Toyota Avalon 1997 Transmission

When was the last time you had the tranny serviced?

This could be a number of things, starting with low or high fluid and going up to worn clutches and brakes! Get a handle on what conditions it's doing it under, (cold, hot, etc) and report back.

I'd go to a dealer, don't take it to the Midas sausage grinder. They may use the wrong or 'modified' tranny juice, which on a Chrysler at least is a killer!

And I hope your dealer is honest...

Get the tranny fluid changed at the dealer first and hope the problems go away.

It MUST be they way you driven or serviced your car. Toyotas do not break down, just ask the NG regulars, until they are at least ten or twelve years old and have 300K on the clock. Even then a break down is rare, what did you do to it? ;)

mike hunt

It has almost 200K. It's our commute car. 110 miles RT 6-7 days per week.

3 days a week it goes into manual low for the downhill ride out of San Francisco: about 10 blocks.

Art, Hach, Thanks. I'll get back to you on this.

Ignore Mike. He is pulling your chain.

I thought that was a possibility, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to give you guys more information about the car.