Just purchased a 2004 GX470 228k miles, never test drove it cold. I drove from LA to Salt Lake City and always let it get to operating temperature. It drove flawless, and never missed a shift, flared, hunted or delayed in shifting. I stopped in Salt Lake City and let a Toyota dealer install two new OEM front axles; great price on parts and install. Told the service advisor I was pretty happy with the car, he responds with something about other than the transmission issues. Thinking he's full of it, I get in my vehicle, warm it up and set off. No more than a mile down the road it's not shifting from 4th to 5th/OD. I bring it right back and let him know the issue. He's telling me I brought him a car with unknown service hx etc etc. I advised there was no documentation of a transmission issue by him, but a service request for about 5-7k in other work, because of unknown service hx. Told him lets move forward and trouble shoot it with the tec. The tech hooks up techstream and code P0776 shows. He resets the trans and puts it on a lift, drops the fluid, looks good to the eye. He replaces what he dropped, about 3.5 qts and on test drive it now shifts from 4-5/OD.
The next morning I shift it cold and there's the delay and clunk into D and R. Once this vehicle is at operating temp it seems flawless. Well the issue into R cold is stronger than D. It really wont shift into R until its full operating temp. I'm taking it to a shop tomorrow to do a cold line pressure test. I'm hoping its low on the cold line test, and it's just the valve body that needs repair.
I noticed on the trans it has beens scribed with the marks of a trans shop in Garden Grove, Ca. Contacted that shop and gave him the date hoping he would provide what service he provided. No luck in him getting back to me.
I was in a time crunch to buy the vehicle. Really thought I covered my bases with my mechanical knowledge and hx. Lesson learned, shift it cold.
The next morning I shift it cold and there's the delay and clunk into D and R. Once this vehicle is at operating temp it seems flawless. Well the issue into R cold is stronger than D. It really wont shift into R until its full operating temp. I'm taking it to a shop tomorrow to do a cold line pressure test. I'm hoping its low on the cold line test, and it's just the valve body that needs repair.
I noticed on the trans it has beens scribed with the marks of a trans shop in Garden Grove, Ca. Contacted that shop and gave him the date hoping he would provide what service he provided. No luck in him getting back to me.
I was in a time crunch to buy the vehicle. Really thought I covered my bases with my mechanical knowledge and hx. Lesson learned, shift it cold.
