2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Power Trainautomatic Transmission Problems

I OWN A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 4WD. I PURCHASED IT NEW FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER, 2008. BY THE FALL OF 2009 I NOTICED A SPORADICALLY OCCURRING DELAY IN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WHILE SWITCHING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE, LASTING APPROXIMATELY 5 SECONDS. THIS WOULD HAPPEN WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY OR PARKING LOT, OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A U-TURN. STILL UNDER WARRANTY, I FIRST TOOK THE CAR INTO THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN NOVEMBER OF 2009. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE, THEY RESET THE CAR'S "CPU" AND I RETURNED HOME, ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CONTINUE. AFTER THREE MORE VISITS TO THE DEALERSHIP, THE LAST IN MAY, 2010, THE DEALERSHIPS SERVICE DEPARTMENT STOPPED RETURNING MY PHONE CALLS AND FAILED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. SINCE FEBRUARY 2010 I HAVE DOCUMENTED OVER 45 OCCURRENCES OF THE PROBLEM, WHICH HAVE OCCURRED AS FREQUENTLY AS 4 TIMES IN ONE DAY...

I HAVE A 2008 4RUNNER. I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN HAPPY WITH THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER, WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ENGAGE IMMEDIATELY. THIS MORNING I WAS BACKING OUT OF THE POST OFFICE WHERE THERE ARE ALWAYS PEOPLE WALKING IN FRONT A ND IN BACK OF YOUR VEHICLE. I SHIFTED INTO REVERSE BACK UP THEN SHIFTED INTO DRIVE. WHEN I PRESSED ON THE GAS THE CAR CONTINUED TO GO IN REVERSE. THIS WAS VERY SCARY. I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE AND LOOKED DOWN TO MAKE SURE I WAS IN DRIVE. THE CAR WAS IN DRIVE, I THEN PRESSED THE GAS AGAIN, THE CAR WAITED ABOUT 5 SECONDS AND WHEN FORWARD WITH A BURST OF ENERGY. I HAVE HAD THIS HAPPEN BEFORE BUT NOT WITH THIS DISTINCTION. I FEEL THIS IS A DEFINITE SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY IN A PARKING LOT WHERE PEOPLE ARE WALKING CONSTANTLY. *TR

2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT - WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE TRANSMISSION DOES NOT ALWAYS ENGAGE. ESTIMATE ABOUT 15-20% FAILURE. FOR ABOUT 5 SECONDS THE VEHICLE ACTS AS IF IN NEUTRAL. IF I DO NOT REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING AND APPLY GAS, WHEN IT FINALLY ENGAGES, THE CAR DANGEROUSLY LURCHES FORWARD. FAIRLY SURE IT IS AN ELECTRONIC ISSUE. HAS OCCURRED SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE TAKEN TO DEALER 3 TIMES. RESPONSES 1) CAN'T REPEAT AND CAN'T START CHANGING PARTS BECAUSE MAY TRIGGER LEMON LAW, 2) CAN'T REPEAT AND NO ONE ELSE HAS REPORTED, 3) CAN'T REPEAT, SO WE WILL LOOK AT IT AGAIN WHEN YOU BRING IN FOR NEXT OIL CHANGE. DESPITE MY EXPLAINING REPEATEDLY THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN DEALER HAS SHOWN NO REAL INTEREST TO RESOLVE. MY HOME'S DRIVEWAY IS ON A BLIND CURVE AND I WILL NOT BACK INTO ROAD BECAUSE I CAN NOT BE SURE...

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR SEVERAL MONTHS THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER CHANGING GEARS. FROM TIME TO TIME WHEN I GO FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ENGAGE GEARS. JUST YESTERDAY NOT ONLY DID THE VEHICLE NOT ENGAGE, BUT WHEN I WENT FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE (I CHECKED TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VEHICLE WAS IN DRIVE) AND I STEPPED ON THE GAS THE VEHICLE WENT INTO REVERSE, ALMOST HITTING THE CAR BEHIND ME. THIS IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE THAT MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT TAKING THIS SERIOUSLY AND COULD EVENTUALLY LEAD TO DAMAGE AND/OR DEATH. *TR

MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS A CLUNKING SOUND AS I AM ABOUT TO TAKE OFF FROM A COMPLETE STOP. I CAN TELL WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE WHEN I AM ALMOST STOPPED, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE, MY CAR FEELS LIKE IT SURGES FORWARD. I HAVE TO PUSH ON THE BRAKE PRETTY HARD TO KEEP IT FROM DOING THIS. THEN WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO PROCEED, THERE IS A "CLUNK" FROM THE BACK END. I TOOK IT TO MY TOTALLY DEALERSHIP TODAY BECAUSE IT IS STILL UNDER WARRANTY (I'VE HAD IT FOR A MONTH AND IT HAS DONE IT EVER SINCE I PURCHASED IT). THE DEALERSHIP CALLED THE TOYOTA TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. THE ANSWER THEY GOT...THE CONDITION IS A NORMAL OPERATING CONDITION AND THAT NO REPAIR ATTEMPT SHOULD BE MADE. THEY SAID IT WAS THE DRIVESHAFT SLIP YOLK EXTENDING AND RETRACTING AND IS NORMAL OPERATING...

WE HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SPORT. WHEN GOING FROM REVERSE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ALWAYS GO INTO DRIVE. YOU PRESS THE GAS AND NOTHING HAPPENS. YOU THEN HAVE TO PUT THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE TO BE ABLE TO MOVE THE VEHICLE. TOOK TO THE DEALER NUMEROUS TIMES AND THEY SAID IT WAS "NORMAL". THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AS IF WE ARE BACKING UP ONTO A ROAD OR ANYWHERE BY THAT MEANS AND WE HAVE TO SPEND THE EXTRA TIME PUTTING THE VEHICLE BACK INTO NEUTRAL AND THEN INTO DRIVE IT WASTE VALUABLE TIME. THIS ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR ALL THE TIME, BUT APPROX 70% OF THE TIME. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. *TR

NEW, FROM 15,000- 25, 000 MILES, 2008 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER, JERKING WHEN ACCELERATED ON THE FREEWAY. IT IS AS IF THE SHIFT GEAR OR TRANSMISSION IS NOT PROPERLY WORKING. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER THE 15, 000 MILE SERVICE. FIRST DEALERSHIP WORKERS STATED NOTHING WRONG. CURRENT DEALERSHIP HAS NOT CHECKED FOR CAUSE NOR HAVE THEY OFFERED A SOLUTION. CAR REMAINS AT DEALERSHIP. SECOND ISSUE, MOST RECENT INCIDENT, SAME VEHICLE AT 25, 000 MILES WHEN ACCELERATED ON THE FREEWAY, JERKED UNCONTROLLABLY, WORST THAN BEFORE, ACCELERATED TO FAST SPEED (FLOOR MAT WAS SECURED), WOULD NOT BRAKE. DRIVER ATTEMPTED TO MOVE TO EXIT. ENGINE REMAINED REVVED UP. BRAKES SLOWED BUT DID NOT STOP VEHICLE. ABLE TO MOVE TO EXIT...HEAVY TRAFFIC. I COULD HAVE REARED ENDED MANY VEHICLES. SMOKE AND BURNING ODOR FROM BRAKE AREA. DEALERSHIP STATES FLOOR MAT WAS STUCK WHICH IS NOT TRUE, AS WITNESSED BY A PASSENGER IN THE FRONT...