2004 LEXUS RX330 Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

MY RX330 HAS JUST COME OUT OF THE DEALER SERVICE FOR THE SECOND TIME DUE TO A COMPLETE FAILURE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN NECESSARY. ESPECIALLY AS I SLOW DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH, AND THE TRY TO RE-ACCELERATE, THE RPM'S GO TO 5500 BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT MOVE AND THE CLUTCH NEVER ENGAGES. YOU HAVE TO LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND LET THE RPM'S COME BACK DOWN AND TRY IT AGAIN. THIS HAS ALMOST GOT ME HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE AT LEAST 3 TIMES. ON THE FIRST SERVICE CALL THEY TRIED TO DO A TRANSMISSION "RESET" I HAVE DRIVEN THE VEHICLE 2500 MILES SINCE THEN AND IT MIGHT EVEN BE WORSE. THIS TIME IT WENT TO THE SHOP AND TWO TECHNICIANS, ONE MANAGER, AND ONE CUSTOMER SERVICE REP ALL TOLD ME THAT THEY HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SIMULATE THE PROBLEM ON TEST DRIVES BUT THAT IT IS "NORMAL FOR...

THIS CAR HAS A INTERMITTENT PROBLEM BETWEEN 2ND AND 3RD GEAR. THE ENGINE REVS UP IN BETWEEN GEARS AND FINALLY SHIFTS INTO GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION IS VERY SLUGGISH BETWEEN ALL GEARS. I HAVE HAD IT TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE AND SERVICE MANAGER SAYS THAT THIS IS AS GOOD AS IT IS GOING TO BE. WHEN THE CAR IS BETWEEN 2 & 3 I SOMETIMES FEEL THAT IT WILL LET GO ENTIRELY AND MIGHT CAUSE A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. *LA

SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION HAS ACTED STRANGE. THE VEHICLE DOES NOT SHIFT SMOOTHLY WHEN CHANGING FROM ONE GEAR TO THE NEXT. WE HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER. WAS TOLD THE FIRST TIME THAT IS THE WAY THE VEHICLE SHIFTS. AFTER THE PROBLEM GOT WORSE, WE TOOK IT BACK AGAIN. DEALER CONFIRMED THAT WE WERE NOT THE ONLY OWNER THAT HAS COMPLAINED TO THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. WAS TOLD TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN AND THEY WOULD RE CALIBRATE THE CHIP THAT CONTROLS THE SHIFTING. GOT THE VEHICLE BACK AFTER THEY WORKED ON IT AND IT DID IMPROVE, BUT STILL NOT WORKING PROPERLY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS PROBLEM WILL ONLY GET WORSE AGAIN LIKE IT DID THE FIRST TIME. THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING TO A 2004 VEHICLE. PLEASE REGISTER MY COMPLAINT AND I'M SURE BASED ON WHAT THE DEALER TOLD US THAT OTHERS...

MANY OWNERS OF 2004 RX330 HAVE REPORTED PROBLEMS WITH THE 5-SPEED AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THERE IS A SUBSTANTIAL "LAG" IN SHIFTING AT LOW SPEEDS AROUND 20 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL REPORTS OF THE CAR REVVING TO "REDLINE" WITHOUT THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGING. THIS RESULTS IN THE VEHIBLE BECOMING IMMOBILE IN INTERSECTIONS OR WHEN EXITING TOOLBOOTHS. THERE IS A SIMILAR PROBLEM AT AROUND 40 MPH. IT HAS HAPPENED TO OUR VEHICLE AT LEAST 6 TIMES, TWO OF WHICH NEARLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT FROM BEING "REAR-ENDED." LEXUS HAS RELEASED A SOFTWARE UPGRADE BUT THIS REPORTEDLY HAS NOT CORRECTED THE PROBLEM. AFTER DENYING THAT THERE WAA A TSB FOR THE PROBLEM, THE DEALER SAID THAT IT COULD NOT "RECOMMEND" THE UPGRADE.