SUSPECT GEARBOX SETTINGS - VIBRATION

[SUKDEV]

Hi all. I am the owner of a RX 200t in Malaysia. 2017 model. From the moment I drove out of the showroom with my new car, I noticed an unusual behaviour of the engine. Whenever the vehicle is in the speed range of 80- 100 KPH, the engine struggles. This is evidenced by a vibration feeding back through the accelerator pedal and some through the steering wheel.

The best way to describe this is to take the example of the old manual gearshift cars. If you were in fifth gear and you came to a slope, you would have to shift to a lower gear. If you didn’t, and after the momentum of the vehicle ran out, the engine will start an unpleasant growling and rumbling as the existing power gear relationship was not adequate and would not be able to sustain the power demand on the engine.

This is exactly what I am trying to describe. The engine does seem to have all the power the car needs throughout its operational range. But it seems that the manufacturer’s setting of the gears for this power regime seems to be the problem. And this problem is only evident in the 80-100 KPH regime. Outside of this, the engine performs well.

At my first service of 1000 KM, I highlighted this problem to the dealer’s service manager. He test drove the vehicle with another senior mechanic on board. I demonstrated the problem to them. They acknowledged that there was a problem. Told me exactly what the salesman had offered as advice: Every time you experience this, just press on the accelerator to accelerate and that will change the gear !!!!  I reminded him that this was my 6th automatic car. I had never had to do anything so stupid in any of my previous cars although they cost less than half of what I had paid for this !!!

A few days later, I was informed by the service staff that all the other models available at that time were also tested out of curiosity, and, shock………they all demonstrated the same problem characteristic !!!!!  Then I was told to email the matter to the manager for further action.

2 years have gone by, and until today, no action or any kind of interest has been shown by the dealer to solve this problem or to escalate it to a higher level for attention. I just completed my 40,000 KM service. Again the same old excuses (doesn't matter if you go straight into the back of the vehicle in front of you !!) and more empty promises to do something about it. But until today, no news of any action.

Please check your vehicles to see if you have this problem. Look for the rumbling of the engine between 80-100 KPH. If you are in steady cruise, apply very gentle pressure on the accelerator, and you may feel it.

Please let me know on this group if you experience the same engine anomaly. Thank you.

 

 

[ISJason]

Hi. My thought is that the 2.0 litre is underpowered and needs higher revs to keep going. In the UK we mainly have the Hybrids which are more powerful.


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[ColinBarber]

3 hours ago, ISJason said:

Hi. My thought is that the 2.0 litre is underpowered and needs higher revs to keep going

It does sound like that. The transmission should be correctly mapped to the engine so it does change down correctly rather than let the engine struggle. Seems that it could be a simple fix in software if enough owners complained.

Unfortunately the number of 200T vehicles sold in the UK was very low. The RX200t sold less than 100 before it was withdrawn.

[ISJason]

That’s an eye opener Colin I wasn’t aware it had been withdrawn , obviously you are correct.

I haven’t ever seen any on the forecourt of Lexus Birmingham, but they do crop up from time to time in the list on the used cars part of the Lexus website sometimes


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[Spottedlaurel]

Is it a standard torque convertor auto 'box on the 200? If so, I wonder if the lock-up feature on top is giving the same effect of holding a manual car in too high a gear? The speed coincides with when I've had lock-up operate on other Japanese automatics.