Transmission Issue? Wouldn’t move forward in drive...

RPS99SHO

RPS99SHO

New member
99 Limited 205k miles
Trans flushed at 194k Jan 2016
External trans cooler added, bypassing radiator at 197k (preventative - no milkshake) May 2016
No leaks, fluid is good. No oil leaking from the axle seals (that I can see outside the drums)

This morning, after starting it for the first time in about 10 days (10 days of high temps in the 20s; it was 14° when I started it today). It wouldn’t move in drive. Well, it would move, but only very slowly with lots of throttle. Felt like the trans was starting in 4th gear. Reverse worked just fine. Let it idle for a few minutes, same thing. Inched along forward with lots of throttle in drive, but reverse acts normally. The engine turnover was slower than normal due to the sitting and the low temps. Battery is two years old so should be good. I replaced the alternator at 200k Nov 2016. I didn’t wait around to let it warm up more, as I needed to be somewhere (took my 5th gen).

Research shows that similar issues have been reported because of leaky axle seals freezing the shoes to the drums in cold temps, but that doesn’t answer the question about why it moves without issue in reverse. Electrical issue is something else that’s been suggested, but new(ish) battery and alternator mostly rule that out. No other electrical issues noted.

I will let it warm up tomorrow and try again, and verify fluid level, but I am stumped.

Anyone have any wisdom on this topic?


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Just got done dealing with this exact issue if u monitor the ecm u will find that its actually starting out in 3rd gear if u go for a drive it should produce some Transmission code. Try putting it in 1st gear and see if it pulls out normally ...
 
SilverRidgeRunner1 said:
Just got done dealing with this exact issue if u monitor the ecm u will find that its actually starting out in 3rd gear if u go for a drive it should produce some Transmission code. Try putting it in 1st gear and see if it pulls out normally ...
Click to expand...



How did you fix it?


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Mine did this last week also. I figured it was from sitting in the cold and not being started in 2-3 days. It hasn't done it since though.

It's currently -1 at the NJ Shore.
 
I had a similiar issue this last week as my part of Texas had temps below freezing for more a few hours. My sammich maker pointed out that it only happened when the 4Runner was still cold. Once the rig had warmed up it did not happen.
 
RPS99SHO said:
Simple as replacing the valve body? Or full rebuild?


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Click to expand...

You can replace just the Valve body... Its a little complex .... I would dig into first before doing that. I mean u have multi factor mine just happened to be the valve body. Other have been simple and just been the shift solenoids and wiring harness... See if u can get it to pop a code first.http://www.reamman.com/products/141-a340e.aspx
 
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If you manually shift into L or 2, it completely bypasses the shift solenoids. Try that next.

If it still acts up, I would drop the pan next and see whats going on. If its full of metal, the tranny is toast.

If the pan isn't full of metal, remove the filter next, it may be clogged up (mine was totally plugged up and I think it burned up the pump). A clogged filter would starve the pump and give you similar symptoms.

By the way, it's been -10F for a couple mornings here in Wisconsin and my tranny has worked fine, so should yours....
 
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And if you want to be certain your rear wheels aren't locked up, put a jack under the rear diff and see if the wheels spin freely. I doubt that is the problem though...

One last thing, my tranny failed in a similar fashion. It refused to start out in 1st gear when it was cold. It would start in 2nd so it would move somewhat normal. After it warmed up, it would shift throughout all of the gears just fine like normal. Eventually it got worse and I had to replace the tranny (swapped in a used one from a 99).

I can never prove why it actually failed but I did get a pink milk shake about 10k miles earlier. I believe the pump in the tranny eventually failed.

I do know for a fact that the torque converter was still fine. How do I know you ask? Because we put it in my buddies Tacoma (he was in a pinch) and it worked perfect!

Keep us posted, I have a fair amount of knowledge with these trannies after all the dicking around I had to do with mine.
 
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Update: 38F ambient start-up temp today. Transmission shifted just fine. Probably a gummed up valve body. Lovely.
 
As I previously stated, start by dropping the pan and see whats going on.

Metal in pan, bad news.

No metal, drop the filter next. If it's all plugged up it will starve the pump (especially in colder weather) and give you symptoms like you noted.

If it is plugged up, you can clean it with brake cleaner. Be sure to use the straw on the can and spray it out really good. Or, you can just buy a new filter.

If the filter (basically a fine metal screen) isn't plugged, than your valve body is probably gummed up.

I believe seafoam makes a tranny flush product to clean out valve bodies ect. You could give that a try if you want.

If none of that fixes it and it acts up again, try manually shifting and see if it moves correctly. This would let you know if the solenoids are acting up. They can also be bench tested (do a search on how to do it).

Keep us posted.
 
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One other thing, after I got the pink milk shake (10k miles prior to it dying and when it started acting up), when I first dropped the pan, there was a brown clay like sludge on the bottom of it.

This same sludge was also what gummed up the filter and burned up the pump. That brown clay sludge is clutch discs that have broken down because of coolant attacking the adhesive that holds them together.

Are you the original owner or did you purchase it somewhat recently? Any signs that it may have suffered a PMS at some point? I'm not saying that it did but it's something to consider if you haven't had it that long.
 
Brown clutch sludge post PMS
IDAq3BG.jpg


The same sludge that plugged up the filter and what probably burned up the pump
sWOTyza.jpg


What a clean tranny filter looks like
QEY0qC9.jpg


Drop your pan and see what you find!
 
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Just realized I never followed up here. Not much news, actually. Happened only once more since the first time. When it happened again I put the shifter into L and that did the trick.

I haven't dropped the pan to inspect. Don't really plan to unless this gets worse. But for now I'm ok leaving it as-is knowing that I can force it into first with the shifter.
 
My guess is you have a solenoid that is occasionally sticking on really cold days. I wouldn't worry about it unless it starts to happen more frequently.

Replacing the solenoids is pretty easy and so is testing them (although yours may test fine since the problem rarely occurs). Also making sure your fluid is clean/fresh, never hurts and may help clean up the valve body if its gummed up a bit.

Thanks for following up!
 
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