Toyota's wunderkid U760E tranny growing a bad Rep

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So we all know that the new 6-8 gear automatics are very busy through every day's duty cycles... Here's growing evidence.

The U760E has been in Touota Camrys for at least 7 years and over that time there have been THREE service bulletins for torque converter shudder. I won't go into the whole long story of how that originated in manufacturing specs being on the weak side or the miscommunication to the parts sub manufacturer not will I provide the boring details of how they have changed the way they try to "address it " in the latest version of the TSB with extra magnets to catch the already shredding torque converter materials and material off if the now out of round input shaft. And I won't go on to the fact that my trusted Toyota master tech believes that one one "experiences" problems with the U760E that "the damage is done".

This is about the growing transmission industry actively acknowledging the flaws of the U760E even beyond the embarrassing torque converter shudder resulting in hidden wear in other wear in transmission parts.

I own a '13 Camry that has neither given more nor fewer problems than any other I've seen. So... It's had a few issues and is less than refined. Experienced members over on Toyota Nation have noted odd downshifting 3-4shifts, acceleration delays and of course the shudder (which this isn't about).

So after mentioning a gap...a delay... Perhaps one could say a... float, between shifts 3-4 to my mechanic, he replies that he's been telling Toyota about it for a while but it takes submissions from many techs to reach the threshold of action. Basically he's getting embarrassed with the whole thing and tired o working on them. He refers me to a transmission industry magazine do just this Feb. 2015. He didn't suggest i use the product but uses it as an illustration of the fall from grace of the U760E.

So,
I go check it out online and sure as heck. "Common shift problems in the U760E" "pressure circuit losses" "common shift problems".

So turns out it isn't the wunderkid that it's advertised to be not does the fact that Toyota (resting on the reliability
Smoke and mirrors of their 1990-2006 models) claims I is a "sealed lifetime" transmission .

Here's the ad:



Here's the video: see minute 1:10
http://youtu.be/0YEzuUsXITE
 
That's an advertisement.


I don't think that Toyota is willingly going to let a problem like you mention go without remedy after all unhappy customers will not be buying a Toyota again...

Where is the ARTICLE about the unit being problematic.
 
No company cares about reliability anymore. It's always about who can stick the most power into the cheap little FWD sedan.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
and here's a 34 minute video of just how involved the fluid level check process is.... just fluid level CHECK.

https://youtu.be/cNcecuGzTDg


I think you just need sell the car and take the bus. All these OCD problems with your car is making you a Grumpy Curmudgeon.

Or possibly just buy an extended warranty. Then trade in before it expires.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
and here's a 34 minute video of just how involved the fluid level check process is.... just fluid level CHECK.

https://youtu.be/cNcecuGzTDg


Obviously that procedure is ludicrous, but again please show us the trade publication article that refers to the transmission being
unusually problematic.
 
I dont have an article highlighting solely in writing, it's faulty nature.... they dont do those articles in that format. They do issue oriented / problem oriented articles and my tech has read them. At length from Toyota and the industry magazine. I'll trust my tech with whom I've developed a personal relationship based on trust who has told me that "these aint your father's Toyota Trannies".
 
Just hang on. The future of periodic maintenance will probably be reduced to something like don't check or change anything for 100K miles then change the fluids, tires, brakes, spark plugs, filters and so on and bring the car back at 200K.

Changing oil or any fluids or even washing your car at home is soon to be outlawed by the EPA.
 
Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
That's an advertisement.


I don't think that Toyota is willingly going to let a problem like you mention go without remedy after all unhappy customers will not be buying a Toyota again...

Where is the ARTICLE about the unit being problematic.


Sonnax is a great company, their transmission improvements are legendary for the 4T65e
 
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Just hang on. The future of periodic maintenance will probably be reduced to something like don't check or change anything for 100K miles then change the fluids, tires, brakes, spark plugs, filters and so on and bring the car back at 200K.

Changing oil or any fluids or even washing your car at home is soon to be outlawed by the EPA.


Agreed. I just die when I hear them saying, "lifetime" "low cost of ownership" ... yeah sure, because lifetime will be about 80k when it could have and should have been 280k miles. I USED to think that the dealer and company knew best and to "follow the manual" that has ALL changed. They are selling and ever thinner... less robust... less tested product and convincing people to save $50 on transmission fluids and overall maintenance.
 
Originally Posted By: 901Memphis
Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
That's an advertisement.


I don't think that Toyota is willingly going to let a problem like you mention go without remedy after all unhappy customers will not be buying a Toyota again...

Where is the ARTICLE about the unit being problematic.


Sonnax is a great company, their transmission improvements are legendary for the 4T65e


Thank you for writing. Great point... Sonnax doesnt MAKE things to solve PROBLEMS and engineering FAULTS if they dont exist in mass experiences. Bottom line... the U760E is not a lifetime transmission, has 8 years of shudder and shifting issues and now has had 3 TSB's and now a company making parts to "fix" it aftermarket.
 
SONNAX is well known for fixing OEM design problems with modification parts for the rebuilder/remanufacture.
 
Toyota likes recalls no matter the cost. Why get it right when the customers buy the cars anyway.
 
Originally Posted By: CT8
Toyota likes recalls no matter the cost. Why get it right when the customers buy the cars anyway.


Gosh it just boils my blood to see it say "numerous shift issues". Sickening.
 
Originally Posted By: Rand
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
and here's a 34 minute video of just how involved the fluid level check process is.... just fluid level CHECK.

https://youtu.be/cNcecuGzTDg


I think you just need sell the car and take the bus. All these OCD problems with your car is making you a Grumpy Curmudgeon.

Or possibly just buy an extended warranty. Then trade in before it expires.


I agree. Sometimes one just needs to pull the plug and move on.
 
Sonnax makes Great Products, Use their stuff everyday at work. They usually have Vacuum Test procedures in Zip-Kits & Sure-Cure Kits....That has saved my A$$ many times!
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: OneEyeJack
Just hang on. The future of periodic maintenance will probably be reduced to something like don't check or change anything for 100K miles then change the fluids, tires, brakes, spark plugs, filters and so on and bring the car back at 200K.

Changing oil or any fluids or even washing your car at home is soon to be outlawed by the EPA.


Dang, my prior Jetta was like that. Do the timing belt at 100k--means the water pump and coolant got changed. Do the trans fluid at the same time. Should have done the struts at the same time, though.

What would be wrong with such a service every 100k? In and out, everything at once.
 
Originally Posted By: SumpChump
and here's a 34 minute video of just how involved the fluid level check process is.... just fluid level CHECK.

https://youtu.be/cNcecuGzTDg


Didn't watch, but it sure nice being able to crawl under mine to do this, no vehicle raising necessary.
wink.gif


That reminds me, I ought change a bit of fluid again this year.
 
Doubters... check this out....

The Camry transmission ... the U760E (also U660E) has 13 MAIN reliability and functionality concerns which I recently discussed with a transmission pro. We talked mostly about the torque converter shudder issue that has been going on for 8 years and 3 separate service bulletins since this transmission was added in 2007.

BUT what I didn't realize is that it has several odd performance issues such as lack of acceleration, hanging 3-4 th gear shifts , hard downshifts. Most replies from dealers are "that's the way it is" and "it's within parameters". Well, my trusted Toyota master tech guided me to Sonnax which most non-transmission repair people don't even know about. They basically study transmissions and make the fixes that the transmission repair shops use. Now theses aren't "tuner shift kits" these are parts that are designed with the engineering which should have been out into the metallurgy, machining and so on when the transmission was designed in the first place.

The U760E has "numerous shift concerns" and several design flaws which cause over temperature burn up. Compound this with no dipstick and an advertisement by dealers that the fluid is "lifetime" and you've got problems.

So have a look at the flaws diagrammed below. Sad.

[color:"Red"]And here's a LINK [/color]to the web PDF version which is interactive, each numbered problem take you to a whole page on that fix via a hyperlink.

http://s3.amazonaws.com/sonnax-dev/uploads/valve_body_layout/vbl_file/9/ToyotaU660EF__U760EF.pdf

 
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