2018 TACOMA TRD OFF ROAD AUTOMATIC TRANSMISION

Ask your Stealership if there is a TSB update for your engine / transmission. Maybe it wasnt applied on the assembly line for some reason? my 17 drove like ass until I got the update. ECT power mode make it drive FAST. Maybe you do not have that button / option on your truck?

 

Also the Tacoma favours high revs. If you want speed you'll need to be in the 3, 4000 RPM range.

 

Well I was just driving by a dealership and decided to test drive an auto for giggles, if I’m going to keep talking shit about them, I should at least drive one. They had no manuals on the lot, he said they rarely get them, of course.

The auto trans is a responsive fast truck, I’m not sure what everyone is complaining about. Although it was empty with no cargo and I didn’t get it on the Freeway over 70mph, so I can’t comment on passing and how the trans reacts.

I did stomp on it several times on red to green light starts and I found it quite fast, probably faster than my manual because you don’t have to shift it. The new owner will be pleased it’s a bit more broken in.

It does down shift on its own but for more power and to make it shift, just jam the pedal to the floor, a lot of autos you have to do this.

With ECT mode the pedal was more responsive off the line, but didn’t seem any faster 0-60 than being off.

It was a 2018 OR Access and it’s silly they put the ugly chrome colored bumper ends of it!

 

Just because it does what it's supposed to do doesn't mean it doesn't do it poorly.

I shouldn't have to press the pedal to the floor and have it downshift two gears and throw my head back against the headrest to get it to accelerate from 45 to 65 as I get on the interstate.

 

Do you have the 6 cyl.?

 

Yes

 

I have zero problem outrunning 2nd gens on the interstate with 18% more hp at the higher rpm.
It's a kick !

 

I agree. You should not have to do this. I didn't want to do it either so I bought a manual transmission.

But it is what it is and there's really no getting around it. The truck runs how it's designed to run. It's been bitched about enough on here.

You either like how it drives or you don't. Period.

 

2 issues, the auto trans has very tall 5 and 6th gears so it has too downshift to 4th a lot to make power and the ECU tune is lacking. Look up the OV tune alpha thread and OV tune reviews thread for a ton of info on the poor implementation of the stock tune and the huge amount of development Matt has put into the OV tune. The OV tune transforms this truck.

 

First, I like this truck more everyday. I found a gearing chart in one of the threads showing the transmission gear ratios for the second and third gens. That explains a lot of the need to downshift. Add a motor that produces power in the 4,000 rpm range. I believe the 3.5 V6 is a top quality motor or it wouldn’t be in a Lexus. This truck will be around for a long time.

I have the SSP. Yesterday I drove one mile without the SSP and the transmission downshifted 5 times from 6 to 4. I went back and drove the same mile with the SSP and it stayed in 5. Speed limit was 55 mph. The SSP has allowed me to enjoy my Taco. I keep reading about the Tune and might invest in it soon to make it an even better truck.

I got to test drive this truck 8 miles in heavy traffic, then on the interstate for one mile. Never got to observe the shifting issues.

Maybe we vent our frustrations too much. Just wish Toyota would listen and program the transmission more for real world driving rather than EPA, CAFE, or whatever else governs manufactures.

Did you reply to the thread asking what we like about the third gens? I did.

 

I’ve driven both the manual and the auto. Currently have a 2018 TRD OffRoad with an auto. The only problem with the manual is with that 4.30 rear end, and the fact that the manual is NOT geared for The highway… At 65 miles an hour the RPMs are at around 2200… That is way too high for the highway… The automatic is it about 1600 rpm’s at 65 mph… A humongous difference… And obviously that’s where the 3 mile per gallon difference comes from. I think the automatic transmission shifts just fine. It’s not a Mustang GT. My two cents.

 

I like this truck very much but it has room for improvement.

I got mine in January to replace my daily (2006 Pathfinder 4.0L V6 5sp)
Even my wife’s 2015 3.5L CVT Murano will smoke it everywhere.
I have SSP in map 3 and ECT pwr all the time and runs much better, but still feels like it is missing low end torque.

I’m watting for the OVtune to be back in stock.

I wish it came with the 4.30 in the Auto from the factory

 

2200rpm is too high at 65? 1600rpm is too low at 65. That's why the truck is constantly having to downshift because it's constantly out of the powerband, hence the hundreds of posts asking about SSP and OV tunes.

 

Yes I agree with everyone on the transmission. What annoys me the most is no low end torque on the highway, you constantly have to keep the pedal mashed down. Toyota doesnt wanna do anything about it and it sucks. They need to release a TSB with a better tune already. And for people that are saying it shifts fine, no it does not. Toyotas never gonna fix this issue if you keep backing them up.

 

Yeah that’s too high @ highway speed. Again, I’ve driven both. The 20 MPG on the highway for the manual tells you that. Not to mention it’s constantly suffering from engine braking at 65 MPH because it’s geared way too high.

Have fun shifting. ✌️

 

Ok .I'M NEW! Recently just got my 2018 .200 miles. I'm suppose to drive it a special way? I just thought I should not drive it at the same speed for an extended period . I think it shifts fine but what do I know . I let my 16year old drive it with using the sport mode. only with me of course .He drives a stick. He thought it was great .

 

I've driven both too. That's why I picked the MT.

You wanna talk about MPG and engine braking? Try driving an AT that's stuck in 4th gear at 70mph.

 

Hey good for you. That means we’re both happy. ✌️

 

Yeah but I'm way happier than you!

 

✌️