98 - 2000 100 owners - Is your Transmission Original or Replaced?

[KathmanduCruiser]

Most people who replied to this thread have not experienced tranny problems. One user (for the model years mentioned) had a tranny failure out of the 16+ who replied. Unfortunate for the person who had to go through it, but all in all, not bad at all.

Comes to about a 6 percent chance of failure. Hopefully, that is not just a false-positive stemming from a small sample-size.

 

[SWUtah]

Most people who replied to this thread have not experienced tranny problems. One user (for the model years mentioned) had a tranny failure out of the 16+ who replied. Unfortunate for the person who had to go through it, but all in all, not bad at all.

Comes to about a 6 percent chance of failure. Hopefully, that is not just a false-positive stemming from a small sample-size.

I would say that your failure rate on this 98-2002 transmission is not even statisticly significant. Think of it this way, we all know the warts on the 100 series, starter fails at around 90K miles and it costs around $800 to fix.

 

[SamoL]

How do you guys decide, when is it time to change the A/T fluid?
I have a 5 speed manual and I change oil every time I get from Sahara (which is about once a year - I've made 80k km so far and changed the oil in transmission three times). Compared to enormous amount of engine oil of HDJ100 (12,5 liters) changing all oil in the car (engine, gearbox, transmission box, both diffs) only doubles the cost.

I hear people complaining about A/T in prados arround here. It overheats. Does LC have a radiator to cool the A/T fluid? This should definitely decrease the chance of failure.

Regards
Samo

 

[SWUtah]

. Does LC have a radiator to cool the A/T fluid? This should definitely decrease the chance of failure.

Regards
Samo

Yes the 100 series has transmission cooling, runs through the rad.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

Yes the 100 series has transmission cooling, runs through the rad.

Optional or standard?

 

[SWUtah]

Optional or standard?

I'm sure it is standard.

 

[ChuckB]

2000 LX 81,XXX miles, no issues yet, history unknown, fluid will be changed at 90K service

 

[Jim_Chow]

Look for the ATF cooler in front of your radiator. I've yet to see a US-spec 100 w/o the ATF cooler, but again, we tend to get them all loaded w/ the "tow package." 6% can't be the failure rate. That would mean for 10,000 units sold per year between 98-02 (50,000 units), we'd expect 3000 failures. Now the Sequoia did have tranny problems the first year or two it was introduced (around '00). Still not sure about the 4runner's 5 speed tranny...it uses aluminum planetary gears vs. steel ones on the 100. Not sure how long those will last.

 

[SWUtah]

Look for the ATF cooler in front of your radiator. I've yet to see a US-spec 100 w/o the ATF cooler, but again, we tend to get them all loaded w/ the "tow package." 6% can't be the failure rate. That would mean for 10,000 units sold per year between 98-02 (50,000 units), we'd expect 3000 failures. Now the Sequoia did have tranny problems the first year or two it was introduced (around '00). Still not sure about the 4runner's 5 speed tranny...it uses aluminum planetary gears vs. steel ones on the 100. Not sure how long those will last.

My 99 Landcruiser that came without the factory hitch came with the transmission cooler and my 2004 that only has the tow hitch in the bumper and also has the cooler. I would think they all do, and they are larger then you would find on a Dodge 1 ton CTD. So cooling isn't an issue with the 100 series.

 

[butch7770]

1998 Jade Mica 86k Mi. Original Trans.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

6% can't be the failure rate. That would mean for 10,000 units sold per year between 98-02 (50,000 units), we'd expect 3000 failures.

Well,

I agree that 6 percent sounds like a lot. I doubt the failure rate is that high. FWIW though, this seems like an issue for 98-00 models (not 98-02), so out of 30000 sold, it would be around 1800 failures with the same rate.

I would be extremely surprised if the failure rate of a 100 tranny for these years was this high.

 

[calamaridog]

2000 LC with almost 100k.

Fluid drained and filled around 90k. Should have been done by PO but who really knows.

Works every time

 

[Dan Dibble]

177,000 miles on a 98 lx. Fluid changed every 30,000. No problems.

You guys with the Lexus cars can have a Lexus dealer run your VIN and check all work that has been done previously.

Dan

 

[johncarron]

2000 LC, 65K, no problemo.

 

[mmaakk]

138K on my 99', changed fluid every 30K since I bought new and still shifts smooooooth!

 

[fishin]

99 with 93K. No problems. I use mine to tow an enclosed car hauler a tandem axle utility trailer and a bass boat. Doing the recommended maintenance and cruising along.

Brett

 

[Tinkerer]

177,000 miles on a 98 lx. Fluid changed every 30,000. No problems.

You guys with the Lexus cars can have a Lexus dealer run your VIN and check all work that has been done previously.

Dan

Correction: Stealer can show records of service done by the stealer - but NOT all the work, for some vehicles. (If you ran a check on mine, it would appear to have never required reqular maintenance at all, nor would 99.9% of the post-warranty repairs be recorded in stealer records.)

BTW, on the thread topic: Does anyone ever pause to consider how to make this (or any) transmission last longer, by your driving habits? Yes. QED.

What I'd be curious to see would be data correlating driving habits to transmission life. Because, there IS a correlation, make no mistake.

 

[KathmanduCruiser]

So far the tally is out of 25 - 1 failure. Keep more coming.....

 

[SWUtah]

BTW, on the thread topic: Does anyone ever pause to consider how to make this (or any) transmission last longer, by your driving habits? Yes. QED.

What I'd be curious to see would be data correlating driving habits to transmission life. Because, there IS a correlation, make no mistake.

Good point. A lightly driven mall queen compared with a weekend rock crawler big big difference. These must be great dependable transmissions considering how a % of the owners beat the crap out of them off road.

 

[Tinkerer]

Good point. A lightly driven mall queen compared with a weekend rock crawler big big difference. These must be great dependable transmissions considering how a % of the owners beat the crap out of them off road.

Also speaking of on-road pattern.

Think about what happens in the tranny every time a gear change occurs. Heavier loads & speeds (harder acceleration) during gear changes will have a significant cumulative affect on tranny life, believe me. (Where does all the particulate from wet clutch pack wear go? hehe)

So, my own entertainment, in every day "commute theater": Watching everyone wear out their tranny MUCH faster, to get to the next red light MUCH faster - so they can wear out their brakes MUCH faster. Wheee!