Thread: New Hilux Auto Transmission Shudder?

Nah, they can (at sea level). Mine was set up to go HARD at the beach, but was travelling up the Napier-Taupo foot to the floor up the left hand lane of the big hill passing lanes going my god this thing hates hills, and I realised no one was passing me on the right (inside) lane. I soon worked out why when i looked in the mirrors - Greta would have been in full war cry "HOW DARE YOU..." and Russian tank designers would have been taking notes. One of the better smoke screens I've laid that's for sure, when I got to the top of the hill it was about four corners before I saw anyone else in my mirrors. I guess they weren't brave enough to floor it through white out conditions!

Originally Posted by Steve123

Those ancient patrols/safaris can do anything except reach the open road speed limit.

As my mate says about his, 80-110 in 5 mins

Originally Posted by 6x47

As my mate says about his, 80-110 in 5 mins

yes but they last more than 100K kms generally without dramas unlike modern diesel utes.

Issues like the shudder could be lubricant, some if the mine utes had issues as the workshop was using g a castrol product yheyve been using for ever - on paper it appeared the same specs as per factory, changed to a delo product- caltex or chevron- with a major improvement
Can't believe what they do with small turbo engines power wise
, the old adage : no replacement but displacement for towing heavy loads up hills/ off road

Originally Posted by Maca49

And the beauty of all that is, when it finally shits itself, you can leave it where it is

You'll be long gone when the mighty 4.2tdi finally gives up the ghost!

Originally Posted by Steve123

Those ancient patrols/safaris can do anything except reach the open road speed limit.

With the GQ's, I tend to agree.

The next generation, the GU's have quite a bit more pep to them. (we're talking in relative terms here!)

Gu & gq best to things out the Nissan stable, since then mhew

Ha!! 0 to 100 in ten minutes!!

Just looked at the price of a new Hilux. I'm happy with 0-100 in ten minutes, cause the difference on price between that new hilux and my GU is 50 grand. Better 50 grand in my pocket and a tad slower off the mark. Better a day cleaning injector tips and fuel filters, replacing trans fluids than a week with 5 different computers trying to get once bunch of electrons to play nice with another bunch of electrons...all to get the truck to simply start and run.

Originally Posted by XR500

Just looked at the price of a new Hilux. I'm happy with 0-100 in ten minutes, cause the difference on price between that new hilux and my GU is 50 grand. Better 50 grand in my pocket and a tad slower off the mark. Better a day cleaning injector tips and fuel filters, replacing trans fluids than a week with 5 different computers trying to get once bunch of electrons to play nice with another bunch of electrons...all to get the truck to simply start and run.

I concede you have a point. F**ken computers...

Originally Posted by cambo

It may just need the AT memory reset.
From memory there could be a ecu recalibration that could be carried out.

Will need to diagnose it and go from there.
It's still under new vehicle warranty so take advantage of that. Get it checked out.
Toyota warranty is very good and they want their customers happy above all else.

Hey guys, having this same issue with my 2023 GR Hilux - shudders in low 4th around 1 - 1100rpm @ 40 and 70kmp/h and will shudder and then drop back up to 3rd. I have taken it in last week and have had the TCM reset, Toyota have mentioned it has helped but it hasn't fixed the issue completely. They have suggested a Trans additive to help and that the lock up clutch is damaged ?

I had a small amount of water contamination on the first 15k km service in the Trans and diffs - this was changed with a flush and was recommended to come back for another flush in 500kms. In between the 2 flushes, one of the techs has reused the same crush washer and we had a trans leak. This was mentioned to them on the second flush and was fixed on the second flush. Once receiving the truck back, the shudder has started.

TNZ have come back and said that it was the water contamination that has caused Torque Convertor damage. I don't believe this to be the case as the shuddering came after the last flush and after the trans crush washer was reused.

1. Did we manage to get any answers from TNZ about other Toyotas doing this and why?
2. Does this sound like Torque Convertor damage/ lock up gear damage as they have claimed?
3. How many other Hilux's are doing this and what have TNZ done to remediate this ?

I am a little worried that they are only doing bare minimum in the way of diagnostics (seeing as they didn't replace a one use crush washer on a trans flush) and are just looking to pass the blame ? The truck has currently done 16,000km so definitely no expecting the torque convertor to let go regardless of the situation


What's everyone's thoughts ?

Cheers Brook

What is the source of the water ingress? That could be a fairly important factor here.

In any event if it was discovered at the first service, Toyota should be all over it as a fitness for purpose thing - I would be asking the question in the strongest terms of how the water got in there that they discovered and why the transmission was not properly sealed from the factory considering it's a ute for one, and two we live in a temperate climate where surface water on roads is expected.

It is definitely something Toyota will want to wiggle out of, fuck em though 100% warranty and product fitness issue. But personally I've had enough of new vehicle dealers trying to escape their liability for going out and hawking crap gear with unrealistic promises.

Unlikely (depending on the volume of lube lost) that a leak from a reused crush washer would cause the shudder issue - but then I would be expecting that a trans should survive a minor amount of water ingress for a few thousand k's with no damage to critical components. This is a very poor look for the model if this is the case, but in reality we need a little more info on what happened to the thing and how the water got in and how much there was.

Comparison, I've forded stuff with my Ranger multiple times - a couple of occasions deeper than 500mm as every exit was flooded and no option as we couldn't remain where we were. No water ingress at all in any components.

Originally Posted by XR500

You'll be long gone when the mighty 4.2tdi finally arrives!

Fixed it for you.

Originally Posted by GR Journey's NZ

Hey guys, having this same issue with my 2023 GR Hilux - shudders in low 4th around 1 - 1100rpm @ 40 and 70kmp/h and will shudder and then drop back up to 3rd. I have taken it in last week and have had the TCM reset, Toyota have mentioned it has helped but it hasn't fixed the issue completely. They have suggested a Trans additive to help and that the lock up clutch is damaged ?

I had a small amount of water contamination on the first 15k km service in the Trans and diffs - this was changed with a flush and was recommended to come back for another flush in 500kms. In between the 2 flushes, one of the techs has reused the same crush washer and we had a trans leak. This was mentioned to them on the second flush and was fixed on the second flush. Once receiving the truck back, the shudder has started.

TNZ have come back and said that it was the water contamination that has caused Torque Convertor damage. I don't believe this to be the case as the shuddering came after the last flush and after the trans crush washer was reused.

1. Did we manage to get any answers from TNZ about other Toyotas doing this and why?
2. Does this sound like Torque Convertor damage/ lock up gear damage as they have claimed?
3. How many other Hilux's are doing this and what have TNZ done to remediate this ?

I am a little worried that they are only doing bare minimum in the way of diagnostics (seeing as they didn't replace a one use crush washer on a trans flush) and are just looking to pass the blame ? The truck has currently done 16,000km so definitely no expecting the torque convertor to let go regardless of the situation


What's everyone's thoughts ?

Cheers Brook

Couple of issues I can see...
1# where did the water come from? Not very easy to get it in to be fair. Unless it had been parked in a high flowing river for quite a while....

2# a crush washer isn't going to affect anything. I'd say it was left loose. Even if over torque they don't leak like that. And then it would've needed to dump a crapload before any issue appeared.

#3 you say you had a couple of flushes done. With a proper trans flush machine, or just pan drained and refilled? They are 2 totally different things and 12-15l difference in fluid used. Just a drain and refill would explain the bung being left loose......
And I hope whoever did it actually used the correct oil.

Thanks heaps for replying!

Sooo a little more info - the Hilux gets used as a Hilux, camping, overlanding etc (Insta: @GR_Journey'sNZ) so it sees fords regularly. Trans fluid is a red colour when fresh, removed fluid was like a clean pinky colour - no other contaminants, not mud, etc reported. I estimate around 150 - 200km were driven on contaminated fluids with no signs of any issues while contaminated.

After looking a bit deeper into Hilux wading depths, I've found 700mm is the max wading depth. The diff openings are on the top of the pumpkin, no more than 300mmm from the ground! Transmission and VSC have breathers on the top of the transmission tunnel but highly doubt they are 700mm from the ground.

I looked back over the invoices received from GWD and they have only "Replaced" the fluids and can confirm today via email that no flushes were done at contamination time. I believe this to be the crucial issue seeing the complexity of the transmission systems and the little crevasses contaminants can hide. The only way I know of is a complete transmission flush via a flushing machine ?


After a email today from GWD, they are blaming the contamination for the damage - I'm saying the system should of been flushed properly which has caused remaining water in the system. Am I crazy ?