Transmission bangs coming out of 1st gear - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

wills55 · 11-23-2009, 09:45 PM

Like the title says. I just noticed this tonight and to be honest, you kinda cant miss it. I tried leaving stop lights at all different speeds and it does it every time. It happens like this....

I come to a complete stop at a traffic light or stop sign. When the light turns green I leave the light at a normal speed, not really fast or really slow (although it does it even if I go fast of slow). When it comes time to shift into 2nd gear, the transmission bangs really hard like it cant catch 2nd gear and then revs a little up to about 3000-3500rpm then smacks into 2nd gear really hard. I checked the fluid and its clean and at the proper fill level. I have a code but its for a 02 sensor so thats irrelevant. If I push the ECT button on the dash so its in PWR mode, and accelerate from a stop (again not really fast) it holds 1st gear and wont shift out of it. Any ideas as to what this could be before I take it to the dealer and get bent over.....?

Thanks a million for any suggestions or experience anyone can share. I really appreciate it.
-Will

wills55 · 11-24-2009, 08:33 AM

18 views and no suggestions.....

Hajoca · 11-24-2009, 10:21 AM

18 views and no suggestions.....

Not in the Avalon forum.

OK to begin, which O2 sensor? if it is an upstream, then it may be related.

The faulty O2 even disabled TRAC control on my camry and accelleration was very poor at times.

When was your last transmission drain and fill?

wills55 · 11-24-2009, 01:13 PM

upstream rear bank O2 sensor. The code for the O2 sensor has been there for months without causing anything other than mildly lower mpg. Everything else on the car functions perfectly. The last drain and fill was done about 2 moths ago by me. I took it to a transmission shop today, and they tell me that everything electrically related to the transmission is functioning properly. He told me that he cant find anything externally wrong with the transmission and needs to remove it from the car and take it apart to rebuild it.

I dont feel comfortable with this because he cant pinpoint the problem. Seems to me that if he were to take it apart and rebuild it he would be replacing and "fixing" everything without ever knowing what the real root problem was. At $1600 to rebuild the transmission not including the torque converter, It seems like a blanket repair instead of fixing what is actually wrong with the car. I checked the fluid level and it doesnt appear to be dirty or dark, it doesnt smell burnt and it is filled to the proper level.

Do you suggest I post this in another section on the board to get more traffic. Seems like the Avalon section doesnt get very much activity.

Jack Deth · 11-24-2009, 02:06 PM

i don't have experience with toyota trannys or transaxles for that matter, but i did have a slipping problem a few years ago with my t-bird aod. when i started off the engine would rev to about 2K before the tranny would catch. i tried some friction modifier/snake oil made by lubegard called "Dr. Tranny Instant Shudder Fix" (hey, i didn't name it). it worked for me. i got it from the local napa store. maybe worth a try if you're looking at a rebuild anyway.

***SyStEmOfEvIl*** · 11-24-2009, 02:07 PM

how many miles are on the car? and when you did the drain and fill im assuming you did the filter as well. if not, do the filter and see if it gets better, if it does get better start saving money for a new tranny because it wont stay that way, if it doesn't get better than it might just be time for a rebuild.
you might just want to do the O2 sensor while your in there, just in case it is related but just took a long time to get there

wills55 · 11-24-2009, 06:08 PM

Had a buddy of mine that used to do heavy line work at the local Toyota dealer check the car out with me and determined that it needed to be opened up and rebuilt. Hes going to hook me up with the parts and a very very discounted rate ($600 including labor instead of the $1600 the shop wanted). Should have the car back Friday. Thanks for the help everyone.

ClimberD · 12-05-2009, 11:32 PM

Very good price. You have or had a worn clutch pack. Nothing can be done but a rebuild. Filter has nothing to do with it. Nothing else here does either. It can happen when the trans fluid gets hot. Do you find yourself in stop-and-go traffic often. My 97 Avalon trans fluid gets too hot when I'm at very low speeds in rush hour. The only good solution is a transmission cooler. $50 on it will save you a rebuild again later.