Hey guys, this is one awesome website 8)
I am the proud owner of a 05 scion in the black cherry pearl color [and man does it turn heads!] I purchased it with the automatic transmission and am starting to think that there is a problem with the front differential / trans. In stop and go traffic, or when ever accelerating from a rolling stop the car seems to take a while to hook up and move. Its as if the differential or some component in the trans has alot of backlash or wasnt dialed in right when setup. I can even hear a minor clunk (in the are of the cv shaft where they go into the trans) when this happens. You can test for this by driving slowly and tapping the gas for a second and letting go......hopefully u wont feel what i feel: trans disenguaging from the motor and then hooking up too late. It also does it from deceleration or when applying brakes after decel, then adding gas...less than a second later it hooks up and then moves, by this point youve added more gas and it lunges. Sounds odd right....is it normal to hear some clunking and a feeling of disconnection between the trans / engine? Also when coasting @ highway speeds and suddenly accelrating, it seems that there is also some lag [and sometimes a jerk in movement]...is this normal? Any idea what part might be out of spec here ?

Other than that the rubber seal on the drivers side window doesnt seem to be "squeeging" the glass well on a rainy day but thats the least of my troubles now!

Just from what you have posted here I think it's normal behavoir. My tC and previous cars have all done that when driven like that. If it happens frequently I assume you drive you car pretty hard.

what kind of Scion do you have? I've got the xB with an auto, and it goes right off the bat, no slow hookup...

other than the clunking sound you hear mine is the same. a few posts on here have attributed that to the electronic, "drive by wire" gas pedal. whether or not that's true or it's the cause, I don't know. all I know is that it's still faster than my old car ('90 honda civic.) it's not a ferrari. there is a lag of a 5/th or so of a second, but you get used to it.

you'll learn how far to press the gas pedal down to accelerate. don't floor it, it's slower that way.

hope that helps.

I think it normal- Its due to the fact your car is in 2nd or 3rd, and since your rolling and not at a compleate stop- you tranny is thinking if it should go into 1st or not....its normal...