Hesitation, Bog Down, Miss, Luging, Poor Response

Those of us experiencing these issues are probably talking about the same thing. You press the accelerator to a point where you expect a downshift, or at least acceleration, and nothing happens. In fact, sometimes it feels like the truck actually slows down. Even when moving at 50 MPH.

I'm an old wrench. I won't bother digging into all the Super HighTech controls that exist today. The basic problem is either not enough fuel, an ignition issue, or lack of signaling to the trans to downshift. Quite possibly a combination of these.

Don't insult our intelligence saying it's normal. Anyone who has driven for a year that has no mechanical knowledge whatsoever can tell it's not normal. And; The service manager telling me it drives the same as the others on the lot does not prove it's normal.

Get you act together Toyota! As already stated here,” you will lose market share” - Big Time and Quickly. I've owned six Toyotas. I never had a major issue with any. I'm really shocked at the lack of quality control that allowed this vehicle into production. I've only had my 17 since Oct, but it's already been 18 months.

Like most, I bought this Tacoma believing it was bullet proof. The proof came from my friends who have owned multiple Tacomas and Tundras. I've road in them and drove them. Half of the members in my 3 sport clubs have them. They say my truck is beautiful. It is ! But when they say they want to move up, I'll just have to hand them the keys.

 

Is it possible that the point where you think it should downshift and the point where Toyota's engineers thought it should downshift are not one in the same?

Until you get to that point, not only is the trans in overdrive, but the engine is on the Atkinson cycle. That means you've got even less torque than you'd intuitively expect for the RPM you're at. Try using the ECT PWR button.

 

When I need the truck to get up and go when I want it (passing on the highway for example) I bump my shifter to the left and manually select the gear in my automatic. Your truck has plenty of power, just need to be higher up in the RPM range.
I don't have a 3rd gen, so disregard if you'd like, but yours has the same feature.

 

Have you tried running ETC mode? I've found that this solves any complaints I have with the truck.

From my viewpoint, enabling ETC is like turning off Eco mode.

 

This all could have been avoided if you bought one with three pedals.

 

That's what that button is for, right? I like Eco mode for the MPGs (hovering right around 20MPG average) but when I need some extra 'oomph' I hit the ETC button. I don't use it often enough to notice any change in MPGs, but even if it affected it a little I wouldn't care.

 

My truck feels like its numb when it takes off. The gas peddle feels like nothing I have driven before. The transmission was shifting very smoothly or not at all until I got the TSB. Now it shifts a little less smoothly and as directed. I accept this as normal. I love the truck.

 

It's better than it was before the TSB, but it does seem like the engineers chose to upshift at the exact moment when the engine could theoretically maintain progress in the next higher gear. I believe most manufacturers do the same calc, but use a 20% or 30% cushion so that they have some reserve power after the upshift. The net effect with the Taco is it constantly feels like it is falling on it's face. No power - decent power, shift, no power - decent power, shift, no-power...

The engine is fine, the transmission is fine, the programming just sucks. As proof of this just shift it manually, you'll find it drives just fine. I share many of your frustrations.

 

put it in 2nd gear around 1100-1200 RPM and mash the gas pedal to the floor. No amount of pedals will fix the complete lack of response. It is borderline dangerous, I almost got caught in oncoming traffic trying to cross into a driveway the other day. Only option to maintain adequate power is to downshift to 1st at 10 mph? Ok....thanks Toyota.

 

Read all you comments above. If it was MPG you wanted, then there should be a switch for that. Not an ECT or sport mode to override standard operation. I also believe that the majority of Tacomas don't have this issue. I don't have some that others complain about. The thing that doesn't make sense is why would you have any of this at 50 MPH ? It is an engineering issue.

 

I remember when I was learning how to drive a manual trans

 

The majority of Tacoma owners understand how the truck works and that what is normal for the truck may not necessarily be what they expect but that doesn't mean the truck is faulty.

 

Do you even know how gearing works? You would be going like 6mph in 2nd gear at 1200rpm. It's user error not the trucks fault you used the wrong gear

 

*10mph

 

Oh sorry.

"Why doesnt my truck have torque at the wrong gear at 10mph?"

 

I bought a truck with a manual gearbox, can someone explain why I have to manually downshift at lower speeds?

 

Ugh I can't get these lug nuts off.