While just driving around the neighborhood I turned a corner really slow, less than 5 mph then let off the gas to coast a little then pushed back onto the gas pedal and the RPM's climbed to about 1600 but I was not accelerating any, then it engaged about the time I took my foot back off the pedal.
I've noticed several posts on the Edmunds.com website about this with the Lexus cars and it also said the Avalone shares the same tranny as the Lexus ES. Apparently Lexus has a TSB on this but as yet Avalon does not.
Has anyone else discovered this very low speed tranny indecision?
Trust me you don't even want to get into it. The Toyota versions use a different sight pattern so yours isn't nearly as bad as it use to be ('01 ES 300).
AFA the Lexi problems, it's shift logic, and because they've tried to completely come up with a new way of programming when the transmission should shift, the "fix" is to reprogram it again. Noone likes either one.
__________________
"The lamest twice banned, non-female member of-all time." -Ekam, Thanks, I <3 you too! AIM/Yahoo Toysrme257th
for anything, anytime; including camry turbos Now with Turbo!
It might not be the tranny at all. Make sure your Throttle body is clean along with your mass air sesnor. If you have an open air filter (k&n) the oil from the filter can get on the sensor and mess up your acceloration.
I'll only use a factory (paper) air filter. I really started noticing it this weekend. It becomes worse when driving/coasting real slow. I often drive through our housing development which has new home construction everywhere so I roll through at maybe 5 MPH then coast some and if I turn a cornor and need to add a very little gas the engine RPM will climb but the tranny is not engaged then it grabs and jerks.
I had this when I was using only 91 octane fuel and now that I'm using the 89 octane stuff I'm trying to determine if it is worse or unrelated to the fuel change. BTW, no noticeable difference so far between the fuels. But then the Avalon is so quiet if there were engine knock I dought I would hear it anyway.
While just driving around the neighborhood I turned a corner really slow, less than 5 mph then let off the gas to coast a little then pushed back onto the gas pedal and the RPM's climbed to about 1600 but I was not accelerating any, then it engaged about the time I took my foot back off the pedal.
I've noticed several posts on the Edmunds.com website about this with the Lexus cars and it also said the Avalone shares the same tranny as the Lexus ES. Apparently Lexus has a TSB on this but as yet Avalon does not.
Has anyone else discovered this very low speed tranny indecision?
My wife just discovered the same problem with our 05 Touring. I'll see what our dealer's service dept. can do for us.
I have the same problem with my 05 limited and I had the same problem with my 00 Lexus GS300. The problem is the programming in the Toyota/Lexus ECU. Like mentioned above the problem is with the shift logic. The shifting is computer controlled, and I believe like the old lexus the car learns your driving patterns. After, several days of conservative driving the ECU makes the shifting very smooth, which all of us typically do. The reason for this is to prevent jerky shifting like you would get on less expensive and domestic cars. From the lexus, the easiest way to solve the problem is to disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes. This deletes the learned driving patterns in the ECU and you essentially start from the factory programming which is typically less prone to this problem. If this works for you, you will have to reset the ECU every month or so. This topic has been pretty hot at www.clublexus.com.
I have the same problem with my 05 limited and I had the same problem with my 00 Lexus GS300. The problem is the programming in the Toyota/Lexus ECU. Like mentioned above the problem is with the shift logic. The shifting is computer controlled, and I believe like the old lexus the car learns your driving patterns. After, several days of conservative driving the ECU makes the shifting very smooth, which all of us typically do. The reason for this is to prevent jerky shifting like you would get on less expensive and domestic cars. From the lexus, the easiest way to solve the problem is to disconnect the battery for a couple of minutes. This deletes the learned driving patterns in the ECU and you essentially start from the factory programming which is typically less prone to this problem. If this works for you, you will have to reset the ECU every month or so. This topic has been pretty hot at www.clublexus.com.
Does the Avalon share the same tranny as the Lexus?
What model in the Lexus line is the upgraded Avalon?
I'm sure I'll get use to this hesitation issue so long as it causes no harm to the tranny. When I was test driving cars before buying the Avalon we drove the Ford 500 and the Mercury version and their new tranny was really something. It was so smooth you could not feel or hear the tranny shifting at all. The only way you could tell it was shifting was to watch the tach. The sales guy riding with us said it was some new technology for them. Their tranny and backup warning sensors were really nice items but the ride quality was nothing like this Avalon.
I assume the tranny is new to work with the new 3.5 liter engine. I believe the chassis is an extension of the camry chassis which is also used by the ES330.
For the first time yesterday this hesitation hit me really bad. I was on a major roadway where the speed limit is 55MPH and of course most people drive 60-65. Anyway there is a traffice light and it was red for me so I was slowing down by coasting and using the brakes. Then maybe 50 feet from the light it turns green, I pushed on the gas and nothing, I pushed harder and nothing I let off the gas and pushed again and nothing. At this time the cars beside me and in front of me were two car lenghts ahead of me and the cars behind me were in my backseat. It felt like it was out of gas, finally after lifting off the pedal and pressing it again we were off. This was no minor issue with cars all around me I could have got bumped in the rear.
I'll be calling Toyota Monday for an appointment. This is now becoming a potential for an accident should I pull out infront of someone and need the quick response.
That is not good. It is suppose to be hesitation free. Toyotas can't get Drive-by-wires right.
I've faced it before on my Sienna. It's not fun.
you are so right. i to have faced it before on my sienna. the revised reflash in june 2005 made a huge difference. to bad there is not one for the avalon, by the way they both have the same transmission. thank you dave p
For the first time yesterday this hesitation hit me really bad. I was on a major roadway where the speed limit is 55MPH and of course most people drive 60-65. Anyway there is a traffice light and it was red for me so I was slowing down by coasting and using the brakes. Then maybe 50 feet from the light it turns green, I pushed on the gas and nothing, I pushed harder and nothing I let off the gas and pushed again and nothing. At this time the cars beside me and in front of me were two car lenghts ahead of me and the cars behind me were in my backseat. It felt like it was out of gas, finally after lifting off the pedal and pressing it again we were off. This was no minor issue with cars all around me I could have got bumped in the rear.
I'll be calling Toyota Monday for an appointment. This is now becoming a potential for an accident should I pull out infront of someone and need the quick response.
This seems like something else, way more serious than the little hesitation the rest of us experience around 16-1800 RPMs. For us, tap on the gas just revs it a little and then it slips into gear and shoots off. It's not even that noticeable unless you know what the car is supposed to be doing. Yours seems like you really hit the gas and got NO throttle input, that could be some other issue.
The AutoGuide.com network consists of the largest network of enthusiast-owned enthusiast-operated automotive communities.
AutoGuide.com provides the latest car reviews, auto show coverage, new car prices, and automotive news. The AutoGuide network operates more than 100 automotive forums where our users consult peers for shopping information and advice, and share opinions as a community.
ToyotaNation.com is an independent Toyota/Lexus enthusiast website. ToyotaNation.com is not sponsored by or in any way affiliated with Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. The Toyota, Lexus and Scion names and logos are trademarks owned by Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc.
Linear Mode
