help! Possible transmission solenoid issue on a road trip. am I screwed?

greetings-

I am on a road trip from Seattle, WA to Oakland, CA in my 2002 Prerunner. I've got an automatic and I noticed the shifting was a little hard from seattle to Portland. 35 miles outside of Portland my check engine light came on and I stopped at an auto parts store to get the engine codes.

It turns out it's the same error codes I got about a year ago before a long trip, the top problem on the diagnostics saying it was a solenoid issue. I had a transmission specialist take a look at it and he said it was a slipping torque converter which was repaired.

I'm a lady who doesn't know a whole lot about cars outside of what I read on forums and google searches.

Mainly I want to know if I am totally screwed and should wait through the weekend until a transmission shop opens up here in Portland or if I can make it to Arcata where a friend said she'd let me use her truck to make it down to Oakland.

Any help would be greatly appreciate so I know if I'll be stuck in Portland for the weekend!

Thanks y'all

-misha

 

How's the truck running?!

Honestly I think your okay to drive the truck to okland still, and drive it back and have it fixed then, these trucks are reliable, if it's running verry bad don't take my advice, is it a 3.4l truck with an overdrive transmission

 

I'd say it's shifting a little hard. When I come to a stop I can feel the transmission drop a little hard, but not every time. I took it in twice to get the transmission looked at because I thought it felt weird and both mechanics said it looked ok. My truck does have overdrive, would it be a good idea to keep it off?

 

Woah woah

What your talking about sounds like an axel wrap problem!!

 

Ah! Should I get my differential looked at?

 

That's a simple thing that happend to my truck a lot when I first bought it (I fixed by greasing drive shaft every oil change)

That's the axel twistin a lot of tacomas do that it's very comin but when you say your Check Engine Light is on so that's scary,

But a silonoid you could be alright with just driving it but that's just my 2cents and I honestly Belive these trucks will run no matter what, no don't leave over drive off that's bad for it always keep it on unless you are towing a lot of weight

 

No if anything you should just find a guy (unless your good with tools and know what I'm talking about!!) with a grease gun and ask him to hit your ZERK fittings
That will help more than ever!!

It's not somthing a rear end guy will know how to fix axle wrap is somthing that happens to tacomas from the factory there's things you can do to jerry rig the fix


better leaf springs are the best way to go..

 

Keep in mind the check engine light JUST came on about 35 miles outside of Portland and the gear shifting hard has been happening for a while.

 

Yeah, I think your good, find some one to grease the rear end And your check engine light can be handled when you get back

 

If the check engine light is coming on , chances are the converter clutch solenoid or a circuit malfunction are causing the light to illuminate .
When you re-start the truck , is the check engine light on ? or does the light pop up after the truck has warmed up ?
When the converter clutch was slipping last year , how did they fix it ? Was the repair expensive ? Any warranty ?
Sure sounds like you are having the same issue as last year.
As for the downshifting hard into first gear , I would agree that axle wrap is your issue .
Here is a link to some transmission diagnostics https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...sions-write-up-your-4-speed-automatic.325531/

 

The check engine light is on as I start the car and hasn't turned off. The repair had a 9 month warranty which is expired now. Honestly I'm not as concerned about the check engine light as I am about the axle wrap issue.

I'm stopping by a jiffy lube to see if they can't fix the axle wrap and grease the zero fittings (all other mechanics are closed on weekends or booked out) before I continue down south. Thanks both of you for helping me out! It can be intimidating getting help with my truck as a lady who doesn't know much about cars. Hey-o.

 

Axle wrap is from the leaf springs being way too weak. Yes pumping some grease into the slip joint on the rear of your rear drive shaft might help soften the affects of the axle wrap. But new leaf springs are the true fix.

So does.the tranny only shift hard when comming to a stop and shifting back into first? If thats the only time it does it then yes axle wrap (not really something a parts store can deal with and help you out. If the tranny is always shifting super hard in different gears then the tranny or one of its components is the problem o

If you search axlw wrap fix or something to tjat affect you will pry come across a sorta band aid fix, its just small little u-bolts that are clampped on the front section of your leaf springs. If you find that info with a picture you cannthen show a parts store guy that and get you set up to do a quick easy solution till you get home??

 

It's mostly dropping into 1st, also I've noticed some slipping in 3rd gear a little bit.

 

Gosh its hard to say really whats the problem since you have multiple symptoms going on that could cause the problem to swing either way, or its possible there is two issues. Hard to help on the internet with this type of stuff especially when you're not super confident with this mechanical stuff. Prolly gunna need a hands on inspection to get this one nailed down...hopefully its just easy stuff!! Sure sucks to be on a trip and have vehicle issues away from your home area!!

 

I definitely understand how hard it can be to diagnose problems like this. I used to work in IT and it was always a challenge helping fix computer problems with someone who has a hard time with computers. I always like to google problems to see if I can't learn more and I'm learning enough.

Last question, would an inspection from some place like jiffy lube be worth anything? All the mechanics I've called are closed on the weekends or booked out. the unfortunate part of this is im heading down to the bay for work and time is of the essence so to speak.

 

My god
Misha

what code is your truck throwing? is it telling you that it's a solenoid in your tranny. Axle wrap is when your axle is tweaked so one tire sits farther forwards then the other and it rolls so the drive shaft doesn't sit true with the out put of the hanger bearing to the tranny.caused by weak leaf Springs when the breaks are applied
If you are having a shifting problem where a solenoid isn't engaging properly. I dont think it's axle wrap. I think your having tranny issues I'd park the truck enjoy your weekend a shot of grease into a grease nipped is not going to fix this odds are you have a bad clutch pack. And the last thing you wanna do is grenade your tranny better safe then sorry.

 

Your definition of axle wrap is a little off....its caused by weak spring packs allowing the whole rear end to twist or "wrap" when the breaks are applied comming to a stop. Ive seen a few times on here that a couple fellas have posted a fairly good diagram of axle wrap, maybe someone will co.e along and post it here?

 

Op, id pry have to agree with nick above and say since you are getting that code it prolly is a tranny issue more so than axle wrap. Beings you are away from home you arent gunna have a nice weekend stuck somewhere...id personally keep going myself and try to get to your destination, if things are gunna get worse with the tranny it will be pretty obvious its getting worse and not till then would i start to worry about not driving it. Up to you of course but in your situation you dont have much for options unfortunately...

 

At most change your tranny oil when was the last time this was done. Dirty oil can do a lot of damage

 

Does that help sum it up ?