NHTSA Complaint #10135696 — 2004 LEXUS ES 330

TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS WITH MY 2004 ES330 I AM BECOMING VERY CONCERNED WITH MY NEW 2004 LEXUS. I HAVE HAD IT IN THE SERVICE CENTER FOUR (4) TIMES NOW WITH THE SAME TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE SERVICE CENTER KEEPS TELLING ME THAT THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION AND THAT IT IS THE WAY I DRIVE... MY 1999 LEXUS DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND I AM PERPLEXED ON WHY I AM BEING TOLD IT IS ME AND NOT THE CAR. THIS LAST SERVICE CALL ON AUGUST 22ND I WAS TOLD TO USE A HIGHER GRADE OF GASOLINE. I HAVE NOW GONE THROUGH A TANK OF THE HIGH GRADE GAS AND MY TRANSMISSION IS STILL SLIPPING. I NOTICE IT WHEN I SLOW TO NEGOTIATE A TURN, WHEN I AM DRIVING BETWEEN 15 AND 20 MILES PER HOUR, ALSO NOW WHEN I AM MERGING INTO TRAFFIC EITHER SLOW OR FROM A STOP THE CAR HESITATES AND THEN LURCHES FORWARD WITH A KICK.. I AM BEGINNING TO BE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS CAR NOT KNOWING WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT. I HAVE 3 CHILDREN THAT NEED TO BE SHUTTLED AROUND EVERY DAY AND I AM CONCERNED FOR THEIR SAFETY AS WELL.. I WANT TO TAKE IT BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER BUT THE FEELING I AM GETTING IS THAT THEY THINK I AM CRAZY. THIS IS DUE TO THEY SAY THERE IS NO PROBLEM WITH THE TRANSMISSION. ALSO, I DON'T NEED EXTRA HORSE POWER WITH THE HIGHER GRADE OF GAS, THE LEXUS HAS PLENTY OF POWER... CAN SOMEONE PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS MATTER? THIS TRANSMISSION IS JUNK... I HAVE HAD MY HUSBAND DRIVE THE CAR AND HE CONCURS THAT THE TRANSMISSION DOES SLIP AND HE FEELS IT MUST BE SOME TYPE OF MODULATOR THAT IS NOT GETTING THE FLUID TO THE TORQUE CONVERTER OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.. I HAVE LESS THAN 15,000 MILES ON MY CAR AND WITH THIS PROBLEM IT FEELS LIKE I AM DRIVING A CAR WITH 150,000 MILES ON IT... I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE NOR SAFE DRIVING THIS CAR... PLEASE HELP... I HAVE CALLED LEXUS 2 DAYS AFTER THE PURCHASE OF MY CAR WHEN I FIRST FELT THE IRREGULAR SHIFTING PATTERNS.. THINKING IT WOULD GET BETTER I WAITED UNTIL MY 1000 MILE SERVICE CHECK TO BRING IT UP A AGAIN.. IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. *JB