TRD OR AC 4x4 hesitation when pulling out in traffic on full accelleration

Hey guys (and gals). Question for the TW brain trust... First, i have had my 3rd Gen for 7 months and have put over 22K miles on it. It's had some of the other problems listed on here that people report and it's escaped some as well. I had the tranny TSB completed about 3k miles ago and am very happy with the improvements. Let me also say, that i LOVE my truck. I am not one that cruises discussion forums to find new problems with my truck. If i notice an issue, i look for a solution... plain and simple.

I have looked around the 3rd gen forum and used the search feature and have not seen the following item discussed... please forgive me if i missed it.

On about 5 occasions since i have owned my truck i have noticed an almost all out loss of power when trying to pull out into traffic at full throttle... it's bad enough that on three of those occasions i was sure i would be plowed over by oncoming traffic! My question is two part... First, anyone else experiencing this and if so have you had it checked out? Second, is there any way that this is traction control related? I would hope not as having my wheels spin a little in that situation is a heap better than almost stalling in front of oncoming traffic!!

Any thoughts or input are appreciated!!

*** EDIT *** Before anyone asks... it's a V6 auto.

 

It happens to me all the time, there is a spot when I get on the highway where the slow lane is always backed up. I will shoot to the next lane and punch it to avoid being ran over by the oncoming traffic and the truck just stalls out. I am just sitting there telling the truck come on come on before I get ran over!!. Finally I will hit about 3,800 RPM's and the truck will finally take off like a bat out of hell. It is my only complaint with the truck right now, it just has zero low end torque.

 

Wow, that sounds bad.

Can you describe the hesitation in a bit more detail? How long does the hesitation last? Is it a total loss of power and transition in to engine breaking, or more of a temporary reduction in power?

I'd get it to the dealer ASAP. It may help if you could take it to an empty road, mount a camera[phone] in the car, and trigger the issue for documentation.

 

It's to the point now if I know I am going to have to get on it so I don't get ran over I will go into manual shift mode so I can control the RPM's a lot better.

 

I have the same thing, happened this morning and pretty much any time I try to get it to get-up-and-go!

 

Is it a hesitation where the RPM'S are slowly going up? Is it not downshifting? Are the RPM'S dropping for some reason?

Please explain more.

Are you pushing the gas pedal to the floor?

This engine has very little low end torque and it is coupled with an auto trans that shifts to a high gear as fast as it can. I think the autos cruise at what? 1000 RPM? That is laughable for this engine. I have a manual transmission and anything below 2k RPM is a slug.

What should happen is you press your foot (to the floor), it triggers a downshift of 1-2 gears and brings the RPM'S around the max torque band (somewhere around 3k, then shift at 4k+) then when you let off the gas it can do its little back to 1k snail mode.

There will probably be a slight delay between mashing the gas pedal and the downshift but if you are mashing the gas pedal to the floor and zero happens, something is wrong.

 

Could be your traction control. If you spin your tires, it will cut the gas.

 

I will have to try it in a safe area so I can try to pay better attention to exactly what it is doing. Unfortunately when it happens in a real situation I am too worried about being ran over to pay attention to exactly what it is doing. It just seems like it doesn't know I am trying to go fast and the RPM's just go up really slow and finally about 3,800 RPM's and the truck will finally take off.

 

I've noticed the same thing. I have just over 3k on my truck and I can't complain about much as I've been happy with it. I tend to notice this when pulling out quickly and the gas pedal all the way down. RPMs fly up and nothing on acceleration of speed, then all of a sudden the truck launches like a rocket ship.

 

Mine has done this a few times. Like pulling out from a parking lot giving it a heavy foot to get into traffic. It stutters and scares this shit out of you. It is maybe a 1 second stutter where it feels like the truck is just going to die right there then it kicks in again. Maybe something to do with traction control system

 

My Silverado had something called "Torque Management," where it managed all the Torque out of the system. Sounds simliar to this. I learned to drive with it over the years of owning that truck (i.e. much more defensively) and honestly I haven't noticed it with this truck, but that might be driving habits.

Saying things like I punch it and go into the next lane over to avoid incoming traffic doesn't sound very defensive. That's not an attack, I'm just saying if you think there's a problem, I'd record it on video and show the dealer because that's the argument they are going to mount against that comment. Video proof will at least get them to pay attention to you. Just playing devil's advocate and trying to out-think their objections.

I realize the cross lane migration comment wasn't the OP, just citing an example.

 

^^^ Try turning off the Traction Control by holding the button for 3 seconds and then try to duplicate your issue. If you can't and the truck takes off, then you know it's that. Happens to me when a tire spins, typically trying to jump into traffic.

 

Does it do it with the tranny in manual mode, or with the ect on? I fully agree that auto should be just that, but more details please. It will be good to know if it does it with traction control defeated as already mentioned.

 

Sounds to me you're Traction Control is doing its Job.. Try replicateing it with traction control off...

 

Another thing to try is does putting the truck in ECT mode before getting on the freeway help?

 

Thanks for your response. Mine is from a dead stop, not while moving.

 

It is a total power loss for an uncomfortable second or two... when pulling out from a stop at 3/4 to full throttle.

 

If you are questioning me... the OP, it is from a dead stop.... NOT WHILE MOVING. I am leaning more and more towards traction control WAY overdoing its job.

 

Thank you. That was my thought as well, i just wondered why it cuts it so severely that you non longer have any power to continue forward.

 

EXACTLY!!!!!! That describes it PERFECTLY!