Toyota tech tip on transmission failure: "Torque Converter Required During Transmission Replacement With Debris"

[32spoke]

I wonder if Toyota has torque data logged… it might help them figure this out. When the Audi S5 changed from a naturally aspirated V8 with a Bosch MED based ECU, to a supercharged V6 with a Siemens ECU, some S5 owners would change the diameter of the supercharger pulley and flash the software and gain power, then swap everything back to stock when visiting the dealer. When the vehicle was plugged in at the dealer- TD1= voided engine and power train warranty… torque logs reported data that indicates higher power output from the stock engine configuration.
not pointing this out to blame anyone, just trying to find if anything is accelerating what I would consider a design flaw or an unintended defect…. I feel for you folks and I have been driving around….. wondering if an anvil is gonna fall out of the sky and hit me upside my head/tranny trouble, not the San Francisco type of tranny trouble.

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[hoodouken]

My truck is arriving Sept 9-16 (allegedly). What's your opinion if this issue being known by Toyota is likely rectified on newly arriving Tacoma's? Or do you think they're still rolling them out and will fix it later.

 

[Sagebrush]

it’s implied by simple probabilities.

They should have made it to the NHTSA site from Toyota.

 

[TacoFreak]

A Toyota tech on another forum said that the torque converters were failing which potentially let debris enter the transmission. That in turn can kill the shift solenoids, which is why some gears go missing. At that point the entire transmission is compromised and has to be replaced.

None of this is related to the Tundra engine problems, which was a Toyota mistake. The torque converters and transmissions are made by Aisin and they clearly had some QC breakdown.

Basically it is bad luck for some buyers and for Toyota, who is taking the rap for Aisin. I wonder if Toyota gets compensated by Aisin for the cost of replacing the failed transmissions. Kind of like a supplier warranty issue.

 

[Kjc]

Good info for the 13 people effected

Hopefully 13 but who knows... People post here and there with different user names... Obviously when something is bad we hear about it more and see it everywhere... Has anyone drained their fluid yet and refilled?

Been getting nervous everytime I hit a gear and it doesn't feel right.. Like sometimes from a dead stop hitting 2nd or third I can feel it jump a little...but most of the time everything seems smooth

 

[32spoke]

My truck is arriving Sept 9-16 (allegedly). What's your opinion if this issue being known by Toyota is likely rectified on newly arriving Tacoma's? Or do you think they're still rolling them out and will fix it later.

If the torque converter is failing, it is likely failing under hard acceleration/most stressed It is supposed to be designed to accept the power output of the engine. I recently purchased an OR model. I am driving it mellow until a fix is known, to reduce the risk of damage in my opinion. I guess I won’t be installing the AFE intercooler pipes until this transmission issue is resolved.

 

[bitflogger]

the fuck are they doing that gets debris into all these parts

Nothing yet says there are wide spread problems but cleaning swarf/chips/turnings has always been a part of manufacturing and some getting in final product has always been a problem. Thankfully not the problem it once was. I know the latter painfully well as a senior citizen who bought 1970s-80s vehicles and also from now long ago working in an auto parts supplier who machined parts for 3 auto makers and a farm machine maker.

Bad parts can also self destruct and spread bits of metal.

It's a for sure bummer for anyone who's got the problem. I understood the risk getting a '24 last month. I also saw news of the 10s of thousands shipped and one news bit that said 100,000+ have shipped now. The logged federal complaints are not very high. As much as having the problem is upsetting and creates fear, let's make judgements with basic stats methods in mind.

Back to my age, I'm sure glad we have longer warranties now. I think of when I had pay for expensive repairs when vehicles were 13 months old.

 

[WKTJR1]

In the Max's doesn't the hybrid motor take the place of a torque converter?

 

[TacoFreak]

In the Max's doesn't the hybrid motor take the place of a torque converter?

That is what Toyota said when the hybrids were introduced. They said that the 8-speed's torque converter was replaced by an electric motor in the hybrid drivetrains.

But I have also seen reports of torque converter/transmission failures in hybrid Tacos. I'm sure that the electric motor is not failing and shedding debris into the 8-speed tranny. So do they have a torque converter or not? None of this makes much sense to me.

It would be a good thing to know as we work to make sense of all of this, and how at risk our trucks might be. I think the failure rate is small and I plan to go for it.

I will report if that was stupid.

 

[SnowmanJPS]

It might be a rumour started by someone less informed, maybe it is an issue with a part in the transmission, the trans and torque converter share the same fluid / filter so you don’t get a failure without contamination of the other

 

[bking]

Thinking possibly a bad batch of transmissions from AISEN. Hopefully older ones (like mine) and newer ones will not have any issues. Fingers crossed, but at 6K and the trans is as smooth as silk. As mentioned here already, they are assembled in Japan. Final assembly is in Mexico, but the parts are made in the US and Japan (mechanical). Can't blame this one on the Mexicans. They are actually starting to have a good reputation in the manufacturing world. Better than China, etc... and there won't be enough people to build cars in Japan before too long.

 

[SonoranSurvivalist]

@bking yes it seems like a bad batch. My dealer just got my replacement torque converter and confirmed that it's the same model that failed.

 

[MT-Taco]

Sounds like casting debris..

 

[entropy]

I too would like to know if Hybrids have had this problem. I'm at 235 miles and trying to break it in properly, will do an initial oil change at 500 and 2000 miles probably.

 

[maxx075]

Interesting that he said the casting debris (sand I would assume) was only causing hard shifts and no failures.

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