2016 Transmission T-SB-0077-16 Shift Feeling Enhancments (PDF)

After recalibration per TSB0077-16 my '17 taco shifts like it should on hills. Seems to have more power for in town driving. I got 14.76 mpg before TSB. Will know if mileage improves by next fill up.

 

Well after buying my 2016 Tacoma off road and the transmission problems I experienced, it brought me here to me making my first post. I received a lot of good info from this site and I thought I would share my experiences.

My new 2016 Tacoma off road (17" tires) usually runs in 4th at 3500 rpm driving 80 (speed limit in SD)with the cruise set. I'm getting 12 to 13 mpg and it's been back to the shop 4 times. It has 1200 miles on it and has had the TSB bulletin done to it. The dealership said they checked the fluid and it was okay.

I've owned close to 9 new Tacoma's before and loved all the others and the way they performed, but this one is so temperamental and constantly is hunting for gears even at lower speeds that it's a pain and a chore to drive. It accelerates and upshifts and downshifts when ever it feels like it for no reason at all, no wind, no hill, no traffic, it just decides to start shifting on its own in cruise control.

The Master Tech from Toyota Headquarters was down today and looked at it. He explained that at 75 plus mph that it's probably never going to do much better. He was honest and straight forward and didn't give me any false hopes that anything better was coming along in the future so I'm pretty disgusted with it at this point. When I get sick of the low mpg and shifting issues I'll be looking for something that can do better. Probably not another Toyota as my trust with Toyota is gone at this point.

This isn't the kind of quality and performance that I expect from Toyota!

 

Had the 10K service performed on the truck this morning + the TSB. The truck when put from P to D had a hesitation and then it would accelerate. The TSB seems to taken most of the slack out. I would jump in the wife's Honda Civic and the hit the gas expecting a hesitation like the Tacoma...seems much better. The wondering for gears seems to be much improved also. Taco Les, 12-13 mpg...are you driving in the mountains? I've driven my truck at speeds you are suggesting and averaged 19-21 mpg. I'm seriously thinking something is wrong with your Tacoma. Please other's pipe in...12-13 mpg...I'd be irate!

On another note...My factory tonneau cover piece broke. It's the small plastic piece at the separation of panels that fills the space. Showed the service writer...thought he'd just order the little plastic piece with the gasketing. Apparently, Toyota hasn't stocked any parts for the Tonneau cover's. Are you ready for this...more than likely Toyota is going to replace my entire Tonneau cover for this little take out two screws, slide the new one in, re-affix screws plastic gasketed piece. Unbelievable! I'm guessing more will fail...was just closing the cover and the plastic broke. Been a awesome cover thus far...no complaints.

 

I don't get anything as bad as 12mpg but I average about 16. So your 19-21 is awesome. Do you live in a completely downhill city? Maybe drive on a hot wheel track?

I have tried to source a tonneaue cover from a dealer because I can get a discount and they have told me they can't get them unless my truck has one and needs a repair. So I asked if I could buy all the parts and I would just piece it together and was told they don't stock parts. I should've just bought the white one next to mine with the cover preinstalled.

 

I'm driving on the flat roads on I-29 in ND and a few in SD, very flat. When I see the others post on here I wonder how they can be doing so good. I'm jealous!

 

Seems awful high on the RPM, do you have it in sport mode to only be in 4th? At 80 I'm in 6th at around 2100 RPM and get about 22 mpg on the highway.

 

I'm not running it in sport mode. I agree it's way too high rpm which is also the reason for 12 to 13 mpg and thus my complaint.

I have seen it drop to 2500 rpm and then to 2100 but it jumps back to 3500 within a few seconds after doing so. It can't pull itself at 2100 rpm at 80 mph. On occasion it will run at 2500 rpm at 80 mph for short distances (10 miles is the most I've seen). Every fill up has been between 12.5 to 13.4 mpg so far.

 

My averge around town was 17-18, highway driving around 70-80 mph was 19-21 mpg. Live in Florida, not a lot of elevation. Interested to see if the TSB increases gas mileage.
The Tonneau cover requires modification of the bed done at the factory. The posts on the bed are posts built into the bed. Not sure you could actually modify your Pre existing bed to accept the cover. I really like the cover, easy on and off if you need to take it off.

 

Taco Les,
See if Toyota will do a reset to have your truck relearn your driving patterns. I've not heard of anyone with that crappy on road fuel mileage. Something is not right!

 

Bought mine without on 22 Aug 16...Dealer told me I could buy Toyota tonneau cover for $1495 plus tax........I bought the BakFlip MX4....

Edit: also i was getting ~17,9mpg prior to TSB done...Now at 70mph, getting 24-26 on highway and 22.5 -23.4 in town regular mode......shifting is great and drive better each day

 

I'm averaging 25+ in my Limited (18" stock) here in south Mississippi. Granted it's flat but I'm not seeing 3500 rpm at 80 mph either...something definitely seems wrong.

 

Yodason, to my knowledge there are no special mods done to the bed at the factory for the cover. Everything just bolts to existing taped holes with the exception of the bed rail covers being cut out for post brackets and covers.

 

Wondering if anyone is experiencing this problem, had the TSB done about a month ago all my problems disappeared except for this one, also transmission fluid was checked and the tech reported one quart low, it's a bump/clunk you get when downing shift (coming to a stop) sometimes it's bad and loud and sometimes it's quiet but still noticeable, mostly happens when cold then in the morning but in the afternoon problem dissappears, if I let the truck sit for a while it will happen again. I do have a case open with Toyota. I tried explaining the symptoms, hopefully someone had the same problem and got it resolved, i love my truck but this is just bugging the crap out of me, I will be posting this same post in some other transmission threads, so I don't start a new one.

Edit: problem only happens for the first couple of stops when cold, and dealer wasnt able to duplicate.

 

My 2016 taco is less than a week old so I dropped by the dealership this morning and asked about checking the fluid levels and the TSB as mentioned on here. Fluids checked out and the TSB has made the taco TRDOR like driving a sports car compared to prior of the update. I thought coming from a Tundra that I was experiencing a difference in power and being a new truck it felt a little tight. Now it's much quicker shift, lower RPM's in shift and much different feel to overall driving experience after acceleration. It feels more like a broken in taco if that makes sense and I only have 450 miles on it.

 

Got the TSB done today. World of difference. Can't say it's for better or worse just yet but for now I'm optimistic.

 

Taco Les... The first thing I would do, if I were You.... make sure the tranny IS actually full..! Dealers lie..!!

 

Thanks for all of the information. I took the plunge today and I too am impressed. I have been mostly happy with my truck. I had the gap in the side rear window seals and the water in the license plate lights but no major issues. I did not like the transmission on long trips with the cruise control engaged but around town it was OK with manual throttle. Now I really like the way it drives.

I went to Autonation Toyota Winter Park. I told them my issues and they applied the ECM flash after about an hour wait. I did not ask about the fluid level and they did not offer to check it. I did give them a copy of the TSB just to keep them moving in the right direction. I wasn't impressed with the sales experience there but my 3 visits to the service department have been positive. I have 6,500 miles on my truck.

I did not have a 2nd gen so I can't compare the two but I am very happy with the ECM update and recommend it to all owners. I get better shift points and acceleration 'off the line' as well as less surge when backing into my garage. I am also getting better gas mileage (23 around town 45-50mph so and 20 on the highway at 70mph and a little less than 19 at 75mph). I have not tried it cold yet so I can't comment on the R to D delay.

 

I tried to get the dealer to reflash the ECM per tsb but they would not. They told me a Toyota field rep must come out and verify the complaint before they can do the tsb. Has anyone run into this? I will try another dealer.

 

Put your location into your info so we know where U R man...!! Maybe then we can recommend..

 

Houston TX