Reconsidering Tacoma After TSB. Enlighten me.

Hey guys,
I wanted to love the new Tacoma after it was unveiled last year. Took a couple for test drives and was baffled that Toyota's board of directors would allow the dead throttle and unpredictable transmission to get their stamp of approval. I love Toyota and am not trolling but that is how I felt.
Been waiting on a TSB or some move by Toyota to address this issue and it looks like it has finally happened. Seeing lots of positive feedback post-flash. I am just curious if the flash has dramatically changed the driving or not. Is it still a slouch from a dead stop? I could test one, but I assume the Tacomas on my local dealer lot still have old software.
I really want to fall in love with the Tacoma but those are my reservations. Again, not trolling. Just curious for feedback.

 

It'll likely help the transmission but the throttle is designed that way. Have you tried ECT mode?

 

Honestly I hated the way mine drove before the update and I felt the same way you do now. After the update I love the truck. To me it made a huge difference as I commute a lot and it is really noticeable the difference the update made. You'll love it with the update trust me.

 

Also, keep in mind when I drove my truck off the lot with 7 miles it had horrible acceleration. Although some disagree, I found it improved considerably after about 1000+ miles. I could get it to get up and go off the line pretty good. I haven't had the TSB even performed yet. The only gripe I still have with the tranny is it's tendency to upshift while climbing when you still need the power in the lower gear, so it gets caught in an endless upshift/downshift loop. I'm hoping the TSB makes the truck more reluctant to upshift when climbing. I'd rather be running at 3500 RPM in 4th gear than continuously switching back between 4th and 5th gear every 5 seconds!

 

Too early to tell bottom line. The TSB applies to a learning transmission and until we see time and miles on these trucks we won't know what effects from the TSB will stick and which ones could be improved OR even negated by the new TSB. It could get better or it may only be a mediocre improvement after all the dust settles. Many have reported the transmission performing better after initial reset in the past and getting worse with miles and time.

 

I tried ECT mode still felt like I had to wait a long time to get torque to come and by the time I finally got torque the engine was screaming and hollering.

 

This won't change IMO. The design of the engine dictates this Moreso than the transmisson

 

Right, getting on the highway is a 6000 RPM affair most of the time if you want to be up to speed by the time you get to the top. The torque feel of the pants kicks in around 4,200 RPM and builds to 5,500 or so and it's done and on to the next gear where you wait a bit again. That's just how it is. Driving my parents Sequoia with the shared 5.7L in the Tundra was a wakeup call in that regard. The thing can get moving way quicker than my Tacoma and it's a massive SUV. That and it'll maintain 6th gear going 80MPH through wind and uphill.

It's still a good truck, but the engine is weak down low and the TSB won't change that. The throttle feels a little more responsive than it did and it will finally shift out of 4th once you crest a hill with the cruise control on. But that's pretty much the extent of the changes that I've noticed. I've had the TSB for almost a week and have driven right at 1,000 miles with it as of today.

 

Agreed. Great truck, but at this point I would at least wait until the 2017s start hitting the lots.

 

What update?

 

First sticky at the top of the forum.
2016 Transmission T-SB-0077-16 Shift Feeling Enhancments (PDF)

 

I think you'll get a lot of "expert" opinion on this topic that you should take with a grain of salt. I think the best thing to do is to try and test drive a truck post-TSB and see if she does it for you.

 

Awesome thanks!

 

the update will fix that, I'm speaking from my own experience.

 

Is the learning transmission forced or could that step be skipped? I noticed after TSB my tranny hiccups from time to time but I'm assuming that it's just relearning.

 

sounds like your a candidate for a v-8. try a Tundra.

 

We hope it sticks and it isn't just the relearning mode. As discussed elsewhere...

 

Took delivery 2 weeks ago. I am at 400 miles and never experienced any sluggishness or trans shifting issues and I go up a decent grade (Mission Summit HWY 52) on the way home every day. Plus it's been in the high 90's to 100's here this week and no issues with it being hot.

Just one more opinion.

 

It is designed into the system so I doubt it can be circumvented unless someone cracks the proprietary code on the ECU. I know I would definitely skip it if I could. My truck performs much better in learning mode....once it settles in over 1000 miles or so it seems to act up again. Hoping the TSB is a permanent fix for that but again only time and miles will ACTUALLY prove it.

 

The 3.5 is a high rpm, high peak torque engine. Nothing is going to change where the engine produces power(other then headers/forced induction). It's going to have to get wound out. From what I've heard, the trans shifts too quick and doesn't let you get stay in that power band.