I have just got a 02 GLE auto (Sterling Mist with Blk leather all Opt's except NAV...I know my way round) and have noticed that under hard accell. the shifts are very delayed. I put a call into a local dealer (I work as a ASM in a Toyota store...heehee) and they don't seem to know if it's normal or not. Anybody else have this concern? I know you sex (6) speed guys don't of course and I don't need to here I should've got a SE 6 speed, I have a wife who won't drive a stick (cept mine) and since I live near Chitown have to deal with ALOT of traffic so I got the auto. HELP!

SS

"I may not be as talented as Michael Jordan but I am just as old!"

 

I too bought an auto cuz wife won't drive stick. I have the same EXACT problem with my 2000. During steady low speed cruising < 35 Mph, there's about a 0.75 to 1 sec delay from when you punch it and when it responds. To overcome that, if I need to punch it and I expect this behavior to occur, I drop it into 2 and there's no delay. So I suspect it might be a tranny related issue. Anyone else know for sure what causes it?

 

Are you referring to acceleration off the line or from a roll? For my 2k2, off the line there is hardly any delay. It just jumps and starts accelerating like crazy. From a roll, like in DraKuL71 scenario, yes, I had felt a delay (within a second). It's kind of hard to explain. If I kick the pedal hard, it's hardly noticeable. But if I just push quick but not suddenly (controlled but quick movement of the pedal instead of a kick), I do feel it. Makes me believe it may be related to the new electronically controlled throttle. Or maybe it is just that I drove it as such a Granny during the break in that it need to relearn my driving habits... Don't know.

 

First off, it seems that we need to start a club here, "The wanted to buy a stick, but wife said no" club...LOL I have the same story, but my tranny experiences are much worse, or at least to me. Like stated above, when cruizing at about 35 and you punch it, it takes anywhere from 1-3 seconds to downshift. I have been told numerous times that this is normal. It has even caused a few "almost **** my pants" episodes where the lack of an immediate downshift could have been a problem but what saved me was the Max's bottom end power. I have told my wife countless times that next time I am getting my stick.

 

I am speaking of the delay during upshifts. It feels like a very soft
upshift like it sliiiiiiides into gear instead of enguaging into gear.
I know that this is not a good thing, sliiiiiiiding means clutch plate wear, not good stuff in the long run.

 

Are you talking about the fraction of a second delay usually from 1st to 2nd (roughly a 500rpm difference before the gear slides back in)? If so, yep that's slipping alright. I have it on my 2k2 as well, though it depends on the weather. I usually have it when it's cold. Now with the weather bumping back up to the 70's i don't experience it as much.

I've learned to deal with the problem for now at least until a TSB comes out (The TSB only applied to pre-2k2's). How? Right when you know it's going to shift to 2nd apply more gas and along with the sudden surge of forward thrust - 2nd gear also comes in pretty quick.