A "fix" for Transmission R to D Delay

I have the R to D delay like many have complained about. And as most posters have reported it is worst when the engine and transmission are cold. Here is how to never feel it again...

Until recently, this is how I started my morning drive:
1. Put in Reverse.
2. Back out of driveway.
3. Brake to stop.
4. Shift to Drive while simultaneously releasing the brake.
5. Truck very slowly starts inching forward for about 2 seconds.
6. Feel transmission engagement.
7. Accelerate (while wondering why the heck it does that).

How to avoid the engagement delay:
1. Put in Reverse.
2. Back out of driveway.
3. Brake to stop. DO NOT take foot off of brake.
4. Shift to Drive while completely stopped AND holding foot on brake.
5. Wait at least 1 second.
6. Release brake and accelerate.
7. Enjoy the smooth acceleration.

This works great for me. The total amount of time to acceleration is the same. I hope it works for others as well.

BTW, I checked my own transmission fluid about a month ago and it was a little more than 3/4 qt low. Filling it made no difference in the shift delay. Last week I checked it again with the transmission cooler thermostat pinned (Note: thermostat only on tow package vehicles). Pinning thermostat made no difference.

 

I do the same and no problem.

 

Isn't the way you used to avoid the delay the way you are supposed to be shifting anyways? If you're not completely coming to a stop and shifting gears cant you damage transmission?

 

Not to change the subject, but do the ORs have a tranny temp gauge?

 

I always shift into 1st (or 'D') while still moving a little in reverse, have never had a problem with it or had the transmission act up because of it.

Now if I were to do the opposite, that's a different story.

 

In both scenarios, I come to a complete stop. The difference is I now hold the truck stationary for about 1 second after shifting into Drive to avoid feeling the forward creep/engagement.

 

Buy manual trans. Resolved.

 

So I've always, kept on the brake, then put it in D and no shift issues. It wasn't until I read posts on here and started to be impatient when shifting from R to D that I noticed issues.

No gauge, but there is an internal sensor with an associated warning notification if it gets too hot.

 

... you should be backing into your driveway in the first place .... your driving a truck, always back in.

 

So much easier with the camera than pulling in forward. I still have no idea where the nose ends on this thing.

 

Anytime you shift between D to R, D to P, R to P, R to D, you can most definitely cause transmission damage is you do not come to a complete stop. This is true for BOTH auto and manual trans (however manual you likely will only cause excess wear to the clutch). Most auto trannys now have a fail safe that actually prevents the transmission from shifting from my above mentioned gears when moving to prevent damage. Case in point, you could have your car going 75 on the highway, throw it in reverse and nothing happens (basically the tranny goes into neutral). While I'm not a mechanic or a mechanical engineer, I would wager that this pause while shifting from R to D is because the vehicle is not at a complete stop when shifting. Also keep in mind that auto trannys need to build up fluid pressure to complete a shift, so if you turn your truck on and immediately shift to R ot D, there could be a couple second hesitation while the transmission builds up the fluid pressure to safely complete the shift.

 

I have this issue even though I wait for the truck to come to a complete stop. It's not just people being idiots behind the wheel.

 

Oh but it is! Even though we've all driven different cars and trucks and notice this unique behavior - it is clearly that we have all forgotten how to drive and just want to complain about something.

I do like the proposed solution of come to a complete stop (may want to turn on hazard 4 way lights if you are backing into a street), shift, count out loud "one - one thousand, two - one thousand", then remove your foot from the brake. It completely fixes the problem! I don't notice the lag if I'm counting.

 

Maybe that's why I haven't noticed. I always wait for the transmission to engage before letting off the brake. It's just a habbit that seemed that it would help a transmission live longer.

 

On my truck, drive is engaged. You can and do move forward at a crawl. There's a lag between when you can start to accelerate and when it starts crawling forward at idle.
It kinda goes like this:
Reverse -> slow down, stop, hold brake firmly for engine surges when cold (lol) -> shift into D -> take foot off brake -> step on gas -> move forward at idle -> then truck soon agrees it is time to accelerate, and it moves as expected.

 

I had the transmission delay issue a couple times even if I completely stopped and felt the tranny shifted into drive. It still slips for a second. I had my tranny fluid checked and I watched the tech. My truck is not low of fluid. Now I wait about a second or 2 after it shifts and no problems. Maybe it's just slow at shifting from R to D.

Also at 2k miles, if you have 4x4, grease your driveshaft zerks, mine were dry, about 4-5 pumps before any grease came out.

 

Nobody said I would have to know how to count when I bought the truck... whats next? I have to be able to read?

Argggg SO complicated.

 

It seems to me that all the suggested method does is mask the problem.. something has to be going on in the transmission (or torque converter maybe, if they are seperate? From what ive heard) if we have started noticing the dreaded delay from the devil! (& granted we also know how to properly drive & always wait the necessary time before accelerating & after shifting.) So isn't the suggestion just hiding it, for it to later on manifest itself as a whole new & more destructive/expensive issue? Seems like it would be inevitable.

 

In the 2 years since the last post before yours, Toyota issued a tsb about this.

 

noticed OP has a 2016.. wonder if he's had tsb-077-016 rev1.. When I fist purchased my 16 I had a similar issue had the original tsb performed and that seemed to correct it then later had rev1 performed when trying to address a different issue.