Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Toyota 4Runner Transmission Problems

2456

Comments

  • zaskronieczaskroniec Member Posts: 1
    I have two 4runners both 1999 Limited model. For all those who own it, this is just a warning and you should check with your mechanic to confirm this.
    About two months ago my transmission broke due to faulty design on the radiator connection. Supposedly Toyota made a line that connects the transmission with the radiator out of aluminum but they used a fitting out of metal which over time corrodes and caused the radiator fluid to mix with the transmission fluid. This will create huge problem and you will not notice it until your transmission will start to act weird and after a while your engine will overheat (coast to fix is about $2200 + if this happens)
    The easy fix to it is to replace the radiator which will cost from $220 to $280.
    I’m doing this in my second truck just to prevent the same problem and to avoid spending $2200 for new transmission.
    I also spoke with couple of the Toyota mechanics and they told me that in the past few months they have seen several 1999 models with the radiator and trans fluid mixed.
    They said that they contacted Toyota and advised them of the problem with this faulty design, but the response they got was that this is an old vehicle and warranty is long gone.
  • mokesmokes Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2001 toyota 4 runner with approx 145K miles auto transmission. Over the past few weeks, it stalls when at a red light/stop sign, etc. Starts right back up but then stalls when put into gear. If I put it in low gear, it doesn't stall. I've brought it to 2 mechanics. Just got it back last night and happened again. Last mechanic ran diag tests, electrical - everything seemed fine. He flushed the transmissions - said there were several metal particles but now clean. Did mention that might need new transmission as fluid was dark. At our wits ends with this.....has this happened to anyone?
  • bandit10bandit10 Member Posts: 28
    I have a couple of questions about the electronic transmission controls of my 4Runner. One the O/D on the shifter. I leave the O/D on at all times, I have 61,000 miles on it. And have had the Trans. fluid changed thru the transmission cooler lines at 47,000 miles. No problem, she shifts very well. My real concern is the ETC button on the right side of the console. I think it means Electronic Transmisson Control. But I really don't know. The ETC's purpose. Can anyone please tell me how and when I would use this feature, also used with O/D off. Also I don't Tow anything.
    Thanks to all, Ben
  • rollins2rollins2 Member Posts: 2
    "> :D I post back in November re: trans problem and as usually the service manager could not duplicate the problem. Well I found out later that the hard jolts were getting worse. The hard jolts were not my only problem, my trans also started slipping so I knew that I had to take it back. I went back to my toyota service department this week and my problem has been solved. The service manager took a test drive with me and immediately got a taste of what I was talking about. He was in the middle of a could be the transmission statement when I told him to brake hard and the truck jolted forward. The trans was inpected and they found that I did not have a drain plug gasket on transmission and the drain plug had been loosen. I was also low on fluid but not to the point that damage was done.(so they said) The service manager emphatically told me to never never let anyone touch the filter(gasket) on the trans drain. He kept asking if I had ever had my oil change by walmarts, local carwashes/oil changer or anyone similiar. He seem to think that someone mistakenly unscrew the drain plug didn't tighten it back up which resulted in some fluid loss and took the filter off because they just didn't know what they were doing. I did use a quick change lube place once and that was because I was in a hurry. The replacement of the gasket and tighten of the plug helped me, so what do you have to lose by asking your mechanic or service department to look and see. I wasn't charge for the labor or part. :D
  • bandit10bandit10 Member Posts: 28
    I firmly believe if you don't or can't change your own oil & filter. Bring it to the dealer. Some years back I brought my Mustang 5.0 with double sumps. and 2 drain plugs to a quick oil change place. The guy underneath the car didn't see the the second oil plug and drained the fluid from the rear plug only. And gave the go ahead to the guy on top, who promtly put 5 qts. of oil in. I waited untill they finished and started the car up, and shut it down. I watched the guy read the dip stick, and couldn't believe how far past the fill mark on the dip stick was reading. I asked their service boss to look and see for himself. And he said the guy on top proberbly wasn't watching the amount of oil he put in. I said do you know this 5.0 has a double sump with 2 drain plugs. He said he never heard of that before. So he and I went under the car and I showed him the 2 drain plugs. I said I want all the oil changed again and another oil filter. Because you put 5 qts. of fresh oil and left about 2 1/2 qts. of old oil in the crankcase. They did change the oil properly then. I will always continue to go too the dealer for these simple services. The cost differance is very small, and I automaticlly get synthetic oil with the dealer.
  • patriotmissilepatriotmissile Member Posts: 3
    I 'm the original owner of 1995 4Runner bought new here in Germany Aug 28,1995. I have 265,000 miles, so far it's been great, I've driven all over europe and with highway speeds here I drive about 90-100 mph everyday. Now I have a whining noise when I accelerate from one gear to another. If I stop accelerating it goes away or let it coast down hill in gear, there is no whining. When I'm stopped and take it out of gear and remove my foot from the clutch pedal there is a light noise like grinding, until I push the clutch in and it goes away. Last year I had the complete clutch set replaced. Some of my friends say it is the throw-out bearing and toyota doesn't know unless they tear it apart. I'. wondering if anyone has had the same problem. Other than that it a great SUV.
  • michealfmichealf Member Posts: 7
    Everything you are telling us is classic to a worn throwout bearing. At 265,000 mile I would certainly expect that. Since you are going to replace the throwout bearing I would advise just redoing the entire clutch group, the clutch plate, pressure plate,pilot bushing and throwout bearing. The labor cost will be pretty much the same for all as just replacing the bearing.
  • bandit10bandit10 Member Posts: 28
    I'm not sure why just the Throw Out Bearing was the only part replaced with a manual Transmission. Because it still reqiures a complete tear down of the clutch assembly. It's unfortunate to say, but your going too have to go thru the whole clutch assembly. Re-face or replace the Fly Wheel, Another throw out bearing, Pilot bearing, pressure plate. There all vulnerable, and a complete clutch assembly you Toyota will last another 265,000 miles. Just to get the mileage you've gotten says a lot about you and your maintaince of your vehicle. It must be nice driving 90 to 100 miles an hour on your daily commute. At those speeds the engine stays so clean with little to no carbon build up. And hardly any sludge. Injectors stay clean also. I hope this was of some help. It's no fun having to another repair on the same part of the SUV. But yours is worth it. Let uuse know how it works out when you've finished, all readers will be inspired. Good Luck, Bandit.
  • mexicomexico Member Posts: 1
    1990 v6 auto transmission is overheating. Never used to, it is something new. Identical load, temperature, weather, traffic on the same route. Used to be fine, now it will overheat and not cool down while driving.

    With that said, 3-4 weeks following this, transmission died. It has since been replaced, HOWEVER, the temperature is still a problem. I am confident the temperature caused the initial transmission to die. What could be causing this? Faulty radiator? I do not have an external oil cooler, think one will fit on this 4runner?
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    I read your post and I have to laugh at the dealer comment. Odds are, your dealer screwed up and pulled the tranny drain plug during an oil change. If it happened at Folsom Lake Toyota where my issue occurred, I wouldn't be surprised. "FLT" left my engine two quarts low and tranny two quarts over. I'd bet dollars to donuts your dealership caused the problem.
  • steve_sfsteve_sf Member Posts: 2
    I am looking to buy a 2008 4Runner 6cyl. My previous 1995 4Runner 4cyl just passed 380,000 and despite taking great care of it, is not worth any more major repairs. (My connector rod is expected to fail soon.) I have previously owned 4 other Toyota trucks or SUVs. Needless to say, I am a dedicated Toyota fan. My problem is that the newer models are only available in auto transmission, the manuals having been discontinued due to "lack of consumer sales volume". I am a firm believer in manual everything. I don't want a cushy driving experience. I want total control of the vehicle myself. I even dislike power windows and door locks. I am at a crossroads with sucking it up and getting the 2008 with automatic trans, as the only manual options are buying from other companies.
    My question is: Seeing more posts about transmission problems on this blog than I am comfortable with, is there anything inherently wrong with the current 4Runner automatic transmission design? I take excellent care of all my vehicles and every mechanic remarks on how many 100s of Ks I get out of each vehicle. FYI: I tend to drive about 40K per year and take a lot of mountain/off-road trips, but don't tow anything.
    Thanks
  • patriotmissilepatriotmissile Member Posts: 3
    Thanks for the info, I'll let you know what happens. Yea it is great to drive that fast everyday, I can only go 105 mph because of the govner, but I do it all the time.

    Take Care,
    patriotmissile
  • nedzelnedzel Member Posts: 787
    I've got about 70,000 miles on my 2003 V8 4Runner. No problems with the auto transmission so far.
  • booster85booster85 Member Posts: 1
    i recently installed a throught berining in my trans. my chiltions manual dosnt show me where the fork goes in the middel, foward or after. needless to say its all back together and no clutch. help
  • beercoll1beercoll1 Member Posts: 88
    I have 104k miles on my 2003 V8 4-runner and still no problems with the transmission(knock on wood).
  • canddmeyercanddmeyer Member Posts: 410
    The current model 4Runner transmissions have been bulletproof so far, whether it be on V6 or V8 models.
  • steve_sfsteve_sf Member Posts: 2
    Thanks for the reassuring replies about the automatic transmissions on the current 4Runners.
    Steve
  • imbritneyimbritney Member Posts: 1
    What did you end up doing? I have a 2003 Limited V8 4Runner that is exhibiting the exact same problem. I feel a vibration at 42mph when the transmission shifts between 4th and 5th. Did you get yours fixed? Did they pinpoint the problem? Any help here would be greatly appreciated!
  • sarge71sarge71 Member Posts: 1
    I own a 1998 toyota four runner, 2wd. When I shift gear to drive I get a loud clanking noise coming from either the transmission or the drive shaft, can't really tell. Can someone possibly tell me what or why that noise is being made, only when I shift gear to drive?
  • aviatorkaviatork Member Posts: 1
    A few months ago my transmission cooler went out and filled the tranny up with radiator fluid and the radiator with tranny fluid. I had a shop flush the transmission out and they had to do it three times to get all the radiator fluid out. Since then my transmission makes a whining noise when driving. If I put it in neutral it stops. It is also shifting harder than it used but not really bad. I have been reading about drain plugs and filter screens possibly being the problem. I was hoping someone could possibly give me some suggestions before I take it to the dealer and spend possibly tons of cash.
  • gene71gene71 Member Posts: 1
    have you found a fix for the overheating? i have a 92 with the same problem.
  • glb5glb5 Member Posts: 39
    YES THERE IS A TRUE FIX FOR THIS PROBLEM. AFTER 4 YEARS OF TRYING EVERYTHING KNOWN TO MAN I TALKED TO A SERVICE MANAGER FROM A TOYOTA DEALER WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD WORKED AT A GM DEALERSHIP. HE SAID THIS WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE LAST GENERATION TAHOES.
    THE FIX

    REMOVE THE REAR DRIVE SHAFT AT THE REAREND. THERE ARE 4 BOLTS AT THE FLANGE. THROUGHLY CLEAN SPLINES BOTH MALE AND FEMALE WITH A HEAVY DUTY CLEANER, I USED BRAKE CLEAN. ONCE ALL THE OLD GREASE IS REMOVED APPLY GM PART NUMBER 12345718 GREASE ( IT COST ABOUT $50.00 FOR A 16 OUNCE CAN AND IT IS ABOUT THE CONSISTANCY OF WHITE LUBERAPLATE, VARY THIN). REASSEMBLE THE DRIVESHAFT. DO THE SAME FOR THE FRONT DRIVE SHAFT. I DID THIS 15000 MILES AGO AND THE THUMP HAS NOT RETURNED.
  • jettafacejettaface Member Posts: 15
    Hi, only 1400 miles on new 4 runner, V8, 2 wheel drive. When I back up and shift, automatic, to drive, at times it takes about 3 long seconds for the trans to engage forward. If I didn't wait or notice and step on the gas, car would really bang into drive. I am hoping this is a switch adjustment or something. Will take to dealer but wondering if anyone has had this problem. Thanks much, Jean
  • flyn_rippedflyn_ripped Member Posts: 1
    i've had some weird stuff happen it first started after i bought the toy the tranny over heating light would come on with basic driving. i now have a problem with the shifting i went out to go to the store and the tranny shifted through all the gears and into overdrive by the time i hit 45 k so i threw i in every gear and 4x4 nothing worked. after all this i blew up my blazer and took my toy to tow it home and following an old man doing 30k he pulled off and when i went to pass there was nothing, like the tranny was slipping. So with both my trucks down i towed my trucks home with buddy's truck i had to push my truck in the driveway and it went into gear and has worked for months. But know again the truck feels like it's in 4 low goes through all gears by the time it hits 45k can anybody help i'm a chevy guy thats banging my head off the wall. love my toy but hate to bring it to a shop to much$$$ i put the truck in reverse and booted it and shifted fine again but again in the driveway and reverse isn't fixing the problem any more SO I NEED HELP
  • scottcraftonscottcrafton Member Posts: 3
    Has the problem been fixed?
  • jettafacejettaface Member Posts: 15
    Not yet. I took it to the dealer last week. Was told the trans is a sealed unit, no dip stick and that they need the trans/fluid in a cold state to hook it to their machine to check the trans. Said it could be the trans itself or maybe the computer, but unknown for sure. And the trans didnt slip when they checked it out. The trans does not fully engage drive only at times, so this is not going to be an easy fix I suspect. Groan. Man, I waited 7 months to get this car after getting ripped off by my neighbor with a car with a bad tranny. I didn't think this would happen on a new Toyota 4-runner. Sigh. Upsetting to say the least.
  • scottcraftonscottcrafton Member Posts: 3
    I started having the exact same problem at 10K miles. I now have 23K miles. My 2007 has been in the shop 7 times. New transmission was installed and the computer was re-set. Problem is still there. Sometimes the transmission problem happens 3-4 times a day and then sometimes it happens 1 time a week. No regular pattern on when it happens. I took it today to a second dealership to see if they could repair it.
  • zach101506zach101506 Member Posts: 1
    i have the same truck and i had the same problem. there are a couple things it could be. the easiest and cheapest thing to do is go up to the front axle and try switching the two vaccum hoses that lead to the differential. if that doesnt work, there is a relay inside the truck uncder the drivers side dash almost dead center under the stearing wheel. it says fuel pump relay on it. but that was my problem. i replaced it and it worked.
  • jettafacejettaface Member Posts: 15
    Thanks to all that replied. I haven't noticed the problem since I took it to the dealer. The said they didn't do anything, but I wonder. Anyway, I will check the hoses swap and relay if the trans delay shows up again. Again, thanks for replying. I do appreciate this site and the info on it.
  • scotthiscotthi Member Posts: 2
    I have a 2000 Toyota 4-Runner V6 with 140,000+ miles.
    Just about 25,000 mile ago, I had my vehicle in for service and they drained the transmission, checked for ware fragments, flushed the torque converter and refilled it. A few weeks went by before I started having problems with the transmission.
    I backed out of the drive just fine then put it in drive. Sometime and it doesn't happen often, the car won't pull forward in drive. If I put the truck in 1st or 2nd gear, it pull forward just fine. Once having driven to the top of the driveway, the vehicle will work just fine in drive and drive fine the rest of the day. It only appears to happen first thing in the morning or after the vehicle has been sitting for several hours. The first time it happened, I had the vehicle towed into the dealership but by the time it got there, it worked just fine. Any suggestion would be helpful.
  • daisykdaisyk Member Posts: 2
    I have a '97 4Runner with about 117,000 miles that lately is reluctant to go into Drive when it is cold. I can back out of the garage OK, but when I put it in Drive, the transmission doesn't engage. I need to rev the engine a bit, and then it "slams" in with a jolt and big noise. It only does it when cold, once it is warm, it is fine. I have added transmission fluid but it wasn't very low, and didn't make any difference. I am afraid it will not go in at all sometime and I will be stuck. Suggestions?
  • jettafacejettaface Member Posts: 15
    My 2008 4 Runner had only 1800 miles on it. Car would not engage drive after backing up for about 5 seconds, long seconds. Seemed to do it more when hot. Took back to dealer. Had to drive with a tech before problems was "seen". They adjusted the netural safety switch. So far the car has been good. I have my fingers crossed as the problem was not constant.
  • jettafacejettaface Member Posts: 15
    Hi..see my response on 10/30 or let me just tell you. I took to dealer again and finally while driving with a tech, the problem happened. Drove backwards, place into drive and 5 second delay before the trans engaged. The tech called HQ Tech Support. Was told to adjust the netural safety switch, which does make sense. So far the trans seems to be responding correctly without a delay. I have my fingers crossed. If it happens again, I will advise this forum. Wish you luck with yours. Jean
  • paldanapaldana Member Posts: 1
    My Toyota has 210000 miles, in need of help to figure out whats going on. The gears are taking longer to engage, and feel slugish when I am doing 50-60 miles per hour as if the RPMs are going over 3500. I also hear a "clicking sound" when idle at 20 miles per hr. My mechanic could not pin point the problem, and chnged the oil & filter with out solving the problem however when it first happened the needle to check the fluid did came out, but could not get it back in, (persistent problem) as if s/thing was stuck.
  • patriotmissilepatriotmissile Member Posts: 3
    Hey Bandit10,

    Sorry it took so long to answer. Replaced complete clutch Assy and am running strong. Up to 275,000 miles the other day and yea, driving 90-105 everyday is great and even better since gas has gone down. Wish you could do the same. Big thanks for the info, great forum.

    Calvin
  • mindofonemindofone Member Posts: 1
    I am having this exact problem with my 1997 Auto 2WD 4-Runner. Brakes have been checked and they are fine.

    I will presume the automatic transmission is in need of repair/replacement. Without taking a look at the shop manual, can the transmission be removed *without* pulling the engine as well?

    TIA.
  • MyToy4runrMyToy4runr Member Posts: 1
    I also am having the same problem and was wondering what the answer to yours was as i am going to be bringing mine in to the shop next week (i hate having others work on my stuff!) and was wondering what to expect. thanks!
  • daisykdaisyk Member Posts: 2
    The final diagnosis was not the transmission at all. The rear bearing seals were leaking so the rear brakes were binding. They aren't effective in reverse which was why it went backwards OK. But when I put it in drive, the brakes bound and I had to give it a lot of gas to overcome it. Replacing seals, brake pads and emergency brake cured the problem.
  • scotthiscotthi Member Posts: 2
    Well, I was able to resolve my problem with it not moving forward by simply adding a container of Lubeguard. Once I add the Lubeguard, the transmission never did it again. Give it a try before having work done on your transmission. It surely doesn't cost as much and it worked for me.
  • teggarteggar Member Posts: 1
    my son has a 91 6cyl 4x4 4 runner, it has an automatic trans. He is have issues with it and wants to know if he can drop in a 94 4runner auto transmission. Are they compatible or do we need to look for something else?
  • 94runner94runner Member Posts: 1
    I have a 94 v6 4runner that hesitates to shift into overdrive.
    This problem occurs on cold mornings only. I generally have to drive from 2 to 10 miles, depending on the cold temperature outside, before the transmission will shift into od. Once it shifts the first time into od then it does just fine until the vehicle is parked in cold weather again. Do you think this is a trans. problem or some kind of engine or sensor problem?
  • polish4runnerpolish4runner Member Posts: 1
    I have a 1998 toyota 4runner, automatic, 175,000 miles on it. My transmission seems to be going out. Heres the deal. When the car is in park, the car hesitates about every 10 seconds where the rpm drops and goes back up. When I shift from park to drive, or from park to reverse, the transmission makes a constant weird noise, almost like something is rubbing in it... I think its a dirty bearing. Anyways, as I pick up speed, the noise goes away. When I hit a red light on the street, same thing, the car hesitates when idleing, and when i start to drive, the transmission makes that noise again. I have notied a huge loss of power, and when I start to drive, the front right of the car (where the air filter is located) make a loud vibrating noise (maybe thats another problem). I took it to AMCO for a free diagnostic test, they said it was the tranny, I took it to toyota, they said the same thing.

    My question is this. I have a few options. I change the bearing and hop this is the problem, chang the tranny with a used one with 72,000 miles on it, or do I get it rebuilt? Anyone else have this problem? What would you do? HELP ME PLEASE!!!

    All maintenance has been done... its not spark plugs, its not any hoses, its not a dirty fuel filter, etc, etc, etc.
  • cptfantasticcptfantastic Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2000 Toyota 4Runner, SR5, 5-speed manual transmission that I just replaced the transmission in a few weeks ago. The problems all started about 1.5 years ago. First the clutch failed. It was replaced three times before the transmission finally went out. The mechanic who replaced the clutch several times did a few things to the trans to keep the vehicle running without replacing it, but the clutch kept getting screwed up. Finally, the trans blew out while driving down the interstate and it has now been replaced. The vehicle feels much better for obvious reasons. However, I've noticed a few problems, and I'm not sure of their severity. First, since the first day I drove the car after having the transmission replaced, the gears seem "tough" to shift into. LIterally it's tough to get the stick into each position. I should also mentioned that I live in Chicago and it is winter time. The gears seem to ease up after 10 minutes of driving or so. Also, I notice that the gears grind quite a bit when going into 3rd. But it is avoidable if I shift slowly into 3rd. The next problem I've noticed is a slight rattling that seems to be coming from underneath the vehicle. This was not noticed until after the transmission was done. Its difficult to determine exactly where the sound is coming from, but it seems to be beneath the gear box. Should I get the vehicle back to the mechanic?

    Thanks in advance for any help.
  • smililysmilily Member Posts: 1
    I have a 98 4runner v6 2wd auto 175,000. Makes a loud clank noise when shifting from park to drive or reverse or vice versa. Makes a bad vibration at high speeds (50+) but only when accelerating. Looks as if some fluid is leaking from rear-end and also fresh oil looking fluid from the rear of the trany around where the drive shaft connects and where looks to be some sensors. No check engine light. Runs fine and shifts good.
  • mojo93mojo93 Member Posts: 1
    were you able to fix the overheating issue? I have the same problem on the exact same model 90 v6, mine actually overheats only above 2900rpms, can drive for hours in city and everything is fine, it overheats only on the highway when driving above 2800-2900 rpms, usually up hill.
  • sfzabsfzab Member Posts: 1
    Topic: Automatic transmission losses strength sometimes

    I am the owner of a 1995 Toyota 4Runner, 4 doors, SR5 V6 with a 3.0 EFI engine. About a year and 3 months ago, its automatic transmission began to lose strength occasionally even though it was accelerated. The vehicle might run apparently well sometimes, and then unexpectedly lose strength and not be able to pass a speed rate of some 30 mph.

    When this has occurred I have noted that the speed revolutions meter moves up then very fast. However the motor vehicle will not move much more faster even though one accelerates it. The problem described is not something that happens all the time, but rather unexpectedly.

    I took the car to a few reliable mechanics that were knowledgeable of Toyota motor vehicles although they were not Toyota employees. Three of them scanned it, and they all informed me that they could not detect the cause of the failure. One of them made a full repair of the automatic transmission, but unfortunately that did not solve the problem.

    I will appreciate your kind feedback on the matter in terms of other possible solutions that might exist or may have been overlooked.
  • Bizzimomx2Bizzimomx2 Member Posts: 1
    :cry: Our 01 4runner is in the shop, complete transmission rebuild. Our first sign, a whine during acceleration. Had Jiffy Lube flush and change the fluids. Whine didn't go away...back to our local shop, they couldn't find an issue. Then a new noise popped up, a knocking noise (louder in reverse)....Back to our local shop, then to a transmission shop. Upon draining fluids and finding metal pieces in the drain pan it was determined that the transmission was in need of repair $$$

    I'm very discouraged with mechanics these days - - - I feel this should have been determined months ago.
  • tony255tony255 Member Posts: 1
    Hello, I’m new here! This has been going on now for quite a while, if this has been ask before please forgive me. I have a 02 4Runner 2wd and when the motor is cold summer or winter it won’t shift out of second gear until I reach 35mph about 2500 rpm , fluid is fine. My son had a 02 Tacoma 4wd that did the same thing. Am I looking at a big repair bill or worse?
    Thanks
    :confuse:
  • michealfmichealf Member Posts: 7
    Hi I have a 95 4Runner and had this same thing before and after I had my transmission rebuilt for other problem(overheating). Anyway, this is normal and a Toyota design I guess to keep your transmission from working too hard to pump cold fluid into the overdrive section of your vehicle. No problem as far as Toyota and Ammco are concerned. More noticeable in winter as it takes longer to warm so more noticable. Been two years since the tranny was rebuilt and have not had any more problems.
  • dput87dput87 Member Posts: 1
    Not too sure if this answer is mechanically correct. I recently had the same issue arise in my 1995 Toyota 4runner. It did not have this issue previously, by me or the other owners. It is not a "design" by Toyota. According to Toyota Manufactures, (not the dealer who is just a franchise of Toyota) this is not a design by them.

    Quoted is a reply from Toyota Corp:
    "It would be unsafe to design a vehicle with such behavior. This could create unsafe situations for drivers and undo wear on engines operating at high RPM's. If you are having such issues with your Toyota Transmission we highly recommend having your vehicle serviced at your local transmission repair shop."

    I am currently in the quest for answers as this problem began part way through the winter, after the cold snap and my driving patterns are the same today as they were then. Some have replaced stuck Thermostats, others have bad solenoids, my friends was a Coolant Temperature Sensor. Mine is still a mystery.
    Some other solutions have been transmission fluid issues(dirty, low, too thick), wiring(corroded, loose, and bent/cracked)

    Good Luck too everyone
Sign In or Register to comment.