Our Story
Below is our story that we have posted here. Right now our 93 is doing well, but we are afraid to take it too far from home. Sorry it is so long. Sorry we can't help, but we are sympathetic.
We have 1993 SR5 4Runner with a very unique problem . It has been going on (off and on) for almost a year. It has been worked on by three different mechanics.
What happens is this; the speedometer will start bouncing. It may bounce for a long while, but eventually it will quit. Once the speedometer quits it may run fine for a while. BUT once the Odometer/ trip meter quits (and it will) then the transmission will stop upshifting. (1st-2nd-3rd, etc) BUT it may start running right again.
WE HAVE CHANGED ONE SPEEDOMETER SENSOR (at the lower part of the Transmission) TWICE AND THE OTHER ONE ONCE. BOTH HAVE OEM PARTS. Also the mechanics have replaced some of the wiring and plugs to the sensors.
We have been told that the mechanics can’t help us unless the 4Runner will mess-up for them. Of course that hasn’t happened.. The last repair was the mechanic created a new plug for the sensor that is located on the topside of the transmission. It ran around 1600 miles before it started messing up.
One of the things we have learned is to reset the computer by disconnecting the battery for about an hour or so and it will usually run normal for a while.
Story of last trip: We had traveled about 150 miles from home and the 4Runner messed up, We disconnected the battery for about an hour before leaving for home. 30 miles into the trip the speedometer started bouncing. Then 60 miles into the trip the speedometer quit, but the odometer kept working. At about 120 miles in the trip all of it quit working. Stopped for a stop sign and the 4Runner wouldn’t shift out of 1st. We were going to drive it about 3 miles to park it, so we stopped several times to let traffic pass. All of a sudden it started shifting and the Odometer started working. About 10 miles later (right by the mechanic) the speedometer started working for a couple of miles then quit again. Now the 4Runner bounces every once in a while and we are not taking it too far from home.
One other thing that happened trip before last. The Odometer/trip meter started running backwards. We shut the 4Runner off and started it back and it has never done it again.
