transmission paranoia

Author
Discussion

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
I might be suffering from it. or then again there might be an actual problem.

My car (Toyota Caldina GTT) has a tiptronic style transmission.
Sometimes when I go a little fast, and then back off it seems to get stuck in 3rd - well it does not want to go into 4th.

When it is in its "don't want to go into 4th" mood, if I change to manual control, I get a flashing light telling me it wont give me manual control, the only choices are to slow down enough to go back into 1st or do about 80mph, so it changes into 4th.

I am assuming that because it is a relatively modern automatic transmission, that it has decided I am going fast and does not want to annoy me by prematurely changing into 4th.

total paranoia? worth a trip to the mechanics?

Airbag

3,466 posts

203 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
horton said:
total paranoia? worth a trip to the mechanics?
Look at the manual. Now go get a manual.

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
Airbag said:
horton said:
total paranoia? worth a trip to the mechanics?
Look at the manual. Now go get a manual.
If I read kanji, I might be able to understand the manual. But I don't so I wont.
I would get a manual, firstly, I might need a manual license.

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
Is it actually an automatic gearbox behind the controls? If it is, get the fluid level checked.

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
yes it is an automatic with manual controls, rather than an SMG style manual with auto functions.

I had the car checked by Toyota a couple of weeks ago, but the report is in Japanese, I will have it translated to see if they checked transmission fluid.

300bhp/ton

41,030 posts

197 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
Sadly there could be several reasons for this.

Some auto gearboxes have a sport mod which will exhibit this kind of behaviour when activated. However there's usually a switch.

It's possible that your car has some form of adaptive or learning software so when being driven hard will automatically hold the gears for performance driving. Although I'd expect it to do this in every gear not just 3rd.

To further this thought, some sports modes will remove the OD gear. Does your tranny have 4 gears or more??

On my fathers Astra, sport mode makes it hold the gears longer, increase throttle response and removed 4th/OD so you only have 3 gears to use. But it still has a switch to select this mode.


Lastly it could be a fault with the tranny, maybe a sensor or something in the ECU/PCM or it could be mechanical such as the fluid pressure, clutch bands or OD unit.

Sorry I can't be more help.

OllieBirmingham

5,681 posts

199 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
Airbag said:
horton said:
total paranoia? worth a trip to the mechanics?
Look at the manual. Now go get a manual.
This is the reason I hate auto's, I suffer from paranoia so badly with them. Every time it hesitates to change, or there is a lag, or a slight clonk or whatever I am convinced it needs a new 'box. Sorry, appreciate my post isn't the most helpful or constructive but my advice is to get a manual licence (If this is possible) and stick with manuals. You know where you are with them.....

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
How many miles has it had since it's last fluid and filter change?

havoc

30,900 posts

242 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
horton said:
I would get a manual, firstly, I might need a manual license.
Worthwhile. I know they're perceived as slightly old-fashioned, but I've not driven a car without a clutch-pedal yet (i.e. auto or automated manual) that's as satisfying to drive as a good manual*.


  • And no, I haven't driven the latest Ferraris, but I have driven a DSG-equipped Audi.

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
300bhp/ton said:
Sadly there could be several reasons for this.

Some auto gearboxes have a sport mod which will exhibit this kind of behaviour when activated. However there's usually a switch.

It's possible that your car has some form of adaptive or learning software so when being driven hard will automatically hold the gears for performance driving. Although I'd expect it to do this in every gear not just 3rd.

To further this thought, some sports modes will remove the OD gear. Does your tranny have 4 gears or more??

On my fathers Astra, sport mode makes it hold the gears longer, increase throttle response and removed 4th/OD so you only have 3 gears to use. But it still has a switch to select this mode.


Lastly it could be a fault with the tranny, maybe a sensor or something in the ECU/PCM or it could be mechanical such as the fluid pressure, clutch bands or OD unit.

Sorry I can't be more help.
It does not have a sports mode. It is however a Toyota ECT? transmission, which I think means it does try to work out what driving mood I am in, and acts accordingly.

I assumed that it is just misreading my intentions, and does not like me backing off when I have started to give it a little right foot.

It is 4 speed with overdrive, I can turn the overdrive on and off myself, I don't know if the transmission also does this automatically.

I think I will have the fluid checked, as once in a while it is a little clunky, although this might be my less than smooth driving style, but it won't hurt to have it checked (apart from paying for the check of course)

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
Parrot of Doom said:
How many miles has it had since it's last fluid and filter change?
not sure, I have only had it 6 weeks or so.
but I think the filter was checked as part of the Toyota check, although I will have to have that confirmed by someone who can actually read the paperwork

horton

Original Poster:

804 posts

259 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
OllieBirmingham said:
Airbag said:
horton said:
total paranoia? worth a trip to the mechanics?
Look at the manual. Now go get a manual.
This is the reason I hate auto's, I suffer from paranoia so badly with them. Every time it hesitates to change, or there is a lag, or a slight clonk or whatever I am convinced it needs a new 'box. Sorry, appreciate my post isn't the most helpful or constructive but my advice is to get a manual licence (If this is possible) and stick with manuals. You know where you are with them.....
I considered getting a manual license, but with my crappy daily commute it really would be a pain to drive.
If I got a manual license, it would just be for a weekend toy, rather than my daily driver

Parrot of Doom

23,075 posts

241 months

Wednesday 1st October 2008
quotequote all
horton said:
Parrot of Doom said:
How many miles has it had since it's last fluid and filter change?
not sure, I have only had it 6 weeks or so.
but I think the filter was checked as part of the Toyota check, although I will have to have that confirmed by someone who can actually read the paperwork
The reason I ask is that transmission oil is just like engine oil - it wears out, gets full of crud, and requires periodic replacement.

On mine, its replaced every 60,000 miles or so. The filter and gasket are replaced at the same time. You can also buy transmission magnets that go on the inside of the pan, the idea being that on replacement of the fluid you check the magnet to see what metals are stuck to it (and it stops metal from circulating in the fluid and causing more wear).

Look in your engine bay, I'd be surprised if there isn't a transmission dipstick tube for checking. You'll probably be able to buy the dipstick from Ebay, that's what I did.

Chavgtt

1 posts

111 months

Tuesday 11th August 2015
quotequote all
Hi!

I have the same problem on my '98 Caldina GT-T.
Check engine light comes on while driving over 2000 rpm, won't shift into 4th.
Error code was P0135 - so I replaced the O2 sensor... Still has same problem though!


How did you resolve yours, Horton?