Occassionaly (when stuck in traffic, which happens alot) the engine will bog down and stall, like the tip has selected a higher gear by itself. Yesterday it did it again but it was joined by a graunching sound from the transmission. I quickly selected neutral and everything returned to normal. It is becoming a habit now that i select neutral if I'm going no-where to try to reduce strain on the tip. Any ideas?
Also just about to replace my Toyo's with Bridgestone RE002 - I will post a report on that on a different forum.
first order of business would be to verify fluid
where is the idle before it dies?
is the AC on?
how does the car run otherwise?
how does it shift otherwise?
is the car stock? (no chip, etc)
Don't know the problem, but based on your post, I'm beginning to suspect it's why that less-than-honest seller told me I should put the Tip-based car he was trying to sell me into neutral every time we stopped at a red light "because he heard it was the right thing to do". Thank God for "ratdar".
Other than the tranny sound, it seems eerily like a problem I had years ago with my Tip, which ended up being electrical. When the Tiptronic computer glitches, it will send the tranny into limp mode, which is 4th gear, causing a stall similar to what you experienced if you're stopped. Mine was due to a cable shorting out.
Thanks guys. The car has no engine mods (save the airbox and K&N). Trans fluid was changed within the last 9 months. The AC is not on (to be fixed before the summer!) The idle is typically around the 800 mark and is smooth in all other situations. The gear changes are normal (as far as I can tell), a bit slow when its cold but I tend to drive in manual most of the time anyway.
Its heading into the shop for its 6 monthly warrant of fitness (MOT etc equivalent on Monday) so i'll get the mechanic to check over the electrics (far preferable than a mechanical glitch I guess). Although the problem never occurs when a mechanic is looking at it does it?
I'll report back his findings.
the idle should be 880. if it's low, it will lend itself to stalling with little influence.
Is it possible to take a quick look at the gear display when this happens? The current gear is indicated in the instrument cluster, so not sure if you can take a quick look and see what that shows.
Also, be careful with shifting into neutral when the tip is in limp mode. Mine went into that mode once after a jump start. Because the trans is locked in a gear, shifting from neutral to drive can be dangerous if the engine RPMs and wheel speed (trans speed) are not somewhat closely matched, like if you are at speed and coasting and shift from neutral into drive with the engine at idle -- will make a nice thunk and put tremendous stress on the drivetrain.
Roland
I don't recall the gear display saying anything other than the correct gear at the time (when the stalling occurs). I would certainly not through it into neutral when at anything other than a complete stop. I'll check that idle speed again today.
I think I have the same thing from time to time, sitting at a red light go to accelerate and car rumbles and sounds just like ready to stall, when I read this post above
"Other than the tranny sound, it seems eerily like a problem I had years ago with my Tip, which ended up being electrical. When the Tiptronic computer glitches, it will send the tranny into limp mode, which is 4th gear, causing a stall similar to what you experienced if you're stopped. Mine was due to a cable shorting out" pretty much I realized I think that is what it is.
comes and goes so never there when at the mechanic.
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I was thinking about this the last few days as mine does the same 1 maybe 2 times a year.
With my car it never happens in manual mode, it only happens while in auto mode and coming to a stop.
I can tell it's about to stall because the car starts to buck like a standard trans when you forget to push in the clutch pedal.
At first I was thinking it felt like it was in two gears at once but now I STRONGLY believe the torque converter in not un-locking,
problem is it happens so seldom I cannot verify my thoughts.
Hi Rick, yep pretty much an exact description of my experience. My mechanic has recommended not placing into neutral when this happens, so when stopped at lights now I leave it in drive. Funnily enough it hasn't repeated the problem for a few months. One of those things that will have to get much worse before I spend any money on it. Although the list seems to be growing!
I have a tip and have experienced this a few times myself.