My 95LS downshifts into first gear fairly hard when braking to a complete stop. It usually feels like a kick down. Not sure if this is related but upon cold starts when the engine is revving higher, and gets put into gear it feels like the car lurches forward.

The tranny fluid was recently changed. Could this be a tranny mount issue? Any Suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

 

Two things to look for here. First when the tranny oil was changed do you know for sure that it was Toyota ATF 4 (IV). it won't run well on anything else. Other than that your engine and tranny mounts will be shot. There's pleanty on here if do a search.

 

Previous owner changed tranny fluid at Sears, so most likely it is not Toyota. After searching around I am still curious if the down shifting and lurching is related or exclusive.

 

ls400 trans is VERY picky when it ocmes to fluid, if you dont use toyota T-IV (or the amsoil equivalent) then your trans WILL ***** at you.

 

The downshift feeling can be softened by changing the transmission fluid. My car lurches when I shift into drive as well and I've always thought it was normal on 1995 MY cars.

 

Thanks guys. I notice that during normal driving it shifts very smooth, but when I punch it harder (like 3k rpm and up) it shifts with a jerk. And of course the downshift always occurs.

I'm going to replace the fluid as well as the all the mounts. Hopefully that'll take care of the downshifting and minor engine vibrations.

 

Hi there all I have a 2000 ls400 and it's been around 2 years I am having issue with the transmission.. Before coming to stop the car downshifts to first gear at around 15kph and it like overdrives the car.. Does any one know what could be the issue here

Ps. Have changed the oil (Toyota atf oil) 2 times within a month
And transmission mount

 

My car downshifts into first, and usually its reasonably smooth when it does it. I can feel it but it's not awful.

It's very difficult to California roll though. In first gear the throttle gets super sensitive and the car likes to lurch forward if you give it too much gas. Quite easily.

No idea on the problem or a solution. Totally clean fluid and fresh motor\trans mounts too. Another symptom is that my RPM's will surge a lot going into drive\reverse. Like it'll spike to 1500 sometimes, and then get dragge down to 500 or 600 when its in-gear.

 

have you changed any of the throttle cable tension at the throttle body recently? i believe the transmission kickdown is also affected by the cable tension change.