Is my transmission going bad at 3000 miles?

[Iowa4Runner]

After my 4Runner sits overnight in cool temperatures (50-55 deg F) the next morning the transmission does a strange thing. Backing out of the driveway is no problem, but once I put it into drive I have to wait a few seconds for the torque converter to fully engage or something. If I gently press the throttle too soon the vehicle will move forward slightly then fully engage with a very unsettling clunk. Too much throttle results in a very harsh BANG. Once the engine is warmed up the problem goes away. Does anybody know what's causing this and how I can fix it? Is anybody else having this happen?

I also notice an occasional pulse or bump feeling in my brake pedal as I'm approaching a stop sign. Is anyone else experiencing this?

I've also noticed a "loose gear" sound when driving in 4th gear around 40MPH. You have to listen very carefully but there's a noise there and it's only in 4th gear.

I'm starting to get a little bummed out. I thought 4Runners were the model of mechanical perfection....

 

[rando]

Take it to a dealer and have them check it for codes. The symptom you described with your tranny engagement sounds like something I read here a while back ... it may be nothing.

The gear noise sounds interesting. Again, have them check it for codes.

The brake pedal thing is supposedly normal. There have been several posts about it.

 

[EDGE]

Your trucks fine let it warm up in the morning, the fluid is just cold, the torque converter will not engage until your ATF fluid reaches operating temp.

Give the truck 10k for everything, especially noises and sounds to go away, mine is better now then when it was brand new:

 

[<<<<]

Somethims at the start you may hear pulsating noise. Toyota owners manual say that it's normal Trac. Control self check. Check trany and diff fluid levels (if it's V-8 just diff level, cause trany is sealed).

 

[Iowa4Runner]

Thanks for the replies... I absolultely HATE going to my local service departent so I may hold off a while on having them check the codes. I'm guessing the brake pedal thing is ABS related. Most of this stuff is pretty minor and I'll probably just live with it.

 

[uwf]

Could it be the driveshaft is not lubed well also? Cuz the clunking thing sounds like that when the driveshaft hasen't been lubed in awhile.

Later,

Joseph