My New Years wishes for the 3RD Gen Tacoma Auto trans

I really prefer a manual trans at times but not for everyday driving on the street and in traffic etc.
I wanted a DCLB OR so I had to get a an auto .
That said -

Toyota should offer more driving modes to the auto trans besides ETC .

In D mode I can tap the shifter forward to N and coast . This is great but there should be a way to tap to(the side?) to N while in S mode . There is not .
It seems to me there is a lot of gain in MPGs to be obtained with free momentum by stopping engine braking , and more precise control of the truck . Toyota should offer a few more modes to the trans.
1.Standard engine braking mode . (safety mode)
2. Flat road mode ,(use OD's and atkinson mode)= (ECO mode)
3. rolling hill road mode. (coasting) ( modified ECO mode , no engine braking)
4. a true paddle type manual shifting with a to the side neutral slot . This would also be great for towing .
5 . The ETC mode
6 . A lock out the atkinson mode to be used when ever desired .
These are computer program controlled transmissions . Why are they spending all the time to come up with one program for everything ? It would be almost free other than 1 more dial and 1 button for the Atkinson lockout .

 

Good thing New Years wishes never come to fruition

 

Engine braking equals fuel cut. Idle in neutral still burns fuel?

 

I am meaning the trans staying in a lower gear , and using the engine to slow the truck . There should be no fuel burned other than to idle , and gained momentum from gravity on the downhill if the truck was allowed to go on its own without being held back via the engine and trans. This is free energy / coasting .

 

Switching a neutral is OK.... Switching from neutral to a gear while rolling can be bad for an AT.

 

No dude. Coasting downhill in gear cuts the injectors and uses no fuel. Shifting to neutral stops this.

They designed the truck to give you the best possible mpg.

 

.

 

Shifting from Neutral to Drive puts a lot of stress on the internals as it must quickly take on a lot of of power.

 

Shifting into neutral when cresting a hill is not saving you any gas or driveline wear. Stop doing it!

 

Technically also illegal in many states

 

Oh boy. I've scrapped and re-written my reply to this thread about five or six times now. I'll just say I'm glad these trucks are developed by engineers and not a TacomaWorld committee.

 

Funny thing is

New 8 speed LC and LX has lots of issues and Toyota has replaced quite a bit

Tlx forum last 1.7 years constant complaint about tranny

Nowadays I think I am used to every forum having same tranny issues and complaints (AT only)

 

Last 1.7 years on the dot? Not 1.6, nor 1.8?

Ever-increasing emissions and safety requirements force manufacturers to do whatever they can do meet them, and that changes how vehicles behave. People have to get over the idea of things being just like in the good old days, and to adapt to the new reality. At the end of the day, it's a Tacoma - a utility truck - not a luxury vehicle. $40k isn't pocket change to most of us, but in the big picture, it's a pretty damn cheap vehicle. Sometimes I feel some folks' expectations are not in tune with the price paid.

 

Yup on the dot

Can't wait to see the millions of threads of problems with the new 10 speed trannys