Tacoma 2016 -17 transmission & power review

Perception is their reality and we deal with Toyota in a vacuum. Do they have any social media to blow up?

 

There's a unique implementation of the 3.5L with the Tacoma. Not sure if its the engine, software, transmission or all of it. At this point Toyota doesn't seem to know, either.

I say this because I've driven this same engine in different vehicles and they all have plenty of power, even down low.

And rev 2 is in work?

 

Not really sure. I don't use much social media. I'd definitely call corporate and start a case for your most recent issue however. Get it documented.

 

Maybe stock, but when do you see a diesel stock? Before I swapped injectors on it I was running 100hp tune. After injectors I was pushing a 160hp, also I like torque

 

Well then nut up and start a three on the tree mod thread. The world is yours.

 

I'm sympathetic to smitty99 and others in general because the number of issues/defects/flaws I've had with my truck (covered elsewhere) are more than any other car I've owned. Looking at my truck, I would conclude that Toyota didn't have their act quite together before releasing the 3rd Gen in terms of quality.

The original programming of the throttle and transmission for 2016 were simply amateurish. Thankfully Toyota has been working on this and TSB Rev 0 helped (for 6500 miles so far) in my case. The automatic still needs some tuning (rough shifts when cold, occassional flare) but it is vastly improved over the original programming without any real impact on fuel consumption.

As for the engine, I really don't have any issue with power/torque of the 3.5L. More low-end torque would be nice, but in general I'm pretty satisfied from a power perspective. I'm often surprised at what the truck can do at 1100 RPM. My only complaint about the 3.5L is that mine seems to regularly shudder or stumble under part-throttle at about 1350 RPM in the lower gears (2-4). The steering/dash/accelerator vibration at 2100 RPM is also notable in mine but probably more about bad engine-mount design than anything else.

 

Mine does this too, it feels like surging or lugging. That's how I'd describe it.

 

In my Origional Post I said it was underpowered and I stand by it. I say so because of my experience with previous cars. This is the first vehicle that down shifts when asking for more power for normal everyday driving. Not for everything but often for driving in the hills.

I know others will say it the transmission and it's doing what it is supposed to do. 50 more hp could have made all the difference.

One more thought to add to my review:

Pedal dynamics
There is a disconnect with the accelerator pedal and engine performance. With other vehicles I have owned, you move the pedal you get a noticed change in the sound of the engine as it works harder, not just a change in RPMs. With the Tacoma I have noticed when pulling a hill and moving the pedal a little there is no change. I have to apply considerable pressure to push the engine or should I say, the computer to decide I want more power to downshift for more power. I can say this happens at other points of acceleration.

I have found, I am shifting with my foot, changing the pressure on the pedal accelerator. This is new feeling for a light vehicle. Many moons ago I drove a 10 speed charter bus and managing the engine speed was part of double clutching.

 

Everything in bold is exactly characteristic of what mine was doing the first 3600 miles.

My pedal is no longer dead and power/shifting works with my input whereas before it's like you said, giving it more gas did nothing. You had to make huge throttle inputs to do anything. Right around that 3600 mile mark, overnight, it changed. I hated it so much I was using ECT daily and the way it drove with ECT enabled is exactly how I wanted it to drive. After the learning kicked in, I see very little difference in using ECT now.

I know it sucks having to wait, but wait it out. It should get better after it's adapted to you.

edit: I should note this learning was 1500 miles after Rev 1. It may be that learning was improved after Rev 1 and maybe that's why mine adapted well following the update whereas yours might not have? Did you do the TSB after that revision was released in November? I also was running ECT literally every day. Like 99% of the time I was in ECT. It may have made more drastic learning based on it seeing my use of the feature.

 

Pretty much...
Stop trying to "shift with the pedal". Be consistent in your input; it's adaptive learning.
Or, try S4/S5; no adaptive learning.

 

I use the ECT all the time now, it helps with my driving in the hills. Even after the computer learned my habits it did not help. Maybe a different result for a flat lander.

 

Have you had the Rev 1 ECU/TCU update performed yet? If not, perhaps have that flashed and ask the folks to reset any learning if that's an available option, at the same time.

 

Mine still performs like this after 20k miles and 1 year of ownership as well as TSB software update for the trans. Your experience is, unfortunately, fairly common for this truck.

 

I did the first TSB and will look into the revision. Thanks

 

The new revision does improve the driving characteristics in every mode (drive, ECT, sequential) as well as solves the cold shift flare. I recommend it.

 

You should have bought a sports car. The Tacoma is a truck and not intended to be exciting. It is intended to haul and tow. It is because of government mandates that the new Tacoma can be barely called a truck.

 

That argument is really a cop out and is very worn out. The issue is low end torque is lacking and thus the feeling of power is poor down low and throttle feels unresponsive

 

100% Agree. Traded my 04 4runner w/ the 4.0 in for my 3rd Gen and haven't looked back. Really don't get what all the complaining is about... It's a mid-sized truck, not a Corvette. I personally love it...good to see other people enjoying theirs too!

 

Did someone say anywhere that they wanted the truck to perform like a sports car? Please quote them

 

All I'm saying is I like the truck. Lot's of hate towards the third gen. Don't think it's all warranted.