I do NOT have anything I would describe as the "jerking" I've read about. Good luck, though.

 

Sorry. 2019 XLE Premium AWD. Driven about 200 miles exclusively in "ECO" mode. Ill have to dig up the build location.

 

I have NOT had any of the transmission issues I have read about here.

I have an XLE built in Dec. 2018 in Japan.

 

After saying I didn't have it I believe I duplicated the issue at a stop light by slowing down but not coming to a completed stop. That being said I have seen similar issues in vehicles going back to my 2007 FJ cruiser.

It is not enough of an issue at this time for me to be bothered by it. It's one of those things that I could see as a minor annoyance to some but not to the level of concern I've seen here. If it gets worse or changes then my opinion might change but I imagine there will be a TSB out soon once more complaints roll in.

 

The Hybrid isn't affected by this. Totally different gearbox...
Good luck to those who are suffering!

 

Look, folks, this is an automatic transmission. It has 8 gears, and they are "more closely spaced" than the gears you may have had in previous transmissions with fewer gears. The shifting of this transmission is controlled electronically -- the car's electronics must choose one gear out of all of those gears, at any given time and situation. Unfortunately (for some people), the electronics must choose a gear, and the driver has to react accordingly, in order to drive the car smoothly. Note that CVT transmissions, for instance, "don't have any gears," so they lack this "problem" of having to choose a physical gear for each and every situation.


Is there anything "wrong" with this transmission? Most certainly not. The transmission with 8 gears was presumably chosen to compete with CVT transmissions, which can fine-tune the transmission with precision for any given situation, whereas an automatic transmission needs to be in one physical gear for any given situation. More gears, closely spaced, can give an automatic transmission "more precision" in order, presumably, to get better gas mileage than transmissions with fewer gears could achieve. And that's what is physically going on here. Add into the mixture the fact that the car has three different "modes" a driver can choose from at any given time -- ECO, Normal, and Sport. These "modes" are electronic programs that change things like the transmission shifting pattern, the accelerator pedal travel, and the steering control.


So, what is this "jerking" people have talked about? Essentially, you have the transmission either shifting up or shifting down. That's all there is to be seen here, folks -- the transmission is either shifting up, or shifting down. Again, that's what the transmission is supposed to do, and the transmission is working normally. I expect that this "jerking" is simply the transmission "shifting down" in given situations. The driver might have to do a bit of work in order to handle these situations smoothly, but I'll certainly be one to say that the Normal mode doesn't give you a lot of accelerator pedal travel in order to indeed handle these situations smoothly. I will say for the dozenth time, or whatever it has been by now, that I have most definitely found that using the ECO mode during in-town driving gives you substantially more accelerator pedal travel, and after trying all of the three modes at length, I have come to use ECO mode for almost all of my in-town driving.


So, again, "is there anything wrong with the transmission?" Of course not. Could Toyota come up with a different "program" for the transmission, which might help drivers "handle slow-speed situations smoothly?" Well, I suppose they could, but I would submit that TOYOTA HAS ALREADY GIVEN US a different program -- it's called "ECO mode." I have suggested that people might give it a try, but it's as if I'm asking them to go out onto some lawn, find a fresh pile of dog manure, and take a bite. I guess some folks would rather whine about it. But, consider this: If Toyota did "give us a new program," would it be any different than, say, "making Normal mode more like ECO mode?" My bet is that this would be pretty much what Toyota might do, but I'd bet more that Toyota probably won't make any such changes. Again, "if you want Toyota to give us a different shifting program," I would answer, "Why not use one of the three programs Toyota has already given you?"


So, yes, I have experienced what I think people are talking about, but I have learned how to drive my RAV4, and how to use ECO mode to drive entirely smoothly while the transmission is navigating these closely-spaced gears. I don't consider this to be a problem at all, but it does take a bit of work in order to drive smoothly in these situations. But, like anything else, once you've learned what to do, you instinctively just drive smoothly, and it's just not an issue anymore.


In the end, I think we can always look at the current-generation Camry, and see if Toyota does anything regarding the transmission shifting program for that vehicle. Bearing in mind that only the very highest models -- the XLE and the XSE -- have anything like the three modes that every RAV4 with this transmission has -- ECO, Normal, and Sport. Given how most cars are generally not the highest-spec models, I think it's safe to say that most Camry drivers have no alternatives to choose from, like the ones all of us RAV4 owners do. But, again, keep an eye out to see if Toyota makes any changes for the Camry. If not, then don't expect to see any changes for the RAV4. And, finally, if you don't like the fact that cars are getting more and more gears in their automatic transmissions, you may want to go for models with CVT transmissions, instead, which utterly have no gears. As far as I can see, this is the whole story to be seen here.

 

Thanks for your input. After driving my Rav4 for about 300km, i share your opinion here, but I ain't no expert. Let's hope that this transmission is "normal" and working as intended. I'll keep on enjoying it in the meantime. 0

 

I'll add one last thing here. I know there is an issue and Toyota are probably trying to cover it up saying everything is normal. This reminds me of Hyunday/Kia with their 2012-2016 Elantra and Forte with the 1.8L where the thing would start to knock at 20k kms. For YEARS Hyundai/Kia said it was a ''Characteristic" of these engine that when they get more mileage, the piston settles in and makes a pinging noise. Classic of GDI engines like they kept telling their costumer.


Well look at them now having to replace hundreds of thousand of engine due to a lawsuits that proved the issus came from an internal coating that was used to improved fuel efficiency that would rub off with time causing the oil clearance to be reduced and increasing internal heat.


All this to say, don't believe everything corps tell you since they are there to make money, and something as major as a transmission would cost them millions.

 

FWIW: No jerking here on my <1000mi RAV4 I picked-up last week. Also confirmed all cals were current using my VCXNANO which makes sense since there are also no open TSBs...

 

I have a 2019 Adventure (6,000+ miles) that doesn't seem to have any shifting issues except that there is sometimes the subtle sensation of an upshift when slowing to a stop. There is certainly not a 2-3 second hesitation on acceleration, nor any jarring downshifts. All shift points seem optimal. It is mostly driven in ECO mode, but I have used all modes. It is interesting that a previous poster found that this issue varied from car to car (2 out of 5 had it). My vehicle is Canadian built - likely in late 2018 (we picked it up mid-January).

 

The 2-3 second hesitation is not every time, but happens from time to time but always seems to happen at the wrong time.


Had it happen in a round about 2 weeks ago and almost got rammed by a car cause of it. I had more then enough time to make it a safe manoeuvre but I sat there for something that felt like an eternity with the acceleration pedal pressed and I was just stalled there. The car eventually decided yup I should move and it felt like I floored it.


I am to a point that when I do a lot of stop and go, I just put it in manual mode and control the gear my-self.

 

Question for those WITH the issues. do you have a base model LE ?


This is the only model that shuts down the engine at a stop. THAT right there sets off alarms for me as far as how smoothly a vehicle can transition from stopped and shut down to motoring away smoothly.


The model of those without problems would of course be interesting too.


???

 

We have a 2019 XLE Premium AWD, made in Canada. Picked up at the end of February and currently at ~1300km driven, 95% City driving and exclusively in ECO mode.

We have the transmission jerking issue. I've totally changed my driving style to try to cope (i.e. committing to a stop and accelerating lightly off the line). Still catches me off guard when the jerking happens and my heart rate gets a nice spike for no reason.

Love the car to death, but I won't recommend people to buy the gas model at this point.

 

Hear that Toyota fanboy? ECO mode doesn’t solve anything, so for the love of god quit peddling it as the answer to everything. It’s not. Can’t believe I read thoots’s wall of text lol.

I have a Canadian Trail that has the “coast and go” jerking issue, but not the others that people are describing like the kickdowns when slowing down or hesitations. In the city and highways, if I need power in a merge, it’s an immediate kickdown and I got power. I too had to adjust my driving style to suit the transmission to prevent “coast and go” lurching.

Toyota better be working on this and have a fix soon for all these issues.

 

Well it was a good theory while it lasted. :wink

 

I have an LE AWD but the other that had the issue was a trail edition during my test drives.

 

XLE Premium AWD built Nov in Japan, has never done any of the funky stuff in eco or normal mode, haven't used sport mode much.

 

I have an Adventure and have not had any issues yet.

 

We have had our 2019 XLE Premium for 2500 miles now. Now issues what so ever. Smooth as silk.

 

I did notice what some might describe as "jerking" during my first slow-down with the cold engine. However, it was what I'd describe as normal behavior for automatics; due to the high idle required of cold engines, when it downshifts to a lower gear as it is coming to a stop, the engine is actually still providing forward propulsion. This forward propulsion through a lower gear manifests itself as a forward lurch. This only happened in the first ~30 seconds of driving, before the engine settled down. Again, this has been a pretty common trait of pretty much every automatic I have owned, as far as I can remember. My 2019 F250 (that I sold for the Rav) was much, much worse.

If this is the problem, I can indeed imagine it feeling much more dramatic on colder winter mornings (it is May now, so this was like a 65-degree morning). At sub-freezing winter temps, the engines idle higher when cold and do so for longer, so more of your commute might experience this jerking feeling.

 

You sold a 2019 F250 for a 2019 Rav4 and the F250 was MUCH worst ??????

 

No jerking. 1998 RAV4 FWD manual transmission.

That said... I would NEVER own an automatic transmission. Standards last longer. Sadly, a lot of manufacturers have unnecessarily complicated their automatic transmissions, and even more sadly, have discontinued the manual transmission. I am aware of emissions and gas-mileage political pressure-- but, still...

 

I'm new here to the forum, my 2019 XLE AWD Rav4 definitely got smoother after ~300 miles. It was jerky at first then the computer started "learning" and it is smooth as butter ever since (currently at 3,500 miles). So I don't have any issues, love the transmission. First gear being 5.250:1 gives you lots of power off the line, then 8th gear being 0.673 lets you cruise on the highway under 2,000 rpm. Shifts are smooth and quick, and I love driving "manual" to control my gearing. I really like how it chooses to lock up the torque converter after the 1-2 shift giving it a more direct feel almost like a dual clutch; it also avoids the typical "slush box" complaints a lot of autos used to have. I have owned 2 4 speed autos, a 6 speed manual, and a CVT prior to this transmission and this is absolutely the best overall for daily driving. It was certainly "jerky" at first but I learned to modulate the throttle to avoid that, then the computer started learning and now everything is super smooth (you can't even hardly feel the shifts now). I have no issues whatsoever slowing down and I'm not sure when it downshifts into first because I cannot feel it shifting into first at all. I drive in normal mode, I have not seen any fuel economy improvement going to ECO mode in my experience, it just reduced sensitivity to the throttle pedal. Off road out in the mud the transmission works fine (I am an environmental engineer and do a lot of work out in the field), works fine in the city, or on the highway; no issues here! I'm sorry people are having issues, does anyone know of any videos showing the issues? I have looked it up and only found videos with the Torque Vectoring AWD problems (moo sound).

 

It was certainly "jerky" at first but I learned to modulate the throttle to avoid that...

That is all I have been trying to get people to consider. Apparently, some folks just don't want to even try that.

 

My LE hybrid Tranny is very smooth. I’ve gotten on it a couple of times and it’s always been smooth.

 

After reading all the posts I am anxious, more than ever, to see how my Limited Hybrid performs. (On order) I hope the next 6 to 8 weeks go by quickly. Some of the statements here have me a bit apprehensive and some giving me much reassurance. I will be sure to post a review when the time comes.

 

No worries whatsoever. These guys have the gas-only 8-speed automatic transmissions, while the hybrids have a CVT-based transmission. These guys are having problems with how the transmissions "have gears that shift," which the hybrids just don't have.

 

What I don't understand is how people can diagnose/analyze/comment on a vehicle that they don't even OWN.

Call me crazy, but unless you're a Toyota mechanic having worked on this problem already, why would any one make senseless statements with authority? And why would anyone take their advice after seeing that they don't even own the vehicle that is having the issue.

JM2C

Have a good day.

 

What I don't understand is how people can diagnose/analyze/comment on a vehicle that they don't even OWN.

Call me crazy, but unless you're a Toyota mechanic having worked on this problem already, why would any one make senseless statements with authority? And why would anyone take their advice after seeing that they don't even own the vehicle that is having the issue.

So how many Toyota mechanics you know of on this forum? Using your logic, why would anyone ever post about any issues here if there are no Toyota mechanics here?
Most comments I’ve seen are suggestions/thoughts, not with mechanical authority but in a effort to try to help some people who are either shills for other companies just trying to stir the pot or are real owners who are frozen by their anger over what is essentially a convenience issue.
For instance, I’ve suggested that instead of negative reactions to others in this forum, these folks could start gathering of VIN data from others here with the same problem as a first step to a class action suit to get legal satisfaction. Instead, I got a very negative response so I’m done with suggestions about this issue. Hope that helps you understand.
BTW, here is a comment I made recently in another thread:
“What pisses me off is that many gas model owners are being told their jerky transmissions are “normal” which is dealer slang for “not our problem”. I’ve been a big Toyota (and hybrid) fan for many years but if I had these same issues I’d quickly forget Toyota because there are just too many other good cars out there. Toyota needs to fix this and soon!”

 

As for the gathering VIN# and starting a class action lawsuit, not everyone has the knowledge, time, dedication or money to do this. Also, those action take YEARS to complete and obtain satisfaction, most of us simply want their daily driver to work properly and have toyota admit there is an issue and a fix is being worked on. This is what really pisses me off is that when you call Toyota HQ they tell you nop we are not aware, as far as we know your rav is working perfectly you are just crazy. If at least they would tell me yes, we have identified some users that are experiencing a possible issue and we are further investigating into it and a solution is being worked on. At least i'd know a potential fix is coming one day, but now they give me the impresison that they took my money and are giving me the finger and telling suck it up or get rid of it.

 

Try contacting Consumer Reports or your local news to see if they can help. If they start writing about these problems, maybe Toyota will get it in gear to help, pun intended.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

No, they take other words and meaning.