I'm a newb. And I'm female. So bear with me.

My family currently owns five 4Runners. Four of them are 3rd generation models. I have used the same mechanic for over ten years, and he's never let me down. But he can't figure this problem out, probably because he couldn't replicate it.

My '02 Sport (automatic, V6) sometimes won't go when I accelerate. This usually happens when I'm stopped at a light or a stop sign, and when I try to go I get no response. I push the pedal all the way to the floor and it feels like I'm in neutral. Eventually it does start moving.

I've also noticed noises when I'm turning around or otherwise shifting from Drive to Reverse and back again. It's almost like the skid control is activating (even though I'm not skidding or losing traction), and a few times I've felt a clicking or mechanical noise under my feet on the driver's side when this happens.

I also have had the skid control come on if I'm stopped on an incline and take my foot off the brake and start to accelerate (as the car slightly rolls backward).

But all this stuff isn't constant. Sometimes the car feels normal for miles and miles of driving. My mechanic didn't have any engine codes, and when he drove it for a few days he didn't have these problems happen to him so my only recourse is to take it to a dealership, which could be uber expensive. I don't trust the car, which definitely isn't cool.

Does anyone have any ideas? The car has been in my family since 2003, when it was purchased with only 11K. Now it's almost at 110K, but all maintenance has been performed on schedule, and it certainly isn't abused.

 

My suggestion to you is to warm up the car (drive about 20 min) stop, shift through all the gears, leaving it in each gear for 2 sec leaving it in P(ark). Pull your tranny dipstick and see where the level is. If it is between HOT full and HOT add then you are good and the next step would be to drain the tranny fluid and look on the plug - if there are metal shavings = bad. If the fluid is not red but orangey redish then it needs to be changed. You can avoid many problems by changing fluids and it is not hard to do. I don't know if the mechanic did this that you took it to.

 

^ what stir fry said.

When i was having the radiator/trans fluid probs with the wifey's 4runner, i drained most of the trans fluid and had to pull it back into the garage with an almost empty trans. I had a hard time getting the thing to go. I know you can damage a trans like this, but it was 20 feet and there are no problems still after i did this.


Check the level and hopefully that is the only problem

 

possibly could be an actuator solenoid in the transmission being faulty? the solenoid won't engage the first gear?. My 2 cents

 

Well, how does the fluid look?
If it is orangy-red, it needs to be changed, at least a drain and fill. It should be RED.

 

I remember a post from long ago about the battery affecting the transmission as the solenoids are powered by electricity. It sounds like a bad tranny, BUT there are a lot of things that make the miracle box go. So, you need to check mechanical and electrical.

 

I really appreciate everyone's input.

I got out my owner's manual and didn't see any place in the diagram telling me where to check the fluid. I'm assuming it doesn't have a dipstick.

Things are kind of on hold here as I'm taking a graduate school admissions test next week and spending all my time studying. But I'll get back to you all after that.

Thanks again!

 

Your tranny dipstick is located on the passenger side towards the firewall and pretty much right by the manifold. It will be a red handle going into a tube. Looks like the first picture: http://www.ncttora.com/fsm/1996/SIL/...a340e/remo.pdf

 

Now I feel really silly. I did find it, thanks. It'll be a few days before the car gets driven, though. I'll let you all know.

 

I did check the transmission fluid awhile ago, and it seemed to be a darker red color. The level was fine. My mechanic also checked it and didn't think that was the source of the problem.

My mechanic ended up keeping the car for about a week. He had the problem happen to him a few times. He seems to think the VSC and no acceleration are related. But he didn't know how to address it.

Two weeks ago, I took it to the dealership where I bought it. After six hours, they totally blew me off. I was told that it's perfectly normal for the skid control to activate when you're on a gravel road. Basically, I was treated like a dumb female who doesn't know how to drive.

I do plan to try a different dealership because I don't feel safe driving the car. I may end up trading it in, even though I really don't want to.

 

I have heard from some members that this is sometimes caused by the VSC engaging to early. Now please someone correct me if I'm wrong, but a zero point calibration at the dealer could fix the problem. It sounds like when at the light, VSC is engaging.

 

Sally,
I don't know if yours is the same as my '97, but my ABS kept coming on way too early. It drove me crazy on dirt and snow so I just pulled the ABS fuse (which makes them normal power brakes) and it's 100xs better. I don't have VSC, so I'm not really familiar w/ yours, but if your ABS has it's own fuse, I would suggest trying it.

Your trans sounds like it's just starting to wear out to me. I would drain the fluid, drop the pan and check the magnets on the inside of the pan for metal shavings stuck to them, clean it all up, put a new filter in there, seal it and fill it back up. This can add many miles to a dying tranny. If you DIY, do a search here on YT and Google and there are some good trans service write-ups.

 

^X2 on what Brian said. I would try pulling the VSC fuse I think it is somewhere on the passenger side under the hood. Your VSC TRAC and TRAC OFF lights should come on. This will indicate that the VSC has been disabled. If you don't want to pull the fuse just leave your gas cap off between 1/2 and 3/4 full tank. Your check engine light will come on along with the VSC lights disabling the VSC. Drive it for a while and see if the problem comes back. If it doesn't then take it in and have the zero point recalibration done only at the dealer. But usually people need this calibration done when the lights come on without the check engine light. But if the lights are not on now, I would service the transmission as brian2sun suggested first especially if it has never been serviced. The service interval is around 30K miles for a drain and fill. I do mine at least once a year because it is inexpensive and easy to do. If it has never been serviced, drop the pan, replace the filter and the fluid. Should take about 4 quarts if the truck is level when you drain it (just drain and fill). A full transmission fluid service should take about 14-16 qts and you can look up how to do that.

One more thing: Are your tires bald?

 

update? could it possibly be a maf sensor.Those things can really make your vehicle do strange things.

 

Thanks for the replies. I will try to address everything in one post.

The car has 108,000 miles, and I don't think the transmission has been serviced, ever. I could be wrong, though. It's my mom's car. But just for my own edification, you're supposed to service the transmission every 30K?

I will pull the VSC fuse before I drive it tomorrow and see if it still has the problem. The thing is that when it doesn't go when I accelerate from a stop, the VSC light doesn't come on. At least, not that I've noticed.

The tires are Michelin LTX/MS and they still have a lot of life on them.

 

I don't know anything about VSC so can't help there. But another possibility is a sticking shift solenoid valve. Its pretty common for those little things to get clogged up and start sticking. Things as small as lint from a rag can cause problems with shift solenoids which is one reason its so important to keep up on the fluid (ATF) changes. There is a screen to filter the ATF but stuff can work its way though that screen. I'd say at least that screen should be replaced every 100,000 miles or sooner.

If I was to buy your vehicle right now, the first thing I'd do is drop the tranny pan, replace the ATF filter and check or replace all the solenoids and flush with new fluid.

 

That exactly what I would do too.

 

It would be a good idea to ask the dealer about the zero point calibration for the VSC system. I was having similar problems with the VSC kicking in at unnecessary times (coasting and braking while going down an offramp, for example) and took it in to get it checked out. It was very hard to replicate the problems I was having, but eventually it happened at the dealer after I had left it there for 2 days, warranting a zero point recalibration free of charge. Good luck and hopefully you don't need to sell your 4R!