The big A.T. Question

After reading all the negative comments about the 6 Speed Automatic in the 2016 Tacoma's I was wondering if Toyota was listening. I understand there has been a TSB out to change some of the characteristics of the transmission...But it appears that the 2017 Taco's transmissions are pretty much the same. This has me puzzled...Surely the folks in Toyotaville are aware of all the ill-will that has been created. The question is - What are they going to do about it? I can't see Toyota turning a blind eye to the matter. I've been on the 4Runner Forum as I am seriously considering buying one to replace our Camry (Wifes primary ride). That forum has a number of comments from former Tacoma owners who dumped their Taco's for 4Runner - because of the transmission. The fear is now that the 2018's Runner will have the Tacoma 3.5 Engine and the same 6 speed Automatic Transmission. I'd hard to understand why Toyota has allowed this to take place and is not working to fix the problem, certainly they have the know-how. What am I missing here? By the way - My Taco Sport is a MANUAL and I am delighted with it. Clay

 

AT Phone Home

 

There is no problem, bro. Get over it

 

runs fine, the TSB took care of it, no issues..

 

nothing to see here, move along...

 

The 4Runner still has a 4.0 L engine (with dual VVT, and no silly faux Atkinson mode, that would be really nice in a Tacoma) so it does not need a 6-speed transmission. IMO Toyota's putting the 3.5 L engine in the 4Runner would be a corporate blunder not too far removed from the "New Coke" fiasco.

What they should do is put the 4Runner's 4.0 L (270 HP @ 5600, 278 lb·ft @ 4400) engine in the 2018 Tacomas, and go back to the 5-speed auto...

 

The trans in the Tacoma is programmed to get the best MPG.

If Toyota changed the programming for better/more aggressive shifting, the MPG would suffer.

Tacoma sales are still strong so Toyota has no incentive to change the current programming (which is much better than what was in the 2016 BTW)

 

I'm not sure that's the case. I bought a ShiftSense Pro expecting it to kill my mpgs, but they have improved! So if Toyota neutered the transmission for econ reasons, I think they goofed.

Obviously that's anecdotal evidence, it would be nice to get some numbers from more SSP users on that to confirm my hypothesis.

 

My point here is that Toyota appears to have a black-mark on their reputation with this issue and, from what I have seen, has not addressed it in a meaningful way. When you have so many complaints (My dealer gets lots of them) IMHO Toyota should be responding. I recall right after getting my 2016 encountering a sales guy at the local dealer (he knows me from buying vehicles there for many years) He asked me if I liked my truck - I said I did...He said what about the transmission? I told him I had no issues...He said that many of his customers have come back to complain. It was then that I discovered the issue was with the A.T....(I told him I had the M.T.). I challenged him to drive a manual....Later he did and said that he now understood. The problem is most people opt for the Automatic (I have two friends that did and both of them bitch). It's clear to me that Toyota should be doing more to address the issue - and they don't appear to be doing so. - Clay

 

This is exactly what will happen. Already has.

 

Mine had the green sticker on the window from the factory (TSB)

No shift problems or erratic shifting here

 

No problemo here A/T works great!
No tsb, no ATF fluid lvl check just a longer than I'm used to 1800k break-n period in which the transmission was making long term adjustment of all its new internal part components and my driving.

I suspect most ppl just think there's something wrong during this period, panic and start worrying about a defect. But as of now, there's been no massive failures or defects that have come to light or given me any reason to worry.
A cps sensor, yeah I replaced mine and it maybe the prime suspect for everyone with longer term drivability issues imo.

If I buy a new T4R in the next generation 6 in 2020 with this drive-train, it should give better mpg and pep as this '16 Taco is a beast, and hopefully by then the cps issue will be a thing of the past and no longer a concern.

^^How about that Toyota??^^
Cheers!

 

The bottom line on the TACO, is that you still have a number one selling truck that is now averaging about 15-18k sales per month and if you have issues on say 1-3% of these trucks, that is still an incredibly small number overall. I am not downplaying anything, only stating that they still sell a lot and this is my 4th Toyota truck I have owned and other than a Ford truck, Toyota is the only other truck I will ever buy..

 

I just bought a 2017. I found the shifting and lack of low end torque to be somewhat annoying but not enough to push me toward a chevy. However, after just a few hundred miles it seems to be acting different. Maybe it's just a matter of break in.

 

I agree with you. I've taken some heat on this board by being critical of the 3rd gen. I bought a Toyota Tacoma because of Toyota's reputation for building bullet proof, reliable, trucks that hold their value ridiculously well. I knew I was buying the first model of a new generation and I expected some hiccups because of that. Things like kazoo door sills, flute control arms, entune head units glitching, even leaky brake lights or license plate lights...all of those things are hiccups I would expect for a new year model.

What is disappointing,though, is serious drive train gaffs. Low ATF fluid? Howling differentials? Leaking differentials? Vibrations when coming to a stop? Squeaky leaf springs (technology as old as the conastoga wagon), vibrations while driving, clunky/shift happy transmissions, CPS failures (on an engine that's been around for years).

Toyota gets a pass on one or maybe two of those issues (as long as they address them quickly), but all of them collectively is leaving a bad taste in a lot of mouths.

Combine that with their slow as hell response to fixing the problems. You have guys go in, myself included, with a bad diff howl.."yea that's not normal let's replace the diff for you"--when the new differential howls also.."that's normal and acceptable now". WTF. Three tranny TSBs later it still shifts up to early and bogs down all the time.

So yea, I'm disappointed with my first Tacoma. I guess I expected too much. I didn't expect to be in the shop more with this truck than any of my previous vehicles combined.

 

Toyota is my favorite

 

FUD is strong with this one..

 

As soon as the 4Runner is replaced the 4.0 litre engine will not be produced anymore.

 

That will be a sad day--but I guess it's the way things are headed--one of those things that makes me glad I'm old...

All else being equal there is NO replacement or displacement...

 

That motor came out in I think 2002. I would have liked to see Toyota take the current 3.5 litre and stroke it out a 4.0. That would have been a good motor.