Couple of General Questions about My New Celica... Options

[FrankB2]

EDIT: It's a 1997 Celica GT Vert with the 5sfe engine.

The tranny won't shift into overdrive on cold days until the temp goes up to about half it's normal gauge position. Is this what everyone else experiences? I have a warranty for the entire transmission...

Also, the front struts make a squishy sound when going over speed bumps on cold mornings. Class? Anyone???

BTW.... I'M LOVIN' THIS CAR!!!! I thought I loved my '96 Jeep Grand Cherokee, but it's seen almost zero use since I bought the Celica over a month ago. The Jeep's seats are much more comfortable, however, and I would like to do something in that department. The seats need better lumbar support, and the Jeep has an adjustable bladder that has spoiled me.

This post has been edited by FrankB2: Nov 16, 2012 - 5:50 PM

[SwissFerdi]

Check the tranny fluid level. If nothing is amiss there, then it's something to do with the internals of the slushbox, at which point you may as well do a manual swap.

The squishy sound could be various things...the struts themselves squeaking somehow, or could also be spring-related noise...the rubber seats at the bottom of the coil likes to rot away, leaving the spring to rotate against metal. Test the integrity of the struts by pushing down on a corner of the car, and if the suspension doesn't bounce back to natural position right away then that's an indication that your struts are blown.