My brother has a 97 4runner 2wd auto and there is something wrong with the transmission. We pulled into work today and when i got in the drivers seat to go get some food i put it in R and did nothing. You can feel it drop into the proper gear, but there is nothing. I tried to push it backwards in N and it seemed like it was in P and wouldnt move. it is stuck at where we work right now and if anyone has any suggestions they would be greatly appreciated. O btw what is the name of the tranny. I have already looked on 4x4wire and it doesnt give the name for 3rd gens. Thanks again.
-Brandon

 

Kind of sounds like maybe the shifting linkage bolt/pin fell out. Look under the truck and verify that the shift lever on the tranny is actually moving with the shifter.

 

Are there any other electronic or vacuum controls on this tranny? I ask only b/c these have been issues on other vehicles but i have no idea waht makes our trannys tick??

 

Well even with the tranny out of the truck sitting on the ground the shift lever will move it in and out of P and N. There is no power needed to do that, which is why I was thinking his shifter (inside the cab) is not moving the shift lever on the side of the tranny.

 

Electronic controls yes, vacuum no. But the electronics only control shifting after it's in D. Going from P to R to N etc is mechanical, controlled by the lever. And your 97 has an Aisin-Warner A340 series tranny, I think a 340H.

 

The A340H is the 4wd model IIRC.

 

Thanks for the help i will try it out.

 

It could be that the adjustment bolt for the shifter linkage is loose and let it slip out of adjustment.

Mine looks like this:

 

Correct, I didn't notice it was a 2wd. They're almost non-existant in Canada so I tend to assume all 4Runners are 4wd. I think it's a 340E in the 2wd.

 

Well i think i may have mislead a few of yall. When it goes in the gear it will catch and shift hard into the gear then shift hard out of gear. Very jerky

 

a few more things we found out today once we started messing with it; will definately shift into R but there is something in the tranny restricting it, when in N it will only go fowards and you cant push it backwards, when in D it will start in 3rd gear and will not go to any other gears except for OD. Even if you put it in L or 2 it will not do anything. We are gonna have to take it to a tranny shop and see what is up with it.