2001 Toyota 4Runner/LTD/3.4L/2WD

Hello

My first time posting. As a female I actually know quite a bit about cars, BUT, cant get anyone to help resolve this mystery;
Have 165K miles on truck, but 3 weeks after I bought it 10ysr ago, the transmission was rebuilt at 85K. Pretty much fine, no issues. Randomly at some point of ownership, truck goes into limp mode. ZERO dash lights, ZERO codes in PCM. I would pull over or be near my house, shut if off, leave it, next day, go do my thing, and it's fine. It is fine for MONTHS or even 18months-2yrs, then RANDOMLY again, the LIMP GHOST pops up again! Still NO dash lights, NO codes. Then turn it off, leave it and drive again the next day. About July of 2019 it happened. Went away until Feb 2020. I found TSB about computer may need to be updated. Nope. Up to date. Could I start changing shift solenoids or speed sensors? Sure. Could I just replace the whole dam thing? Does that mean it will fix it? Not 100% either. Even Toyota won't engage with me without charging an arm and a leg. I thought maybe the harness from the trans to the PCM? I am SO over the drama. I have never joined a forum until now and this is my first post. Hopefully this is being seen out there and someone in their wisdom can help!! IN some aspects I wish I had a dash light+codes because then I would KNOW what the problem is and fix it, but I don't! Thank You.

 

This happens while driving? When accelerating? From a stop? Explain what "limp mode" feels like?

Does your rig have any other driveability issues that you might not think is necessarily transmission related?

 

Also...and I don't know this, but do you have to have a special code reader to get at transmission codes?

I think some codes are thrown in a car's transmission PCM, not the engine PCM. If your reader is a basic reader and not a "scanner", that would explain why you don't see any codes.

My OBDLink MX, I just got, will give me transmission temps. I think it will get transmission codes too but haven't needed to chase any transmission issue yet.

My point being...maybe take it to a 3rd party mechanic (or Toyota) and ask them to do a full code scan including transmission.

 

Thank you for replying and let me clarify; I live in Sacramento and drive into the 'Bay Area' (Concord, Pleasanton, Livermore or deep south to Santa Clara). Recent event, I drove 150 miles to Santa Clara. It sat for 2hrs (was in client meeting). I leave the customer. I am driving slow speeds in the business park streets, stopping at stop signs. Accelerate, fine. Next stop, I stop. Accelerate, then POOF, I feel the and hear the limp mode. Pull over within the inner streets of this industrial area. Turn it off. Wait 5 mins, start up and drive up and down, stopping & accelerating, NOTHING. After 15 mins of doing this, I tell my truck 'ok. Time to go home on major freeways. Get me home' and pray all the way. NOTHING on the freeway (Thank GOD) & get home. Next day, drive in town, then 2 miles from my house, at stop light. Accelerate and there it is again. Instantly (knee jerk reaction anytime it happens, my foot immediately pops off the gas then I barely press it again). Get to my inner streets to work my way to my house, it didn't do it again! Park. Next morning, I drive up and down a long street in my neighborhood, accelerating to 50mph. Go to various stops and accelerate, flip a U-turn and do it again. I tested it by 10x with the O/D 'on', then 10X with O/D botton ' off' (which now shows the orange light on my dash) and still NOTHING.
Rewind back a few years, first time was probably Spring/Summer 2016. Test drove with tranny guy while hooked up to computer. Nothing. Problem didn't replicate. Had fluid changed while at it. No shavings in pan, etc. Then it took until maybe 2018 for it to do it again, but cant really think of that, but for sure 2019 it did. If that is the case, it went 3yrs before doing it again, now it happened 7 months later from 2019 to here in 2020. It always happens leaving a stop sign or red light with real easy acceleration (I don't stomp on the gas). No codes, no dash lights, ZERO, NADA, NOTHING, hence my frustration. No other issues at all. Just did a tune up with new plugs and wires end of December, but noticed my guy didn't change my coil packs though, and I changed my oil already as well because of the driving I do. Spring of 2019 my font left bank O2 sensor 'failed' (but it was probably original, so I popped that out and put in the new one, no problem. I knew I had a smog to do by April for my registration so I knew it wouldn't pass, but it did after changing it) ..typical stuff, but this issue is a ghost! Thank you all for your help. I pray that it is a 'minor' fix so that I can fix it and drive it anywhere with confidence! In the meantime, I bought a used vehicle (ironically a 2003 Toyota 4Runner, but this time, 4WD with V8 from a dealer) and will drive that with confidence until I can get this resolved on my 2001). I have many 'life miles' to go on my 2001 at 165K!

 

I can’t help you with the problem, but welcome to the forum. Some folks will probably chime in a little later, hang in there.

 

Oh yeah, your rig is barely broken in.

I have an odd issue when I start my car. Where I put it in drive and it doesn't want to go, so I then put it in reverse and then immediately back to drive and it's fine all day.

Maybe, the next time it happens...try that?

I still think there is a code thrown somewhere and you're not accessing it. Limp mode should always come with some kind of code.

Also...don't change the coil packs. They are solid and rarely go bad. People change them with cheap ones and wonder why they have issues with new packs.

 

Not sure how to help, but I would change the title of the thread to reflect the issue, then more folks may look at it. I thought it was a rig for sale.