Lexus ES330 transmission (U151E). Common problems and ways to fix

Although you may think that Toyota transmissions are the best transmissions in the world, I will dare to disagree with you. First of all, Toyota bought a lot of transmissions from Aisin, secondly, the number of reports about transmission problems in Toyota and Lexus cars is just insane.

Today, I’m going to tell you about the Lexus ES330 transmission issues and ways to fix them.

In short, the Lexus ES330 has the U151E 5-speed automatic transmission that can leak fluid, have problems shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear, fail prematurely, and require minor repairs too often. These are the most common problems I will be discussing in this article.

Also, I want to assure you that I love Lexus vehicles and have owned several of them. I am not here to just criticize Toyota for the great job this company does. But if you own or are going to buy the ES330, you better read this article carefully and be ready to cope with the problem listed below.

Key facts about the transmission in the Lexus ES330

The ES330 is the fourth generation of the Lexus ES made between 2001 and 2006. But the version with the 3.3L engine (which is essentially the ES330) was first introduced in 2003. This is a great vehicle in terms of quality and driving emotions and the transmission is not playing the last role in creating these emotions for you.

The transmission is the 5-speed traditional torque-converter automatic transmission made by Aisin and installed in a lot of other Toyota cars including Camry, Solara, Sienna, RAV4, Highlander, and even Lexus RX. It’s codenamed U151E in Lexus cars but has some other codes in other vehicles. The transmission is pretty simple and shouldn’t worry you much. But it has several weak points that you should know about.

With 18 MPG in the city, the Lexus ES330 is hard to identify as an economical vehicle. The old-fashioned transmission is one of the reasons why the engine consumes so much fuel. But there is an advantage – both engine and transmission are pretty durable and can go over 250,000 miles without serious repairs if they are maintained well.

Let’s see which problems you will have to cope with!

What are the common problems with the U151E transmission in the ES330?

Unfortunately, this is not the best Aisin transmission and it’s going to bother you with some minor issues now and then. But I should say now that the overall durability is rated at 250,000 miles which is very good for any automatic transmission.

Here are some common issues you should know about if you own the ES330 with this 5-speed automatic transmission:

1. Delayed shifting from 2nd to 3rd gear

One of the most common problems with these transmissions is the delay when shifting from second to third gear. You will feel this as the revving up too much on the second gear. Also, the transmission may shift spontaneously between these two gears. Usually, this may happen when there is a problem with the fluid level or contaminated transmission fluid, but some other reasons are possible, too.

Delayed shifting is not a problem but a symptom of transmission problems but it shows up so often in these transmissions that I’ve decided to make it one of the bullets in my list.

2. Faulty needle bearing in the back cover

One of the components of the back cover in this transmission is the needle bearing and it’s one of the most common reasons for the minor issues with the transmission. If the bearing is faulty, you will need to pay for the entire cover replacement. The back cover for the U151E transmission is not going to be that cheap, so it can be one of the serious problems for some owners.

Unfortunately, there is nothing I could find about the reasons why those bearings are so short-lasting, so I can’t say how you can prolong the life of this needle bearing and the cover of the transmission.

3. Numerous fluid leaks

This transmission will get on your nerves with leaks, especially when the Lexus has more than 100,000 miles on it. There are at least two common places where you can find the fluid leaking: the right axle connection and also the pump seals. When they start leaking, you will only notice wet stains on the transmission. But after some time, the leaks will get more significant.

Badly leaking transmission leads to low transmission fluid levels. This, in turn, will lead to overheating, bad shifting, and other problems. If you notice a leak, you better have the gearbox inspected as soon as possible.

4. Planetary gear failure

This transmission was made for pretty calm driving or, let’s say, for average driving. It’s not good for sports and active acceleration with your foot pressing the gas pedal to the floor at all times. If you do this, the 5-speed ES330 transmission will fall apart much sooner than you may expect it to happen.

One of the first things to fail in the transmission is the planetary gear. If you keep driving somehow, this will lead to fatal issues with other parts of the transmission. So, if you own the ES330, your better drive carefully and avoid abusive driving styles.

5. Quite old technology and huge fuel consumption

This transmission was presented by Aisin in 2003 and when the ES330 was first introduced, the gearbox was still quite modern and up-to-date. Right now, this transmission is outdated and it isn’t optimized for optimal fuel consumption.

Whoever I asked about how much fuel their ES330 was burning, they all told me that in the city it’s always about 15 MPG. That’s huge even if we take into account the privilege of driving a good Toyota V6 engine that is not likely to die prematurely even if you try to kill it. It’s still a lot of fuel and high costs.

The most common symptoms of the ES330 automatic transmission failure

There are several signs that should tell you about some problems with your Lexus automatic transmission.

Here are the symptoms:

• problems with shifting from second to third gear and back;
• significant punching when shifting to the first gear and to the reverse;
• grinding or whining noises from under the hood;
• limited speed or possibility to only go in one gear (usually the third gear);
• the car shifts at different revs every time, there is no logic on how it shifts gears;
• you may see the check engine light and some error messages connected with the transmission.

Each of these symptoms can also mean something else. So, you can’t easily locate the problem just by registering these symptoms. But if your Lexus is doing something like this, you can at least suspect the transmission.

Can you still drive with a faulty transmission in the ES330?

In most cases, you can keep driving. The transmission may go to the limp mode and only engage one gear or it can be driven only in manual mode sometimes. Also, it can shift weirdly but still, you can move your vehicle. But it doesn’t mean that you can ignore the problem and keep driving for several weeks.

You can drive to your home or work, do whatever you need right now, and then plan the visit to the dealership or to the trusted repair shop.

Here are some signs that you shouldn’t drive your ES330 to avoid fatal transmission failure:

• the transmission just doesn’t engage the gears;
• the grinding noise from under the hood is quite strong;
• the error message on the dahs says you should stop immediately;
• the car stalls when you try to engage any gear.

If one of these symptoms happens with your Lexus, you better avoid trying to drive it. Also, towing your car is only possible on a tow truck. The vehicle with this transmission shouldn’t be towed behind another vehicle using a tow rope.

How much is it to repair the Lexus ES330 transmission?

Given the vehicle is quite old and its residual value is, in most cases, low, transmission repair may not be a good option for you. You can try to search for a used transmission but bear in mind that many of them will be high-mileage units and they won’t be really durable and reliable. So, if you decide to buy a used transmission, you should make sure there is at least some kind of warranty for it.

Also, you may want to have the gearbox inspected. Maybe, the problem is not with one of the internal parts but with something that can be replaced for a reasonable price.

If you decide to repair the transmission, be ready to pay at least $1,000 if there is nothing special, just common maintenance and little repair. Bad problems will cost over $2,000 to repair. The final price depends on the parts you will have to buy.

Final thoughts

So, the Lexus ES330 has a really great transmission that is durable, reliable, and can go over 250,000 miles if maintained well and repaired without ignoring the problems for too long. Of course, like any mechanism in the world, the 5-speed Aisin transmission still has its problems and disadvantages.

In this article, I tried to outline some downsides of the U151E transmission so that you know what you should expect. But you should know that I still think this is one of the best old-school automatic transmissions Toyota offered for Lexus models.