[BLACK_IS 300]

Just wanted to let you san diego locals know about my great conversation with Kearny Mesa Lexus: called and spoke with a service technician about scheduling my 10,000 mile oil change and when I asked about the trac/ecu update, they knew exactly what I was talking about! The technician ordered the part today and I will have the update installed next week when the new trac unit comes in. The tech said that they are going to replace the whole trac unit and also reprogram the ecu. Can't wait. Will keep you guys informed about any improvements in the hesitation. So for all you san diego guys, call kearny mesa lexus and they'll hook you up with the updates!

BLACK IS 300
RM REAR SPOILER

 

[mkaufman]

Hey gmej, you hear this?!

I am talking to my Lexus Carlsbad service contact tomorrow morning, and will post an update for them afterward...

I'm goin' to Kearny Mesa if Carlsbad isn't all over this!

 

[mkaufman]

What a crock. Lexus Carlsbad still hasn't even heard about this. They say they have "a call in to the factory" and will "let me know" when they hear something. The Service rep with whom I just spoke also dissed this board by saying that a lot of what appears on here is just "hearsay"! I know you guys blow a bunch of crap around, but on this TRAC/ECU topic clearly some of you have gotten great satisfaction through OFFICIAL Lexus channels.

Some of us obviously are NOT getting the same satisfaction.

Along those lines, I was pissed when I hung up from Carlsbad so I called Kearny Mesa. The service person with whom I spoke there didn't know what I was talking about so she put me on hold while she asked another service person (probably another "advisor" - not a tech who might actually KNOW). She came back to tell me that they do know about the fixes but that they don't have the machine to "update the chip" and that it will be TEN TO TWENTY WEEKS before they do, and can install the fixes in customers cars!

I am choking on my anger at this point. How lame can you get? Plenty of people are gettng the official Lexus fix, and the two dealers I contact in San Diego either don't even know about it or claim it will be another THREE TO FIVE MONTHS before they can implement it?!?!? Yeah, RIGHT.

BLACK_IS 300, can you please supply me/us with the name of the tech and service "advisor" you are getting your satisfaction through at Kearny Mesa? I am so frickin' tired of ignorant people pretending they know what they are doing.

Thanks.

 

[BLACK_IS 300]

mkaufman,
you obviously talked to a "service" gal there. she is a frickin idiot. The tech that I talked to said that he ordered the part yesterday and that it will be in sometime next week. I will post all the info for you next week after the tech calls me back. I've had great service at Kearny Mesa Lexus...try calling back and ask for Brett Frederickson first..he's a really cool service advisor..ask him to patch you thru to a tech....if you still don't get any answers, ask for Joe Berlotti..he's the "the manager" that runs the whole place...really nice guy...also mention the lexus service bulletin as well regarding the trac/ecu update..let me know how it goes and if you need more info...

Black IS 300

 

[mkaufman]

Yeah, what's the specific TSB number/identifier?

I don't see how any dealer can claim ignorance if I walk in with that piece of information!

Thanks Blackie!

 

[mkaufman]

I'll answer my own last question. I used the gosh-awful-slow Search to finally locate:


Technical Service Information Bulletin (TSIB) EG003-01

Apparent TRAC ECU replacement part: 8954053050 COMPUTER ASSY, SKID


I'm sorry, but I forgot to note which member supplied this information :-(.

 

[gmej]

Originally posted by mkaufman:
Hey gmej, you hear this?!

Yeah, I got it. Also read the rest of the posts and it sucks there is a lack of consistency between dealerships in terms of getting the TRAC/ECU serviced. Hell, Kearny Mesa is closer anyways. Maybe I'll see you guys (BLACK, MKAUFF) there! (That's just as long as I don't get the run around).

 

[mkaufman]

I just left voice-mail for Brett at Kearny Mesa, so we'll see if he's real or a poseur...

 

[mkaufman]

Oh boy.

Well, Brett called me back and left a message for me this morning (he was out last Friday). He confirmed that the fixes are only for VINs in certain ranges, and asked me to call him back with my VIN in order to determine that I would qualify for the fixes (I do - I bought my IS in September last year).

He also said they don't have the "necessary equipment" to re-program the ECU, and won't have it for "six to eight weeks". Kinda different from the 10-20 week range quoted to me last week! But still atrocious.

BLACK_IS 300, are you *sure* you are getting both ECU and TRAC fixes this week at Kearny Mesa Lexus? Or are you about to realize you were told one thing and delivered another...?

 

[BLACK_IS 300]

mkaufman,
I called Kearny Lexus today and just got off the phone with the tech guy there. His name is Cory White. Cory said my part should be in either this week or next week. He did say that they were on back order but that he had already ordered the part for me. He reconfirmed for me that I will receive the new trac and also the reflash of the ecu. Call and ask for Cory White. I told Cory that I needed the updates asap because I am due for my 10k oil change and he promised me that he would call me as soon as the part comes in. I'm sorry about you getting the run around at Kearny, but hopefully this helps. The only reason I can think of as to why I'm getting good service is that I bought my car there. I will definitely let you know when my appointment is and maybe you can meet me down there if you want. Let me know what Cory White tells you.

BLACK IS 300
RMM REAR SPOILER

 

[mkaufman]

Okay. I called Cory this morning and left him some voice-mail. When he hadn't called me back by early afternoon I called him again and he answered. I explained I'd heard on this Web site about him and Lexus Kearny Mesa in regards to the ECU/TRAC fixes, and wanted to schedule a time to bring mine in for them. He took my name and looked my records up in the Lexus Carlsbad database and told me he would order the TRAC replacement. He estimated a week-and-a-half for the part to arrive, then I could come in and get it replaced, and the ECU flashed with the update at the same time. So I am pleased so far. Time will tell. Lexus Carlsbad is clueless to date, so I'm at least further ahead than I was waiting for them!

Cory did mention that the ECU flash could not be reversed, that the flash could be updated only once. I'm sorry, but I work in the computer industry and a write-twice programmable ROM makes no sense to me. What happens if Lexus ever discovers it needs to fix something else in the ECU? Are all of us who have received this fix just SOL? I don't think so. At any rate I am sure I want this fix, and said so, so he's going ahead.

Cory did mention that since one of our members got satisfaction through him and put his name up here (BLACK_IS 300, I presume?) that he seems to have become the San Diego "IS 300 ECU/TRAC fix guy". He said he's had a half dozen or so people call him about getting this fix. Hey Lexus Carlsbad, I guess you guys and your owners are so rich you don't have to worry about losing customers to another county Lexus dealer, huh? Must be nice. Just not what I expected when I bought mine from you.

I'll update the board via this thread when I hear back from Cory, and after my SBM is updated. BLACK, let us know here after your work is done how it went. Hey, for that matter let us know when you'll be going in and maybe us SD folks can all do an impromptu meet there. I'll come if I'm not scheduled for something at work at that time! gmej, how's about you, cuz?

 

[BLACK_IS 300]

mkaufman,
good to hear that you finally got a straight answer from Kearny lexus. I will definitely post when my date is for my ecu/trac update and maybe we can all have a "san diego" meet at Kearny Lexus! Cory called me and said that my trac unit will hopefully be in by next week. I can't wait. On a side note, do you guys know of a reputable place to get my windows tinted in San Diego?

BLACK_IS 300
RMM REAR SPOILER

 

[is300_white]

Black_is300 & mkaufman,
Count me in. I wouldn't mind coming over to Lexus Kearny Mesa when Black goes in for his ECU/TRAC upgrade. I'd like to see what they do to do the upgrade. I work at Sorrento Valley, so I can get to Kearny Mesa really quick (unless of course I get stuck at work). Just let me know.

IS300_white

 

[BLACK_IS 300]

is300_white,
I will post on this thread again when Kearny Lexus calls with my appointment time. It would be really cool to meet some of the san diego is300.net people there. Are you considering getting the updates too?

BLACK_IS 300
RMM REAR SPOILER

 

[smra]

The Lexus people should and probably will warn you'all that want this ECU thing that it is NOT REVERSABLE .
And the word is its really not worth messing with. This ECU thing will not make the IS300 perform any better.
In alot of cases it's made the cars sluggish, or made the cars shift alot harsher. IE...slamming into gears.
Just thought I'd let you know.
Like the old saying goes... If it ain't broke don't fix it

 

[is300_white]

Black_IS 300,
Right now I'm pretty much sitting back and watching the results of the upgrades. I'm a little bit paranoid at this point especially since I've only experienced about 5 incidents of hesitation with my IS. They have been only slight hesitations, but I don't know if they will eventually get worse. If the upgrades show improvements with no or little side effects, then I'll get the upgrades.

Meeting san diego is300.net people WOULD be cool, no doubt.

IS300_white

 

[mkaufman]

smra, can you point to any threads on this forum where someone insisted the upgrade made their IS more sluggish? I don't recall any, but I may have missed one or two? Certainly all the posts I have read here have at worst stated they noticed little difference, with most agreeing that there is a definite improvement.

smra, the Kearny Mesa tech Cory White warned me that (1) the upgrade is irreversible and (2) I may experience rougher shifting. Well, I drive in PWR with TRAC OFF full time (except TRAC ON in the wet). I *want* sportier shifting. I think Lexus is concerned that some of the IS target market *doesn't* want that, and wants to be sure they are not less satisfied after the upgrade. I'm not in that market segment .

smra, you say, "If it ain't broke don't fix it." I *have* experienced the too-aggressive TRAC cut-in and do NOT like it a bit! I *have* experience the tranny indecision and occasional second-to-third slam. So mine IS broke .

Hey, nothing personal. Seems early IS's vary a bit in these areas to start with, plus people drive very differently from each other. Let's just qualify people's satisfaction with the upgrade by realizing this. I don't believe Lexus would release an upgrade that objectively worsened the IS performance. And this upgrade sounds to me to subjectively improve the car in ways I notice and care about.

I'll state my more informed opinion after I get the upgrade.

 

[marke1]

I also agree that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. But like mkaufman, my car exhibits the problems on a daily basis and is unacceptable, IMO. Also, if the ECU can only be reprogrammed once and they don't get it right, that is Lexus' problem, not mine. I can't imagine why they would design something that can only be reprogrammed once.

 

[smra]

mkaufman ,

I didn't mean imply that people on this forum felt the sluggish problem. I was speaking of the folks that had the update done at Hendrick Lexus here in Charlotte.
By all means if you aern't happy with the performance of your car change it.
Thats your right.

My wife's car is one of the first sold here in the states. We got it June 27th 2000.
IMO, the car has it's own characteristics.
I warned people here on this forum from the beginning that the IS300's throttle doesn't need to be Stomped On. Rather a quick squeeze of the throttle gives you the same results of stomping the throtle.
As far as any of the other complaints seen on this forum about transmission problems we haven't experienced any. Thank Goodness!

We are going on 14,000 miles.

 

[Mahr]

The tranction control cutting in early and needlessly seems like a huge problem. Several times I've made a right with traffic comming towards me only to have the engine "cut-out". I could understand if the road were gravely and my tires would slip, but not when the road is perfect and I'm not even turning very hard.

I could see someone getting into an accident because of that problem.