V8 4Runner Transmissions-Deal Breaker?

[ShouldI]

I know this is the forum for Problems and Warranty but I am contemplating purchasing a V8 4Runner and I have found posts at this website and Edmunds forums that lead me to believe that a lot of people are having Transmission problems with the 4Runners.

Are the problems so bad and so widespread that I should consider a different SUV?

 

[toto]

The 4Runner doesn't have any sort of chronic transmission problem.

There's a driveshaft "clunk", which often occurs right after stopping at a stop light. That's common in many Toyota and Lexus 4WD/AWD vehicles; it's not much of a mechanical problem mainly it's just an annoyance. Lubing the driveshaft helps.

Here's our thread on the clunk:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/showthread.php?s=&threadid=975

Funny... there was another recent post about someone else getting ready to complain at the dealer about a trans problem involving solenoids and other obscure things. What they heck are they saying on Edmunds?!

 

[spyne]

:iagree:

The clunk has nothing to do with the trans. The problem is with the drive shaft and regular greasing per the owners manual is the solution (mostly). You'll still probably hear the clunk on occasion even if you keep things greased, but by all accounts it's not hurting anything, just annoying.

 

[cknsls@adelphia]

TRanmission Issues

I tow a five thousand pound trailer at least once a month ('05 Sport w/V8) and have been doing so for the past two and one-half years. The transmission is holding up fine. As a matter of fact - it is a very smooth shifting transmission.

If there were any weakness in the tranny - you would know it towing 5,000 pounds...

 

[charlier180]

Re: TRanmission Issues

I have also been towing my enclosed car trailer (about 5,400 lbs) for almost 3 years.
No problems with the tranny or any other part of the vehicle.

 

[ShouldI]

Thank you all for the reassurances. I would have replied sooner, but the website would not let me into my account, nor would it let me re-register until today.

toto...
The Edmunds website url is:
http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0a0615/

There are posts about Transmission problems in these subgroups:

Toyota 4Runner Transmission Problems

and

Toyota 4Runner Maintenance and Repair

There are a few categories of complaints. I figured that this was a better place to ask because it seems like the members here are more familar with the inner workings of the truck.

Thanks again.

 

[jharris2]

Most of the posts in the thread you reference are older models. A few were people unaware of the driveline clunk, and a couple were 4th gen models. That should tell you something about the 4th gen transmissions.

With as many members as we have, we would have heard if there were pervasive transmission problems.

My $0.02.

 

[ShouldI]

Thank you jharris2.

The way that Edmunds does their forums, they encourage people to use existing threads rather than create new ones. This creates a kind of "party-line" type of communication, and sometimes people post a response to one user but accidently click "reply" on another user that was discussing a different but related topic.

It is confusing to someone who is not a part of the discussion because the heading text and body text do not match up exactly.

Since I do not have a 4Runner yet, it was difficult for me to tell which vehicle year and drivetrain they were referring to. Since you have more experience with the vehicle, this was more obvious to you.

Thank you for clearing that up for me and other folks.

 

[jharris2]

You're quite welcome. We have lots of members here that are willing to freely share their knowledge and experience.