Toyota Avalon (Prior to 2005) Transmission Questions

twobrowns

I recently noticed on my 2002 avalon that at times it will hold 3rd gear and will not shift to 4th immediately even when I leave of the gas pedal. The car is warm and seams to do it when I accelerate hard up to speed and then ease off the pedal and it will stay in 3rd. Anybody experience this problem. It does this only ocassionally.

mules001

Recently purchased a 98 Avalon XLS with 88,000 miles. The transmission occasionally shifts hard. Am concerned this may be a sign of future failure. Is there a history of failures at this early stage? Anything I should do besides probably having the fluid flushed?

chilin12

To the experts of this forum: Is the practice of shift the transmission to Neutral when short stops ( like traffic lights, etc) a good practice or maybe produce more damage than benefits? Please, explain.

den1

A month ago the 1999 Avalon which I was driving was hit on the right front passenger side with an impact that pushed in the front door and dented the rocker panel about 2 inches but did not cause the side airbag to inflate.

Having just received the repaired car back everything appeared to be corrected. There is no evidence of leaks in the steering power system and the reservoir is full, but when driving, on turns both left and right the usual ease becomes momentarily stiff. This is not the way the steering responded prior to the accident.

What should I look for and what could be the problem and correction?

fin

No expert here chilin12, but think about this: The owner's manual does not say "move shifter to neutral at lights". It says "put shifter in D and go forward". If there were any benefit to what you suggest, Toyota would have put it in the book to advise you of it. Really.

The one possible exception that comes to mind is city traffic, stopped, on a 101 degree day. Rev the motor in neutral and the water pump will circulate the water a little faster. This helps cool the motor. But unless the "high temp" light is coming on, even this is unnecessary.

My guess is that you will do far more harm than good to the transmission pump by shifting in and out of gear. Instead, use good fluid, change as recommended and don't worry. Avalon is a quality car designed to last a long time. Enjoy it.

thepope1

My 2000 XLS has been great. However, recently it developed a problem in the trans. On start-up, it goes from 2nd to overdrive...bypassing 3rd. Adversely, on passing -and I tromp on it- the trans does not drop into passing gear. Very scary on two lane roads.

Taking it to dealer. Anyone out there with similar experience or know of any notices or re-calls on this model,I'd appeciate your input.

mules001

I helped my daughter find her first car in July. Her primary considerations were safety and reliability. Thus, she bought a 98 Avalon XLS with 88,000 miles and side air bags. Given Toyota's record of reliability, we expected that she could get 100,000 miles with little problem and cost. 6 months and 8,000 miles later, the local Toyota dealer says her Avalon needs a new tranny, power steering pump, and strut caps at a cost of over $4,500. The tranny and PS issues were not evident when purchased...but the strut caps were and appear to be a common issue. Not yet diagnosed is an intermittant problem with the heat/AC controls in which it simply doesn't come on when needed.

Has anyone had a tranny replaced, and if so, at what cost? Ditto PS pump and strut caps.

Do you think, as I do, that this is highly unusual for an Avalon?

Do you have any suggestions? Do you think it possible to get some "relief" from Toyota?

Thanks.

Fred

fin

Here's an opinion mules001:

Transmission: Properly maintained, it goes 200k plus. No proper care, a lot less. They run at high temperature and make jello out of fluid every 35k miles. Stop in at local dealers and see if any records are available on the car. If it was serviced regularly you can beg Toyota, not a dealer, for help.

PS pump: No service required but anything after 100k is good fortune. They last longer on cars driven on open highways as opposed to intown traffic.

Struts: A known problem for many Avalon's.

HVAC: Another well discussed problem is the XLS auto-temp system. It fails to work properly far too often for this brand car. With luck you can figure out how to make it work. Some people are never satisfied, if you read all the posts.

 

Shop around for better prices at several dealers. I drove a '99 XL prior to buying an '03 XL. It was near perfect, driven mostly on the interstates. Never repaired, it had no problems. Hope this helps...good luck. Avalons are a great car.

abfisch

Fin:

 

Let enter in here and piggyback your thoughts a little. My Toyota Service manual does NOT give me a service interval for the AT, although my wife's Honda Civic 03 Service Manual does. Honda's interval changes are changing the AT, Dexron III in the Avalon, after the first 60K, and then 30K thereafter. As lazy as I am, I change it every 50K in conjunction with the oil, every 5K. This makes it easy. In addition to that, you probably know already that the PS fluid, is exactly the same in the Avalon, as the AT fluid. You guessed it, Dexron III. So why not, as I do, change out that fluid in the PS as well, when you do the AT (tranny fluid) since you already have the bottles out. It is very easy to do, and if done on a regular basis, would most likely prolong the life expetancy of the seals, and the PS rack itself.

 

I hope this helps. Your comments are welcome.

 

As an aside, we had violent winds here in the northeast, and wouldn't you know it, a shopping cart beelined right for my driver's door, dinging the door, ripping off and smashing the mirror and then digging in the L front fender. Nothing like a "hat trick" to make the season right.

 

abfisch

famwald

We have a '98 Avalon XLS gold-pkge with 92,000 (mostly road) miles and the *only* thing we have ever done is change the oil and buy new tires. Well, we did put a new water pump on it two months ago but our mechanic caught that during its 90k mile check-up. I am sold on Toyota products.

 

The ride has always been great - no evidence of struts or suspension issues with us ...yet. Consumer Reports magazine ratings are only "Fair" for the '98, so we've been lucky this far.

 

 I agree with the posts here about the AutoClimateControl system. The pits. I found doing manual settings and changing as needed worked better.

 

As for the transmission, Consumer Reports readers' survey gives the Avalon trannys an "EXCELLENT" for every model year. I'm going to guess that perhaps this Avalon you purchased has been abused rather badly due to neglect.

 

We love our '98 Avalon, for such an underappreciated car we had to buy in a hurry after a tornado totaled my husband's Mazda 929 in April 1998. (he was not in the car and the golf clubs in the trunk survived-LOL) For years we have called it the Little Tornado Car. <grin>

 

It has proved itself to be a real gem and earned our respect, and we love the body style. We just gave it to our son 2 weeks ago when the tranny died on his '96 Ford Explorer. Kid just graduated from college and needed reliable wheels to move and start his new job.

 

Did you buy from a dealer or private individual? If a Toyota dealer or reputable used car dealer, they might have some records or should offer you some assistance, IMHO. At least they should have seen these problems coming. Word of mouth is the best advertising and a crummy dealer's worst enemy.

tinkerguy

Haven't seen a repl on this so here's m 2 cents worth. (IMO) Overdrive cuts in above the range of 3rd gear, so perhaps 3rd gear is too delayed, and it only appears to go directly to OD (4th)-- in other words: at the same time. The lack of downshifting seems to go along with that as pointing to 1) Linkage adjustment to the transmission (cable from throttle-body), or next possibility would be to have Toyota read the diagnostic code from the Tranny computer -- might have a stuck valve. This is m first post.

petras2

re strut caps, i also had to replace the strut mount supports with supposedly modified ones on my 98 avalon... around $440 including alignment, front end rattles returned after about a year although not as bad as before fix...dealer said it's not a safety issue so if you can live with the noise, you might want to delay replacing mounts until the front struts need replacing saving you some labor costs...no other problems with mine so far...

bbart

Mukes001,

 

I don't believe your experience is necessarily unique. I purchased a 1995 with 99k...knew about the rack and pinion power steering leak, but it isn't leaking too badly yet, so I'm just monitoring the fluid level. If your daughter's car needs a power steering pump, and you don't want to shell out the $250 for the part, you might find an industrious (non-dealer) mechanic who can rebuild it. Mine was done and it worked fine. Struts, valve cover gaskets, power steering fluid leakages...all very common problems with Avalon. I'll keep mine Avalon for a few more years, then trade it in a brand new Honda Accord EX V-6. IMO, Honda experiences none of these relatively high dollar repairs, if regular preventative maintenance is conducted. RE: Relief from Toyota...I sincerely doubt it.

 

Good Luck!

wilson3

Nowhere have I seen mentioned (with anyone else's car) a slight yet annoying (to me, at least) trait my 1999 Avalon has had since I bought it two years ago with 40,000 miles. When I touch the petal at moderate speed, or let off, there seems to be some slack somewhere in the drivetrain, slight though it is. Is this normal for an Avalon? Am I being picky?
Thanks for any feedback.

fin

Interesting. My '99 XL did that sometimes. Not always, just every now and then. The car was flawless and drove as new at 92k when traded for an '03 XL. I never figured it out but it was noticeable when it happened. The '03 has never done it. Not much help here, except to say "you are not alone." There was a discussion about this long ago but it is not a current event so no one mentions it. And not all Avalons of the '95 to '99 model years did it. Try several tanks of premium fuel. (I did. No difference.) Some say it helps.

petras2

re slack, i remember reading a consumer's reports test on a 98 avalon and they mentioned the same "jerkiness" in the drivetrain, i have a 98 with the same problem but it hasn't gotten worse over the years so i live with it...petras

missy1

I have a 96 Avalon with 173,000 miles on it. It has been virtually trouble free. I am the original owner, and I have kept the vehicle maintained. However, I have noticed in the last few days that the accelerator appears to be hesistating at take off. It feels as if it does not want to go down, as if it is sticking somewhat. Has anyone experienced a similar problem or have any ideas what the problem may be?

mikes.

" have a 96 Avalon with 173,000 miles on it. It has been virtually trouble free. I am the original owner, and I have kept the vehicle maintained. However, I have noticed in the last few days that the accelerator appears to be hesistating at take off. It feels as if it does not want to go down, as if it is sticking somewhat. Has anyone experienced a similar problem or have any ideas what the problem may be? "

Missy1, I have the same car with 162K miles on it but I haven't had that problem. You might try a shot of wd-40 at the throttle body where the cable attaches to the half-moon looking wheel. I did this to the cruise control cable and it helped.

MikeS.

wiz

I have 72k miles on my Avalon. I had the trany fluid changed around 65k and noticed it is shifting hard from 2nd to third. When it is cold outside, the trany lags in 2nd gear until the thermostat temp is at its warmed up point. The fluid level is the correct level. Any suggestions??

paulie35901

I had a similar problem w/ my 99 Avalon. It was a lease vehicle and was fixed once at purchase (50 K ago) by the dealership. It has just reoccurred a few months back. I have not looked under the hood of a 96, but I would bet it is very similar to my 99. Progressing from the airfilter to the intake manifold: 1. airfilter 2. rubber boot 3. massflow sensor 4. rubber boot 5. throttle plate or butterfly valve. This is where my problem occurred. This is what the throttle cable works and gets gummed up from time to time. A $3 can of carb cleaner, a phillips screw driver and 10 minutes remedied my problem. You loosen the rubber boot just in front of the throttle plate. Be careful as you pull it back and usually you will have room to push it down below the throttle body to expose the throttle plate which will be tannish-brown. You may have to remove several other lines and perhaps an electrical connector. Use the carb cleaner and a rag spraying and working the throttle plate back and forth cleaning this area. Pay close attention to clean where the throttle plate meets the body - the valve is in a closed position. This is where the hesitation that you speak of is occurring. Let it stand for a few minutes allowing the carb cleaner to evaporate. Re-install the boot and any lines or electrical connectors that you unplugged to gain access. Start the car, you will have to run it at high idle - give it a little gas for the first minute or so, but the idle will clean-up quickly. If you are not comfortable with doing this, tell your technician at the next service interval that you would like to have the throttle body cleaned.

I hoped this helped - it may not be the solution, but it would be the first/least expensive area I would look at.

wiz

I had the same problem on my 98 Avalon. Before you purchase any carb cleaner, make sure the bottle specifically says, "Throttle Body Cleaner". I cleaned with Valvoline Synpower Carb Choke & Throttle Body Cleaner. I did this once and about 2k miles later it started to act up again. So I decided to remove the throttle body from the engine and clean it really good. When I remove the throttle body from the engine, I noticed that there are two butterflies, one by the rubber boot as mentioned above and the second is on the opposite side of the throttle body. You can access this by removing a plate. I cleaned and cleaned, make sure you purchase as small brush (toothbrush will work) to clean out thoroughly. I reinstalled and the car drove like new. About 5k miles later, the car started to hesitate again while driving, especially bad at idle. I did some research and had to replace the Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR valve). At a cost of $380 dollars, I did it my self. Three screws and a wire harness. 8k miles and no problems. If I was in your situation, I would recommend the following, if you haven't done so. Replace spark plugs with OEM parts, DO NOT PURCHASE BOSCH PLATINUM PLUGS, plug wires, PCV, and fuel filter. This is what you call a car's spring cleaning schedule.

1969cdv

I have a '95 with 165k, bought with 82k in 2001. I have not had any problems with the power steering, other than a little stickiness at startup when very cold. Check the fluid level monthly, have yet to add a drop in >80k miles.

Same goes for the engine - no problems with gasket leaks or usage at all. I use Amsoil 0W-30 and Amsoil filters - change the filters at 12.5k miles or 6 months, and filter/ oil at 12 months, per Amsoil instructions. Oil lab analysis has shown this to be perfectly acceptable and in fact I could probably go up to 15k miles on the filter change. Other than top-off at filter change, the engine doesn't use a drop of oil. (Wish I could say the same for my Infiniti I30 engine - great performer but uses about a quart between filter changes - same oil and filters as in Avalon).

I have also drained the trans pan once, and refilled with Amsoil ATF (as I recall was about 5 quarts), and had the filter changed/ pan cleaned/ refilled one other time - was around the same amount of lube, maybe a little more. So most of the trans lube should be synth at this point. Even at the initial drain (90k miles), the fluid looked to be in fine shape, no discoloration or burned smell. However, I have no idea if it was original fluid/ filter or not. Never have to add ATF either.

Needed a cv boot when I bought the car (replaced whole axle at Toyota dealer, paid for by used car dealer) - but this looked to be due to a tear from road debris as opposed to a failure - other unit is original and in fine shape. Did the tie rod ends and ball joints 20k ago - but I blame this wear as much on the crappy roads around Detroit as any fault of Toyota. Just did the right side wheel hub/ bearing - ditto on the crappy roads. Neither of these repairs seem to be chronic issues with Avalon.

BTW my friend used to be a field engineer for Toyota, he said 250k miles should be easy, if general maintenance is followed and the timing belt replaced every 100k miles.

I put 16" 2004 Camry wheels and Kuhmo ASX tires (215-55/16) on last year - a nice combination although the tires are overkill for this car. Have 35k miles and still about 60% tread - not bad for a $75 (Sears) W-rated tire.

I will drive this car until the wheels fall off~ has been a great runner for me overall. 27mpg with mostly highway miles (500+ miles per week) at 70-80mph.

avalon03

Does anyone know whether you need to keep the car running to check the transmission fluid on an '03 Avalon? This information is usually found on the dip stick, but mine doesn't specify whether you need to keep the car running or not.

fin

This information is also usually found in the owner's manual. But for some reason, Toyota omits this info in the '03 Avalon manual. I looked at mine. Not there. The answer is YES, the engine needs to running. If the engine is off, the fluid level will probably indicate well above full. Make sure the fluid is warm by driving the car for a few minutes before checking, gear selector in Park.

cowman1

I want to put in some transmission fluid, but I have no idea where to put it in. I think I found the stick thing where you check it, but I can't find where to add more fluid. The owner's manual is no help either. Help, please?

fin

cowman1 - Here is a little basic help on AT's.......

The fluid goes in at the dip stick tube. Use a funnel. Measure in PINTS, not quarts, this is not motor oil.
Existing fluid should be reddish or near clear. Black may be worn out or contaminated and needs a change. Smell it. If a strong burnt odor is present, change it all, not just add.
Add slowly. Never overfill. Too much causes internal foaming. That's bad. Engine and transmission must be normal operating temp for accurate check.
You might also check for leaks on the ground or on the sides of the housing. Toyota's are very tight and do not generally leak. Anything.
Properly maintained, Toyota transmissions last 200k miles or more. Many posts in Edmunds.com attest to that.
Hope this helps...my '99 XL was perfect at 92k when traded for a loaded '03.

jimmy22

Hi,I'm new to this forum and find the posts very interesting.
I just bought a 2005 Avalon XLS a month ago.
It's a real smooth ride ,and I enjoy driving it. The only complaint I have is the acceleration from a dead stop is not the greatest . Anyone notice a lack of power in low gear ? My old Camry seems to take off faster . The 280HP is at it's best at the higher speeds. The dealer is going to check it out anyway. Maybe I just have to get used to it.
Thanks,
Jimmy

mcleary

ENGINE LIGHT GOES ON INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK TO REPAIR SHOP AND DIAGNOSTIC TESTING REVEALS THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE SOLENOID AND THE WAY TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IS TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION WHERE THIS SOLENOID IS LOCATED. SOUNDS LIKE OVERKILL TO ME, ANY SUGGESTIONS. THE CAR IS A 1997 WITH 130,000 MILES ON IT. THANKS!

mcescher1

I have a 2003 Avalon which is wonderful. In test driving the 2005, I experienced throttle and transmission hesitations. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this.

usaid98

I purchases a new 04 avalon in jan 04. At 5800 miles the transmission was replace with a remanufacture one. At 9,000 miles it developed a leak.. At 18,900 it developed a second leak. Three hundred miles later it developed leak number 3. Has anyone has had a problem likes this?

abfisch

Have a 02 Avalon. Never had a problem with the tranny. Depending where you bought it from, determines what I would do. If from a dealership, I would envoke the lemon law in the state you purchased it in if applicable. i would not want to mess with that, and obviously, who ever is fixing it, is not very comptetent. If you work for a living, I would think after three attempts, enough is enough. Get another vehicle and dive on.

abfisch

usaid98

Thanks for taking the time to give me your throughts. Have a great Xmas USAID42

coester

I was told by my mechanic today that I need to have my transmission replaced. I just had the fluid changed and the car was not running very well and after further review, he said the tranny was going and going fast. I find this hard to believe so soon in a car at this mileage. Anyone out there how has heard of any problems with this? I own a 01 Avalon base model with 93K miles on it. He told me he thought I would be in the range for a 4000.00 cost for a new tranny. Comments welcome.

wwest

I hadn't heard anything previously about the Avalon transaxles but the RX300 series is developing a reputation for premature transaxle failures. While the owners manual has no recommedation for scheduled maintenance, drain and refill the ATF, Lexus is now (seemingly( recommending such procedures eevry 15,000 miles.

The 2004 and later RX models use a DBW, e-throttle, to delay the onset of engine torque during downshift to allow the internal clutches to more firmly and fully seat and therey prevent an inordiante level of wear on the clutch surfaces.

Some of us have begun to believe Lexus has instituted a secret warranty to cover at least some of the costs in order to keep steady or return, GOOD customers, in the "fold".

coester

My mechanic told me by changing the fluid, the little "parts" were moving around inside the tranmission and causing these issues. I have been looking at the posts for the past half an hour and it doesn't look like Toyota has had any recalls on their trannys for the Avalon. I have "never" heard a tranny fail from an avalon this early in the process? was this a lemon tranny and bad luck?

fin

I put 92k on a 1999 XL and the car drove like a new one when traded for an '03 XL. Toyota has issues, yes. You can read about them in this and other forums. Brake pads wear too soon, rotors are too thin, front struts are weak.. all kinds of stuff. But Avalon transmissions are built to run 200k+ if properly maintained. You must change the fluid at 30k max intervals. Mine gets a flush to get it all but that may be unnecessary, just my thing. My opinion... transmission failure in '04 and prior Avalons is very rare.

usaid98

Every car has the possibility of having a major element go bad. In my case it was the transmission. I purchase a 04 Toyota Avalon. At 5,800 miles it(Transmission went south). It was replace with a recondition/remanufacture transmission. At 9,000 it develop a leak. At 18,000 + it develop a second leak. At 19,300 it had the 3rd leak. They are now planning to put in a 3rd transmission. My answer was to sell the car. I still feel that the Avalon is a good car and I am buying a 06. Hope this helps answer your question.

abfisch

Coester:

Bad luck is bad luck. I am sorry you have had this misfortune. You did not mention how often you changed the tranny fluid and filter. Did you have this done??? Is this car driven in stop and go driving alot?? If so, did you turn the O/D off??? 93K sounds premature indeeed. I cannot see how you would buy another one.

If you do buy another car with an auto tranny, develop a habit of not only taking it out of O/D when needed, but "back off" on the accelerator a little at its normal shift points to decrease the load on the tranny. This will make the shifts seamless and make it run much longer.

I have an 02 XL with 77K on it, and I regularly tow a utility trailer, yesterday loaded with X-mas tree mulch for our Spring planting. The catepillar front loader must have put in about 1200 lbs worth of mulch. I drove home slowly, and put the tranny in D2 in town, and out of O/D on the state highway. I change the filter and tranny fluid about every 40K. I use slotted rotors in the front brakes and the back for the extra load and performance.

Let us know what happens.

abfisch

abfisch

I need to make a correction on the message above. I went to the local NAPA auto store in town, to check on their own data as to the 00-04 Avalon A/T change, and the assistant said every 30K. The service manual for my 02 says very little. My wife's 03 Honda Civic manual says A/T after the first 60K, then every 30K thereafter.

A change includes a filter/kit(gasket) with the fluid change.

Hope this helps someone.

abfisch

user1957

My 1997 Avalon (87K miles)hesitates under hard acceleration until you ease up on the pedal. It idles okay and this problem is intermittent mostly when the engine is cold and warming up. "Check Engine Light" is off and there are no computer error codes according to local mechanic. I have just changed plugs and gas filter but it didn't help. Can anyone make any suggestions as to the cause/solution?

user777

Does the CEL illuminate when you first start the car (to indicate the bulb is OK)?

FWIW: There's a lot of interesting information on http://www.autoshop101.com although it might be a bit dated, i think the fundamentals of fuel injection scheduled by an ECU aren't drastically different in your car.

Look under Technical Articles.

If an engine control module were mainly there to provide fine control of scheduling fuel/air, thus the fuel injectors to admit fuel consistent with air flow and engine speed (i think there are optimum values the ECU tries to hit measuring many sensors and adjusting injector on/off duty cycles to adjust fuel flow rate and timing), then I think it is also true these modules are programmed to play additional tricks when the vehicle is first starting and also when running with the engine at sub-optimal temperature.

Being a complete novice at this stuff (i'm interested in reading more and learning more so again, take it for what it's worth), maybe the coolant temp sensor read by the ECU to tweak the schedule mainly formed by throttle, airflow, engine speed is at fault.

You say when the engine warms up, you are fine. So I'm thinking, I'd perhaps look at the coolant sensor. If this part isn't too much, or if you can get one from a pull-it place and find it to remove and replace it, I'd give it a shot next.

deepan

I think so but will chk. i have a 96.

paul_p

No lack of power in our 2005 XL, that baby takes off like a rocket from any speed. "It's not your father's Oldsmobile" - what a sleeper!! :-)

- Paul

gmess

The "check engine" light has been appearing in our '01 XLS for about 5000 miles. Upon calling the dealer, they said it was probably a loose gas cap. So for the last little while, the light would appear and then disappear. Upon taking car for 60K maintenance (we've never missed a recommended maintenance event) we asked that the "check engine" light be investigated. (Sure for about $83!). Indicated transmission problem. Tried swapping out the solenoid vale assembly - didn't fix it. Now, with 60,490 miles on the car we're faced with a $3300 transmission repair bill (dealer is "good-willing" the repair - we only have to pay 20%). Bottom line - in all the years of driving "lower quality" cars we've never had to replace a transmisstion. I find it incredible to have to make this repair on a perceived "high quality" Toyota Avalon.

wwest

Assuming you are not experiencing any mechanical difficulty (for 5,000 miles??) why do you think the check engine light isn't totally meaningless..??

A faulty wire connection someplace.

What were the fault codes??

aselvan

Off late I have been noticing that the "Over Drive Off" turns on by itself. Can this happen automatically? As you know New Jersey roads are bumpy and I am not able to validate whether this happens only when I go over a rough patch of road.
Other than affecting fuel consumption what other damage this could cause?

Thanks

Anbu

figmos7

Coester,

I bought a 2000 Avalon XLS which I purchased at 60,009. After driving 615 miles, my check engine light (CEL)came on...no codes stored...but for some reason dealership check code #0773. It was not my gas cap!! Drove the car 1,948 miles, CEL came on with code #0773. Dealership replaced the transmission under my extra care warranty. Drove the car 15,908, CEL comes back on with code #0773..dealership replaced vehicle speed sensor. Now at 89,000 CEL is back on with code #0773 and code #0171 (air flow sensor). Extra care warranty is expired and now they want to replace
Engine Control Module at the cost of $1283 (pts/labor) and the air flow sensor at $251 (pts/labor)..plus its time for a transmission flushing for$169.95 for a total cost of $1705.95. After reading all the postings on the AT in Avalons, I wonder if cars owners could start a campaign to get Toyota to recall whatever is causing so many people to experience transmssion problems so early in the life of avalons or any other toyota products. Toyota boast such reliable cars. :lemons??:

netwon

Just so you know here are the definitions of your check engine codes.

P0773 Generic Shift Solenoid E Electrical
P0171 Generic System Too Lean (Bank 1)

Perhaps its time to talk to your dealer. There are many things that can case a System Too Lean. I'd look towards the O2 sensors or mass airflow sensor.

Hope that helps,

Net

PS - Here is a link to a code look up data base just select Toyota and enter P before your codes p0171, etc.
CANOBDII.com

dave128

Original owner, 116K miles, AT fluid changed each 30K. Recently noticed a minor reddish leak under the engine and the dealer checked it and said the front transmission pump seal was leaking. Cost would be about $900 to replace that seal the the rear main one. I'm inclined to just use some Valvoline ATF Sealant and ride it out. Anyone else have this issue? Also, where's the AT fluid fill located at?

abfisch

dave128:

Take it to someone else. Overpriced. Way overpriced. Yes, the power steering uses same TypeIII fluid as the tranny in our model. Fluid resevoir on the passenger side of the engine bay nearer to the R wheel well. Black colored cap, easy to access. After repairs are made, changing the tranny fluid and the PS fluid(relatively easy to do) at the same time is a good idea in this car.

abfisch

bettesue

Two questions:

(1) At 63,000 miles I changed the transmission filter and fluid. Unfortunately, the check engine light and VSC lights came on with an error code of P2735, Pressure control solenoid Electrical (if I remember correctly). Toyota Dealer couldn't find anything wrong just using the scanner. Would have to charge to drop transmission pan to view - be prepared to replace a valve at a cost of $166 + 2 hours labor. Car runs great; no burning smell in fluid; proper fluid levels.

(2) One neighbor, a former Toyota mechanic, recommended I buy the service manuals since I plan to keep my car for 200,000+ miles. Should have asked which one(s). Recommendations?