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

After 200+ miles I'm still in the disappointed mode with the latest "300 Rev 1" update. It still hunts gears on inclines so far...I've always noticed there seems to be a big gear ratio jump from 3rd to 4th.

 

Look I agree with the most of you. We have an issue. They are trying to fix it. It's taking a long time. It sucks but it is what it is. I love my truck and will be thrilled when it is fixed for good. Until then we need to vent here. I have no issues with someone buying another brand truck and not having the patience to deal with Toyota. But if you move away from Tacoma then you should follow the forums of what you are driving. Sure your feedback is welcome as long as it pertains to the thread. Since I sold my last F150 I have found no need to hover on the F150 forum. When I ran out of good things to add I simply stopped visiting. Partially because I had zero issues with my Fords. Any of them. I just need a medium size truck instead of a full size truck. Tacoma is still the best option when compared to the Colorado, Canyon, the grossly outdated Frontier or the Honda Accord pickup-aka Ridgeline. The best 2 friends I have made are the ones that bought my 2000 and 2008 Tacoma and that is probably because they were and are great problem free trucks. Every other issue I had with my 2016 has been fixed except the transmission. Until that is fixed I will try to participate in this thread. Sure there will be sarcastic remarks but I own one and have the right to vent here. If I eventually do give up and sell it for another Ford then I promise I will move back to the F150 forum. And there is nothing wrong with a new Silverado. I know a guy that owns one. Just saying.

 

The forum rules of life apparently are written such that once you abandon make or model you must resign membership. wow I had no idea this was such a rule. I guess those guys who bought 4runners and traded their tacoma should all beat it too. @TRDinOhio

 

I got the TSB done today. Since I was told, and read here, that it takes 30/45 minutes to download from corporate servers, I assume I have the Rev1. Weather was really crappy here driving home. So I could not test it much. I did notice a better shift pattern. I could still feel the engine bog down though . I'll see better tomorrow morning after the NE storm moves out.

Reading here I found that this is not a new motor - one from the Lexus side. Where can I find more info on it ? Also is the Atkinson thingy new for this motor ? Mine seems to accelerate kinda jerky(or the trans was slipping). The motor seems to blast off just above at 3k RPM, but the trans always wanted to shift up at that point.

 

First time with the Atkinson cycle. The prototype was built over 100 years ago. It is simply valve timing by the computer that allows the intake valve to stay open longer into the compression stroke. Something to do with utilizing unburned fuel. I figured when I bought it that, if it becomes an issue, that Toyota can program it to run like any other 4 stroke. It would just burn more gas but would probably make better horsepower. I honestly thought that tuners would be on the market by now that would do the same. I guess it is still too new to have much experimentation done on it.
If you have not done so then try running around with ECT on and you will see a little better throttle response without all the bogging from being in 4-5-6 gear so early.

 

I totally agree with you. That's precisely why we bought a Tacoma in the first place- it is on the top of the heap when it comes to mid size rigs. I would have kept the Tacoma however the sum of the little issues just pushed me right back into a full size. I made no attempt to hide the fact I drove full size rigs for almost 30 years prior to the Tacoma. We just tried to make do, and that was, in hindsight, not a good idea.

BUT.. Had the power train been better, and had my MPG been close to what Toyota advertised? I'd still be driving the Tacoma. It didn't so it was enough for me to cut my losses.

My wife and I are still trying to figure out what play-toy we want when we grow up (aka the kids are out of the house). The 'go to the mountains and trail ride/camp/horse around' rig. Thought it might be this third gen.

Now it might be an FJ, an older Hilux, maybe a 2nd gen. I doubt it will be a third gen unless these matters are addressed-they are persistently annoying (not unlike some attitudes on this forum).

 

How much money did you lose on taxes, trade in hit and vehicle upgrade costs to increase your MPG a couple on your new truck which saved you what...100 bucks a year in fuel?

That's some fuuuuuuuuzy logic.

 

I hear you. I am retiring somewhere between 10 and 22 months and the 3rd gen is my retirement truck. Figured it would be under 30k miles then with the hopes of another 200k into retirement. That seems iffy some days. I am hopeful it all works out. Other than a new 3.5 Ecoboost F150 there is nothing else I want and the Ford is too big for my needs. My last one was a V8 with a 355 ls I bought to tow a retirement camper. My youngest decided to go to college with my camper money so no more need for full size. Fortunately I get killer mpg in normal driving and Corporate fixed all my other nagging issues. Was hoping new Rangers would be out for 2018 just in case my transmission is not fixed by then. That has been squashed until 2019 now. Mine will be paid off within 18 months so don't want another payment when I retire. Sorry yours was a lemon. But every manufacturer makes lemons at some point. I have faith Toyota will rescue us. They fixed both of my previous frames so they do have a good track record.

 

I wouldn't say it was a lemon, well at least Toyota said "It's a normal characteristic", lol. . In hindsight it was wishful thinking that I could make all my shit fit anyway. Like I said- had it been a great truck, or at least lived up to its' claims- I would have kept it and made do, but fortunately I don't have to do that.

 

If all you read into my posts is that I was ONLY looking for MPG gains- you got some fuuuuuuuuuuuzy comprehension skills there pardner...

 

That's funny to think back about a month and a half ago I drove an hour and a half to a dealership with my heart set on buying a 2015
Colorado 4x4. Really sharp lookin' truck and was all rage with the on-line Mags and comparisons. I really was going to do this and while I'm driving down the highway I rec'd a call from a guy who's 16' Frontier Pro-X I had looked at a couple days before. He wanted to know
where I stood on buying his truck (which was almost the same as my 08' Frontier Nismo w/six speed Manual Trans except his had the Crew Cab/Short Bed and I needed the long bed) Anyway, I told him I was on my way to look at and buy a Colorado and asked him his opinion on them. He chuckled and said "It's a Gentlemen's truck". So having that thought in the back of my head but still very excited
about buying this beautiful truck with only like 29,000 miles on it, I took it for a test drive and it just didn't feel like the kind of truck that
I could take on rugged terrain and feel comfortable. Really what my fantasy truck would be is a V6 4WD with a long bed and a six speed
manual Trans, which is what my old truck was but it had a lot of miles. I was hoping the Tacoma offered that but the sticking point seemed to be getting a six sp manual w/long bed. So anyway, I've got a really really nice brand new truck that is so technically advanced and badassed and cool looking with 4wd, crawl control...all the bells and whistles and honestly everything I could've ever
dreamed of in a truck except for the fact that it has an automatic transmission that I can't stand. I know, however, in time I will grow
accustomed to it but man do I miss that stick shift and punch that the outdated Frontier had especially when I'm heading up the hill.
Again, I have no regrets and am confident that I will get used to the auto and love it. I haven't even learned half the features yet. I've
got a couple of the Toyota Apps on my phone, any other good ones pertaining to Tacoma's that I should download ? Man...technology
these days is unreal. Love it.

 

Yeah...the others were shifting which are mostlying resolved and still getting fixed and a differential noise which is likely to be fixed soon. so you traded in for temporary issues because you're aren't patient? I think that may be worse than for a seemingly permanent problem like mpgs...

 

Missed it again my friend.. Maybe look to your left? Down a little... It's over there...

 

Always feels better after the reflash. Give it a few thousand miles to see if it sticks.

 

I got rid of my 2016 Tacoma for a F150 after Toyota told me this is how the Gen 3's are. They are full of it!!!

I still come here to see if Toyota will fix their issues. After owning 9 Tacoma's I still have an interest to see what type of care Toyota will do to take care of their customers and I own other Toyota vehicles also.

Some peoples problems are much greater than others on here, I can attest to that and I feel most people are very upset at Toyota, but are not getting satisfaction there so they are taking it out in this forum. Just my opinion.

 

curious how do you like the F150 and have you had any issues? I am considering doing the same.

 

I traded my F150 after about 8 months for a Tacoma. I had a 2015 XLT in Blue jean Metallic, heavy tow blah blah... beautiful truck but a lot of problems. Join the F150 forum and you will see there are far worse problems than here. Honestly, I don't have any real issues with the Tacoma. It's awesome and service is great.

Like everything else... people that have a problem search google for said problem.. and boom they are in here posting the same stuff. There seems to be a lot of negative people in this forum that don't even own a 3rd gen which is funny.

Just thought I would let you know the grass isn't greener on the f150 side

 

I had the new TSB applied to my 2017 DCSB 2WD Sport one week ago. I've noticed many improvements, and I'm happy so far.

Prior to the reflash, I was driving with ECT on nearly all the time. When ECT was off, if I stepped on the gas it took far too long for the transmission to downshift into a lower gear to increase the RPMs to a range where the engine can actually deliver some power. It seemed like the CPU wanted to keep the engine RPMs in the 1K to 2K range. Downshifts were delayed when trying to accelerate, but upshifts occurred too fast, such that the engine was constantly lugging at the low end of the RPM range. This engine is not very responsive when you ask it to accelerate from 1K RPMs.

After the reflash, I'm not having these issues any longer. In fact, when I mash on the throttle it will downshift several gears very quickly to get the RPMs up into the 3K to 4K range. This engine is an absolute SCREAMER from 4K to 6K RPMs. Friggin' thing really surprised me. It pulls HARD.

I'm intentionally "drivin' it like it I stole it" right now. Accelerating hard from every stop light. Pushing generously on throttle whenever I want it to drop a gear and move on out. I don't want the driving pattern that is "learned" during these early days to think that an old lady is driving this thing. Funny thing is, I'm still getting 19MPG - 20MPG and I'm not driving on any highways.

It is still early, but if it continues to operate like this I won't need to use ECT mode at all.

--AGLAT

 

I love everything about the F150. My MPG went up at least 5 MPG more and I have a ton more room and power. I was getting 12.5 to 13.4 with the Tacoma which was some of the worst I read about on here.