ADH

While under warranty, Toyota demand that you ONLY use ATF that meets JWS3309 spec. This means Toyota T-IV ATF or Mobil 3309 ATF Having said this, there are quite a few better fluids that are "compatible" with Toyota auto trans requiring T-IV. Examples include AMSOIL universal ATF, Penrite SIN ATF, Castrol Import ATF just to name a few ... It really depends on whether you are still under factory warranty or not

I have an 06 auto and what I have noticed is: - there is a temp sensor that will not let the auto go to overdrive until it heats up (I believe this sensor measures engine coolant temp (not ATF) and waits until it reaches approx 120 degrees ferenheit). After it heats up, the auto will often go into 4th - the car will often go into 3rd going down hill and vacuum brake. It will stay in 4th until you touch the brakes, at which time it will shift into 3rd and vacuum break. I wasn't used to this when I bought it but now I am I also have noticed hesitancy and jerkiness at low speed. This is a real problem for Toyotas/Lexus with 5 speed autos but the Corolla has a 4 speed auto so it is unexpected. Most of the time the car is fine but every now and then, the auto has a spasm and will shift hard into gear and seems to not know whether it should be in low gear or not. Very disappointing and seems like a programming issue to me.

Is there anyone who can edit the Corolla auto shift programming? I have a 2006 Corolla and at low speed, the shifting can be hesitant and jerky. This seems to be mainly because it is programmed to stay in 3rd/4th all the time and only shift to 1st/2nd AFTER you hit the pedal. Result is the occasional JERKS (not the driver). Can Toyota dealers do it ? Are there any after market shops in Sydney that are known to be able to do it ? Cheers

I've been checking the ATF levels regularly, while hot, and it is between the two hot notches as expected. I concur that there is more slip in the transmission while hot, what feels like the converter to me. It is too bad there is no Toyota-certified T-IV synthetic ATF that you can use under warranty because synthetic ATF often fixes quality issues.

NSW ps Does anyone know if the differential and transmission share the same fluid or is the fluid on the 2006 auto separate ?

Spoke to Toyota and as I expected, unless I can reproduce the problem on demand, it is a waste of time bringing the car in However, I am coming to some conclusions about this issue and believe the problem could be caused by overheating ATF (auto trans fluid). Problem arises in the following conditions: - coming off motorway after running in overdrive (makes trans nice and hot because there is a fair amount of slip in O/D) and get stuck in stop/start traffic (stop/start very hard on ATF, made worse being on a hill and because there is no airflow through radiator which contains ATF cooler) - I ALWAYS run the aircon which is a dealer-fitted unit not a factory-fitted unit (this worried me when I bought car 5 weeks ago). I am thinking they fit big ones to Australian cars because the heat exchanger sitting in front of the radiator is MASSIVE and is as big as the radiator itself (4 times the size of the one on my old commodore ). According to various cooling sites I visited, the radiator/ATF cooler effciency could be reduced to as little as 75% when the aircon is running - my symtoms (delayed engagement followed by harsh engagement if the above conditions are met) could be explained by torque converter problems caused by overheating ATF in a transmission that shifts beautifully at all other times (ie. assuming no mechanical problem). Torque converter shudder (I get this in overdrive too) is also a characteristic symptom. Ford trucks have quite a few TSBs on this issue and FORD will fit a free auxiliary ATF cooler for trucks experiencing shudder in overdrive - the A245E trans has a small ATF reservoir (2.9L) and is quite hard on ATF from what I have read. Other cars that have Aisin-Warner auto transmissions are the same. Also, the OEM ATF cooler in the radiator does very little from what I have read (at most 10% ATF cooling compared to after market coolers which can do as much as 60%) So, I will have to experiment. It is getting cooler now as winter approaches and I will not use the aircon for a while and will do an ATF change. I will see if the problem reoccurs. If it doesn't, I will assume I have found the reason and will get my trans guy to fit an auxiliary trans cooler (very cheap). In fact, additional trans coolers are so cheap and can protect the ATF so well, you might as well do it anyway. Of course, I could be wrong as I have a hard time explaining why this would happen in a new Corolla with a reputation for reliability and in a transmission that Toyota say can run forever on the factory fill of T-IV ATF (I could write another thread on this issue alone ....). Toyota don't even sell an auxiliary ATF cooler with their 950KG tow pack for the Corolla. I doubt I would be the only one with this problem however, from what I am told, I could easily be the only one sensitive enough to be worried by it

I have a brand new 2006 Ascent Auto. For the first 3 weeks everything was fine (approx 1200 KM) and then the last 2 weeks I have been noticing the occasional rough shift or miss-shift. Fluid level is normal. Most often this will happen going up a hill in peak hour traffic. You a crawling along at 10 KM/H up a hill and as you touch the accelerator to move along you will get a rough shift as the drive engages. It has also happened moving from a standing start going down a hill. The transmission seems to spin free for a second then engage hard or roughly. Air conditioner is ON. 95% of the time everything is fine and I cannot replicate the problem on demand. Are these transmissions adaptive ? Is this normal and will it settle down ? I was expecting the transmission on the car to be flawless but currently, it isn't. Advice appeciated....... Edit: Sorry, wanted to put this in Corolla section but didn't by mistake

Cheers for the input, guys. I guessed it was "Model Year" or similar to designate differences between model revisions manufactered in the same year. Toyota specifies that the 2006 Corolla changed May 06 too, so that confused the issue for me. The insurance choices were: i) 2006 Corolla Ascent Seca ii) 2006 Corolla Ascent Seca MY06 iii) 2006 Corolla Ascent Seca MY06 Upgrade - Free passenger airbag, front power windows By a process of elimination I guessed my car was iii) (was manufactured 15 Dec 06 and purchased Feb 2007 with free upgrades) For some reason, when you online quote for option i) most insurers are quoting approx $900 but choosing option iii) gets quotes of approx $600. Large difference for what is basically the same car. PS. Traded my 5L V8 commodore for the Corolla and it wasn't as hard a transition as I expected. Been driving it for 2 days and the Corolla is a relatively cheap and very impressive little package and the more I drive it, the more I like it

I am interested in the meaning of MY06 in the model names of cars. First time I ran into it was on insurance company websites. I can guess what it means but am not sure and would like to verify Cheers

Just bought new 2006 Ascent and wondering which sythetic oil should be used after running it in? Choice is between 30 weight oils (eg. Mobil 1 10W-30 and Castrol Edge 5W-30) or heavier 40 weight oils (eg. Mobil 1 0W-40 and Castrol Edge 0W-40). I have started to lean towards the 30 weight oils because they are recommended by Toyota and are considerably cheaper but will they protect as well in the heat of summer? What oils are Corolla owners using ?