Warning - New problem for Gen 2 ECM module

[bkp_duke]

Best friend's wife works there.

I always know when something goes wrong w/ ANY solara b/c she is an ex-Ford engineer likes to call and rag on the Solara.

The website only lists what issues there have been COMPLETED investigations for.

[yanges]

Best friend's wife works there.

I always know when something goes wrong w/ ANY solara b/c she is an ex-Ford engineer likes to call and rag on the Solara.

The website only lists what issues there have been COMPLETED investigations for.

Thanks bkp_duke!

nice to know we have an inside scoop!

[theflow]

Just came back from the dealer. The dealer did the usual ECM reset thing and tell me to let the car "learn" my driving habit. The dealer applied a TSB that applies to almost all Toyota vehicles from year 2000-2003. The only 2004 vehicle on that list is the 2004 Sienna, which I think shares the same engine as the Solara.

Dealer is only 2 miles from where I live. On my way home, the car seems to respond better. Now the shifting point for the first and second gear appears to be at a higher rpm, so the shifting does not feel as smooth as before. I'll drive a bit more tomorrow and report back.

[yanges]

Just came back from the dealer. The dealer did the usual ECM reset thing and tell me to let the car "learn" my driving habit. The dealer applied a TSB that applies to almost all Toyota vehicles from year 2000-2003. The only 2004 vehicle on that list is the 2004 Sienna, which I think shares the same engine as the Solara.

Dealer is only 2 miles from where I live. On my way home, the car seems to respond better. Now the shifting point for the first and second gear appears to be at a higher rpm, so the shifting does not feel as smooth as before. I'll drive a bit more tomorrow and report back.

by the dealer reset thing, does that mean disconnecting the battery for a 1/2 hour and reconnecting it? i heard that was how it is done.....

also, i have lojack.... am i going to encounter any problems if i disconnect my battery and reconnect it? i was thinking about trying that with mine also....

[theflow]

I don't know how it's done because the dealer only gave me the first page of the TSB, which shows what model that TSB applies to. I don't have the instructions on how the reset is done. So couldn't help. But for now, the car does seem to respond better. I have so far experience 1 or 2 lags since the "fix." But that lag is not like 2-3 seconds but just 1 second.

[jmack]

According to the work sheet, the dealer replaced, as well as reset, the ECM, parts # 895011 and #89661-OX120. The car runs a lot better, but is by no means perfect. I still have had some lag time, lately under partial throttle, where you then hit the gas to try to pass or merge with traffic. It is intermittent, like sometimes the computer is trying to figure out what to do. Othertimes in the same situation, everything is fine. In general, putting tranny into manual mode seems to eliminate the problem. My gas mileage has improved by almost 4 mpg.

[yanges]

can i reset the ECM in my Solara without affecting the Lojack alarm?

Thanks!

[XTombGuard]

Tell me more about this left drift problem.

I just bought my Solara yesterday and noticed the night that I test drove this baby (2004 with 9400 miles) and mentioned it to the salesman.

Went in today to pick up the owners manual and brought it to his attention again today and he mentioned that I should give it a week or so of driving to see if it goes away. WHOA !!! Did he think I just fell off the turnip truck or what. I've been around cars for some 30+ years, not a mechanic, but I know when a car is out of alignment so to speak.

In short, IS THIS A PROBLEM with the 2004 Solara's or what. Can someone shed some light on this to get me up to speed.

Thanks in advance.

[xodessitx]

i have had the left drift problem fixed...but after that my steering wheel is never centered. the steering wheel is always tilted to the left, and whenever set straight the car pulls to the right. any idea what to do, the car been at the dealer 3 times but nothing has been fixed.

[Shoe]

for you 2 guys above this post there have been many conversations about the left drift.

We used to have a sticky in this forum but it got moved to the FAQ section so you wouldnt find it

any way here is a the post i created outlining all the posts regarding the left drift problem

http://www.zer0.info/solaraguy/viewtopic.php?t=10995

shoe

[theflow]

Anyone got hit because of this "lag" yet?

BTW, took the car to the dealership and the mechanic said he also noticed the delay. He did say that the delay is a "bit" too long. But of course he will never write that down in the service work papers.

This lag is driving me crazy!!!!

[falaniz]

I've had the same hesitation problem and got the same run around everyone else has from the dealer. They seem to think that the lag is acceptable and that is the way the car was designed to perform. I don't agree, espcially if you own the SE model. Who ever heard of a sports car that hesitated like this when you floor it? I plan on going back to the dealer with the TSB info that was mentioned here to see if I can get them to be a little more cooperative.

[slingshot]

I get no hesitation if I put the transmission into manumatic mode. Have you tried that when you need to get quick acceleration?

[theflow]

slingshot,

I thought if you switch to manual mode, it's automatically at 4th gear. So you still get the power and torque you need even it's in 4th gear??

Do you feel the hesitation if you don't use the manual mode??

BTW, I haven't tried this but can you start accelerating using the 4th or 5th gear??

[slingshot]

slingshot,

I thought if you switch to manual mode, it's automatically at 4th gear. So you still get the power and torque you need even it's in 4th gear??

Do you feel the hesitation if you don't use the manual mode??

BTW, I haven't tried this but can you start accelerating using the 4th or 5th gear??

Yes, it is in fourth gear initially and all you need to do is a quick backwards slight tug to get to third. The two movements, left and down take a second. Basically, if I'm about to pass someone or think I'll be wanting some quick power I put it into manumatic anyway ahead of time. You'll see almost no delay in power when manually shifting. Once in a while I feel a little hesitation if accelerating quickly in auto mode to answer your question. You can accelerate on the highway in fourth gear. Going from fifth to fourth will help some but fifth to third will help even more. Try it yourself and experiment alot.