Having the same shifting problem with 2018 Tacoma. Help!

Anybody else remember any members who were knowledgeable and added value to TW permabanned for replying to a thread like this?


I do ....

Just saying

 

You don't have to unless but it helps if you don't want the truck to shift 5th to conserve fuel to keep revs low.

 

I hated mine at first also. Turns out it was low on oil from the factory (don't know if that was contributing factor) but oil was put in and the update done. Still was sketchy for a couple thousand miles but finally learned how I drive and now works great. No searching for gears ever. My advice would be to be patient, drive normally, and see if it improves. My bet is that it will. Good luck.

 

Thanks to all for your responses to my issue. Including I guess the snide remark’s from those who know so much about everything of Toyota origin. I was aware of the issue before I bought it but some of the other features on the truck, for example the crawl feature, is why I got the truck.
I hear mention of the truck computer learning of my driving habits and wouldn’t that be nice if it actually got better over time. I have 2500 miles on the vehicle thank you. And yes I understand I can shift into the S range, but it still is shifting oddly .
Thanks again. We shall see.

 

It shifts "oddly" because its geared differently than your previous trucks; It's a 6 speed with two OD gears instead of a 4 or 5 speed with one.
Turning off one or both of the OD gears in S mode makes it similar to what you may be used too.

Or you can just get used to what's different about it like most of the rest of us.

 

For the love of all that is holy, drive it hard. If you pussyfoot around, it learns that behavior. If you drive like you need to be somewhere on time, it will learn that behavior.

 

I think the consensus was to have about 5k on it though I think the transmissions adjusts every 500 miles.

 

Get the ECU update. You will see. If not drive like an animal. Hitting 5-6000 RPM on this truck will not cause issue. It really picks up in the 6000 range

Buuuuut you will see your gas go WAY down. Driving like a grandma I get super miles on a full tank.

 

Cant you just unplug the battery for the tranny to start learning again?

 

Maybe this is why I never had problems with mine shifting. My #1 rule with any new engine is warm it up to full operating temp, then REDLINE THE SHIT OUT OF IT... even if it only has 5 miles on the odometer.

Counter intuitive to "common knowledge" of a "break in period" but I was given this idea 10 years ago by a professional rally driver and since then I've done it on 4 vehicles of mine and every single one ended up dynoing higher than average when it came time to tune. IIRC in the "old days" you needed to seat the pistons, but modern manufacturing tolerances are so tight whats more important now is "cross hatching" the cylinder walls to get the best compression, and you can only do that by building cylinder temp near redline.

Maybe it was a bunch of BS but its worked for me

 

That is counter-intuitive. You know I have read so much about break-in over the years. The most compelling argument however is that the engineers that built it and put the instructions in the manual probably are right. But I have read plenty of folks that believe, like you do, to drive it like you stole it. I may try that one time. The issue is you aren't just stressing the engine, you're stressing the differentials.

 

I’d agree in theory but I also know the engineers aren’t the ones writing the owners manuals (for the most part). There’s a ton of things the engineers would do differently if the bean counters and lawyers weren’t involved.

Which is to say, if redlining the engine IS in fact the best way to break in a new engine (performance wise), do you think the lawyers would honestly allow the company to say that?? I can just imagine the liability from law suits once one dumb teenager wraps his new car around a tree because he was “following the manual”

 

Good point - so let's assume you were right, what about the driveline components needing to seat/go through heat cycles?

 

That’s also a very good point.

I’m just talking out of my ass on this one but I’d imagine the same manufacturing tolerances that allow engines to not need breaking anymore. apply to gears as well? And as long as you’re not hard shifting is it really that stressful on gears? I’m honestly not sure just guessing.

The only thing I am really nice on for any significant period of time is clutches for the first 500 miles because... I don’t even know why I just always have been

 

I'm use to my Nissan that kinda doesn't shift...at least you never feel it shift.

My one week old V6 truck shifts kinda funky just like my dad's 2009 5.7 Tundra. I figure it's a Toyota thing, I have warranty, I'll worry not.

 

I thought 3rd Gen was CVT?

 

Seriously my truck shifted like crap too until I got the TSB done. It drives like a new truck should now and I’m VERY happy with it.

 

I have finally accepted the on highway use of the transmission..
My biggest beef now is the transmission while off road in lo range. Hi range doesn’t seem to be an issue.
Can’t control the rpm rev or the lag in lo (4x4)
Does the pedal commander or ovtune help on the trails,or is it mainly highway use?