Sponsored

2025 4Runner Transmission Overheating on Climbs Off-Road

outdoorCO

TRD Pro
Well-known member
Joined
Apr 19, 2025
Threads
8
Messages
149
Reaction score
73
Location
CO
Vehicle(s)
2025 TRD PRO
Are you switching to Manual mode when in dirt raod climbs or you just leave it on Drive?
I noticed that if I switch to Manual and keep it reved up between 1st and 2nd it does fine, but I should not be doing that on paved HWY roads regardless of the climb or speeds.
When on high speeds or freeways mine is fine (it'll get up to 212F), but is the slow twisty paved climbs of slowing down and going between 15-45 and the constant climb on dirt roads also slowing down and speeding up (probably a torque converter issue)
I just leave it in drive. How do you see exact temps?With Carista?
Sponsored

 

jarussll4

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 30, 2025
Threads
0
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Location
San Diego, CA
Vehicle(s)
2025 Land Cruiser
I just leave it in drive. How do you see exact temps?With Carista?
I am glad yours is not having the issue, that means is not an issue with all. I use CarScanner with a bluetooth OBDII reader and use carplay to projected on my screen live. On the picture below you can see the tranny temp at 240F after a twisty climb on a paved HWY with lots of slow down and go between 20 and 45 mph.

2025 4runner 6th gen 2025 4Runner Transmission Overheating on Climbs Off-Road Idylwild 7-21-25
 
Last edited:

02SE

TRD Off-Road Premium
Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2025
Threads
0
Messages
21
Reaction score
23
Location
The Canyons
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
4LO in a paved road would be very unsafe. Is not just off road that is happening is also happening on steep slow HWY climbs up mountains (For me Idylwid, CA and Desert to Julian ,CA). Paved twisty roads. I have had other 4x4's for over 30 years and had never had to angaged 4lo in a paved road. IT IS NOT DRIVER ERROR
He specifically stated (at least it's stated on the work order) he was in 4hi.
 
OP
OP

Gunnison

TRD Off-Road
Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
17
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
He specifically stated (at least it's stated on the work order) he was in 4hi.
I was in 4H on a gravel mountain road, not rock crawling, going around 15-20 mph with intermittent slowing down for rocks and other stuff.
 

timelapse

TRD Off-Road Premium
Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2025
Threads
13
Messages
227
Reaction score
144
Location
ATL
Vehicle(s)
2025 ORP
Is this mainly happening on the hybrids or also on the non-hybrid models?
 

timelapse

TRD Off-Road Premium
Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2025
Threads
13
Messages
227
Reaction score
144
Location
ATL
Vehicle(s)
2025 ORP
mine is hybrid
Just got caught up on all these threads. For the Tacoma, happening on gas and hybrid models. Most people do have bigger tires installed, but at-least one person is running stock tires and having an issue.

Hopefully Toyota takes action to remedy this.

I just put on heavy KO3s. Heading to Colorado in a few weeks. 😬 Hoping to not have these issues when we’re in the San Juans. My prior 5th gen has made it to all sorts of high places in Colorado without any issues over the years. No issues above 200k miles either. These new trucks shouldn’t be hindering their owners from enjoying what they’re marketed to do.
 
OP
OP

Gunnison

TRD Off-Road
Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
17
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
Just got caught up on all these threads. For the Tacoma, happening on gas and hybrid models. Most people do have bigger tires installed, but at-least one person is running stock tires and having an issue.

Hopefully Toyota takes action to remedy this.

I just put on heavy KO3s. Heading to Colorado in a few weeks. 😬 Hoping to not have these issues when we’re in the San Juans. My prior 5th gen has made it to all sorts of high places in Colorado without any issues over the years. No issues above 200k miles either. These new trucks shouldn’t be hindering their owners from enjoying what they’re marketed to do.
I have Toyo AT3s on my 4Runner, around 30 pounds each and no extra additional weight.
 
OP
OP

Gunnison

TRD Off-Road
Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
17
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
Just took the 4Runner up a mountain on a narrow, paved road and the tranny temps started going up again so I put it in S mode (S2) which helped though it still got a little warm. I was going around 15- 20 mph (it was a narrow winding mountain road, so I wanted to avoid any head-on collisions). Part of it turned to gravel/dirt and I kept in S mode rather than putting it in 4L (which it certainly didn't need). Long story short, I don't feel like I need to be doing all this shift changing with every change in grade or I would have gotten a manual which they don't make anymore. Most embarrassing part of all this was when I pulled over to let the tranny cool down before I switched over to S mode a new Bronco went by me up the mountain with two little old ladies in it and a Mazda crossover was chilling at the top of the mountain.
 

timelapse

TRD Off-Road Premium
Well-known member
Joined
Mar 10, 2025
Threads
13
Messages
227
Reaction score
144
Location
ATL
Vehicle(s)
2025 ORP
Long story short, I don't feel like I need to be doing all this shift changing with every change in grade or I would have gotten a manual which they don't make anymore. Most embarrassing part of all this was when I pulled over to let the tranny cool down before I switched over to S mode a new Bronco went by me up the mountain with two little old ladies in it and a Mazda crossover was chilling at the top of the mountain.
I agree. You really shouldn’t be required to do any of this. Completely unnecessary to overthink simple mountain climbs most vehicles can do with ease. Let’s hope Toyota finds a fix for you soon.
 

jarussll4

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 30, 2025
Threads
0
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Location
San Diego, CA
Vehicle(s)
2025 Land Cruiser
I had a case open with Toyota and they were not very nice at all. They said after analyzing the data from the dealership and what I had sent, they determine these to be normal operating conditions and the transmission never overheated it just gave me a warning, so the case was closed. This is terrible. Jeep treated me much better than Toyota (and that's a lot to say). This is a problem that Toyota is completely denying and washing their hands. Should have kept my Jeep.
 
OP
OP

Gunnison

TRD Off-Road
Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
17
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
I had a case open with Toyota and they were not very nice at all. They said after analyzing the data from the dealership and what I had sent, they determine these to be normal operating conditions and the transmission never overheated it just gave me a warning, so the case was closed. This is terrible. Jeep treated me much better than Toyota (and that's a lot to say). This is a problem that Toyota is completely denying and washing their hands. Should have kept my Jeep.
Was it case you opened with Toyota or a case the dealer opened with Toyota?
 

jarussll4

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 30, 2025
Threads
0
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Location
San Diego, CA
Vehicle(s)
2025 Land Cruiser
Was it case you opened with Toyota or a case the dealer opened with Toyota?
Both. The dealership opened one so they could have Toyota looked at the data and though they found the torque converter slipping and the temperatures were high, they still said it did what it supposed to do and therewas no risk of damage or any problems. So I opened one with Toyota and was the same thing, the Toyota people were super rude.
 
OP
OP

Gunnison

TRD Off-Road
Active member
Joined
Jun 26, 2025
Threads
1
Messages
26
Reaction score
17
Location
California
Vehicle(s)
4Runner
Both. The dealership opened one so they could have Toyota looked at the data and though they found the torque converter slipping and the temperatures were high, they still said it did what it supposed to do and therewas no risk of damage or any problems. So I opened one with Toyota and was the same thing, the Toyota people were super rude.
And I assume the one the dealer created was assigned an official TAS case number and assigned to a TAS agent? At least then even though they gave you a bunch of BS it is officially logged. I have no idea what Toyota will do once they have more of these cases but maybe they will pay more attention. I've found different responses from different people at Toyota same as I've found different levels of helpfulness from dealer to dealer which is why this such a pain in the ass to get it paid attention to and reported. I appreciate your efforts in trying.
 

jarussll4

Member
First Name
John
Joined
Jul 30, 2025
Threads
0
Messages
18
Reaction score
4
Location
San Diego, CA
Vehicle(s)
2025 Land Cruiser
And I assume the one the dealer created was assigned an official TAS case number and assigned to a TAS agent? At least then even though they gave you a bunch of BS it is officially logged. I have no idea what Toyota will do once they have more of these cases but maybe they will pay more attention. I've found different responses from different people at Toyota same as I've found different levels of helpfulness from dealer to dealer which is why this such a pain in the ass to get it paid attention to and reported. I appreciate your efforts in trying.
Agree with you, the more people come forward the better. What I have found out is that a lot of people are in denial and keep saying to just put it in Manual Shift or 4LO. But when you have honda Civics reaching the top of the summit and you are on the side of the road pretending to look at the view while waiting for the tranny to cool down on your 70K + vehicle, is very embarrassing to say the least. Let's hope Toyota does something about it.
For now I am just having them exchange the Fluid so that it stays on the record.
And Yes, the assigned it a TAS number. Boyh the dealer and Toyota cases have been close with the conclusion that the owner is not right and 250F are normal temps.;)
Thank you too for also trying!!!
Sponsored

 
 







Top