Do I NEED more power? Does my family need to go on a diet?

2nd genner that does 60 mi a day commuting here: 70-72mph is the highway sweet spot. That's where I seem to get the best MPG while not feeling like a turtle. Anything over 75mph (~2500 RPM) and that number starts dropping.

Doesn't help that Utah has 80MPH freeways outside the metro area.

 

since I added the SSP to my tranny it works a lot better but in north Carolina, I have no issues staying in 6th above 72-75, on hills when we go back home to hunt, it constantly is down shifting but then again we are heading up major hills with alot of cargo.

 

Gonna need pics of the wife to confirm the issue. If you don't have them I do.

PS just playing along with the good natured humor of the thread. No offense intended.

 

Curious if you’ve tried the ECT button? I think it will help you out a lot. Sounds like the truck is new with low miles also, the transmission does get better with more miles on it. Don’t expect it to turn into a Corvette with age, but it will get a little better. ECT does definitely help when towing, hauling, or at high speeds.

 

Would this be the appropriate avatar for you?

 

52 mph is my sweet spot. It’s a f@@kin turtle

 

Thanks to all for the advice and the laugh contributions.

Going from an (older 2006) F150 and an M3 to the new Taco made sense because I drive a lot and I wanted to free up more money for family travel and activities. Trying to simplify my life. If I have to deal with a couple of minor annoyances to own this great little piece of Japanese engineering then so be it. I'll learn to love it for what it is.

When I test drove it I was alone with the salesman and the problem really doesn't rear it's ugly head until the truck is loaded with another 400 lbs.

 

My family and I (3 adults and a 16 y/o) just returned from our trip where we had approx. 1000lbs of stuff loaded in the truck (people and luggage) and I had no problem cruising at 80mph on the highway in OD (rpms were at or just below 2000). Averaged 20.8mpg. I only have my tyger tonneau cover on the bed. Occationally I'd have to give it a little more gas to drop out of OD to keep my speed going up slight inclines, but I gotta say I love my truck.

 

I get what you're saying. What I don't get is the immediate hate for someone who posts negatively about their truck. I'm not talking Smitty level shit BTW. As you've said, there's plenty of that on TW - and I have been reading it for years now. Sometimes people can get help with their "issues" though, other than the increasingly popular "did you not test drive it, DUMMY?". If it bothers someone that much to read negative stuff, they should maybe move on and enjoy their truck that doesn't have issues. Why get wrapped around the axle about it?

There is a lot of misinformation on TW that does need to be corrected though, I will concede that.

 

Reading about a 3rd Gen Taco being gutless is starting to become comical. I can’t say much about highway shift searches, but that is what S mode is for. Perhaps (in hindsight) one should test a used Taco on the lot before making a huge decision on their new choice.

At 4,000 miles, the powertrain on this 3rd Gen Taco is feeling stealthy. Maybe it’s a SR5 thing. It just recently carried a load of green Eucalyptus, and had no issues with power delivery or stability. I was surprised it didn’t roll around as much on corners as the 2nd Gen did. Super stoked. S5 on level ground, and once I reached the canyon for the climb home, down to S4 it went.



I have a list of things I want to do to the Tacon. One of them being strengthening up the rear suspension so that it handles these types of loads even better.

 

If I'm hunting gears with a stiff headwind or load, I'll put it in to manual mode and drop it down to 5th. Running 75 in 5th is a pretty sweet spot for this engine, and still pulls better MPGs than my 2nd gen.

 

I have a manual loaded with family of 4 - bed full of gear. Last summer got pulled over 3 times for +85. Zero tickets because most LEO drive pickups and bad ass Taco.

I have plenty of power until I get to say 95 then the ride gets a little weird.

Suggest OP to mount bikes on a short bed rack facing the same direction as truck. All that weight off the ass end doesn't help matters. Better to have weight over or between axles and put the light shit at the tail gate.

@Lawfarin :

 

I ain't hating , just trying to be objective, I'm glad that you were able to help OP with his problem though. You're right, time to move on, I've opened far too many of these type of post and it was never my intentions when I joined Tacoma World. You have a nice day my friend.

 

Ahh...There's your problem! Play toys and truck toys are apples and oranges! Oh and:

 

Where is the converter lockout in all this with your 3rd-gens? I know it's there right? Can you guys feel it? As an example albeit possibly apples to oranges, my 2001 at about 4000lbs, 190hp, I cautiously say that 78MPH is its "sweet spot". It is there where the truck will take any and all inclines no matter how long with windage without a single downshift and easily keep up that speed and more, and you can clearly feel the converter locking out at that speed providing more power delivery. Could it be that your trucks' lockouts are being overtaken by downshifting too many times by the trans? You all know your 3.5s have more than sufficient power, and maybe too many darn gears might be the problem. My Taco as you know only has 4.
BTW on the other hand, my '16 RX350 with an 8-speed and a 3.5 doesn't have any of this. Why is that? Maybe 'cause it's more aerodynamic and much closer to ground? And I'm still trying to feel out where lockout occurs in that SUV...very hard to pick out. A lot to think about with this 3rd-gen thing.

 

Also that most people tend to think of the 80MPH as a lower limit as opposed to an upper limit. My wife commutes about 50 miles a day each way from North of Brigham City to Clearfield and she cruises around 72 to get better mpgs and people just blow by her and honk and yell all the time.

 

Most places I've lived seem to think like that. Except Washington with their #10Under life...

Around SLC we have 70mph limits and I do 72 or 73 for the MPGs, but yeah, people go by me all the time. But get me out to Delta and the west desert with 80MPH freeways, and I'll open it up a little just cuz I am trying to go places. A lot more UHP around SLC too!

 

Haha.... Had it over 90 Doc, time for a update!!!!