5th Gen T4R transmission shudder

[Laurich]

Flex-lock

Please post back @Duke562 and let us know either way. I'm still thinking it's the “flex-lock” that you’re noticing. If not perhaps something else is going on but I'd be interested in what you experience driving around town in say “S-4”.
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[troopa4life]

[MENTION=112949]Laurich[/MENTION] So I switched to sport mode as you had suggested and I could not feel the 1-2 shudder. Based on the consensus on this thread it seems like it's normal and isn't something to worry about.

 

[Johnate0]

I've had my 2011 magnetic gray SR5 4x4 T4R for a little over a month now and so far this is my only complaint with the truck. I seem to get the shudder more often shifting from 3 to 4. My left front caliper just yesterday started to seize but the truck has 87k on it so that doesn't really surprise me. I replaced calipers several times in my '01. I kept the '01 for ORV'ing on the beach, carrying the kayak, fishing, and other dirty work, and I swear the old girl (with 248k miles) drives nicer and smoother than the '11. It just feels more solid somehow. The wife asked if she can dump her '09 Forester and drive my '01 T4R and I'm like HELL NO. hahaha.

 

[philsey]

It may seem strange to hear this but smooth shifting comes at the expense of durability- to an extent. Smooth shifting is accomplished by slipping the clutch packs, which induces heat and wear. Quicker, harder shifts are actually better for the transmission.

The shudder-thing is annoying and has no bearing on what I just wrote, BTW...I'm over 100k and still shuddering happily away though!

I actually like feeling the transmission shift. I solved that 4-5-4 hunting by staying in S-4 around town. My wife's newish Accord has a CVT, and it feels odd to me to drive it .... although it does work well.

 

[Antman]

I actually like feeling the transmission shift. I solved that 4-5-4 hunting by staying in S-4 around town.

Me too. My transmission has learned which gear to be in most of the time, or has my foot learned how to make it listen? lol

Now, the cruise control/transmission relationship is another story. Just try to use the CC in 5th gear over anything but FLAT road. Honestly it is pathetic-can't hold the desired speed and constantly shifts up down and all around. It's the Hokey Pokey of cruise control.. :becky:

I think Stifler worked at Toyota during CC programming day...

 

[adam2562]

yea i hate that the CC is pretty much unusable unless you live in the flatlands of florida lol. i tend to throw it in 4th even when i'm on the highway if i really wanna use CC up to 70mph.. past that i let it go to 5th and ill down shift it to 4th as i approach a hill.. i cant believe Toyota let it be that way.. it would scare a soccer mom the way it'll downshift and at uphill and at the crest be almost 5mph over your set speed.. i was hoping from when i first bought the vehicle that Toyota would see the issue and apply a firmware update. hasn't happened and probably won't happen, i still love my truck and S-4 keeps me at bay especially around town and up to 60mph is fine. my mpg doesn't really change

 

[Koddo]

I have it between 1-2 as well. 81k on mine. It's most pronounced under certain circumstances I've noticed. Making a 90 degree right turn for some reason during the 1-2 shift has a noticeable shudder. But straight on from a stop light or under more acceleration its barely felt at all.

I don't notice it too much, but then again I came from a manual Wrangler so its much of an improvement over that tractor.

 

[juanmanuelmed]

I have a 2017 4runner sr5 with xp
Package.
When the car had 4k miles, I got the transmission shudder. The dealer changed the torque converter.

Now, ther car has 11kmiles and the transmission shudder is happening againg. The dealer says the torque converter is damaged again and they will not fix this time because my car was lifted 3" with old man emu suspension. They did a gly-tek test and the result was there is not glycol in the transmission fluid. Also, the transmission fluid color is dark. Infound out it has that color because the transmission was overheating.

I asked why they fixed my the first time because input the suspension when the car had 100 miles, and they said because they tought it was manufacturer problem and now they said it is for the old man emu suspension.

 

[Duke562]

Mine does that also 110k 2011 sr5 bought with 60k


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[hikenbike]

Hi all, hate to bring this up again but do your shudder/groan/vibration issues happen when below 40 or so degrees outside? That’s my case and now that we’re in the teens it’s very bad. Takes a good 30-40min before it goes away. I guess there’s no fix for this? I don’t know how a dealership would sell one of these trucks during this kind of weather. If I’d have heard and felt that (literally the whole truck and brake pedal vibrates from underneath) on a test drive there’s no way on Earth I would have bought it.....or been able to convince my wife it’s “ok” when putting down $40 k.


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[2016 4Runner SR5]

Are you guys lifted? I can say I notice a rear end vibration after my lift install. Only from a dead stop and not all the time, sometimes from 1st to 2nd but rarely. If I get on the gas a little hard, I have zero vibration, if i'm extra easy on the throttle I have zero vibration, this is only under "normal" throttle. I honestly assumed it was rear driveshaft angle due to the 3" lift but maybe i'm wrong?

 

[hikenbike]

No lift but I found this TSB T-SB-0026-15 from another thread that basically describes my problem"......although I don’t know why I have it only in cold weather.

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attac...ront-differential-groaning-cyclical-noise.pdf


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[Kistle]

There is a TSB for the 1-2 upshift shudder. It applies to a certain VIN date range. I had my transmission completely replaced free of charge when I described my problem and presented the dealer with a copy of the TSB. Same for the driveshaft clunk.

Here is the TSB for the 1-2 upshift shudder:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attac...-tsb-0089-12-anyone-have-pdf-t-sb-0089-12.pdf


JA

 

[hikenbike]

Just brought it to the dealer and the tech experienced the issue. Letting them keep it overnight for full diagnostics in the morning.


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[LJSIII]

I’ve experienced this from 0-20 mph. It doesn’t occur when shifting and doesn’t seem to matter whether hot or cold out. I had a Trailblazer that had the same feeling and it was due to rear diff clutch packs (as I was told). Changing the fluid using only Royal Purple made a big difference but only for about a year. I have a 2011 2wd with almost 100k so I’m going to have my shop check things out during the 100k tuneup. I also wonder if worn motor mounts could be a cause.

 

[hikenbike]

Just got off the phone with the dealer. They took the driveshaft off and don’t see any problem. The tech wants to rule out the TIRES and asked if I have the original tires (I upgraded to Cooper AT3’s a year ago - same size). I started to laugh and they said it was a necessary step to move the diagnostic process forward. I told them that makes zero sense since the same tech experienced the same vibration only during downshifts just yesterday. After a long conversation, I just told him I’m coming to pick up the truck and will just need to bring to another dealer that has common sense. Unbelievable.


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[Rmack]

Have not had this issue on the 4runner yet, but when I had a similar issue on other vehicles a fluid change helped a lot.

There is also a differential additive that I have used before to stop posi-trac chattering. Not sure if it is the same thing being experienced though.

Just a thought after reading through this thread. Back to regular programming...

 

[KAK707]

I had the same issue with my 2016 SR5 when I bought it new...shuddering stopped when I had about 18k miles on it. I have 28k miles now and still no shuddering or problems.

 

[dawudih]

Torque converter shudder? Trying to lock up/unlock at 40'ish mph. Happened on my wifes old CR-V & shuddered itself apart at 60k. Can usually be fixed with a software update.

 

[hikenbike]

Doesn't happen when in 4wd no matter how cold it is.


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