On Wed, 01 Jan 2020 21:30:54 -0500, Clare Snyder
wrote:

On Wed, 01 Jan 2020 20:08:58 -0500, wrote:

On Wed, 01 Jan 2020 16:54:02 -0500, micky
wrote:

A female friend has a 2002 Toyota 4-cyl Camry had a check-engine light.
Has a code coming from her transmission, and the shop suggested she just
drive it around town and not from city to city, rather than get another
transmission for a car with 187,000 miles. They didnt' tell her what
the code was.

I've heard that when one breaks, it goes into limp-in mode so one can
still drive home or to the shop.

True for Toyota? Yes.

True for 2002? ??

Surely not always true and depends on what breaks, right? Only true
if sensor out of range, or computer confused. But no limp-kn mode if
actual transmission failure, right?

Usually turns out to be true?

How fast is limp-in? 10mph?

Most of her errands are near her home and if perchance she has to spend
2 hours driving at 10MPH from the far side of Baltimore, that certainly
seems acceptable to me.


I have an $80 code reader, but iiuc most of them can't detect
transmission codes, right? A device to do that is over 1000 dollars?



This is funny, from
https://www.transmissionrepaircostguide.com/limp-mode/

Do not panic! Limp mode is specifically designed to limit further
damage and allow you to get your car to a service center
....
It is advised that you do not continue to drive a vehicle in limp
mode as it is unsafe and can cause further damage to your vehicle

So limit further damage includes causing further damage!!

Dunno about Toyotas but on my wife's old Honda you could make that go
away by disconnecting the battery for a minute. It was actually
shifting bad and stuff. That reset the controller and it was good for
a couple thousand more miles.
Depends what the issue is. If it is a "glitch" it may work. The
problem is aften a corroded connector.
The issue with driving in "limp mode" is it can protect the
transmission at the expense of the engine. Limp mode generally
dissables all the shift solenoids, locking the transmission in either
2nd or third gear, with apply pressures maxed to avoid slippage which
would overheat the clutches.
Driving continuously in secopnd or third gear could cause the engine
to either be overloaded or over-reved.
GENERALLY it is a signal failure that causes the light to go on -
very seldom an actual mechanical or hydraulic issue. Sometimes it can
be a shift solenoid ptoblem. USUALLY it is not a terribly expensive
repair. Going to the dealer for diagnosis may be the cheapest first
step - the service manager may say "the scanner shows P0714 - we've
seen a few corroded connectors on the tansmission fluid temperature
sensors. We may be able to just resolder the connector and get you on
your way" - or " Code p0776 indicates the pressure control solenoid is
either malfunctioning or stuck off - have you had the transmission
fluid changed in the last 2 years? If not changing the fluid and
putting in a can of BG ATC Plus conditioner will likely free up the
solenoid - if not we will have to replace the solenoid".

Taking it to an independent shop may take 3 hours of troubledhooting
to find the problem - or they may never find it.

Just get the code and google it. There are some yacking groups out
there with a lot of knowledge on various brands.