I have a 2001 Toyota Tacoma v6 TRD 4x4. On cold mornings, I back it out of the garage, come to a stop, put it in D, step on the gas and nothing happens. It might crawl a little, but I suspect it’s just gravity. The solution has been to push the shifter through the gear range several times and eventually it catches. The problem has started happening more frequently. There's not really a temperature point that makes it consistent.


http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...ift-when-cold/

http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/direct/view/.f0de869

I took it to a local trusted mechanic and he couldn't reproduce the problem. I've googled the problem and it looks like other folks have experienced similar issues, but nobody has posted a solution (see the links below). I called the local Toyota dealership and discussed it with the sevice manager. He'd never heard of this happening.

The first time this happened I checked the tranny fluid and it was around a quart low. I topped it off and the problem continues. I did a full flush around 18 months ago and put in amsoil ATF. The fluid looks clean. No burnt smell. The transmission otherwise shifts fine.

Anybody seen this before or have any ideas what might be causing it?

Thanks,
Tim

 

Almost sounds like something sticking in the valvebody,check valve,possibly solinoid...Will only get a solinoid code if open or short,not sticking...only exception for this is the #3solinoid(torque converter lockup solinoid)

Whats happening when you go through the gears,you are overriding the solinoids/valve body passages,and routing fluid though the manual valve..

Probably need to pull pan,remove solinoids and inspect them and manually turn them on and off,while routing comressed air through them..then and also hit the solinoid passages w/ short burst of compressed air..as well as a general inspection...If its a check valve..whole valve body will need to be removed,taken apart and cleaned...

That's the first thing that comes to my mind..and once the trans warms up..the metal expands slightly.Bingo fluid is routed through the valve body...Good luck ..No one likes trans problems..

 

How cold are you talkin?
How long after you crank up do you try and go?
I have to let mine warm up some before it will go to second when its below say 45 or so.

 

Wise advice here.

 

My '01 tacoma 4X4 is doing the same thing...but only on cold mornings. I found that if I put it in 1 instead of D, it works fine. Once it's warmed up I don't have that problem. I was told that it's probably a soleniod, as has already been stated above.