Bad transmission or elect issue?

January 15, 2018

Hello

My first time here

I have a coworker, 3 week ago she purchased a 1998 Toyota Rav 4 automatic 4 cylinder she has ECM so it can be 4 wheel drive?

IN her 2^nd week it began to slip, then it could not climb a hill. Then a few days later it did. I checked it out. I had to add 3 quarts of tranny fluid for the Toyota. It still slipped. I drove it around the parking lot.

Tests: if it started to slip I would shift to 2^nd that helped a bit.

If I slowed down it would grab, slowly accelerator would start to slip.

If I stopped than started in 2^nd okay drive around the lot a few times let off gas for a turn accelerate again it would start to slip let off gas it would go forward.

In our parking lot dead stop I would punch it. It would accelerate & shift in the 120 yard stretch normally. Slow down turn the corner it would slip then grab.

IN reverse it works perfectly--- normal.

I turned on ECT, it would Performed a bit better but would slip

ECT ON overdrive off it would Performed a bit better but would slip

Turned off overdrive, seemed to work better, I was too confident and took it to the street.

Half way up the hill it started to slip, speedometer would race to 90 MPH, pulled over trans engaged. I had to continue up hill.

On a 1 mile stretch of highway I could not get it over 20-30 mph . Slipping. Off the freeway down a hill back on to a surface road going back to work. It would not stay in gear. Shifting did not help. I pulled up a side road to avoid the main street back to work. It would not climb. I would stop. It would not engage. Finally after a few minutes it grabbed. I proceeded up an incline for 1 mile constantly changing the throttle it would slip and speedometer would act like a tachometer.

A couple times on this road test there was a screeching sound of metal on metal. But only a few times.

Hoping it might be something other than a total loss for her. She spent 3K, not worth the cost to get a tranny. Since she still owes on it. Purchased from a private party.

Any thoughts? Thank you