Shudder at low RPM

Hey folks, just read this thread. I'm having a very jerky shutter in third gear at low speed while accelerating lightly or maintaining speeds in town, around 1500-2000 rpm. 2018 trd off road. It just started doing this. Have 150,000 miles on it. Also, just got done replacing intake manifold because of broken acoustic dampener issue. This current shutter started about 10,000 miles after that.

Anyone have solutions for this low speed shutter on the 3rd gens?

 

I have the same truck and just started experiencing the same thing around 135k miles this week. Any update on yours?

 

That's interesting because mine was pretty close to the same mileage when this happened. I ended up taking it to a good dealership and had them cycle all the transmission fluid out of it and replaced with new fluid and the problem went away. They did not take the pan off or anything. they just cycled the fluid out of the trans cooler lines and put new fluid back in to replace all of it. They used the OEM fluid and it fixed the truck 100%. If yours is experiencing the same problem I would just get the fluid changed somewhere reputable to OEM fluid and I'm sure it will take care of it for you. They called it a transmission flush and it costed about $280 good luck!

 

Thanks for the advice! I know it’s a TC issue that is common with these trucks. I just hadn’t heard many people details what the solution was. Seems to not happen as often in ECT mode. Only doing it around 1500rpm and at slow speeds when feathering the gas. Definitely getting the fluid changed at the dealership as it was due one anyway. It’s strange though, because it only started doing it after I filled up with 87 at a pretty reputable gas station chain I had about a quarter tank left of it when I filled it back up with premium and I’ve driven about 80 miles since then and it seems to be getting a little bit better so I’m also wondering if maybe that TC issue is more noticeable on low octane.

 

It possible the 87 octane make the problem worse. I would say the root issue is the worn/deteriorated fluid causing tourque converter shudder. I always fill with 87 octane, and no shutter issues except when trans fluid was bad. I think I'll only run this batch of fluid for 75k before changing a third time.

 

Had the transmission fluid replaced at the dealership today and it did the shudder immediately when I pulled out of the dealership (albeit much less noticeable) and then I drove for a couple of hours to come back home and was not able to make it shudder again. I was able to do it at will prior to the service. Thanks for the advice! Seems to have fixed the issue. Also the truck just shifts much smoother now overall. I guess when you drive them daily you tend to not notice some things degrade.

 

That's great to hear. My experience was exactly the same as yours. Glad it's resolved. I would stress for anyone reading this to make sure you have a reputable toyota dealer do the flush using the OEM World standard fluid toyota recommends. This process of filling to desired level is complex and easy to mess up. It will take care of the shudder right away though!

 

My 2016 automatic started doing what you described at 112,000 miles. It seemed as if the truck was shifting into overdrive to save gas when coasting (1200-2000 rpm 35-40 mph). When I feathered the throttle to maintain speed it would shudder like a rumble strip until I let off the gas or accelerated more. Coincidently it started about 2 months after I installed a lift, so I spent some time looking at my drive line. Had the dealer do a transmission drain and fill along with the transmission TSB and problem went away immediately.
Also consider your spark plugs and how many miles are on them. My idle rpms seemed low, but truck never showed a code. After I did the plugs which had 90K miles my idle rpm went up about 100 rpm (back to what I remember as normal) and the throttle feels snappier.

 

That's exactly what I experienced.
Since you had dealer do a drain and refill, I would still either do another drain refill, or a full fluid replacement, as the drain and refill changes less than half of the fluid. I think my mechanic said he let the tranny suck 12 fresh quarts through cooler lines before it looked clean coming back out.

I bought my truck new, and never changed the plugs until 120k when it started to misfire, and I paid dearly. The engine backfired and broke the acoustic damper inside the intake, which also caused a similar shudder feeling to the bad tranny fluid issue while driving slow.

It took awhile to figure out what was wrong.

While changing plugs to figure out the misfire I started truck when new plugs were installed, and the bushing from broken acoustic damper shaft got stuck on intake valve seat and hammered for a few seconds before I shut off. I thought I put to long of plugs in, so I checked, but they were fine. I then started it and thankfully when I shut it off, and restarted truck it blew the bushing out the exhaust valve, I only heard noise for a second or two. Got lucky it didn't get stuck in piston. I ended up having to replace the entire intake manifold to fix that shudder issue.

Change your plugs when the manual says too!

 

I just had a retired Toyota mechanic not a tech do a 30k mile extensive service on my 2018. I know the mileage is low but it was the years on the fluid is why I wanted it done. I never had any drive line issues ever, no vibrations of any kind. I'm lifted 2/1 Bilsteins, 285s, KDMAX tunes since day one. If it held fluid it was changed, brake fluid, power steering flush, radiator, transfer case and diffs. He did a full transmission fluid and filter change, plugs and serpentine belt. You get the idea, now my trucks shifts even better than ever. Like I said it felt perfectly fine prior but even smoother now after the change so yes it must do wonders in just a transmission fluid and filter change. Other than it shifting smoother than ever I felt it drove just better overall, might just be in my head after it being on the rack all day.

 

I'm sure the tranny fluid change helped your truck shift better. Also, that tranny TSB is supposed to help shifting from what ive heard. I had a 10 plus year experienced Toyota mechanic do my flush, as well as a installed an Overland torque tune in my truck all at the same time. My truck drives completely different now! I noticed the torque converter shudder a couple times on the test drive following flush/tune. But the shudder went away completely after a few miles. I think these trannies just need new fluid frequently to operate well.

 

Do you find this happens more when it is cold or wet out? I get it on the first or second start in these conditions and I assumed I just roasted my clutch on the beach early on, and i'll deal with it until its time for a new clutch.

 

Add a tube of Dr. Tranny Instant Shudder Fix as a stopgap measure, then drop the trans pan, get trans FILTER, GASKET, FASTENER SCREWS and fluid replacement with Valvoline Max Life ATF. FOLLOW the very important service procedure regarding transmission cycling and temperature range.

Problem solved. I added a tube of Shudder Fix along with the refill, IDK if it will make a difference long term, but I was convinced by the immediate improvement when I did the stopgap fix.

 

Had a 2nd gen with the shudder that we chased for the longest time. I know this sounds like snake oil, but we added a bottle of Lube Guard and never had an issue again.

 

Had what OP describes happen last year, dropped it at the dealer for them to check out and they couldn't duplicate. It had went away on its own, fast forward to now, and it's doing it again even worse. Happens in both stock and OV tune, and regardless of fuel grade.

 

There's a bunch of post on TW for diagnosing the problem: condition of spark plugs, drive line tight and zerks lubed (carrier bearing, universal joints, leaf spring U-bolts), does ECT mode lessen the issue, can you get around it by using the AT in manual shifting mode, brake tap test for torque converter lock up.
For me the manual shifting and brake tap test pointed me to a transmission problem.
This post describes the brake tap test: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...sion-shudder-any-advice.772383/#post-27588697
There's this post with almost too much info: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...econd-gen-4-liter-trucks.289913/#post-7301737 It's for 2nd gen, but the info is relevant.

I don't have an opinion about shudder fix, but when I asked the service manager if they used it in my truck when they changed the fluid and they said "no", just the world standard ATF.

I hate that our trucks don't have a transmission dipstick.