I have a late 2001 tarago. While we were going up a hill towing our pop top camper, something happened to the tranny and we lost all drive. We stopped quickly and I let the tranny cool down a bit cos it smelt hot. I started the car and tried to drive off with no success. We had the car transported back home and even 5 hours later it still wont drive, in fact it wouldnt even roll off the back of the tilt tray with the handbrake off. Has anyone had any experience with trannys on these? Its a 4 speed auto coupled to the 2.4 engine. Does anyone know where I could get an exchange tranny and how much they are? Any help on what it could be would be appreciated. Is it worth sending to a toyota dealer or should I find a tranny specialist? Any ideas would be great.
thanks.

The exact same thing happened to my 2001 Tarago GLX just the other day (without the towing part, just heading up the hilly F3, half way to Gosford). It is currently at the tranny specialist (sent there by the mechanic), having a Christmas holiday. It looks like the repair cost will make a mockery of my wife and I attempts to economise on Christmas presents for the children this year.

I am curious to know what the resolution to tazzytarago's tale was. In my case I have been informed that there are lots of expensive pieces that need replacing.

As I was sitting waiting for the NRMA to turn up I rang a few Toyota Service centres and they said they were all too busy to even look at it this side of Christams, hence I had it towed to a mechanic I trust. However, if it turns out to be a failure on the part of Toyota Service (where I have been loyally taking it these past 6 years) I will be very annoyed. It also sounds like it is a not unknown fault.

I don't think you will be hearing from tazzytarago. Their last sign in was 15th September 2008...

hehe, I know. However, I AM interested to know if anyone else has had the same transmission issue.

Have been ringing around some spare parts places. Been quoted from $1000-$1400 for a 2nd hand transmission, 3 month warranty parts and labour. Not sure if the transmissions in this car is actually cut and paste or whether the broken one has to be rebuilt from parts scavenged from the working one. Tazzie PMed me and said he bought a Jap import tranny from a mob around Revesby. Hoping he'll get back to me with contact details.

Ok just an update in case anyone else has the same prob.
Was quoted $1300-$1800 for a 2nd hand gearbox with 3 months parts and Labour warranty. (The $1,00 quote referred to above turned out to be an error).
The Transmission Workshop quoted $800 to "service" and fit the transmission (basically just change the seals and check to make sure it all looked clean).
So that was $2,100 option 1.
Option 2 was a quote for $3,500 from the Transmission Workshop to rebuild the gearbox. Would give a 12month warranty.
In the end I went for the cheaper option - mainly because I plan to sell the car this year. The replacement gearbox had only half the kms of the one it replaced (78,000kms vs. 160,000kms).
So far (1 month) it has been fine. The Transmission Workshop mechanic reckons it is not uncommon for those Toyota gearbox to have the planetary gears stuff up. As I and Tazzytarago can attest.