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Gs400 not Downshifting!

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Old Dec 9, 2014 | 04:21 AM
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Default Gs400 not Downshifting!

Hey fellas, so my 98 GS400 with 180k miles on it ( still pulls like the day i got it) has this weird issue at least to me, on normal driving lets say at about 45 mph, when entering a freeway entrance or slowing down to turn at about 15 mph, i have noticed the car doesnt downshift as it should. it feels like it holds on 4th gear most of the time... ive been changing the ATF once a year with toyota type-v fluids everytime and the fluid looks cherry red...most times i have to step on the gas pedal more than i should to get it to downshift! i reset the computer often but the issue persists. all maintenance like cleaning TB , MAF, TPS, APPS have been replaced or cleaned. Any ideas??? thanks guys.
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Old Dec 9, 2014 | 06:29 PM
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Anybody?
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Old Dec 10, 2014 | 12:34 AM
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mine delays from 2-1 and from what i've read, it could be a solenoid problem. im still digging around myself to find an answer
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Old Dec 10, 2014 | 06:50 AM
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Originally Posted by islexusred
Hey fellas, so my 98 GS400 with 180k miles on it ( still pulls like the day i got it) has this weird issue at least to me, on normal driving lets say at about 45 mph, when entering a freeway entrance or slowing down to turn at about 15 mph, i have noticed the car doesnt downshift as it should. it feels like it holds on 4th gear most of the time... ive been changing the ATF once a year with toyota type-v fluids everytime and the fluid looks cherry red...most times i have to step on the gas pedal more than i should to get it to downshift! i reset the computer often but the issue persists. all maintenance like cleaning TB , MAF, TPS, APPS have been replaced or cleaned. Any ideas??? thanks guys.
The only time I had shifting issues was when I had the “infamous” solenoid C issue. My code at the time was P0763. Do you have any codes? Is the check engine light on?
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Old Dec 10, 2014 | 07:55 PM
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The delay on mine is only on higher gears, it holds on the 4th gear even on low speeds specially when turning. as for codes i dont have any!!! Someone on a different thread not sure if its related mentioned that it could be from the computer learning my driving habits. i hardly rev up past 2.5k. i do floor once a while tho when a traffic light challenges me... what other symptoms would the solenoid give me besides delays on gear changes?
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Old Dec 13, 2014 | 01:16 PM
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if its the computer learning your driving mine does the same, i used to fiddle with the tiptronic buttons all the time when i drove, and would always down shift to slow me down, and on a hill that i usually downshift on purpose, if i go down the same way in automatic it still downshifts for me.
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Old Dec 13, 2014 | 06:05 PM
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Originally Posted by SC4Paulo
if its the computer learning your driving mine does the same, i used to fiddle with the tiptronic buttons all the time when i drove, and would always down shift to slow me down, and on a hill that i usually downshift on purpose, if i go down the same way in automatic it still downshifts for me.
I hardly use the tiptronic buttons, they make me wanna speed up where I shouldn't... When it comes to downshifting on downhills it works flawlessly, it usually does it soon as I put my foot on the brake pedal!
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Old Dec 26, 2014 | 07:46 AM
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Have you ever changed Your tranny filter/screen?
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Old Dec 26, 2014 | 06:45 PM
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Originally Posted by sam12345
Have you ever changed Your tranny filter/screen?
When I replaced my solenoid, my filter was still in good shape. I did remove it, clean it and thoroughly inspected it. If I'm not mistaken you need to remove the filter anyway to get to the solenoids.

There was a thread in the rx300 section, where the dude took a bunch of pics of a trans filter DIY.
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Old Jan 7, 2015 | 08:28 PM
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Is your engine up to temp? I find that my transmission acts different when everything is cold as if its in a safe/ warm up mode. So I just take it easy till shes up to temp.
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