Hey everyone.

I’ve an 02 sport auto 4x4 with 250k on it and the transmission just went out.

I was driving up the hill and heard a pop and lost all gears. Prior to that, for a couple of months it would drop 500-1000 rpms while driving and not accelerate at all. If I let off the gas and then tried to accelerate it would clear up. A week before it went out the shifter felt a little stiff.

I’ve drained the transmission and it looked burned as can be. I’m in the process of dropping the transfer case and then will remove the transmission.

My question to y’all is, what next? I’m having a hard time finding a used one and all of the shops near me are wanting to charge 3-4K which is just totally out of the budget.

The one shop that would do it said they would have to have the transmission in the vehicle because they have to reprogram it. I thought that sounded a bit odd.

Have you searched car-part.com yet?

-Charlie

You can get a rebuilt transmission from Toyota for less than 3k.

See here (for example): Automatic Transmission for 2002 Toyota 4Runner | Camelback Toyota Parts

No way would I pay a shop to rebuild my transmission when I could get a manufactured from Toyota.

Look on Craigslist for someone parting out an 01-02. Keep in mind that you can only use a transmission from an 01-02 as well. You can also look in the classifieds on here for someone parting one out in your area.

Also, there's nothing to program on them. I've replace two transmissions in an 01, and I never did that.

Mike

If they are talking about re-programming, they don't understand how archaic the 96-02 ECU is. 03's+ maybe (I don't know them well) but everything on a 3rd gen is plug and play including the transmission. Of course a transmission swap is a little more work than just "plugging" it in.

If you can provide a unit it would be much cheaper. Try used engine suppliers, they normally also supply transmissions. Local salvage yards would have them too (not a pick-n-pull, an auto dismantler).