Hello,

It's been a while and I am fairly new, but am in need of some good advice. I realize that this question was asked before, but couldn't really see any clear answers.

We have this '95 2nd Gen V6 4-Runner with Auto trans. Recently back in March was hauling a 5' X 8' U-Haul for about an hour (106 K on the clock at that time) and the A/T Oil Temp light comes on. Stop and let cool, and return to home auto shop and drop off. Install trans oil cooler, and they recommend synthetic trans fluid. This was hopefully the fix, but NO. Wife driving home from her home city (3 hour drive) and she has nothing in tow and light goes on again. I tell her to stop and let cool and she makes it home. Weeks later we are on the road (10 hour trip with utility trailer and 2 motorcycles) to go to a rally. After 3 hours, trans temp light comes on, and we stop and it does this for every 1.5 hours of driving. I realize that something is amiss. We don't want to be stuck miles away and try to baby home. It does all the same overheating things again on the way home and even pucks fluid out of somewhere, but not blown seals. Get it home finally and up to the transmission shop. They can't find anything wrong with it! What could this be? I know it is getting hot, as I could feel the heat. It cannot be just a sending unit.

Please, please offer any sage advice.

Thanks,

Grant

 

Mine did this because it was over serviced......You have to pay close attention when servicing this tranny....I don't know why, but I had a heck oftime trying to service it right...I got a trans cooler and flushed system..has not happened since...I am leaving for a 2000 mile trip........hope it does not happen again....this happens alot to people on the boards

 

Thats strange...I've hauled a 4k pound trailer about 150 miles without the light coming on.

I'm surprised that with the cooler it is still doin it...if nobody else has any suggestions, just give your dealer a call and describe the problems and see if they know of a known issue.

Thats all I've got man,

Fink

 

Mine did the same thing a few weeks ago. I was driving in a slightly hilly area with the a/c on and my temp light came on-I stopped for a few min, then drove again-came back on almost immediatly. I smelled buring, looked under my truck and saw trans fluid all over the undercarriage. I then let it cool for about an hour.

When I started driving again I made a point to shut off the overdrive anytime I started climbing--I have not seen the light since. I am not sure your problem is the same, but my truck tends to shift in and out of overdrive a lot even on slight grades.---Hope this helps

 

First get yourself a good tranny cooler (most use a hayden stacked plate type).
Also make sure the level of the fluid is correct (should be hot, in neutral, engine running).
Your bands could be slipping after the haul but the first two should prolong this situation anyway.

 

Thats a good point, I never thought about the impact of O/D on the temp...good call man.

Yeah, the fluid level would be an obvious thing to check...or the condition of it, it may need to be flushed. At one point mine had a lot more water than coolant so I flushed it and put in the new coolant and now it runs great.

Hope you get it figured out...

Fink

 

Do you have the cruise control on when this happens?
The cruise control will shift down to 2nd gear during highway speeds when it is a hilly or windy. This shifting can cause a/t overheating.
I turn the cruise off before I feel it's going to shift to 2nd gear.