Torque Converter Lock-up in 2nd Gear?

A lot of the time in second gear I’ll be around 2k rpm and give it a little more gas the rpm’s will jump to 2.5k rpm. It’s not downshifting. Is the converter locking up in 2nd gear? Kinda strange it would do that under 40mph

 

Revs would drop with lock up, sounds like 1st unlocked.

I find its hard to tell what gear you're in with the new generation, but I dont have a lot of seat time yet. Finally drove a land cruiser today.

But hindsight, you know when you're out of 1st because the power finally comes on.

Likely "normal" until there's a shift revision eventually.

 

Interesting, I always thought it felt like a mini “downshift” while being in the same gear and the rpm’s would go up. At least that’s how it was in some other vehicles I’ve had.

 

With the new 4th gen, it won’t downshift to first until you come to a complete stop so for sure I’m in second

 

8 speed tranny it probably doesn’t lock in 1-5

 

That’s what I’d think also

 

I find mine does the same thing with a very light foot. My unprofessional opinion is that the tranny is under such light load it dose'nt need to/have time to lock up. I was worried at first, but not anymore. I went to a quiet road, and using manual shift made sure that it shifted in every gear. it did. I believe in manual mode it shows 3rd to start for some reason, but i definitely could feel all of the shifts distinctly when under more than light power.

 

Make sense, this is with minimal throttle input as well.

It shows third as the highest gear it’ll shift to in manual mode from stop I believe

 

Might be the start of a transmission failure…been seeing some complaints about these transmissions failing .

 

What’s your thoughts on the 4th gen for longevity being your a Toyota tech?

 

@OP my TRD OR is currently at the dealership with a transmission failure. On 7/8 while I was on a road trip, my automatic lost gears 1-5. I could only access 6, 7, and 8. Per the manual, if you switch into manual mode, it will automatically put it in gear 3 even if you're at a stop, you should however be able to downshift into 2nd and 1st.

Anyways, I just got a call from the dealership yesterday about my new transmission and was told that Toyota has figured out the problem, and it's the torque converter. Expect another TSB or potentially a recall on this, they're now ordering the new torque converter so I'll have to wait longer.

 

Thanks for the info, keep us posted

 

Just drove my truck and tested this out. It’s absolutely not true. When you switch to sport mode from a stop it starts in first gear and shifts through second and into third. Won’t shift past third unless you manually shift it more. Exactly how the third gens are. Except they do limiting to fourth gear


Maybe that was a sign that yours was failing. It would be terrible for the engine and trans to start out in third from a stop

 

Page 219 of the manual -

It's possible, since you put yours in sport and you were at a stop, it went to first gear. Gears 1-3 are incredibly close together, I don't think they're as big an issue as you believe starting from a stop in 3rd.

 

Appreciate the info.

Yes, depending on vehicle speed. So when it says S3 you are not necessarily starting in third.

And by this logic you’re saying it says S3 on the dash. But I’m really driving in gears 3-5? At under 25mph?

Can anyone else confirm they’re not starting in third gear from a stop in sport mode (S3) ?

 

Not worried at all, there's gonna be problems but because its such a shared platform with tundra/4runner/prado it will all be addressed swiftly.

The 1st gear power delay is a big indicator that Toyota is taking reliability seriously, its really hard to abuse this generation.

 

Good point because of the tnga platform it deff will make finding and fixing problems much easier