Dear Scotty,

I have a 2004 Toyota Sequoia SR5, rear wheel drive with 108,000 miles, automatic transmission.  I am the original owner.  I had the transmission oil and filter changed at 30,000 and 60,000. That oil currently has no burn color or smell.  The fluid is very clean.

Two years ago I was pulling my boat out of the water at a boat launch.  My car was unable to deliver enough power to pull the boat out.  There was a big chunk of asphalt missing at a critical location on the ramp.  My trailer tire was stuck at this point.  The car did not have enough power to pull the trailer wheel out of this hole.

I did some quick fixes to the ramp (underwater), and I put some boards for my car's rear wheels would not spin in the sand that was on the dry part of the ramp.  Eventually I was able to get the boat up the ramp.  But getting the car and boat together up the rest (dry) part of the ramp became a problem I have experienced.  When I tried to move forward I went no where.  I heard for the first time a noise I attribute to the transmission.  If you remember the sound make if you clip a card to the front fork of your bike,  that clicking sound that increases as the bike wheel turns faster, that is the sound I hear.  It sounds like a plastic belt with a bunch of tabs on it has broken loose or is out of place in the transmission.

I brought the car the local transmission repair shop, and to the local Toyota dealer.  I even had the repair manager of the dealership take a test drive with me.  Both the repair shop and the dealership said there is nothing wrong with the transmission.  The dealership repair manager said the noise being made with the car is under a heavy load, like climbing a steep hill (no boat) is NORMAL.  Well I find that hard to believe.  And yes, this sound increases with the rpm of motor.  If I set things up so I am on a short, steep hill, put the car in drive or even neutral, and step on the gas, the car does not move forward and this clicking sound is proportional to the speed of the engine, not proportional with the speed of the car.  I can floor the pedal, the engine will rev up, the back wheels do not spin so the car does not move an inch at full pedal.  It acts exactly like a car stuck in snow or mud, but with this new, strange noise.

I am not far from Rhode Island.  If you are in business there by now, I would love to bring you the car to determine the cause and fix for this problem.  If you are not set up yet to take in repairs, then a public or private answer via your show or return email would be greatly appreciated.  For work, shortly I have the drive the car several thousand miles with a medium heavy load of goods inside the car (no trailer pull).

Looking forward to your reply.

I hope this email finds all is good with you and yours.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Aaron Stralsin

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