant car in every way but it suffered a gearbox fluid loss a few months ago and the gearbox is trashed . Long story but Lexus GB under warrenty put a cheap 15 quid anti shudder sachet in the box . I had a new torque converter fitted to try cure the problem and the fluid changed 3 times , but it kept getting a shudder back and slipping . Then I took out a Lexus warrenty after the new converter was fitted as it cured the problem for a week or two so we thought it was repaired so they gave me a warrenty but the judder etc came back . So under warrenty all I was offered was a cheap fix so I gave in and sold it .brilliant car and very sad but the only fix was a new box at 9 grand .

[GibletPH]

Sorry to heat about your woes. Did your car have yellow brake calipers?

[Connor]

Yes mate it did 

I done everything to it . New brakes . Tyres . Serviced to death then that happened 

 

[Mark G]

How did it happen? What was the reason for the fluid loss?

[GibletPH]

It’s the car that you asked about on the other thread then.

[Connor]

3 minutes ago, Mark G said:

How did it happen? What was the reason for the fluid loss?

The trans fluid is connected to the main rad and the pipes go through that rad to cool it . The pipe or seal burst inside the rad and mixed with the engine coolant throwing everything through the header and all over the engine . Catastrophic to the gearbox all because of a radiator which can’t be checked inside it . And Lexus GB won’t own up to doing a recall   They just bombed me off saying bad luck and isolated incident . 

[Connor]

8 minutes ago, GibletPH said:

It’s the car that you asked about on the other thread then.

Yeh mate 

[JamesIS220]

Sorry to hear this. It's a bad design idea to have the gearbox cooler inside the water coolant rad. Much better to have separate rads. Might be a warning to others to change the rad after say 9 years to prevent this. Unfortunately you have probably been unlucky and a rare occurrence in a lexus?

I have a 1996 Volvo 940 and my automatic cooling is the same bad design on my AW70 gearbox. I changed my rad last year as leaking coolant.

I have heard of the cooler failing on an older Volvo and the autobox surviving after a few flushes. The damage is done by the water/ coolant getting into the gearbox and mixing with the gearbox fluid and thinning it.

James

[cruisermark]

This problem also manfests itself on the LS430 vehicles

[Connor]

51 minutes ago, JamesIS220 said:

Sorry to hear this. It's a bad design idea to have the gearbox cooler inside the water coolant rad. Much better to have separate rads. Might be a warning to others to change the rad after say 9 years to prevent this. Unfortunately you have probably been unlucky and a rare occurrence in a lexus?

I have a 1996 Volvo 940 and my automatic cooling is the same bad design on my AW70 gearbox. I changed my rad last year as leaking coolant.

I have heard of the cooler failing on an older Volvo and the autobox surviving after a few flushes. The damage is done by the water/ coolant getting into the gearbox and mixing with the gearbox fluid and thinning it.

James

I would advise people with the 2008 and 2009 models to think about fitting new rads if the mileage is up . Lexus will do everything to get out of fitting a new box . Excuses excuses I got . Then I was told they put a 16 quid anti shudder in . Absolute idiots . They know nothing about the isf gearbox and how to repair it . 

[emjay82]

Good for you for trying to warm others about your old car, didn't need to 👍. Hopefully this will reach enough potential buyers but some poor sod will inherit the problem..... 😔 

[Connor]

1 minute ago, emjay82 said:

Good for you for trying to warm others about your old car, didn't need to 👍. Hopefully this will reach enough potential buyers but some poor sod will inherit the problem..... 😔 

Very true mate and I will feel for them because I know Lexus won’t replace the box . I don’t know who lexus sold it to , maybe it’s gone to auction . I was thinking of a rebuild and second hand but rebuild was 4 to 5 grand . Second hand was only 1 available and they told me the red isf had side damage only , when I re searched that car it was trashed with roof damage etc . And they at the time wanted 3700 for the second hand box . Then I would have to get it fitted and would it work . Then I decided to try a new torque covertor which worked for a short time . In the end I had to give in . It was dragging so much time and money from me . And everyone was just basically taking the ***** . It will be a head ache for the new owner no doubt about that . Because he or she will know it feels wrong and acts wrong but Lexus will say it’s normal until the shudder re appears that is which won’t be long . 

[Connor]

The last time it was in Lexus it was in for a full week . I never got a phone call or update or anything until it was after a week and I said oh you’ve had it a long time have you put a new box in under warrenty which is what I expected . They said no the warrenty guy from Liverpool had been in contact with a gearbox specialist in Liverpool and they said hey try this new anti shudder fluid you put in your box . So that’s what I got for 75 quid a month . Bargain that . That’s why I said hey it’s fixed you can have it . 

[GibletPH]

That’s shocking from Lexus. How on earth can they expect some fluid to fix something so major? 

[emjay82]

Doesn't surprise me, these guys aren't master engineers, they just change consumables and read computer codes nowadays, apart from a few good guys. They'll be under pressure by their managers and we've seen plenty of examples of Lexus trying to wangle out of warranty claims. 

[Connor]

17 minutes ago, GibletPH said:

That’s shocking from Lexus. How on earth can they expect some fluid to fix something so major? 

Yeh I know mate unreal and to have it in 7 days . I said are you joking me , I pay 75 a month for that , they said oh the warrenty guy said try this first. I wasn’t happy believe me 

[Connor]

15 minutes ago, emjay82 said:

Doesn't surprise me, these guys aren't master engineers, they just change consumables and read computer codes nowadays, apart from a few good guys. They'll be under pressure by their managers and we've seen plenty of examples of Lexus trying to wangle out of warranty claims. 

Very true . Good customers and we spend thousands with them and we get back nothing . Just excuses . I asked lexus GB loads of questions about the isf trans and they just kept saying our tech team reccomends you change the complete box at 9 grand ish . Then after I done the converter etc and got a warrenty they said try the anti shudder . Hmm they didn’t mention it needing a new box then . Cos it was coming out of there pockets . Greedy horrible people at lexus GB and they lost a very very good customer . Over the years I’ve give them approx 80’grand and all I get back is 16 quid super anti shudder fluid lol 

[JamesIS220]

I thought the Lexus extended warranty was a good one and covered everything except consumable items.

It seems whether it's banks, car dealers or anything else, loyalty counts for nothing.

What make will your next car be?

I seem to get on great with much older cars. Ie my daily 1996 Volvo 940 or my 1989 Volvo 240 which I have owned since 2009.

Always fancied a Lexus. Liked the look of an IS200 from the late 90's. Ended up with a 2006 IS220d!  Modern cars particularly diesel are too complicated.

Also fancy an old late 90's land cruiser Colorado VX, or amazon.

James.

[paul99]

Sorry to hear of your woes and thanks for sharing your story, shocking treatment from Lexus, especially considering you had a warranty. Grim to think they have just punted it on to another buyer who's likely to go through a lot of pain, surely they will end up stumping out for a new gearbox at some point anyway under the sale warranty, i hope the new owner finds this thread.

Just out of interest how many miles had your car done, my car is of a higher than average mileage for its age so it does probably sound quite sensible to look at replacing the rad at some point soon, especially if a failure can cause that sort of damage (and with 2 recorded incidents on this forum so far), anyone know how much a new rad is from Lexus? I see RR-Racing do this RR-Racing Rad/Trans cooler package which seems a permanent fix,  id expect that to be ~£700-800ish once shipping/duties are added though.

[GibletPH]

I paid just under £1k for a new waterpump and radiator plus fitting on my old ISF. It had only done around 40k miles when the waterpump went. Dealer claimed the radiator was damaged and also needed replacing at the same time. I imagine a new radiator plus fitting would be around £500

[Connor]

2 hours ago, paul99 said:

Sorry to hear of your woes and thanks for sharing your story, shocking treatment from Lexus, especially considering you had a warranty. Grim to think they have just punted it on to another buyer who's likely to go through a lot of pain, surely they will end up stumping out for a new gearbox at some point anyway under the sale warranty, i hope the new owner finds this thread.

Just out of interest how many miles had your car done, my car is of a higher than average mileage for its age so it does probably sound quite sensible to look at replacing the rad at some point soon, especially if a failure can cause that sort of damage (and with 2 recorded incidents on this forum so far), anyone know how much a new rad is from Lexus? I see RR-Racing do this RR-Racing Rad/Trans cooler package which seems a permanent fix,  id expect that to be ~£700-800ish once shipping/duties are added though.

Hello mate 85000 it had but wasn’t treat badly or abused or raced . But yeh I would reccomend the lads with the older ones to think of a better solution to stop this happening . Honestly it’s a nightmare when the trans fails 

[Connor]

1 hour ago, GibletPH said:

I paid just under £1k for a new waterpump and radiator plus fitting on my old ISF. It had only done around 40k miles when the waterpump went. Dealer claimed the radiator was damaged and also needed replacing at the same time. I imagine a new radiator plus fitting would be around £500

New rad is 300 and you can get anyone to fit it so yeh well under 500 . My water pump was fine just the pipes running theough the inside of the rad with the trans fluid in burst . Couldn’t believe it when my trans started slipping and juddering . Was gutted . I’ve had my isf over 5 years . It was immaculate not a single dent in the side panels etc 

[Connor]

3 hours ago, JamesIS220 said:

I thought the Lexus extended warranty was a good one and covered everything except consumable items.

It seems whether it's banks, car dealers or anything else, loyalty counts for nothing.

What make will your next car be?

I seem to get on great with much older cars. Ie my daily 1996 Volvo 940 or my 1989 Volvo 240 which I have owned since 2009.

Always fancied a Lexus. Liked the look of an IS200 from the late 90's. Ended up with a 2006 IS220d!  Modern cars particularly diesel are too complicated.

Also fancy an old late 90's land cruiser Colorado VX, or amazon.

James.

Hello mate I’ve got a focus st for now 

[Connor]

2 minutes ago, Connor said:

Hello mate I’ve got a focus st for now 

The warrenty is a rip off mate . They promise you everything but when it comes to the crunch they turn away with excuses . Shocking . Lexus will never see my money again . I even asked Lexus GB to put me in touch with the gearbox manufacturers in japan and they wouldn’t . 

Honestly Lexus GB no nothing about the isf . I’ve a million emails back and forth asking them questions.  Asking for help . 5 Lexus I’ve had inc 1 brand new but nope they just said hey it’s bad luck it happens 

[Stuno1]

37 minutes ago, Connor said:

The warrenty is a rip off mate . They promise you everything but when it comes to the crunch they turn away with excuses . Shocking . Lexus will never see my money again . I even asked Lexus GB to put me in touch with the gearbox manufacturers in japan and they wouldn’t . 

Honestly Lexus GB no nothing about the isf . I’ve a million emails back and forth asking them questions.  Asking for help . 5 Lexus I’ve had inc 1 brand new but nope they just said hey it’s bad luck it happens 

Sorry to hear about your experience. The warranty covered 2 headlight unit replacements and a leaking pipe from somewhere or other with no hassle at all.