Yaris 1.3 auto high revs at speed

[NeonZombie]

Hello all, i figured this would be the best place to ask. I have asked a garage but not much help.

I have a 2001 yaris, 1.3 automatic petrol which has an odd intermittent problem.

Sometimes at 70mph the engine is at 4000revs and hits 5000 if I go near 80 and the engine is quite loud, other times when at 70mph its at 3000revs and engine noise is low. My guess is its not changing gears as it should. Its been like this for at least a year.

Thanks

[Neily]

I see nobody's replied mate, I have a 03 1.3 auto, only does 3k revs at 70+, quite surprised how low revs are, pleased I should say, your right sounds like good box not changing up, need to see an auto trans specialist and let them test drive and diagnose. 

[YarisBoy18]

Though I can't speak for your car specifically,  older automatic cars do tend to start to rev high and struggle to change gears later when there are more miles on the clock. This is just the case for older automatic transmissions, but is not normal behaviour. You should get it check and fixed as the problem can be minimised and hopefully rectified. 

[Neily]

My car has 114 k miles on and the auto box as well as the engine are very smooth and change very nicely, I don't just drive I count the changes, the overdrive works properly too, I am just looking back into the cars history to identify when the oil was last changed, but its a nice colour. Honest John said its a nice tough auto box I've seen some have done 250k. What's yours done BTW. 

[YarisBoy18]

I am sure its also down to the regular servicing and maintenance of the car. I sure Neily this may be the case for. But I'm sure it a problem that can be fixed, just a common problem for less maintained older automatic cars.

[NeonZombie]

Hello All, thanks for the responses. My car has done about 165k miles and I do service every 6k miles, next one coming up in about 1k miles and have owned it for 4 years .

I have mentioned it to a mechanic before but didn't get any idea as to what was wrong with it. I have checked transmission fluid which seems ok so have not changed it but will take it in again to get checked out.

19 hours ago, Neily said:

My car has 114 k miles on and the auto box as well as the engine are very smooth and change very nicely, I don't just drive I count the changes, the overdrive works properly too, I am just looking back into the cars history to identify when the oil was last changed, but its a nice colour. Honest John said its a nice tough auto box I've seen some have done 250k. What's yours done BTW. 

When you say oil, you mean transmission fluid or just engine oil?

I use fully synthetic 5W 30 as recommended int the manual and if I recall correctly it was the Triple QX brand the garage used. I don't recall the problem going away last time I did a full service and it comes and goes.

I will post back if I get it fixed.

[YarisBoy18]

I would get the transmission oil changed on the car. Automatic transmission oil changes are commonly done on high mileage cars. Not really a part of scheduled maintenance. This is normally a complete flush, new filter and oil. 

[NeonZombie]

I have not done one, no. I just had a browse through the log book, goes dark after 90000 miles... second owner didn't keep records of services they have done but MOT certs upto 136k miles.

I had looked into doing the transmission flush but read lots of bad things if you flush a high mileage car.

Service book says for automatic to change transmission fluid every 3 years/30k miles so its due for a change at least.

Probably best to assume the last owner did not do a change every 30k miles or do a flush. Next service:

• Oil + oil filter, air, pollen filters
• Transmission fluid change or full filter change and flush?
• Change coolant (flush) as I haven't done this since purchased or 4 years/20k miles
• Brake fluid change?? the level is fine and it brakes fine

On a side note, my car has the engine light on and had 2 mechanics look at it. One said dodgy 02 sensor and nothing to worry about other than fuel economy, the other said a leak between engine block and exhaust when he went under and looked.

I have those ODB2 bluetooth scanners, will feedback the code.

The other issue when braking there is noise every-time the wheel rotates and I can see the disc edge hitting the calipers although the pads don't look worn. This only started on drivers side front disc after a tyre change and the guy used impact gun and didn't torque it. I will remove and torque it down and see if that fixes it.

Some work to keep me busy.

[YarisBoy18]

Yeah when the car not serviced regularly it hard to determine when something was last done. Sounds like there quite a few things needing attending with the car. Definitely weigh up the cost and age options of the car to see if it worth going through with these fixes. Though I don't think cars have a maximum mileage, 165k for a partily documented serviced car is pushing the limits. How much more use can you really get ? But let us know how you go.