Corolla ATF low P0741

[Leo99]

My son told me his CEL in his 2004 Corolla with 127k miles was on last week. He read the code as P0741. Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance or Stuck Off. The CEL goes on and off randomly as he drives. On for a day and then off for several days. Google gives all kinds of repairs for this, ranging from a new tranny to low fluid and lots in between. Checked the fluid and it was low with fluid just on the tip of the dipstick. Added a quart of T-IV. Still low with fluid just to the cold line. I'm going to have my son drive it like that and check it again in a day or two. Send him home with a quart of T-IV should he need it. Fluid looked like the original fluid. Car drives fine. No signs of an obvious tranny leak. Is there anything else to do besides drain and refill the fluid?

Also, his serpentine belt looked a little old and I had a new one on-hand so.... I told him to budget 45 minutes to change it out. Pros could probably do it in 10 minutes. He got it done in 12 minutes. I've never done it that fast.

 

[SatinSilver]

Some drain and fills sound like a good idea. Check to make sure the solenoid is plugged in.

https://repairpal.com/check-engine-light-came-on-with-p0741-code-what-it-mean-054

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted by SatinSilver
Some drain and fills sound like a good idea. Check to make sure the solenoid is plugged in.

https://repairpal.com/check-engine-light-came-on-with-p0741-code-what-it-mean-054


Thanks. The idea of dropping the pan sounds bad. Since the fluid was low, I figure that's the cause. Why the fluid is low is another issue. If the quart I added keep the CEL off, I'll claim victory and let it be.

 

[thrace]

Hopefully fluid level.
However, might be related to lock up torque converter. Hopefully, ATF fluid and filter change will help.
If not, maybe solenoid, wiring, ECM problem. When vehicle was new, vehicle speed sensor sometimes caused p0741.

https://www.ifixit.com/Answers/View/185609/Torque+converter+lockup+solenoid

http://www.fixya.com/cars/t1493813-2005_toyota_corolla_ce_p0741_error_code

https://www.toyotanation.com/forum/...2008/236000-corolla-2004-p0741-code.html

https://www.toyotanation.com/forum/...74135-05-corolla-s-code-po741-print.html

http://www.noes.net/p0741

 

[Oro_O]

Just to check, did you check the fill level while running? Else it could be lower than you think.

I have heard of worn fluid alone being the cause of that code. A pan drain/fill is warranted at least once if it has never been done, and then ideally at least one more time to get a good percentage of healthy fluid in, vs. the worn fluid in there.

 

[StevieC]

Running a transmission low on fluid can cause the remaining fluid to be stressed under the heat. I would be topping it off and then doing a fluid change/fill shortly thereafter. Also what caused the consumption, is something leaking?

 

[mikered30]

Multiple drain and refills usually fix that code if it isnt mechanical. 3.2 qts for a drain and refill.

 

[Leo99]

Originally Posted by Or
Just to check, did you check the fill level while running? Else it could be lower than you think.

I have heard of worn fluid alone being the cause of that code. A pan drain/fill is warranted at least once if it has never been done, and then ideally at least one more time to get a good percentage of healthy fluid in, vs. the worn fluid in there.


Running and in park.

If the CEL comes back, I'll have to work on it some more.

Yes, if the fluid is low, where did it go?

 

[clinebarger]

Low ATF & Dirty ATF are the #1 & #2 causes of P0741 on Aisin A245E units, Solenoid Performance codes mean that the electrical self tests PASS & the ECU doesn't know why the TCC will not apply as commanded.

A sticky TCC solenoid valve (Mechanical), Sticky/Leaky Lock-Up Relay Valve, And of coarse the Torque Converter Clutch itself....Are all possible failure points associated with P0741

 

[Oro_O]

Originally Posted by Leo99


Yes, if the fluid is low, where did it go?


If it was only 1 quart low, very possible it went nowhere. Lots of reports of Toyotas coming from the factory that low, and sometimes overfilled per the stick.

Not to say you don't potentially have a leak, but that's not the only possibility.

I would put in some Seafoam or B12 to clean varnish (see post immediately above), run it one to two weeks to let that work, and then swap the fluid. Or at a minimum, do two and preferrably three drain/fills. Lubegard Red is a good idea, too (and treat the ps system the same).

 

[StevieC]

And that is why I never trust the Spill/Refill with refilling with the same amount that came out for this very reason. ^^^^

 

[Leo99]

Son told me he found leaking ATF a couple weeks ago. Sent him home with 2 quarts of ATF and he used it all up and was running low in the tranny. Finally had time to come over the house and fix the problem. Hopefully. Leak is on passenger side of car. Tranny is on driver side so I assume it must be the tranny cooling lines leaking. OEM is hose-metal tubing-hose. I replaced them with new hoses. No more metal tubing. Took two quarts of T-IV ATF to get it to the cold mark on the dipstick. Surprisingly, the CEL never came on. He did a lot of the work on his car himself and we went out for pizza so it was a good day! He'll keep an eye on the ATF level and hopefully it's stable.