Finally a fix from Toyota for Stumble condition (TSB 0062-18)

Wait until they put an 8 speed in this truck. It will be a four speed box with 4 OD's for some reason.

 

Or a 3 with 5 ODs or any combination thereof. And I bet since they all do it, it will also somehow be normal. I’ve been in Tacos for quite some time now. While they do feel generally tighter after 5 years, so did my Ford trucks. I also do not think this truck will be as tight as my second gen (Rubbermaid interior and all) was. My GMs, not so much, but the drivetrains would last forever. I’m not here to start a Toyota bashathon but I’m not feeling any legendary quality. My truck should be better. Toyota better figure out in a hurry that you can only get so far on reputation alone. There are about to be a lot of choices in the midsize segment again so they need to get their crap figured out sooner than later.

 

His name is Jose.

 

same here. only thing i really see any improvement in is smoothness of the shifting. But its starting to creep back into its old ways. all the old issues are coming back just ever so slightly less harsh and noticeable.

 

TSB updates done today, smoother and less jerky. Love this truck

 

Interesting user name, are you a submariner?

 

I was, retired 22 years of service

 

That RPM at 75 mph is definitely running in 4th gear. From my experiences with this Tacoma, it is "normal." For any other vehicle on the road, definitely not normal. The way to verify that its stuck in 4th gear: set your cruise at 75 or whatever you normally use, wait for the head wind or hill that makes the truck downshift and run at that RPM, then flip the shifter over to the left into S mode. S mode always defaults to S4, which is indeed 4th gear. You'll notice that your RPMs don't change and your transmission doesn't shift, which proves you are in 4th gear. Man, I could go on and on about the subject of cruise control/highway speed/terrible gas mileage.

 

That RPM at that speed is absolutely 4th gear. This Tacoma V6 that makes no torque can't hold 5th or 6th gear with any load at all.

Flat as can be, but windy here, and constantly stuck in 4th gear at 3500 RPMs at 75 mph around these parts. Damn truck is backwards I tell you. It wants to be in 5th gear at 30mph in town, but 4th gear at 75mph on the highway. WTF.

Read through the owners manual and it will explain the S mode stuff for you. It's quite simple actually.

 

All it does is beeps at you, but doesn't allow the downshift. It is smart enough to know that valve > piston collision from an extreme over rev condition would occur if it allowed this type of downshift to happen.

Yes, the manual explains it well!

Read the manual?

@Lt. Dangle totally gets it.

 

Mine runs in 6th up to about 77. I can tell by watching the rpms staying at about 2k

If I take it up to 80 it goes up to 2.3k

Of course this is on flat highway.

After 20k miles, averaging 17 mpg, I can't wait to try the TSB

 

I think I'm starting to get it. Still seems absurd to me that it's necessary to restrict overdrive on the interstate. As you said, backwards. That's what overdrive is for.

Is the power there in this engine, but the throttle mapping just doesn't let the truck use it? Or is there that big of a difference between a 3.5 and a 4.0?

The mpg gains of the 3.5 Atkinson are simply gone if one has to run in 4th gear at 75-80mph. Reminds me of when I got a 4cyl 2nd gen double cab and traded it after three months for a 6cyl. The 6cyl got better gas mileage on the interstate.

Seems like the masses will see better mpg with the 3rd gen, but those who haul or drive in less than ideal conditions might see worse.

 

And if you take it to 80 with a 15mph headwind, it'll go up to 3400rpm.

 

I was just pointing out is that under optimal/normal driving conditions it's possible to maintain 6th up to nearly 80 mph.

How can the average person like me measure the headwind speed?

 

After 2000 miles, today was an eye opener as to just how different this engine is compared to the 4.0 in the second gen. I can't even imagine having to pull a trailer on the interstate. Had I driven the same speed I did today, I'm left wondering if I'd have gotten 12mpg?

For ~80% of the miles I drive, I'd be getting better mpg in my old 2nd gen. I did a lot of research but i didn't see this coming.

 

Gotcha. Yeah I was just getting wind speed from weather apps. Not very reliable. But ballpark, I suppose. I agree- I've seen 80 in 6th on the flats.

 

Nope. I don't haul (or haven't yet) and I have only driven this truck around SE Texas, which is flat. I get 14mpg in town with school zones, 17-18mpg mixed city/highway. I can tell when this truck is sucking gas, and it irritates me. I want to love this truck, but it isn't easy.

 

I haven't seen a tank average over 18.7. My 2nd gen averaged 19 over 60k miles.

 

thought so, I've been retired for 22 years now at the end of the month..

 

EXACTLY how I would describe mine. It was better immediately after the TSB, but now it is reverting back to your description. There is a dead zone in acceleration around the 30mph mark. It barely touches 3rd gear, then immediately slips into 4th. HOWEVER, yesterday I was surprised that it shifted "normal" in that area - and sometimes it generally shifts better - is this part of the learning going on?