I was going to start a thread on this cold shift issue but finding this one, others have the same concern. I just picked up a 99 ES300 with 48,000 miles
Not to add flame to the pedantic "it's easy to understand that it's your choice of ATF" *BLEEP* match of this thread but...
The choice of ATF has absolutely no bearing on how the thing shifts when cold. The determinate is that it is either programmed or temp sensor controlled to keep the revs high when cold. Once something senses over 150 odd degrees F, the trans shifts normally. The rev it when cold design criteria is most logically implemented to get heat into the cats.
Now, As I have the same issue, I really don't like that a cold engine, think below zero cold, is forced to run at 3-4000 rpm. Yes, I could let it warm up for 15 minutes but it's a waste of time and fuel. Being of this mentality I drove it slowly at a snails pace of 25 mph until it shifts out of second. Then a little faster until it hits fourth. Ok, my rant is over.
Does anyone know if the trans can be reprogrammed for normal at ops temperature? Is there a sensor that can be changed or cheated to get the thing to shift? That is the only possible remedy.