ShiftSense Pro - transmission shift controller for Gen3 Tacoma

A good portion of the initial testing was spent on ice-packed and snow covered roads in northwest Pennsylvania. Much of this time in 4H and with/without trac on. It continues to function perfectly fine in both of these modes.

In fact, one particular thing which stood out to me... I have had a Gen2 Tacoma and a Gen3 Tacoma. In both trucks (in stock D-mode), I have had situations on snow-packed roads where I was descending a long-steep hill and the stock AI-programming made a downshift to 3rd gear to help slow/engine-brake the vehicle. In at least 3 situations that I remember, this downshift caused the back wheels to break free from the road, causing the truck to nearly spin-out. This was a safety-concern for me, which scared me each time I descended a steep hill in winter, especially w trailer. With the SS pro, operating in S-mode turns-off that learning mode, and it will eliminate those particular downshifts as well.

 

order placed 6/6/17... waiting game... im in northeast pa.

 

@dcz108 Was this answered?

 

Finally had a chance to use this on the interstate and I was VERY happy. Was great getting up to speed and using the design trick to feather the gas pedal to shift was easy. Just this 20 minute trip, I had 24.4 MPG which rates right up there w/ what I was normally getting using stock D on every trip. I am liking this new chip more every day... it's really nice.

 

I have never seen this kind of gas mileage on my 2016 with stock tires. What am I missing?

 

Why would he do this? It would be self-defeating.

 

Keep in mind that was pretty much all interstate and just a short 20-25 minute trip to work. It comes down when you take the around town average into it, but I like to look at the individual trip just to see how I'm doing and was able to compare a normal drive before this and now w/ this. I average around 22MPG overall, but it's a ton of interstate driving w/ a few week-end trips to Lowe's.

 

I do these trips on flat interstate about 16-20 miles long.

 

How so?

 

Do you have a 4x4? Can't tell from your info on the side, but I'm not lying when I say I average around 22 on a tank of gas. I do baby it a lot as I'm one of those that like to see how good my mileage can be and it was one reason I bought this truck over some of the other guys.

 

Have you guys shipped one to toyota corp yet?

 

2 different things. If not, he wouldn't have bothered with all the effort on the SS
and we'd just be pushing the ect button or like several have done, wired it to be
in the always on when started position.

 

I just installed mine at lunch, looking forward to the drive home (56 miles of interstate and 2 lane blacktop).

 

Oh how I don't miss that, happy to be driving a 6spd manual again but glad theres a solution for others who encounter that issue.

 

Thanks for the detailed response. Exactly what I was hoping to hear.
I also have experienced that down shift you are talking about, and always catches me off guard.
Cant wait to receive my unit.

 

Hey guys. I've been out of the forum so long that Tacoma World didn't recognize my user name and had to re-enlist. I just bought a 2017 Tacoma Sport after stepping down from a 2012 Tundra. What a surprise when I hit the hills on the interstate here in TN. I'm not happy at all with the interstate performance. I'll have to agree with Taco351. There is a huge gear difference between 4th and 5th. When I'm cruising at around 70 mph, in 6th gear the engine is turning around 2000 rpm. Hit a decent hill, the trans drops to 5th while turning around 2200 rpm., which doesn't help at all. Then to keep the speed up the trans drops to 4th gear and screams at around 3400 rpm. I don't care what Toyota does with the shifting software, it won't do anything to help with the lack of sufficient gearing for the engine and transmission marriage. This is my 10th Toyota product since 2003 and the first one I feel isn't up to previous Toyota standards with regards to performance.

 

When do you think seatbelt Mike will order one and reverse engineer it?

Is there anything about this device that is patentable?

@dcz108

 

Update: Order #1192 Out for Delivery

But I probably won't get to install it until Friday . . .

12 days from placing the order (05/25) until delivery (06/07).

 

I drove about 40 miles yesterday in city driving, busy hwy, and open interstate with the new chip and in the 2 spots where I thought the original shift points were holding 3rd and 4th are no longer an issue. It feels like its shifting where I would if it was a manual at this point. More driving to come this weekend and then more info soon.

 

How does this compare to driving in ECT mode?