I have a 1996 Toyota RAV4 which just turned 150k miles and is slow shifting
10

Asked by DonnaBob Nov 27, 2018 at 03:48 PM about the 1996 Toyota RAV4 4 Door

Question type: Maintenance & Repair

Just recently, and notably when some very cold temperatures have hit, it
takes a while to shift into third gear.  It seems to take a few stops and starts
and maybe around 15 minutes for it to begin shifting all the way through.
If I get on the highway right away after initial start-up, it has sometimes never
shifted into third.
Are there any parts I should have checked out to help prevent failure?
I was told I should not change out the transmission fluid due to it's age and
mileage.......is that true??  One mechanic said that doing a tranny fluid flush
could cause more problems.

3 Answers

F_O_R answered 6 years ago

Change the fluid and filter. Take the advice not to do a flush. Sounds like you have a good mechanic.

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Guru9FSV8 answered 6 years ago

Yeah you need SOME new fluid and a clean filter. I have revived many a shifting issue on Toyotas specifically. The issue shows up cold and feels like the transmission is holding car back until that gear catches and throws vehicle forward. Do not flush!!! Two drop and Refills over 10K miles has been my secret for my toyota clients. Sometimes the second I do a inner filter change. Toyota fluid only. Castrol import if they don’t have lots of $$$

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DonnaBob answered 6 years ago

So, simply changing the fluid is okay but flushing is what NOT to do? Thanks!!

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