1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

Confused about Automatic Shift Timing at slow Speeds

Discussion in '2nd Gen. Tacomas (2005-2015)' started by st101, Jan 3, 2015.

  1. Jan 3, 2015 at 7:02 PM
    #1
    st101

    st101 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Member:
    #103289
    Messages:
    146
    Gender:
    Male
    Can somebody help explain some of the logic behind when the Tacoma's automatic transmission decides to shift?

    Every single time I drive, I usually go around 25 mph (military installation).
    Getting up to 25mph, the transmission takes me to 2nd gear (I think) at about 2800 RPM. Even after a few minutes at this speed, it doesn't go to 3rd gear.

    Here's what confuses me: If I speed up to about 30-33 MPH, it up-shifts to 3rd gear and drops to a quieter 2100 RPM. I can then coast back down to 25 MPH (where I was originally at), and drive in 3rd gear at the lower RPM.

    Why do I have to speed up beyond 30 to get to 3rd? Why doesn't it select 3rd earlier on at my normal 25MPH driving speed?

    Thanks.
     
  2. Jan 3, 2015 at 7:14 PM
    #2
    Justus

    Justus fucks not given

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2013
    Member:
    #94417
    Messages:
    9,230
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Nabisco the kid
    In ur toolbox
    Vehicle:
    not so low, not so slow 2006 6 lug
    stockish
    These trans are bassakwards man.

    Let off the gas and they instead of upshifting they downshift and passive brake.
     
  3. Jan 3, 2015 at 7:41 PM
    #3
    gearcruncher

    gearcruncher Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 1, 2012
    Member:
    #90305
    Messages:
    7,131
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Canadain bumper technician
    Great white North 51.0333° N, 93.8333° W
    Vehicle:
    2010.TRD.SportDCLB4x4Limited leather package
    TRD Sport Rally -5 speed automatic Limited ,Factory heated leather seats ,chrome package,Super white with front windows tinted to 35 % Dick Cepek DC-2 wheels Summer tires - Good year silent armor P265/65R17 Winter tires - Good year P265/65R17 Ultra Ice studded Illuminated 4x4 switch TRD 3rd brake light cover ($20) TRD seat belt shoulder protectors (5). ($50) TRD ...B pillar emblems ($20) TRD rear slider sticker with devil horns ( $6) TRD summer floor matts ($60) TRD steering wheel emblem ($20) TRD floor pedals .($95) TRD shorty antenna ($14) TRD front Windshield emblems ($17) TRD head pillows .($60) TRD head rest protectors TRD door scuff protection $20 TRD floor matt emblems ($40) TRD tow plug emblem . ($40) TRD cigarette lighter with LED.($35) TRD tissue dispenser ($12) TRD front bezel emblems ($9) TRD door emblems ($6) TRD lanyards($9) TRD lisence plates with TRD bolts($50) TRD fender emblems TRD center caps Part Number:PT904-35070-CC ($80) TRD cd
    Year of truck ? what size motor ? Whats the mileage ?
     
  4. Jan 3, 2015 at 8:21 PM
    #4
    st101

    st101 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Member:
    #103289
    Messages:
    146
    Gender:
    Male
    2014 v6 4L. Mileage is about 7000.
     
  5. Jan 3, 2015 at 9:53 PM
    #5
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Member:
    #114055
    Messages:
    13,847
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    13 DCSB TRD OR v6 Auto
    These trans race to fifth lockup.... They will do so under light load on level ground.... They also actively downshift under breaking so it can keep the revs up to stay in fuel cut for more mpgs.
     
  6. Jan 4, 2015 at 8:24 AM
    #6
    judgeman6970

    judgeman6970 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 22, 2010
    Member:
    #35763
    Messages:
    332
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Bob
    Long Island, NY
    Sounds strange. My '14 V6 4x4 will never go above 2k rpm while accelerating normally thru the gears. I really have to get on it to hit 2,800 rpms, especially before 25 mph....
     
  7. Jan 4, 2015 at 9:59 AM
    #7
    Krogen

    Krogen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2014
    Member:
    #135713
    Messages:
    92
    Gender:
    Male
    Puget Sound
    Vehicle:
    14 AC V6 6sp 4x4 Off-Road
    Perhaps it's your driving style. When I bought my '14 last August, the salesman told me automatics had "adaptive shift profiles." That is, they learned or adapted to your driving habits. When I asked if there was a way to reset the transmission to factory defaults, he said not even the dealer shops can do that. While I have no reason to disbelieve him other than he's a salesman, it's one reason I went with a manual.
     
  8. Jan 4, 2015 at 11:29 AM
    #8
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Member:
    #114055
    Messages:
    13,847
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    13 DCSB TRD OR v6 Auto
    trans gets reset if you pull the battery.

    Also it will stick in a lower gear when colder to keep rpms slightly higher to warm everything up quicker.
     
  9. Jan 4, 2015 at 4:20 PM
    #9
    st101

    st101 [OP] Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 1, 2013
    Member:
    #103289
    Messages:
    146
    Gender:
    Male
    Thanks fellas.
    I actually checked again today and I was off on the RPMs.
    It was 1100 and 1800, not 2100 and 2800.

    Also seems that if I'm on any kind of downward slope, it jumps up to the higher gear. If I'm on level ground or an incline, it sticks in the lower gear at a higher RPM. Perhaps it does make sense after all?
     
  10. Jan 4, 2015 at 5:17 PM
    #10
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Member:
    #114055
    Messages:
    13,847
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    13 DCSB TRD OR v6 Auto
    yup, the truck senses you are riding the breaks and will downshift a gear or two... 1 to reduce use of brakes, and 2. to keep the truck up in the rpms for fuel cut, so mpgs are increased.
     
  11. Jan 4, 2015 at 6:40 PM
    #11
    CanadaToy

    CanadaToy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Nov 7, 2013
    Member:
    #116081
    Messages:
    1,680
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Greg
    Toronto
    Vehicle:
    17 DCSB TRD OR Alpine
    TRD Pro grille & skid, OEM tonneau and roof racks
    Once the transmission warms up, it does not hold the gears like that. Test this out after a 15minute drive.
     
  12. Jan 4, 2015 at 7:13 PM
    #12
    DouginNC

    DouginNC Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 24, 2014
    Member:
    #139017
    Messages:
    92
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Doug
    North Carolina
    Vehicle:
    2014 Double Cab TRD Sport
    I live in a hilly area and really like the downshift to a lower gear when braking growing down an incline. I hit the brakes, the truck downshifts and I let the brakes go. It will stay in that gear until I give it some gas. Nice! Keeps me from having to manually select a lower gear.

    Also, when just driving around mine always shifts below 2,000 rpm.
     
  13. Jan 4, 2015 at 8:46 PM
    #13
    nd4spdbh

    nd4spdbh Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2013
    Member:
    #114055
    Messages:
    13,847
    Gender:
    Male
    SoCal
    Vehicle:
    13 DCSB TRD OR v6 Auto
    Also a little note, you can easily move around in the gears when the trans downshifts like that.

    For example.... a hill on my way home from work, the truck will downshift to 3rd, which is nice, then it levels out some and i would like to go up to fourth and fifth at some point to coast rather than touching the gas.

    You can actually go up one gear at a time by simply moving the gear selector real quick from D to 4th back to D. This will bring the trans up one gear. And you can do it again and again to go back to fifth one gear at at time.

    If you wanted it to go straight back to 5th from what ever gear it was engine breaking.... a quick D to N to D, will do it. Both of those come in real handy.
     

Products Discussed in

To Top