Hesitant shifting when cold 24 SR5

2024 SR5 4x4 18k miles. Getting colder in TN especially in the mornings, I typically let the truck warm up for a few minutes so its ever so slightly warm when i get in, and upon driving the trans always seems somewhat hesitant to shift. I didn't know if it was holding a gear to warm up but when ever it seems to finally upshift its not a smooth shift it feels like it just falls into the gear. after it warms up its fine but it doesnt seem to like the cold much. Anyone else experience this? couldn't find anything else about it on the forum.

 

Yea, mine has the same behavior. It gets really interesting when it's below 25°. Nothing bad, but definitely "funky".

 

I kind of recall CVTs reacting to the cold and not shifting the same or almost not at all. Most auto trans are going to shift differently depending on temperature.

 

All The Auto Toyotas I’ve owned do this until the engine/trans temps come up.

 

Nothing weird with the trans but my wiper motors were loud this morning in -10f temps… thought that was odd

 

My 2nd Gen has done this for the 14 years that I've owned it. My 4th gen not so much.

 

My jeep and gm vehicles have always done this.

 

Mine does it too, just let it warm up for a couple minutes.

 

<laughs in upstate VT>
....sorry couldn't resist...

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Haven't paid much attention, but just for point of reference -
Is the new trans oil the existing historical magic gold juice the previous gen(s) had? I would think they'd even go slightly thinner to get every last 0.00001 mpg out of it.

A manual clutch at -30 was also fun at times. The auto I just let it do what it wants, does feel slightly different when very cold. Don't gorget to ignore your lower overall mpg when it's colder too lol.

 

Lay outside overnight buck naked under a piece of sheet metal at -10 and I bet your motor will be loud when you try to move your arms too

 

Ok, picturing that before 7:30am was not on my bingo card today

 

Cars make strange sounds when ambient gets below 0 degrees F, especially on first start.

 

I notice this too. Until the transmission gets above ~90F at least. Its most noticeable in and out of third gear, especially when slowing to a stop light and the vehicle downshifts.

I'm not quite to 5k yet, but I'm going to do a drain and fill around 5k miles of the Toyota WS ATF in the remote chance its just a bit low on fluid from the factory.

 

My 17 OR did this when it was cold as factory fill was a little over a quart low…..

 

Every modern vehicle I have driven does this.
It is intentional, the delayed shift allows higher revs which in turn creates higher ATF flows through the cooling system, which despite it being called "cooling" it usually allows the ATF to be warmed up in the ATF cooler which passes through the engine cooling loop. The engine warms up quicker than the AT does, so doing this also helps to utilize the engine to help warm the ATF.

It's intentional, and usually so is a different shift feel, in some vehicles the shifts are firmer, and others the shifts may be sloppier. It's designed that way depending on what the engineers deem best.

 

My 2020 Tacoma, 2023 4Runner and currently my 2024 Tacoma have all done this.

 

Had a similar situation and mentioned it to the dealer when in for the first inspection at six months. They "reset" the transmission (watched from a distance, they had a laptop plugged in the cab somewhere for about 20 minutes) and I thought it was bogus but since the cold shifts have been better. Could all be in my head but it seems improved.

 

Yeah ur trans fluid gonna be sludge at that temp on winter mornings of course it shifts weird.