My first post on MUD. So thanks! Sorry for the novel... but I feel like I'm stuck in a saga...
I have a 2010 with 130K miles on it. We’ve only had if for a year, and for the first 6 months it was a dream machine. Then the drive belt tensioner went out (replaced it), then the infamous radiator crack manifested (had fun with JB PlasticWeld but ended up replacing the radiator), and now… the transmission is giving me fits.
I first noticed the trans getting “misconfused” when I would glide over a larger speed bump. I would slow from say 30mph to 10mph going over the bump and upon accelerating on the other side, it would search for 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Ultimately, after the rpms claimed to 1,000 or so, it would jar into 1st or 2nd. The issue progressed… even searching for gears when I rolled through a stop sign.
I drained the pan (measuring the black fluid) and pumped in 24 oz of Lucas Oil Stop Slip (queue the scoffs) and the remaining ounces with Toyota WS ATF. Checked the level at 114F, and it was correct. It seemed to do ok for several weeks. I was proud… until… it came back.
This time…. I dropped the pan for inspection and head scratching (did not replace the screen/filter), and replaced the charred fluid with Toyota WS. Thanks for the video NLScooby. It shifted like a dream, and we drove it 750 miles to the smokies without any issues. Again, I was proud.
When we got home, just to be safe, I started parking on the street instead of our 20 degree angle parking pad, thinking that after sitting over night on a severe angle, the fluid left an air gap somewhere that inhibited friction. Well….after several weeks on the flat parking surface (FPS as I now call it), the issue came back, and after starting it in the morning, it sometimes will not even move in D. The shifter moves freely into D, but it will roll backwards if I’m on a 3 degree incline. After giving it some time (20-30 seconds) and moving the shifter from P-D several times, it will engage, but I can’t find the trigger for it. At one point recently, it hardly made it through an intersection; it just limped through it. My son said, "Go dad!" Ha!
Here’s what I know:
Again, sorry for the length! Any guidance is greatly appreciated!
I have a 2010 with 130K miles on it. We’ve only had if for a year, and for the first 6 months it was a dream machine. Then the drive belt tensioner went out (replaced it), then the infamous radiator crack manifested (had fun with JB PlasticWeld but ended up replacing the radiator), and now… the transmission is giving me fits.
I first noticed the trans getting “misconfused” when I would glide over a larger speed bump. I would slow from say 30mph to 10mph going over the bump and upon accelerating on the other side, it would search for 1st, 2nd or 3rd. Ultimately, after the rpms claimed to 1,000 or so, it would jar into 1st or 2nd. The issue progressed… even searching for gears when I rolled through a stop sign.
I drained the pan (measuring the black fluid) and pumped in 24 oz of Lucas Oil Stop Slip (queue the scoffs) and the remaining ounces with Toyota WS ATF. Checked the level at 114F, and it was correct. It seemed to do ok for several weeks. I was proud… until… it came back.
This time…. I dropped the pan for inspection and head scratching (did not replace the screen/filter), and replaced the charred fluid with Toyota WS. Thanks for the video NLScooby. It shifted like a dream, and we drove it 750 miles to the smokies without any issues. Again, I was proud.
When we got home, just to be safe, I started parking on the street instead of our 20 degree angle parking pad, thinking that after sitting over night on a severe angle, the fluid left an air gap somewhere that inhibited friction. Well….after several weeks on the flat parking surface (FPS as I now call it), the issue came back, and after starting it in the morning, it sometimes will not even move in D. The shifter moves freely into D, but it will roll backwards if I’m on a 3 degree incline. After giving it some time (20-30 seconds) and moving the shifter from P-D several times, it will engage, but I can’t find the trigger for it. At one point recently, it hardly made it through an intersection; it just limped through it. My son said, "Go dad!" Ha!
Here’s what I know:
- The fluid level is correct.
- This morning it rolled backward in D on a 3 degree hill. It would not engage at all. I moved the lever to Shift Mode and the VSC indicator light came on with a loud clicking sound coming from under the steering wheel. I was at standstill, so the VSC was weird. It went off after 3-5 seconds. This is the second time I’ve heard that noise in the past week. Nonetheless… after 20-30 seconds, I was able to drive it in Shift mode around the block without issue.
- The “misconfusion” or shift shock after speed bumps or rolling stops is not temperature dependent. Shift Shock seems to be a common experience for 200 owners (I don’t know that I can tolerate it much longer if that’s the case)… it’s just not fun to drive it when that happens…. And my neighbor’s kid calls the TLC “trash” when I take him and my sons to soccer practice.
- The ECT/2nd seems to have no effect on the issue.
- It shifts smoothly in Shift mode, but I have not tried it in cold weather. It’s not flawless between 2nd and 3rd, but it get there.
- The problem occurs exclusively (I think) in the morning, but the outside temps haven’t dipped below 55 yet.
- L4/H4 and the dif lock operate as they should, so I don’t think there are any issues with the trans itself.
- My next trouble shoot (tomorrow morn), will be to crank it and let it warm up. Will try it in D first to see what happens.
Again, sorry for the length! Any guidance is greatly appreciated!