: angry: Is there anybody out there with knowledge of my problem. I have a 1998 S Reg Amazon 4.2 diesel automatic which sometimes dislikes changing down through the gears. For example if I brake to negotiate a roundabout it feels like I am still in overdrive top when doing about 10mph, the vehicle is shuddering exactly as a manual vehicle would if you did not change down. I have been to six garages, two of which were automatic specialists and two others were Toyota main dealers. Nobody has any idea of what the problem may be. Just before christmas I met a man with an Amazon the same year as mine and he said "I have two of them and they are doing it!" Any help out there?

I am in the process of buying a 1998 Amazon diesel. It has exactly the same problem. The dealer is a former Toyota main dealer who now has his own company specialising in Toyota and Honda 4x4s. He claims it is a torque converter problem and is having the torque converter reconditioned. Basically the converter is not working quickly enough to keep up with the gear changes and is for a second or two still trying to drive the vehicle, even though you are trying to slow/stop it. I have seen another post elsewhere on this formum explaining the same problem (with the same diagnosis).

Having said that, two of my friends one a farmer used to gearbox problems, and the second a former (1980s) Toyota head mechanic think it is a gearbox problem and nothig to do with the torque converter.

I am not mechanically minded enough to know the problem. The only real advice I have been given (in my scenario) is to check to see if the gerabox oil is new or old (if new avoid buying!) and then to smell, the oil on my fingers. If it has an acrid burnt cork/burnt clutch smell there are serious problems lurking.

I hope this helps in some way. Try speaking to a used Land Cruiser specialist or to a transmission reconditioner.

its the lock up clutch in the torque converter sticking will need new torque converter

Petrolhead,

Is it generally always going to be the torque converter causing this juddering when slowing down at "roundabout" speed or is it likely that the gearbox is in trouble?

Someone has caused me real trouble today when I mentioned the problem and have said that it will be the gearbox in need of overhaul and not the torque converter. I am about to spend a large amount of money on an Amazon and do not want to buy one with a duff gearbox. A bad torque converter is not a problem as the dealer has already agreed to recondition this at his cost.

Any help or thoughts appreciated.

we replaced a few torque converters for this reason

Hi I'm from New Zealand with the exact same problem.Did you get yhe transmission problem sorted in the end.Cheers Mark

Hi
I had exacly the same problem with mine, felt like it was still in a high gear when coming to a stop, trying to push the car on, then it sort of clunked into 1st at the last minute, took it to Harry Feeneys in Blackpool, who diagnosed the torque convertor not sensing the change down conditions. They couldn't do it at Feeneys so they sent the car to North West Transmissions near Liverpool who stripped the part and to my knowledge then sent the part to somewhere in London. After about 10 days they got the part back fixed, rebuilt the car and sent it back to Feeneys. I can't remember the cost as it was done on warranty (Extended for 4 yrs - car was about 6years old then) but i have a feeling it was getting on for about £3k, then again they charge alot when its warranty work. Hope this helps