Transmission cooler missing…I know I know

TSB means that they received enough transmission related warranty claims/issues or repairs through their service departments that they had to address the issue. I worked for Toyota in service, they don’t issue TSB’s for unconfirmed problems.

 

Notice that the TSB is addressing an issue with the warning message? If, instead of "Some 2019 - 2021 model year Tundra vehicles may exhibit a 'High Transmission Fluid Temp' warning message on the the instrument cluster..." it said "Some 2019 - 2021 model year Tundra vehicles may exhibit overheating transmissions or elevated transmission fluid temperatures" then the discussion would be different. Well, maybe no in this thread...

 

My window sticker said it has a cooler. I didn’t know that this meant there’s no air cooler, but it has a puck whose function changes depending on the trans fluid’s temp relative to engine coolant. I love Toyota, but that seems really lame to me. I do think this was a big miss on their part as MANY of us bought the Tundra due to its reputation for long-term reliability and Toyota’s reputation as a conservative automaker who chooses to err on the side of caution when it comes to wear and tear from normal use. I bought it because there are so many high mileage Tundras with no issues.

I will say that when I’m in 4Hi off-road, especially climbing any kind of grade or reversing, it runs hotter than when in 4Lo. If you’re in 4Hi with no ext cooler, it seems inevitable that you’ll run it too hot with no way of cooling it down.

 

That's too bad. I though they had addressed that back in 2019. My 2021 stated it had the tow package, but did not state that it had a cooler.

 

Verbage is everything when it comes to legal protection! But the warning message doesn’t come on because the fluid is too cold.

 

We had it in 4hi on the maintained road, and put it in 4lo before our climb on the trail but it still got too hot and showed the warning. The combination of 4lo/manual seemed to be the trick for the steep road.

 

We drive on steep, unmaintained roads in the backcountry, often with high inclines. This is not what I assume to be "typical use" of the truck. We have modified it quite a bit, with larger tires, bed rack, suspension, RTT, camping gear loaded in the bed, etc.

When we bought the 2019, it was just to be used as one of our daily drivers and to haul wood, etc. from HD. We did take the recommendation to purchase the Tundra from my dad who has the 2018 and hauls a 8,500 lb trailer (6,500 lb "dry") on FS roads, and he has not had issues with overheating. Knowing about the lack of cooler at the time of our purchase likely wouldn't have affected our decision to buy it, and we would never have been the wiser except our driving habits changed. We are really happy with the truck otherwise.

The removal of the cooler for 2019+ is unfortunate and I am of course disappointed with it as it has affected me, but had it been installed to begin with, the price would have been passed onto us anyway at purchase. At this point, I see the Genuine Cooling Systems kit as another potential modification and, aside from having to deal with it, I am fine with it/resigned to it - although it would be nice if Toyota would just fix it LOL!

Someone already probably said something - but has anyone with similar driving habits seen good results with the Setrab? https://genuinecoolingsystems.com/product/setrab-series-9-complete-kit/

 

Its not anything you did man, it’s just the new deleted design failure. Your options are to drive around in manual gear selections or install a cooler, the transmissions in the 19-21’s can’t be driven like the previous models without issues.

 

Has the transmission been okay since the event? Are you going to have it checked out or just move forward and monitor it?

I have heard/read very good things about the Setrab unit and likely the one I'll go for if I decide to add one.

 

After we switched to 4lo/manual uphill, it worked fine up to and through Coyote Flat, but we haven't tested it uphill while in 4lo/automatic since then. The whole thing happened this past weekend. It was of course fine on the descent back into Bishop and performed fine through normal, flat-ish maintained dirt roads in Alabama Hills.

Yeah I'll be looking into it more. There's always something

 

If these trans ever had enough failures to warrant Toyota doing something I think the most they would do would be warrant the transmission for longer than usual. No way will they ever foot the bill to put a cooler on the 19-21s.

On another note it seems the aftermarket coolers offered are more efficient than the ones that came installed on the tundras 2018 and prior. Sucks to have to put the money down for something like that but it may get you a better overall product in the end

 

HAHA yeah and they'd likely say ours isn't covered because all of the mods. I'll just add install it myself and stress about something else instead FML

 

That’s the only reason I haven’t done it is for warranty reasons. More than likely they wouldn’t care about the cooler if you ever needed warranty work but if they did decide that was the issue you are basically on the hook for the bill. Even if the cooler didn’t cause the issue it seems like it would be very easy for them to just blame it on the cooler as an easy out to not have to fix the trans under warranty

 

Sure........convenient place to mention that for the first time.....

 

What are the actual repair procedures in the TSB? Is it confirmed that it’s just changing the TC lockup function or alarm set point?

 

It changes the message from "Hot transmission" to "oven is pre-heated".

 

I have not seen it mentioned yet.

 

I think all the TSB stated was to do a new software load on the ECM. It isn't specific enough to address what they're actually changing in the load.

 

Heres the TSB.

 

Covered under the federal emissions warranty instead of power train, probably because it has to do with engine/transmission programming. And they won’t do it unless you actually experience an overheat alarm. So having 260 logged with proof won’t warrant it.

I will say that if you intend to fight this down the road, I would take your truck in with the alarm ASAP. Dont fight the game, play it.

 

Didnt know I needed to load my resume with my avatar…lol

 

I'm not sure mine would be covered anyway under the "specified conditions" lol

 

That’s the best solution to this problem!

 

I know this subject has been beat to death! but I just wanted to share a response from Toyota to a question I asked regarding what gear to tow in. My question is below and their response is above.

 

That almost reads like S4 is how they want you to tow. Who knows honestly

 

Being in 4 S mode while towing a small light trailer on regular freeways is rediculous. 5 S works fine for me with zero gear hunting and TC stays locked, if it gets hilly I drop to 4 S.

 

The response is a verbatim regurgitation of the owners manual. D with tow haul when towing and S4 on downhill grades to assist with engine braking, that’s right out of the Owners Manual.

 

Nothing like a disgruntled ex-employee on a forum. You'll teach them to mess with you!

 

Seriously? Yeah I’m a disgruntled Toyota employee so I fill my garage with their products just in spite. Lol