Please help! Engine dies after shifting from park! (1 Viewer)

[Eicca]

@Eicca Do you mean disconnecting battery by resetting computer? Or something else involved? Thanks

Just disconnect the battery for thirty minutes.

I changed the MAF in my Lexus just a few weeks ago. The old one wasn’t bad enough to cause actual problems, but the difference between it and the new one really freaked my car out until I reset the computer.

 

[NOSAJ]

Thanks! I’m praying it is just the MAF

 

[2001LC]

It sounds like torque converter, but I've hand bad coil act the same way. Coil miss fires unload, just not dead so no CEL. The way I found which one was while putting the transmission under a load (foot on Brake while in D) and watch the data in tech stream live.

 

[Ben S]

I disconnected my MAF a few weeks ago wh n I was changing the thermostat. After cleaning it and throttle body I pushed it back in, but not quite all the way, and eventually buttoned everything back up. Started up fine and then I went for a ride to warm it up and open up tstat. Then I got cleaned up to meet a buddy for beers. Lo and behold, it didn’t want to start and when it did turn over, it was rough going down driveway. Once on open road it was ok. Long story short, I remembered I didn’t give the MAF a good click so I popped the hood and saw the connection wasn’t secure. I’m hoping maybe my story has some relevance to your issues.

 

[KillerBox]

I disconnected my MAF a few weeks ago wh n I was changing the thermostat. After cleaning it and throttle body I pushed it back in, but not quite all the way, and eventually buttoned everything back up. Started up fine and then I went for a ride to warm it up and open up tstat. Then I got cleaned up to meet a buddy for beers. Lo and behold, it didn’t want to start and when it did turn over, it was rough going down driveway. Once on open road it was ok. Long story short, I remembered I didn’t give the MAF a good click so I popped the hood and saw the connection wasn’t secure. I’m hoping maybe my story has some relevance to your issues.

When you get your problem fixed, please update us so that it might help someone in the future.

 

[NOSAJ]

Will do! I searched and found 3 separate old threads with the same issue and no one posted a resolution. I got ahold of one person that posted back in 2012 and they had to do a new tranny.

Took the truck for a short drive yesterday and all is fine after the new MAF so far.

Still doing test runs since this is my wife’s dd and don’t want to leave her stranded!

 

[Eicca]

Were you ever able to get fuel trim readings with the old MAF installed?

 

[Ben S]

When you get your problem fixed, please update us so that it might help someone in the future.

Sorry, I was more clear in my brain than I guess I was on screen. When I popped the hood and checked MAF, it was not clicked in all the way. So I secured it correctly and all has been well since.

 

[LXG8R]

@NOSAJ I am having the exact same problem now on my 2001 LX470 with 240k. Same deal You described. I have not replaced the MAF yet though. So I could test the relearn theory.

 

[plmont]

@NOSAJ, am I correct in assuming the stalling issue has not recurred since the MAF install and getting out on the highway in April? Can you provide an update? My daughter's 2001 with 165k just started with the same issue. I'm reviewing this and the other similar threads prior to looking at it in the next few days. Thanks in advance.

 

[plmont]

If anyone else has info on this issue, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

 

[LXG8R]

@plmont mine is going into the shop tomorrow. I’ll update the thread I replied in including this one.

 

[plmont]

@LXG8R, thanks for the reply. I have some news that will be of interest to you.

First, over the weekend, the truck was scanned for codes - none were logged or pending. The tranny fluid was at the proper level, was the proper color and smelled like it should. The engine ran perfectly fine in park and neutral.

Before heading over this evening, I asked my son-in-law to disconnect the neg cable from the battery. It took me about an hour to get over there, so we reconnected the battery when I arrived. I started the car and the nav screen came up with some Japanese writing, then reported it was initializing. I usually complete one step at a time, but wasn’t too confident anything I had planned was going to fix the problem, so I dropped it into drive just before initialization completed - the engine immediately stalled. I moved to the shifter to neutral, restarted the engine (by this time initialization had finished and the nav screen was up), moved the H/L selector from high to low and dropped the shifter into drive – the engine immediately stalled again.

I had to figure a way to get the tranny into drive with no load, to get the internals moving. Thought of disconnecting the driveshafts form the transfer case, but didn't like the idea. So instead, did this:

1. Ignition to on (not start), foot on the brake, moved the shifter to neutral and H/L selector to neutral
2. Started the car
3. Dropped the shifter into drive for maybe 20 seconds (if that)...engine continued to run just fine...
4. Shifter back to neutral for maybe 20 second
5. Shifter to park (tranny let me know it was still freewheeling…oops)
6. Shifter back to neutral
7. H/L selector to low
8. Shifter to drive...and off I went like nothing had ever happened
9. Stopped, shifter to neutral, H/L selector to High, shifter to drive...and off I went again
10. Drove around the neighborhood, then out on local roads...no issues at all

What the hell? All I can think is, a sensor prevented the tranny from kicking down? If so, which one and why? Will be crawling under to see if we can find any suspect sensor wiring or the like. Anyone else have any thoughts?

Crazy happy it wasn’t catastrophic, but unnerving that it could happen again to my daughter. I may trade cars with her for awhile, just in case it recurs near term.

 

[2001LC]

I'd hook up to tech stream and watch date as stall occurs. I've seen where a coil will misfire only under-load, than be fine the next minute. This usually will not give a DTC/CEL, but usually not a stall either. It feels more like a toque convert shutter. I could see where engine having a few issues, like vacuum leaks and spark plugs walk-out (loose), stall from combination of issues. As you were running engine without in-gauging transmission, heat built up (engine warmed to op temp). This could correct issue due to expansion of loose parts. Just a thought!

 

[LXG8R]

The transmission shop competed the first set of diagnostics where they hook up their computer to talk to the transmission and said it isn’t a computer failure. It responds correctly and still stalls. Now they are removing it from the LX and opening it up for mechanical issues. The techs first guess is a stuck valve. I should have more info tomorrow. I am asking for pictures to post here.

 

[plmont]

@2001LC, thanks for the input. It seems operating temp didn't have an effect when the truck had the issue. The very first time the stall occurred was last Friday, and my daughter had been driving for over an hour with no issues. As she approached a stop light, the truck started acting strange and then stalled at the light...from her description, it would be like leaving a manual tranny in 4th gear without depressing the clutch pedal as you came to a stop.

@LXG8R, thanks for providing details as you move through the process, it is greatly appreciated.

 

[LXG8R]

I got some pictures of the inside of mine. The tech thinks a valve got stuck.

Chewed up planetary gear.

Below is some metal shavings in the pan.

 

[plmont]

@LXG8R, thanks for the update, and sorry to see that. Let us know if they nail down the exact cause. Are you replacing with a remanufactured unit or having them rebuild yours? Whichever route you take, please let us know the cost. Also, did the stalling issue occur just the one time or multiple times? Thanks again

 

[2001LC]

I got some pictures of the inside of mine. The tech thinks a valve got stuck.
View attachment 2020564
Chewed up planetary gear.
View attachment 2020566
Below is some metal shavings in the pan.
View attachment 2020570

Wow 01 with only 200K miles, what a mess.

 

[LXG8R]

@plmont The repair is a refurbished low mileage unit. When I last spoke to the tech we chose a unit with 64k on it from South Carolina. The cost is $3900 plus tax. That price includes an 18 month and 18k mile part and labor warranty.
@2001LC It is a mess in there. I purchased the LX almost four years ago with 174k on it. The Lexus service records show one “transmission service” at 60k. I did a 3x drain and fill about 18 months and 20k miles ago because of some occasional less then smooth shifts. I used Mobile 1ATF. It seemed to smooth out the shifts and I was content. I don’t ever tow and occasionally take it off road. I have taken it to the beach and driven on the sand with it. One of those early times on the sand, before the fluid change, I did get a transmission temp light on. That’s the history I have for it. You didn’t ask but I’ve read enough of your posts to guess that you are curious.
In my mind 4K is a little painful but I can’t get anything as nice as this for twice that amount so I am getting it fix and will continue to enjoy this great platform.