Automatic tranny downshifting

Once I understood what was happening I started liking this feature. If you don't want to downshift don't tap the brakes. If you want to get out of it, tap the gas. Easy peasy.

 

TreeDog, I feel your pain. Mine would downshift really hard and drive me nuts. At first I would just pop it in neutral every time I hit the brakes. My new trick is to downshift to 4th when I first hit the brakes and while holding my foot on the brake shift back into drive. This seems to stop the terrible downshift. My other trick with the transmission is when going uphill and the tranny doesn't want to shift out of 3rd on its own, I drop it into 4th for about 1 sec and then back to drive. Sometimes it will upshift right away, sometimes not. Try these tricks and see if they help.

 

It seems to be most noticeable when the truck is new. The downshifts smooth out as time goes on. I didn't like it at first but like it now.

 

Why do you go out of your way to prevent the engine from revving? The 1GR can take redline all day.

 

Also a quick note. if you find that the tranny downshifts but you want to be back up a gear. A quick flip from D to 4th back to D will make it come up one gear.

There is a hill on my way home from work that will make it downshift to 3rd, D-4th-D will bring it up one gear at a time if i want all the way back to 5th.

 

Engine braking would be fine if the world was flat and every time I touched my brakes I was coming to a complete stop. In the real world going downhill on the interstate highways you have to use your brakes to stay around the posted speed limit (65 in PA). But when your traveling at 65 and you ride your brakes gently to try to stay at speed limit and your transmission downshifts into 4th, then 3rd it revs your engine to 4000 rpm, that gets old really fast. I understand that this is considered a feature and some people like it, but I don't. Some people say it saves gas. When I shift into neutral every time I brake I get better mileage. I can see where this would be a great for hauling heavy loads and towing but it could be put on a switch in the dash(don't haul or tow every day). And lastly people say this saves on your brakes, I would rather change my brakes than change an engine or transmission. This has to put more wear and tear on your engine and transmission. I will drive my way, you drive yours.

 

^^^^^^ I dont find my transmission downshifts to the point where its an aggressive downshift or hard like you say. I can feel it but in no means is it a hard downshift or to the point where installing a switch to bypass the feature would make things better .
Having test driven a few 2nd gen Tacomas , I have never noticed aggressive downshifting . Maybe try an ecm re-learn by removing battery terminal ?

 

That is exactly how I feel about it. It would be a really nice feature IF you could turn it on and off. Like a tow/haul button. I also agree on the wear and tear, can't be good for it in the long run. And I've never thought that "shifting" an automatic was good for it.

During the test drive it never did this. I've always been a manual guy except for company trucks and the silverado that I traded in for this one. I was really impressed with the auto. Shift points were good and it didn't constantly search for the right gear. I really like the truck, in fact the only thing I don't like is this feature. I bought this truck with the intention of keeping it for a long time. Honestly I don't think this is something I can get used to or be happy with. Another dealer has the same truck with a 6spd that I might have to go look at this week.

 

It just shifts different, takes some getting used too, took me about 5k...every newer F150/silverado transmission shifts smoother than ours but then again they don't last that long and have other issues. It might has done this during the test drive as well, but since it's a new car there's so much to pay attention to that you don't notice every little detail.

 

I have to be on my brakes pretty good before this kicks in. Riding my brakes it never happens. I think there may be something wrong with you truck!

 

How exactly is shifting gears going to hurt the transmission ?

 

1st post on Tacomaworld...

I just took delivery of a 14 DCLB TRD Sport I ordered 6 weeks ago. Took it on a drive to the cabin (300 miles) to "break it in" a little. I love the truck, but I did notice an odd shift pattern that led me to here. I read through this thread and I just want to make sure what I'm experiencing is really "normal."

I noticed that when I was cruising at 55 or 45 and then tapped the brakes to cancel the cruise control, it would coast for a bit and then right around 32 mph it felt like it downshifted. Not harsh but noticeable.

Do I let it go and get used to it or head back to the dealership this week for a check?

 

Normal

 

Try shifting into 4th or 3rd depending on how fast you are going. I took my V6 Auto out in the San Juan Islands recently and it is very hilly and curvy on those islands. Driving in "D" the tranny wanted to search for gears at certain speeds and I was constantly playing with how much gas I was putting on to compensate for it.

I switched into 4th gear for most of the driving and even 3rd on some hills, and the transmission responded a lot better.

 

That's common sense automatic transmission usage.

 

Thanks for the reassurance. Sorry to revive a 3 month old thread. This is my first Tacoma. My last Toyota was a 1977 2 wheel drive pickup. The trucks I've had in between have not done this sort of thing...or at least I never noticed it. I'll just let her buck for now.

 

I just noticed it, we moved up on a hill and it does it on the way down, nice feature, saves the brakes and it feels like I have more control.

 

And brake lining yeah I guess these new fangled things are just pretty much junk my 65 Dodge didn't do that.