I have a dumb question

dustbowl · May 31, 2010

Ive been trying to find out what is this damn ect button and its purpose. I read the manual and all I know is that it has something to do with the transmission. Someone please help my curiosity before it kills the cat.

kato · May 31, 2010

As far as i know it just changes your shift points. I've been driving with it on. I find with my driving style that i end up getting markedly better fuel mileage.

chris4x4 · May 31, 2010

ECT = Electronic Controled Transmission

AS mentioned, it changes shift points....Kinda like a first edition "Tow/Haul" mode.

dustbowl · May 31, 2010

Maybe I should try driving with it on because im only getting an average of 14 to 16 mpg and thats on the interstate. I wonder if that would have any long term affects on the trans?

Cars0n` · May 31, 2010

if its like a tow/haul button i would think driving with it on would have slightly nevative effects on mileage. doesnt it hold high rpm's longer before it shifts into a higher gear?

MTgirl · May 31, 2010

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/78237-ect-normal-power-mpg-3-4l-only.html

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/1st-gen-tacomas/18962-curious-about-ect-button.html

those may help. ECT changes the shift points of overdrive allowing you to maintain a higher speed when towing - especially over hills. some of us have seen higher mpg's with it on, myself included.

dustbowl · May 31, 2010

any noticable long term affects? Ive got 115000 miles on my ride, trying to be a little easy on it ya know(just a little)

dually · May 31, 2010

Shouldnt be any affects. I know the limits of a toyota auto, blew one in 100 miles

dustbowl · May 31, 2010

Thank yall for the info, I can finally get some sleep now. lol

RattleTractor · May 31, 2010

What button? I have a manual...don't have to have a computer determine my stinkin shift points.

viperfella · May 31, 2010

the button is right where your clutch cancel button is. it gives us auto trans owners some more guts

montanabay · May 31, 2010

when I tow I use ETC and disengage overdrive.

I've played with it by sound cursing around, but no tachometer makes it hard to tell.

anyone know if the shift points with ETC are the same when overdrive is off vs on?

Does overdrive off change the shift points too, or does it just block 5th?

ColtsTRD · May 31, 2010

chris4x4 said: ↑

ECT = Electronic Controled Transmission

AS mentioned, it changes shift points....Kinda like a first edition "Tow/Haul" mode.
Click to expand...

x2

I had this option on my old 1st gen, it came in handy for sure

MTgirl · May 31, 2010

montanabay said: ↑

when I tow I use ETC and disengage overdrive.

I've played with it by sound cursing around, but no tachometer makes it hard to tell.

anyone know if the shift points with ETC are the same when overdrive is off vs on?

Does overdrive off change the shift points too, or does it just block 5th?
Click to expand...

ECT changes the point at which your truck will jump to overdrive. If you have overdrive off then ECT is basically off too (even if its on)

viperfella · May 31, 2010

from what ive noticed it shifts .5k later and the auto trans in the tacoma is a 4 speed with the 4th gear being a overdrive if im not mistaken

montanabay · May 31, 2010

MTgirl said: ↑

If you have overdrive off then ECT is basically off too (even if its on)
Click to expand...

so what better for towing, ETC on or overdrive off?

Are the shift points the same with overdrive vs no overdrive (no ETC), just no 4th gear (yeah, you can tell I came from a manual!)

viperfella · May 31, 2010

i would say just leave the ect on unless your going thru hilly terrian

MTgirl · May 31, 2010

montanabay said: ↑

so what better for towing, ETC on or overdrive off?

Are the shift points the same with overdrive vs no overdrive (no ETC), just no 4th gear (yeah, you can tell I came from a manual!)
Click to expand...

first, i don't tow with my truck. second, i've been experimenting with ECT for a few months now, since I spied one of the threads in here about ECT and gas mileage. until then I had never used ECT before.

what I had found so far is that I do get slightly better gas mileage, about 0.5 to 0.75 mpg more with ECT on. I had assumed before that ECT would just eat up the gas mileage so I never used it.

The basic idea is this (as I understand it) - Going up long, steep inclines the transmission will shift into high gear later and stay there longer once you've crested the hill if ECT is on. also I've noticed that with ECT on (especially offroad) the truck seems to also be out of control, accelerating much quicker on downhill stretches of road. You can switch o/d on and off to allow yourself to have control of when it engages to aid ECT.

I've towed with other vehicles in the past and there is nothing worse than maxing out the power of your vehicle 1/2 way up a hill and knowing you have a long way to go trying to maintain some speed. ECT and o/d just give you more options and control to avoid this happening.

Now my driving habits are this: ECT on and O/D on all the time for my around town driving and highway driving. ECT always off and O/D on or off depending on grade, etc for offroad driving. If I were to tow in my truck I would think that it would be most effective to have ECT on and O/D on except on steep hills, when you would want to toggle O/D when you thought the timing is best.

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