Constant Shifting

How about driving experience?

 

Well that seems to be the issue in these trucks, correct? Lack of torque, or at least torque in a useable rpm range.

My Volvo 2.5T makes 208hp/236ft lbs, and the torque peak is down low, at just under 2k rpm IIRC. That thing is a beast with the cruise on, it rarely has to shift out of top gear to make a grade. Only time it does is when I'm heading up north through Northern NH and VT. Same thing with my LS1 Firebird. A4 with 2.73 gears, it turns 1700 RPM at 70mph and never shifts out of OD while in cruise. Gets 27mpg highway, too.


Torque is good.

 

The cruise control is a nightmare in the Gen 3 Tacoma. The last time I used it, I had it set for about 60 mph on a busy highway. I began to go up a slight incline, and the truck decided to downshift. Well, over the course of maybe a second, the truck basically killed all power while it figured out what gear it wanted to be in, then spiked my RPM's up to over 4000 and almost threw itself into the adjacent lane, which was occupied by an 18 wheeler. It was an absence of power followed by a truck that surged as hard as it could, and it was dangerous as hell. This was only a slight incline I was going up. So I don't use cruise control anymore. I don't need my truck getting me into an accident.

 

It would be amazing if one of the tuning/technologic wizards that are around here could alter the sensitivity of cruise control to be a little more livable. If I am going 80 and the truck, do to incline or wind, slows to 78 I don't need it to spaz out into 4th gear to get back to 80 as fast as possible. How about going into 5th gear and increasing throttle a bit. That would make for a much better driving experience.

 

80 on cruise ?
Get a corvette.

 

Just going the speed limit . Wouldn't mind having one for the summer though!

 

Used cruise control for about 1800 miles so far. If I had a head wind or was going up a grade and it started gear hunting I would just put it in s5 or even s4 if the conditions called for it. Cruise control is rather stupid in the sense that its not adaptive to outside conditions. The vehicle will do whatever it takes to maintain a given speed. It wont allow a slight variance either over or under like you would if you were doing the throttle control thus leading to erratic shifting trying to find the spot where it has enough torque at the right RPM and to maintain speed.

 

This is my first Toyota that has cruise control but my other vehicles seem to manage cruise control better.

 

Not sure where you are, but although here in SoCal 80 is legally speeding, you find most drivers more often then not going at this pace, even Toyota Echos.

 

Every time I see this thread I see this...but I drive an MT so...



Edit: ya, while re-reading my post kinda comes off as taking a shot. It's not, merely giggle every time I read the thread title lol

 

I wish I had the MT. Unfortunately there were none available when my old Jeep died.

 

Time to upgrade to the OVtune. Real Fix

 

I will find out about the tailwind when I leave St Louis on Saturday and let you know.

 

I guess I'm an outlier, as far as CC is concerned. I've used it at most speeds from 40 to 80 (Hwy limit in MT) and find it very efficient and responsive. I do have the gear hunting issue, and have had no satisfaction from the dealership. I called corporate today and opened a case, but they were not very helpful either. I've been told it has to trip a code in order for them to fulfill the TSB, but they can't tell me what the code # is. I guess I need to try another dealership to get the flash update. Otherwise I really enjoy driving and towing with it.

 

They are not being honest about the code. There is no code for the TSB. I had the initial one done because it would never upshift and had a bad clunk in the morning.

I have followed the OV tune thread. If they can solve the relearning issue I might buy it. Though I have read mixed reviews about highway performance. It seemed more geared to intown shifting patterns and I have no issue with in town performance.

 

Tailwind works! Every now and then I think the truck has fixed itself, then I realize I had a 20 mph tail wind!

 

Do TSBs usually include a code if one is to be documented in order for the dealership to be reimbursed by corporate for labor, parts, etc.? The way I read this one is that the condition needs to be recreated if possible. They didn't take it for a test drive. My shifting issues are mainly from 40 mph to 65 or so.

 

Try towing with the 3rd Gen, it’s a freaking hot mess. I tow a camper that’s well under the max rating the Tacoma can tow and it constantly hunts on the hwy. The truck has to downshift to 3rd gear to maintain 65mph on the highway on any kind of incline, or even sometimes on flat straight roads WITHOUT cruise. With cruise it’s even worse, it’ll downshift to 3rd, then upshift to 4th once back to speed, seconds after shifting to 4th it downshift right back to 3rd.

I almost get embarrassed when getting passed on the highway as my engines screaming at 4,200rpm in 3rd gear to maintain speed and passing cars are probably laughing.

 

Agreed, but I think most would agree that the design spec did not really put much weight on 80-85 mph cruise control.
Can we agree on that ?
That's reckless driving in some states.

 

Yikes, that sounds horrible. Our towing experience has been pretty different, but you don't say how much you're towing. So far we've only towed our straight-load two horse Miley trailer. Our boys probably weigh in at about 2200 or so together, and I'm guessing the trailer is about another 3500 maybe. So say 5700 pounds, give or take. We engage the ECT, and S4, sometimes but rarely S5 only, never D and never use CC. Also have a brake controller installed. We can tell we're towing (unlike with our Tundra!), but its smooth and predictable and has always been under control. I think using the S mode and ECT are key.