high transmission fluid temperature?

[rnb754]

I was in 4high on sand and normally i drive about 50yrds on sand and tonight i had to stop and turn off the car and couldnt go to my fiahing spot. My dash warning light "high transmission fluid temperature" came on. I let the car sit for an hour and the light is off and drives fine.

Anyone ever got this warning?

2014 4runner sr5

 

[Lester Lugnut]

At the very least I would verify that my transmission fluid level is correct.

 

[wfo9]

Can you explain what happened again. I read you drove 50yds on sand in 4hi and the light came on?

 

[gm350reratliff]

How deep was the sand and how much throttle input did you have to give it to go through the sand?

 

[2014 Warthog]

Definitely not normal IMHO.

I'd get an ODB reader and use your phone to monitor the temps for normal driving and see how they are.

I've spent like an hours time driving all over and up and down sand dunes in the summer and never had the light come on, and temp nowhere near the high temp threshold.

Only time I've had the temp very high (238) but still not enough for the light to come on, was driving extremely slow, 4 low up a mountain in summer heat. Pulling a heavy trailer up hill or through sand would also spike the temp, but in winter... can't really even see that causing the light to come on normally.

Best thing to do is to get an ODB monitor and use a program like torque to monitor the temps as you drive. Make sure they are not abnormally high all the time for some reason.

 

[1engineer]

Definitely not normal IMHO.

I'd get an ODB reader and use your phone to monitor the temps for normal driving and see how they are.

I've spent like an hours time driving all over and up and down sand dunes in the summer and never had the light come on, and temp nowhere near the high temp threshold.

Only time I've had the temp very high (238) but still not enough for the light to come on, was driving extremely slow, 4 low up a mountain in summer heat. Pulling a heavy trailer up hill or through sand would also spike the temp, but in winter... can't really even see that causing the light to come on normally.

Best thing to do is to get an ODB monitor and use a program like torque to monitor the temps as you drive. Make sure they are not abnormally high all the time for some reason.

I agree. I have driven miles and miles through the sand with no issues. What were you doing in those 50 yards? If you were stuck and rocking back and forth for awhile then yes, it will happen. Good thing is the light comes on and shuts it down before causing any damage. Bad thing is you got it to that point.

 

[NuclearN8]

Assuming your sensor or wiring is not the issue and you did indeed overheat the transmission fluid. If you plan on keeping the vehicle, I would get it flushed as soon as practical. Overheating transmission fluid exponentially reduces it effective/ functional lifespan.

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

I wouldn't suggest a "flush" for the trans, I would suggest draining it as much as you can, then replace the amount you drained. I've flushed only 2 automatic transmissions in my life, and BOTH times they completely failed within a month on one, and 2 months on the other.

Flushing a trans tends to stir up all sorts of debris and shoves it into all those little passages and tunnels in the trans, causing more damage than good. Dropping the pan and/or draining the trans then refilling the same amount is not only a good way to replace the fluid without disturbing all sorts of stuff through the passages, but its also the recommended method for many vehicles, including my wife's '06 Odyssey.

There's lots of info and data online about flushing vs. drain and refilling auto transmissions.

 

[Jetboy]

A full drain/fill is pretty easy. The fluid is pressurized and pumped through the radiator. Take a bucket and make a big graduated cylinder be putting measure marks on it. Pop the pressure side at the radiator. Run it and let it pump out some, then refill. I did 1 gallon at a time in my 3rd gen at 200k miles. It's obvious when the fresh fluid starts coming out again. No "flush" issues, just letting the transmission do it's normal "thing". If you wanted to do a little different method you could always make a pressure pot where the incoming oil displaces outgoing oil separated by a membrane and you'd get a good replacement that way too without having to measure anything. But the bucket method works pretty darn good IMO.

It would be interesting to know what's going on with the temp though. That sounds unusual to me. I've pushed my 4runner pretty hard and never had a temp warning. Maybe there's another issue going on?

 

[e60ral]

Definitely not normal IMHO.

Best thing to do is to get an ODB monitor and use a program like torque to monitor the temps as you drive. Make sure they are not abnormally high all the time for some reason.

i like using my scanguage so my phone isn't tied up, you can program the scanguage to read transmission temperature

 

[NuclearN8]

I wouldn't suggest a "flush" for the trans, I would suggest draining it as much as you can, then replace the amount you drained. I've flushed only 2 automatic transmissions in my life, and BOTH times they completely failed within a month on one, and 2 months on the other.

Flushing a trans tends to stir up all sorts of debris and shoves it into all those little passages and tunnels in the trans, causing more damage than good. Dropping the pan and/or draining the trans then refilling the same amount is not only a good way to replace the fluid without disturbing all sorts of stuff through the passages, but its also the recommended method for many vehicles, including my wife's '06 Odyssey.

There's lots of info and data online about flushing vs. drain and refilling auto transmissions.

by "Flush" I mean using the normal system operating pressure to flush the system. This can easily be accomplished by pulling the exit hose to the integral radiator cooler (2 qts at a time) with zero chance of adversely effecting your transmission operation. drain, fill same amount, pull hose and let the system pump out 2 qts into a bucket, fill pan with same amount. (continue this 5 more time or so until the fluid getting pumped out is same color as the new fluid you're pumping in). During the last hose drain and fill, slightly overfill so when you do the level check with the system up to temp some fluid will come out the overflow plug on the pan. Easy day. done. Some people call this a "trans-fusion" vice a flush...

 

[flyinhawaiian01]

That's cool, just want to make sure that folks don't mis-read that as an actual flush that one can do at the local oil change shops, where they hook it up to the flush machine and force new fluid into the trans while it drains from the other side back into the machine.

 

[rnb754]

I drove about 20 miles to get to my destination, put it in 4 high with about 1/3rd throttle on soft sand for about 25 yards and my light came on. My fishing spot was another 25yrs away and i couldnt get there. I didnt have my obd2 reader on me so i couldnt check temps.

I am due for my 20k oil change but i dont think that would affect my t4r. I am going for service next week so i just needed some input when i go to the dealer.

Thanks

 

[Bevo]

I drove about 20 miles to get to my destination, put it in 4 high with about 1/3rd throttle on soft sand for about 25 yards and my light came on. My fishing spot was another 25yrs away and i couldnt get there. I didnt have my obd2 reader on me so i couldnt check temps.

I am due for my 20k oil change but i dont think that would affect my t4r. I am going for service next week so i just needed some input when i go to the dealer.

Thanks

That doesn't seem like severe enough conditions for a trans overheat. I think you have some other issue. I pushed my FJ way harder than that and never had a transmission light come on.

 

[e60ral]

kinda related - at what temp should i worry about the transmission? i have a temp gauge but i'm not sure at what temp i should worry, 200?

 

[2014 Warthog]

200 is fairly normal. When I'm offroading on warm days it goes over 200 fairly frequently, wouldn't worry about that much. I have had it spike to nearly 240. 240 is NOT a good temp for any duration though it's not immediately fatal, its just that the hotter you run and the longer you run hot you wear out the fluid faster.

There are charts like this that might server as a general guide:
Transmission Temperature Chart - FreeAutoMechanic

Offroading, driving in the desert on hot days and towing definitely all reduce your total life time my some %. Been thinking about a trans cooler myself, but so far the temps haven't really screamed at the necessity. Might be getting a small camper trailer soon though, that'll probably do it

PS

There is also some question as to weather you measure the input trans temp or the output trans temp. Some say input as that is the temp of the fluid entering the transmission and keeping it cool. Personally I am measuring the output as that is representative of the hottest point at which the oil exists and since the breakdown is of the oil itself, it makes sense to measure it at it's hottest. The input is nice to test the effectiveness of your cooling system only IMHO.

 

[rnb754]

Went fishing again and it went on again. Some situation, only difference is it came on about 15-20 yards. I didnt have a real scanner. Only obd2 Bluetooth with torque pro app which it doesn't allow me to view my temperature.

Checked for my trans fluid level but there's no dip stick so I just left it.

Just dropped it off to the dealer for my last 20k mile service and told my service writer about this issue. Will keep you all updated on the outcome.

 

[2014 Warthog]

Went fishing again and it went on again. Some situation, only difference is it came on about 15-20 yards. I didnt have a real scanner. Only obd2 Bluetooth with torque pro app which it doesn't allow me to view my temperature.

Checked for my trans fluid level but there's no dip stick so I just left it.

Just dropped it off to the dealer for my last 20k mile service and told my service writer about this issue. Will keep you all updated on the outcome.

You have to program the torque app to show trans temps. I believe that this was the post I used to program mine:

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-g...orking-formula-tranny-temp-2.html#post1760494

One is the input temp and one is the output (Don't remember which was which off hand). I only monitor the higher one which would be the output.

 

[pengwen4646]

i like using my scanguage so my phone isn't tied up, you can program the scanguage to read transmission temperature

How do you do this?

 

[Antman]

How do you do this?

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/4th-gen-t4rs/148594-scangauge-trans-temp.html#post1457691