Hybrid system failed - "System Malfunction Visit Your Dealer"

[Beedeviled]

Hi everyone! Is it possible to add your vehicle’s manufacture date to your posts? Think this would be good information to have. I’m curious if it’s a snapshot of time or a more systemic issue. Really sucks that folks are dealing with this stress.

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[22peaks]

Picked up my ride today. The repair write up states they looked for signs of metal in the transmission fluid. So I guess it was a drain/fill operation, vice top off They couldn't reproduce the issue after the fluid inspection. They put 26 miles on it in an attempt to recreate the issue.

Upon pick up, I drove that bish spirited. Just to see how it did. It seems ok. There's still some slight noticeable shifting when creeping around in parking lots.

Toyota: don't make this my last purchase from you!

I believe this is the same issues they had with the Tacomas. There was manufacturing debris in the transmission and all throughout the assembly causing it to fail. A flush would not get all the debris out which is why they need to do a full replacement.

Here is the Tacoma TSB # T-SB-0094-24
(I had 2 of these exact codes when mine failed and my transmission is the L580F model also listed in the bulletin, but they are claiming since they “fixed the issue on the Tacomas”and my VIN is not listed, they can’t help)

Post about it on another forum here:
“There have been a handful of stories on other forums about Tacomas needing a transmission replacement after just a very short time. Something self-destructs, and then there are metal bits floating around in the trans fluid. I recall reading one story where the trans failed like that, and then it failed again shortly after being replaced. That's when Toyota told the dealer that if you see metal bits in the trans fluid, then you need to replace the torque converter along with the transmission to completely clear up the problem.”

Another related article here.

I know those are for Tacoma but 4Runner shares the same transmissions. Not sure how Toyota doesn’t understand that it’s a transmission issue (which I read is from a 3rd party now?) and not model specific?

Here is another FB post from someone with the same issue on his 4Runner. He got a full transmission + hybrid replacement. Read through comments.

Good idea @Beedeviled on manufacturer dates. Mine was a 11/2025 production coming out of Tahara, Japan.

 

[a_double]

My ride was built 12/25.

Also, forgot to mention, the service dept stated they found DTC P077571 (Pressure Control Solenoid B actuator stuck).

Thanks for the TSB @22peaks

 

[StayRunnin]

Alrightttyyy, add me to the list of FAILED transmissions! Last week I took the 4Runner out and drove to work and back no problem. I decided to step out to see some friends and thats when the car started with an insanely loud whirring and whine. I thought it was a one off and drove it, only to find out it would make this noise every time I stopped, braked, or shifted into drive.

Being worried I stopped driving it for the weekend and drove it to the dealership Monday. When they took a look, the senior tech said he had never seen this happen on a 4Runner. I left it with them for the day and they concluded that one of the pumps had failed and had actually started to break.

We are currently waiting on parts to come in, covered under warranty I believe. But we are only at 35,000km (22k miles). I drove this car for almost a year, and for this to happen is wild to me. Usually when my cars crap out, its after 10 years of me and my family driving it, not at less than a year.

I've included some videos of the issue and pictures of the codes that are currently showing, waiting for the car at the end of the week.

I'm curious as to what part/component failed specifically as the tech only said it was a pump.

Keep us updated on this one.
I thought this issue was on lower mile 4runners, yours might be the highest mileage ive read this issue happen to

 

[mars001]

Why would any manufacturer remove the transmission dipstick regardless of either it's an open or closed system to facilitate the maintenance? To save a dollar or 2 of parts?

 

[RunnerRocks]

Why would any manufacturer remove the transmission dipstick regardless of either it's an open or closed system to facilitate the maintenance? To save a dollar or 2 of parts?

My previous 2020 Ford Ranger (no usable dipstick) came from the factory 3/4 qt low. Setting the proper level eliminated all semi-hard shifts.

I asked my service advisor this question during a recent unrelated visit when I had them also verify the correct transmission fluid level, which was correct.

His explanation included that people doing DIY fluid/filter changes improperly creates unnecessary problems & failures.

• Using improper fluid
• Checking fluid level at a improper temperature which results in improper level resulting in problems & failures
• Improper level due to misreading the dipstick (thin fluid and dragging it through a tube makes it challenging to read an accurate level on the stick)

 

[Beedeviled]

My previous 2020 Ford Ranger (no usable dipstick) came from the factory 3/4 qt low. Setting the proper level eliminated all semi-hard shifts.

I asked my service advisor this question during a recent unrelated visit when I had them also verify the correct transmission fluid level, which was correct.

His explanation included that people doing DIY fluid/filter changes improperly creates unnecessary problems & failures.

• Using improper fluid
• Checking fluid level at a improper temperature which results in improper level resulting in problems & failures
• Improper level due to misreading the dipstick (thin fluid and dragging it through a tube makes it challenging to read an accurate level on the stick)

Makes sense. Must be very difficult to get it right when even Toyota can’t do it correctly

 

[mars001]

I really have a hard time believing that explanation from the dealer. Why then didn't the manufacturer remove the oil dip stick and locked up the oil filler cap? How about the transfer case, differential? If people use the wrong oil those can cause big problem there too, no? How far should a manufacturer go to prevent that?

I truly have a hard time buying that explanation of the dealer...

Years ago, I had a full size Ford Bronco. There was no drain plug on the transmission pan and differentials. The explanation was: we don't want you to drain the fluid and not change the trans filter and we want you to open up the differential to check every time you change diff oil... Yeah right! Removing the drain plugs save a few dollars per truck in manufacturing, that was the reason.

My previous 2020 Ford Ranger (no usable dipstick) came from the factory 3/4 qt low. Setting the proper level eliminated all semi-hard shifts.

I asked my service advisor this question during a recent unrelated visit when I had them also verify the correct transmission fluid level, which was correct.

His explanation included that people doing DIY fluid/filter changes improperly creates unnecessary problems & failures.

• Using improper fluid
• Checking fluid level at a improper temperature which results in improper level resulting in problems & failures
• Improper level due to misreading the dipstick (thin fluid and dragging it through a tube makes it challenging to read an accurate level on the stick)

 

[mars001]

The same could be said for engine oil if they remove the engine oil dip stick and filler cap:

People doing DIY fluid/filter changes improperly creates unnecessary problems & failures.

• Using improper fluid
• Checking fluid level at a improper temperature which results in improper level resulting in problems & failures
• Improper level due to misreading the dipstick (thin fluid and dragging it through a tube makes it challenging to read an accurate level on the stick)

 

[a_double]

That's hilarious considering the manufacturer can't get the fluid level right.

AND the delivery process doesn't verify it to be correct, despite history.

 

[Stonkin]

I was able to go 20mph I was 4exits away about 4 miles if I tried to go faster the RPM's shot up to 4000

Given the sealed nature of these transmissions, and the additional hybrid torque moving through the transmission, and the PITA procedure to check the fluid level, it’s very likely that many cars are delivered unchecked. It would be great if there might be a simpler solution that KNOWING that our fluid level is correct

 

[NotApplicable]

Toyota doesn't make the transmissions. I assume they designed it but Aisin makes it

Aisin was a department within Toyota that spun off into its own company, of which Toyota owns the biggest share.

So yeah, it’s a separate company but it was born out of Toyota and is still tightly affiliated.

 

[LLL1990]

Aisin was a department within Toyota that spun off into its own company, of which Toyota owns the biggest share.

So yeah, it’s a separate company but it was born out of Toyota and is still tightly affiliated.

Actually Toyota Motor Corporation is a part of the Toyota Group. Toyota Group is multiple corporations all under the Toyota umbrella and one of them is also Aisin.

Aisin is a separate corporation from Toyota Motors but Toyota is the majority shareholder which is why it's considered part of the Toyota Group. Same thing with Denso and Toyota Motors, they are separate and independent corporations within the goup.

Toyota copied GM's vertical integration but unlike GM they made it work to their financial advantage. GM owned all the stages of manufacturing. Fisher Body, Hydramatic Transmissions, AC/Delco, Frigidaire, Rochester etc. Every component needed to build a car was made by subsidiaries of GM. What Toyota did differently and brilliantly was allow group companies to operate as independent companies not as subsidiaries of Toyota. Aisin is a transmission manufacturer and Toyota is one of their customers so is Ram and Volvo.

 

[NotApplicable]

Actually Toyota Motor Corporation is a part of the Toyota Group. Toyota Group is multiple corporations all under the Toyota umbrella and one of them is also Aisin.

Dunno what you’re… correcting? here. TMC directly owns over 20% of Aisin. They are closely affiliated both by current ownership structure as well as corporate history.

The point is it’s not like some unaffiliated third party manufactures the transmission, which was the implication of the previous post pointing out that the transmissions aren’t manufactured by Toyota. It’s like saying 4Runners aren’t sold by Toyota in NA because TMNA isn’t TMC.

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