Possible Transmission Flare Issue 2016 Trail Premium

Hello, everyone. I am new to these forums as I only recently purchased my first 4Runner. I have been a Jeep guy for a long time and have taken for granted how nice it is to be really familiar with the nuances of a particular vehicle. I find myself in unfamiliar territory for the first time in quite a while as I get acclimated to everything 4Runner and Toyota.

So, I have had my 2016 Trail Premium with about 111k for a couple of months now. For the most part, it drives very well. I have noticed some interesting transmission behavior, though. I know every transmission behaves a little differently and I have never owned a Toyota before so I have been operating under the impression that all of the quirks I am noticing are just standard behavior for this transmission.

However, I have started to wonder if there is a problem. My route to work includes a highway on-ramp that goes uphill. I end up reaching full speed near the crest of the hill so I am starting to back off the accelerator. It's around this time I expect a shift to a higher gear/lower RPM for cruising speed. That shift comes but I get a bit of flare where the RPM revs up a bit during the shift and settles back down to normal range once the shift is complete. I still have my foot on the accelerator at this time although it is backed off considerably. I have noticed that if I don't back off the accelerator, the shift is almost normal.

Does anyone have any insight as to whether this type of transmission flare is normal under these specific circumstances? I appreciate the input.

 

Sounds normal to me.

I'm assuming it doesn't do it on flat ground under any other type of acceleration.

 

Sometimes I notice better shifting into 5th gear on my 21 if I don’t lift
the pedal, just like you describe, in the same circumstances.

However, if I do lift the pedal a little bit, I don’t get a flare. Rather, I get slightly early engagement of 5th in a more sudden manner. So basically, mine feels like it needs slightly more flare if I lift slightly. It really depends on how much I lift.

I havent run into any excessive flare in 40k miles of having mine, but it’s hard to tell if you’re describing excessive flare. How long does it hang? What does that final lock-up feel like when the next gear engages? Does it engage roughly?

 

The hang is very short, definitely less than a second. The final lock is a little rough, but not more than you would expect after a flare and not much more than normal. I am just used to having zero flare in just about any circumstance.

 

Depending on what transmissions you’ve experienced before, the 5speed is really old school. They do need a tiny bit of extra hang to bridge the space between gear ratios. But not a lot. We have an 8 speed highlander that honestly feels like absolutely zero flare. It’s just drops in like a perfectly timed shift on a manual transmission. Meanwhile, my 4runner feels exactly like my old 06 Sienna 5 speed auto. Blast to the past lol.

Do you know the service history on the trans? Maybe start with disconnecting the battery to see if ECU relearning helps. Then maybe do a transmission drain/refill (not a flush, or complete fluid exchange…just do oil in the pan). That might help smooth things out.

 

Unfortunately, I do not have any history. I am a big lubegard fan and have been planning to drop some of that in there. However, this is also my first sealed transmission and I haven't had the opportunity yet to get under it to do it. Perhaps I should just go ahead with a drain/refill/filter and then throw in some lubegard. I will also disconnect the battery as you recommend.

 

I tend to view additives as just adding an unnecessary variable. A new filter also isnt necessary and is another step that can result in errors.

Best to go in order of simplicity. Disconnect battery for half hour or so. Then drive it around for a a week to see if there’s a difference.

Next, drain the pan oil and refill to the correct level using the standpipe procedure per factory service instructions. If you dont know how, make sure that the mechanic you go with can tell you exactly how he’s going to do it. Because there wont be any way for you to verify the level yourself.

If you take it to a dealer, they might tell you it’s not necessary. It might be good to ask them to collect a sample into a sealable labeled jar you give them, or at least find some way to witness work being done. Because, again, you wont be able to verify the oil has been changed otherwise unless you basically do 90 percent of the steps involved with changing it yourself. Plenty of stories of dealers “forgetting” to change the engine oil, or do the actual thing they are charging you for.


Edit: when you or the mechanic change the oil, use Toyota WS fluid only. It’s not expensive, and it’s what aftermarket fluids are trying to emulate.

 

Did you ever figure out the problem? Mine just started doing this on a 2014 Trail with 130,000 and I’m trying to troubleshoot

 

Tha Aisin A750 transmission is so bulletproof that I ignore the quirks and just keep driving. You might consider a drain and fill on the transmission. Otherwise, drive and enjoy.

 

The short answer is no. After receiving the great replies above, I chalked it all up to normal behavior for this transmission. I haven't had a chance to disconnect the battery but I plan to do so to initiate a ECU relearn as suggested above.

 

Drain and fill. Verify level.

 

Wondering if you've tried driving that same on ramp hill in S4 and if transmission response feels better.