VeradaMan

I’m not worrying about it. Just another little noise I’ve noticed, that’s all haha. 

I was just curious as to what it was, as I usually drive off with the radio on so I can’t hear it, but a couple of times I had the music off and I heard it. 

My first suspicion was that the ABS or traction control system performing a check. Thanks for confirming that for me @AurionX2 🙂

Any update on this? 

Thanks for the comments guys. 
 

And yeah since the reset I’ve been driving a bit harder and tbh, after driving it today, it’s a noticeable improvement over the performance before the reset. I’ll keep driving it hard and hopefully it fixes itself. The flare under light throttle disappeared today so it’s probably just relearning. 
 

I’m also planning a meet with ZZ to compare how our Aurion’s shift. 
 

So far so good. Best case scenario is that I’m being a bit anal and everything is operating normally lol. 

3 hours ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Don't' despair Matt. I hope they didn't charge you at Toyota if it didn't fix it. I'd wait and see what the transmission "Specialist" has to say before doing anything drastic like trade the car in. The U660E is a very good transmission and issues are very rare. You have a small bug in it somewhere and hopefully the transmission people can figure it out.

I need to go back and reread the thread, so forgive me if this has already been covered, but, does it flare under hard acceleration too or only on light throttle application ??

All good 

it’s only under light throttle or under load going up inclines. 

It only does it when it’s warm too. Performs perfectly when cold. 

3 hours ago, campbeam said:

I understand that the Powertrain warranty is for 5 years. Best to confirm this directly with Toyota Australia. 

https://toyota.custhelp.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/7683/~/what-warranty-coverage-do-i-have-on-my-new-toyota-vehicle%3F

 

 

I checked they Australian website. Nothing about a 5 year warranty unfortunately. 

So, just to update, today I got the transmission reflashed. The sloppy changes continued after my last comment which is why I went ahead with it. 

It was shifting more suddenly out of the dealership. By the time I got home, it was meandering about again. The rpm bounce after each shift has gone, but now I have a slight flare between 3rd and 4th at low speeds (around 40km). It flares by about 200 rpm. 

I was able to replicate the prior problem to the tech when I drove the car, but after they looked at it, they told me “it’s all working normally”. There weren’t any codes or anything. Now I have this flare after the reflash. 

I’m terribly disappointed in the way it’s performing and I’m seriously considering trading it in if I can’t rid myself of this issue. None of the test drive videos on YouTube of cars with the u660e transmission show them meandering about and slipping. They all perform nicely and are responsive + smooth with their shifts. 

The next step is to try the transmission specialists at Waverley Toyota, which is a bit of a drive. But I’m dreading being told that “it’s all working normally” when I know that it’s not. 

I thought I was avoiding problems by going with Toyota and now look. I should’ve looked more into the u660e issues before I made the purchase. I probably wouldn’t have bought it if I did. 
 

Oh and to top it all off, I was informed that I’m now out of warranty. 

Just an update. 
Tranny now shifting normally. Not flaring or anything. 
 

I’ll still get the tech guy to have a look when the car is in for it’s next service, but so far so good. I was barely driving it during lockdown so maybe that’s why. 

Well, car is booked in on the 30th of December, which is the earliest I could get in. 

I read something on the Lexus forums which was similar to my problem. The guy had an issue with shift patterns in his ES350 with the u660e trans. Service tech adviser just told him to be a bit heavier on the throttle and it should adjust and re-learn. 

so I went on a bit of a drive yesterday and was a bit harsher on the throttle. And what do ya know? Something kinda clicked (not physically) on the way back, and the shift patterns altered and stopped doing that weird fluctuation after each change. The pattern is far more solid now, kinda like when the car is cold. 

Toyota has still booked me in for a session with the tech adviser to go on a drive and talk about the issue, so I’ll still get them to scan + inspect it, but it seems all good for now! 

And I’m not kidding when I said I baby the thing. I barely ever take rpms above the 2-2.5k range. 

This is despite me putting a catback exhaust on so I could actually hear the car a little haha

Also to answer previous questions, I haven’t had the car since new. It’s a 2017 (May build) that I bought in Feb 2019 with 16k on the odometer. So it’s basically new, sitting with 26k on it now. Only a couple of stone chips on the bonnet from the older couple in Bendigo who I bought it from. They used to use it for odd trips in the country. No dings or scuffs on the rims either. 

On 10/30/2020 at 12:24 PM, Tony Prodigy said:

Hopefully is something temporary or at the least very minor. Don't worry about giving it some stick either, it can take some punishment. Just don't lead foot it off the mark. A gradual application of the the throttle would be better. 

We're the same with our Aurion. It never gets driven hard. Don't need to with the power it so generously gives for what  little it asks.

 

Yeah exactly. 
 

And yeah I hope so. I’m gonna book it in for an early service and ask them to check it out. I’ll explain the issue just as I have here. 
 

The car is still doing it, so I’m not too happy at this stage. It’s not serious but it’s clearly annoying. When I drive the car away from home in the morning, nice snappy gear changes until operating temp, then it starts to get sluggish for some reason. 
 

If they can fix it, cool. If not, the 2021 Camry V6 is tempting, but I’ve heard even worse things about that 8-speed.....

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

I am expecting that the Dealer will look at any Service Bulletins and most likely update the transmission control software. If that does not solve the issue, next step is to consider whether a replacement of the valve body is required. Just as well the vehicle is under warranty.

Warranty ends in Jan. 

I plan on jumping on this straight after exams. Just went for a longish drive and it performed ok with smooth changes and none of that funny business. 

Hopefully a reset will fix it. I baby the thing, so it’s not flogged either. Can count on one hand the amount of times I’ve pushed it above 4 grand haha. 

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

Based upon my limited experience, I would be confident in saying that the fluid level is not low. If the fluid level was low, I would expect having shifting issues when the ATF is cold.

Toyota service Centre will need to scan the ATM computer control unit to check for any codes relating to the change solenoids and sensors. There could be an issue with the electrical connections for the shift solenoids that only occurs when the ATF is at operating temperature.  

This definitely seems plausible. I’m aware that most issues are worse when the car is cold so I was sceptical about it being a fluid issue. I had a feeling it was something more electrical. 
 

Thanks mate. I’ll describe the problem to the dealer just like I have here and hopefully they’ll be able to fix it. 

Thanks for the replied everyone 

It happens when the car is warm. No issues when the car is cold and getting up to operating temp. 

Car is still under warranty. 

Hi guys, 

I’m going to see Toyota about this but thought I’d ask it here anyway and I’ll explain it as best as I can. 
2017 Sportivo with 26k on the clock. Has been taken care of very well. Just recently I noticed the transmission behaving differently when the car warms up.

I always let the car warm up a little bit before I set off from a cold start. The shifts are short, snappy and smooth, just like they’re supposed to be. 

However, when the car has been at operating temperature a little bit, the transmission starts behaving a bit sluggish, especially between 3/4 and 4/5, mainly between the 1-2k rpm range. If I floor it, the shifting is quite snappy. However, if I’m just driving normally, the shifting is definitely not as snappy. 

It also does this thing where after the rpms drop when the next gear is engaged, there’s a little jump in rpms and back down again before resuming acceleration. This is particularly apparent under light throttle at speeds around 30-40km/h. Rpms go down after the gear change, then jump around 300rpm, and then back down again, then normal acceleration ensues. 

I tried putting into sport mode, and the shifting was much sharper, but there is still some rpm hunting, definitely not as bad. 

Could it be something with the programming or maybe it’s slightly low in fluid? 

I’m going to get Toyota to look at it, because I don’t remember this happening a few weeks ago. 
 

Hi Guys, 

Been posting here for a little while without actually introducing myself. Purchased the car in Feb 2019 with 16,000kms on it. Got 23,000 now. Love it so far. 
 

Thanks guys, will do. 
 

I’ll post some pics of the car in the new members subforum 

Update: they put the car up and inspected the front end. Also took it for a drive and found nothing wrong. 
 

I’ll be definitely getting new tyres

6 minutes ago, Tony Prodigy said:

Firstly, welcome to the forum if we haven't done so. Both yourself and Ashley make valid points.

A front wheel drive car with the kind of power the Aurion has will get the occasional protest from the transmission, especially in the wet and where slippery conditions or uneven road surfaces present. The Aurion drive train is quite robust and will handle some punishment. If you had a serious problem the issue would be constant, which leads me to believe you have none.

The Bridgestone Turanza's are rubbish tyres. That's what is causing your issue there. They have appalling wet weather grip and will make your front end tramp even under the slightest corrugation. They fit these to new cars because they are cheap and tend to last longer than others. This is due to the type of rubber construction, which tends to go hard as it ages and they are usually worn before they are worn if you know what I mean..

When I purchased my 2012 Aurion, it still had the original Bridgestones on it too and they were garbage. The road noise was horrendous and the front end always felt twitchy under the slightest acceleration. All that torque trying to get down through those hard round blocks did it no justice. I then fitted Michelin Primacy Tyres and it was literally an OMG moment. The car totally transformed and felt incredibly smooth, quiet and plenty grip.

Don't delay, get your Michelin's today !!

Gday mate 

I don’t believe I’ve posted in the intro subforum. I will make sure to do that! Thanks for the welcome.

and yet another recommendation for Michelin! Bridgestone is truly rubbish. I can’t even take it about 2.5k rpm off the line without the thing wanting to tramp. It’s especially bad in the wet. 
 

I looked at my tyres and they do look like old rubber. Dealer is looking at the front end currently just to double check everything is ok. One thing I did remind myself of is that police used to use Aurion’s in NSW. They would’ve had plenty of axle tramp/wheel hop while using them and they seemed to be ok. I just wanted it checked for peace of mind. 
 

Anyway, I’ll update on the verdict, but I’m pretty keen to get rid of these tyres now. 

7 minutes ago, campbeam said:

I have been caught out in the past of how badly worn the tyres were.

My preference for tyres is a touring type tyre with excellent wet weather/short braking distance. Accordingly, I would be considering Michelin Primacy 4 [New Generation 2018/9] and comparing them to Continental UltraContact 6 . Anyway Bridgestone has a sale on until 30.06.2020 either 25% off or 3+1 free depending upon the tyre.   

Yeah a few in the Aurion group in Facebook have recommended Michelin. I’m inclined not to go for Bridgestone again if it ends up doing what it’s doing now. 
 

drove it to the dealer just now and I’m currently waiting. I listened for noises and anything abnormal on the drive here. Car was completely smooth and nothing out of the ordinary sounds/movements. 
 

The FWD setup with 200kw is really the Achilles heel of the car. It would’ve sold like hot cakes if it was RWD. Next car is 100% gonna be a RWD Lexus, although I plan on keeping the Aurion as long as it lasts. 

3 hours ago, campbeam said:

Good idea particularly as your vehicle is still in warranty.

The dealer should be able to also have a closer look at the condition of your tyres and suspension.

Yep. Just called them. I’m going in today and they said they’d put the car up and have a look + scan it for anything. 

I’m sure it’s nothing, but I’ll be getting some new tyres after this I think. It’s happened 2 times in the past 2 weeks in the wet. 

1 hour ago, campbeam said:

What it comes down to is that you are driving too hard for those road conditions. Adapt your driving for that particular intersection.

I would be more inclined to regard that noise as a warning sign. Different matter if it keeps making that noise all the time.

I don’t think I’m driving too hard. I didn’t even go past 2.5k rpm. I could’ve sworn the eco light was still on while it was doing it. There must’ve been oil on the road or something. The dealer did mention about my tyres starting to show noticeable wear at the most recent service as well. 
 

I think I’ll get them to have a look at it just for peace of mind. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I broke something. 

My tyres are fitted from factory (2017 Aurion). They’re wearing but nowhere near fully worn. They’re Bridgestone Turanzas and I don’t have any problem apart from that one stretch of road. 
 

It’s quite uneven through the intersection off the lights and basically all the cases of axle tramp (3-4 times since owning it) have occurred at that same spot. 
 

with that noise, does that mean my tranny is stuffed now? It happened as I backed off the throttle. Car drove perfectly fine the rest of the way home.  

Hey guys 

Road have been wet and I’ve been getting axle tramp even on light throttle. It’s only happened around 3 times since I’ve owned the car, but just now it did it again and there was a loud bag that sounded like an airbag going off as the axle tramp stopped (sounded like it came from the inside of the car). 

Car drives fine and everything. Anyone know what it could be? Is it cause for concern? Bit worried at the moment.

4 hours ago, matt36415 said:

Probably uses less fuel too

That’s a verified fact. 

My Verada gets 14.5L/100km around town. The Falcon isn’t that much of and improvement on that, while the Aurion offers a pretty significant reduction. 

Ok guys, so I’ve chosen to go with the 2017 Aurion Sportivo 😁

i had to test both cars extensively. I kinda did fall in love with the Aurion. It’s pretty versatile as a city and a hwy car, which is exactly what I needed. Also more pick up of the line than the Falcon, which felt a bit sluggish at times. 

Comes with 18 months of factory warranty left, less niggles and better reliability. So I guess my choice is made haha. 

Cheers guys  

Oh I definitely will be diligent 

i really liked how the falcon drove. Hopefully the test on Monday will be more conclusive.