2019 trans hard shift when cold. Dealer says normal

A/T trans. So just got the call back and engineer say it's normal after having truck for 10 days. Even though they agreed it was shifting erratically so they topped off ATF then gave it back. I took it back again and they agreed it was still erratic so got Toyota engineers involved for over a week.
Since I got the truck, now at 5k miles, when I drive the truck cold it shifts so hard that it will jerk me forward and slam my ice fishing gear in my bed into the bed wall. It goes away after about 2 minutes of driving. Itll do it again if I wait 4+ hours to drive again.
It feels like between gears it's engine braking really hard for half a second is what I would describe it as. Almost like one clutch band is engaged while another is engaging or torque converter is doing something weird and locking. Basically a really abrupt braking.
I took it in to dealer and they admitted it was erratic shifting but hadn't seen it before. 1 week of having the truck and them calling the engineer for step by step diagnostics they call me and say they are bringing in a higher level engineer. That engineer comes in for one day drives it calls another dealership which tells them theirs does it too. So now they're saying that it's normal. BS!
Anyone else had this problem or non problem as they say? I don't want a truck that's putting irregular wear on my trans , waiting until the warranty runs out and having to replace it.
Also they said it was underfilled a half quart the first check. Haven't gotten the papers back for second check so not sure if they put even more in last time. Super pissed I bought a new truck that drives like this. It doesn't really hunt for gears tho like many others

 

Any time you drive your truck you're actively wearing your trans.

 

That doesn't sound normal, when I start mine in the morning I run it for 30 seconds or so then go and no hard shifting. If it gets worse take it back you still have 31k miles under the warranty.

 

The problem here, OP, is that what you think is a hard shift, another person thinks is a soft shift.

I can't tell if you're exaggerating. No it should not be giving you whiplash, but some shifts will be felt more than others depending on the situation (gas pedal response, trans temp, climbing hills, etc.).

 

Are we not going to address that username?







I had a harder than usual shift one cold morning shortly after driving for the first time that day. I've had vehicles shift harder without being cold. How hard are you accelerating?

 

Post some video.

 

My transmission shifts softly even when cold. It's normal for a strong bump when shifting from park to reverse or drive when the engine is cold since idle RPM is high.

Also keep in mind that driving style can affect how it shifts. If you're the type of driver who feathers the gas a lot, the trans can get confused and start botching shifts. If you're steady and easy with the gas, it should shift relatively smoothly.

 

It's when shifting through gears not going into drive. it's not about pedal pressure because it does it in the parking lot, on 25mph streets, or when I'm not on the gas and coming to a stop. It jerks hardest downshifting and is worst between 2-3rd gears. I've tried to get video but it doesn't show up great but I'll upload one when I get the truck back. maybe if I hold a cup of water you could see the jerk

 

I wait until the secondary air pump kicks in then drive off, I don't accelerate hard, I'm a slow driver if anything. It does this mostly below 40f and gets worse closer to 0f. I've replaced trans valve bodies and am aware of how trannies work and wear. The dealer admitted it was shifting erratically when cold so they added half a qt of ATF and worked with the engineer for over a week diagnosing. After I filed a claim and a "higher level" engineer got involved they claimed they called ankther dealer and their truck shifted the same way.
Its not that it just feels hard to me. I had my ice fishing sled in the back and the thing slides into the front of my truck bed when it shifts. Im 30 years old I've never been in an A/T vehicle that feels like some kid let off the clutch too fast

 

Lol

 

Lol made me choose a gender thought Toyota would understand a sketchy tranny out of anyone

 

Strong username to post content. I hope your tranny will learn to stop slamming and jerking you so hard.

I haven’t noticed any hard shifts in mine unless I’m heavy on the go peddle. The transmission is supposed to “learn” over the course of a few thousand miles.

 

This is why you always lift the hood and check before getting down to business. It can be hard to tell just by looking at certain ones.

 

Sketchy-tranny & Lt. Dangle : what forum did I click into!!!

 

Sounds like the torque converter clutch during flex lockup(a.k.a. slip controlled or partial lockup).

 

You're right. I hope eventually sketchy-tranny will be a known member

 

From my basic understanding flex lockup only occurs at higher speeds and wouldn't do it in 1 and 2. Also seems it is disengaged when driving in S mode. Either way the weirdest thing about this problem is that it only occurs during first 2 minutes of driving on a cold trans

 

Start your truck , set e-brake and put shifter in neutral and let it run a little while , this will warm the transmission up .

 

Reviving an old thread. Just took my 17 sr5 in for the cold temp hard 2-1 downshift. After duplicating the issue they checked transmission fluid and added only 1/4 of a quart. The vehicle sat overnight and they were able to duplicate it again today. They filed a claim with toyota as this was a certified used vehicle and I was just approved for a brand new transmission. This truck just hit 38k miles. Not sure how I feel about this. Glad it's covered.....almost $5k of which I have to pay $50.