Transmission 2017 TRD sport not shifting in 5 or 6 gear pulling a trailler

dapetik, I went from a 2007 DCSB 4x4 Sport manual to a 2016 DCSB 4x4 Sport manual and the 3.5 is giving me 20-25% better fuel mileage. (I used to get 400 km to a tank in mixed driving, 500 km on the highway. Now I regularly get 500 km to a tank in mixed, 600 km on the highway).

Back to the OP, I'm glad to hear that the truck is getting better for you. With an auto, I don't think you'd ever want to be in 6th while towing - from what I've read, towing in overdrive creates a lot of heat in an auto transmission.

 

Yea it's been mentioned on this thread before. The SAFEST, highest gear for towing is 4th on the 3rd Gens Auto.

 

I believe the manual states to use ECT when towing. I use ECT when I haul heavy loads such as firewood and tow my log splitter and it hauls much better. If your towing and its shifting through so many gears it can cause the transmission to overheat. let ECT adjust shift points better for truck and driving feel.

 

Go look at fuelly. If you are not familiar with it, it is a phone app/web page that shows user MPG inputs from all years/models/configurations etc. The average MPG of the gen 3 is less than 1 mpg better than the gen 2.
Sure it gets more HP but at 6,000 RPM? Either you're lugging the engine with no torque or the engine is screaming like a cat in labor getting 8 mpg. Bigger displacement makes better sense in a truck.
I bought a scan gauge for my gen 2. I can get 18 city if I baby the throttle and honestly the power isn't bad when I baby it. I can drive around town all day and never exceed 2200 rpm. I love the gen 3 interior and some if it's tech but the engine was a deal breaker for me.

 

I dont think the MPG is too big of a difference between the two, but I averaged 16MPG per tank with my 4.0L Tacoma, 17.5MPG per tank with my 4.0L 4Runner (wife daily driver), and somewhere between 17.5 - 18.5 with my 3rd Gen.

So yea, not a big difference. However, plenty of people are worried this engine isn't up to the task of towing without giving it a fair opportunity. I've towed 4000lbs with all 3 trucks (2011 Tacoma 4.0L, 2016 4Runner 4.0L, and the 3.5L Tacoma), the 4Runner does the best, but the 3rd Gen easily does the second best. What I mean by "best" is how hard it works to keep the truck at speed. The 3rd Gen actually pulls really hard in 4th gear at 2500 RPMs.

And not to split hairs, but better, is well better. If you expected 5 MPG more, I assure you that isn't the case. If you're happy with your 2nd Gen, keep it. It's a good truck.

 

As others have mentioned, both 5th gear and 6th gear are overdrive gears on the 3rd gen automatic transmission. The final drive ratio of 1st through 5th gear on the 3rd gen are relatively close to 1st through 5th gear on the 2nd gen automatic transmission. The 6th gear is like adding a second gear on top of the old automatic transmission for better fuel economy.

A lot of people here make the mistake of equating higher RPMs with the engine working harder, which is not accurate. These engines are just fine spinning at high RPMs all day long if you need them to. Just don't let the higher engine pitch fool you in to thinking it's somehow generating less power or working harder.

 

^^^^ this!!!!

 

Do you even know how to tow properly and what gear max to use ?
Doesn't sound like it. Trade the truck and something not as complicated to drive.
Just a bunch of worthless rants all day everyday as usual.

 

3rd gen beats 2nd gen by a whopping 45 seconds !!! in the gauntlet tow test and is quicker overall.
Much faster than the 2nd gen I had.
Don't believe everything you read.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCkBmiZV09w

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UVC-JZ-5i2Y


And 0-60 times.

http://autotk.com/0-60-times/toyota/tacoma/

 

I'm in the same boat with some of you guys, my truck unloaded and not towing anything doesn't like to stay in 6th, especially with the cruise on.... Driving without the cruise seems to help

 

There's nothing wrong with that. If the truck stayed in 6th gear all of the time then you'd be leaving fuel efficiency on the table. Keep in mind that the truck has two overdrive gears and will switch between the two of them as necessary. If they instead left out the 6th gear and went back to a 5 speed automatic, the truck would stay in the top gear more but would have worse fuel economy.

Some other modern trucks have 8-speed or 10-speed automatic transmissions now. More frequent shifting is inevitable, but again there's nothing wrong with that. Let the transmission do its job and don't worry about it.

 

90% of your posts are the same, except his are about Toyota and yours are about GM and Nissan.

 

I agree with your thought process, but if that were the case, I wouldn't be getting 14 mpg.... If I control the throttle myself, it jumps up 2mpgs.... Although with that being said, I'm pretty sure I didn't get the rev1 update, just the original

 

w

wrong i get about 3 mpg or better

 

Have you done the TSB

 

I have done one update a few weeks back, but I can't get a straight answer if it was the original or the rev1

 

If your truck will not go into 6th on level ground and no trailering......you guys have to fill your freakin' Tranny...!!
You guys have a MAJOR issue..

 

What is the kilometre you get with the second gen real time not the posted estimates , I will post my mileage later today

I got 11.7 liters for 100 kilometers running around on Toyo winter tires
Im happy with that I will get better gas mileage with summer tires for sure im happy with the result even when towing my snowmobile covered trailer

 

My friend had his checked out a2016 and the problem was low trans fluid right from manufacturing

 

Sarcasm my friend. They go into 6th... they just don't like to stay there when you apply the slightest bit of throttle. I had my Transmission fluid checked before the first TSB for the tranny ever came out. Was fine. The TSB helped my issue slightly but it is still a gear hunting festival on the interstate.