I have a 97 automatic st, and something's definitely wrong ... whenever I first start driving after my car's been sitting for a few hours, the car won't shift itself into the 4th gear ... I'm not really sure how to explain it, except that it rides and rides and rides in 3rd gear, rpm's high and everything, and then after a mile or so, it'll just kick into the 4th gear ... I thought maybe it was because of the extreme cold, but it kinda warmed up here for a few days, and the problem didn't get any better...

I have no idea what this is, I thought maybe it would go away, but it's not .... I'm hoping maybe it's something to do with the wiring, like the overdrive is getting stuck or something? maybe??

PLEASE don't tell me I need a new transmission or something, I think I'll cry!

any ideas?

i'm sorry to tell you but it's your transmission it's going to go pretty soon. the same thing happened to my moms car last month. go to a shop and get it checked out soon you don't want to be stuck on the highway with no transmission.

Yeah go get it checked out by a certified technition as soon as possible.

i believe it is a module on or in the tranny. Mine has been doing that since I got it three years ago. Once the engine starts to warm up, it will shift into fourth. I drive the s**t out of mine, and have never had it break down from that, or anything else for that matter.

It's supposed to do that. It's letting the engine warm up before it shifts into the final gear. It's Prolonging the life of your drive train.

2 things. I have a gt auto and mine used to do the same thing. It's just that it is cold out. It never does it in the summer. I changed my tranny fluid to Hurst Hotshift ATF fluid. It works really well and it gives you really firm shifts. But yea it just does that cause it is cold out.

oh and if you celica shifts into neutral when you stop at a light or stop sign the mac daddy is right. Your tranny is going out. If you need a new one go to www.taprecycling.com They will hook you up.