Yaris Hybrid Transmission Issue

I'm having issues with my 2016 Toyota Yaris Hybrid, about 96k kilometers on it. The paddle shifters are unresponsive, and the gearbox feels like it's slipping. Sometimes it makes a grinding noise when it shifts. The response from the paddles is super slow, and the dashboard is showing an emergency mode warning with a transmission error code. Could this be the transmission control unit?

4 comment(s)

Sounds like a TCU issue! Does it happen all the time, or just when the engine is cold? Have you checked the transmission fluid level? Low fluid can cause some of those symptoms.

It's pretty consistent whether the engine is hot or cold. I haven't checked the fluid level yet. If it is the TCU, is that a big job? What's involved in replacing it?

Replacing the TCU isn't exactly a walk in the park. It's buried in the gearbox somewhere and might require some special tools. Plus, you'll probably need to get it programmed to your specific car. If you're seeing error codes and getting all those symptoms, and the fluid level is OK, then yeah, I'd say limp it to a workshop. Looks like you have a case of affected control unit defective. A friend had a similar issue, and the repair was around 1000€.

I checked the fluid level, and it was fine. Took it to a shop. Turns out you were spot on – the TCU was toast! They replaced it and reprogrammed everything. Runs like a dream now, but it cost me about 1000€. Appreciate the help!

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