If you hate your transmission, read this.

I came to the same conclusion. Not knocking OVTune, but it's still a gamble, one that's too high for me. I got the PC instead, and it works on a simple principle: the transmission responds better to a linear throttle input. PC provides 32 different levels of throttle input, easily enough to satisfy most drivers. If the throttle mapping wasn't so terrible, resulting in poor transmission performance, I never would have discovered PC. Now that I have, every future vehicle of mine will have one. And no, I don't work for PC.

 

The only accurate part of your post is that the tuner is "not pleasing everyone," as doing so is most often impossible.

Everything else you wrote is complete and total rubbish.

 

I take it you own the OVtune and now your feelings are hurt

 

Feelings are irrelevant.

I wrote my previous post in order to counter and correct your outright lies and bullshit narrative. Period.

 

Well this is an interesting thread. I just joined this forum for concerns of the AT on tacoma's. I'm looking for a mid size truck and have it narrowed down to the new Ranger coming out or this. But after researching the taco the issues about the transmission is everywhere. So a couple days ago I stop in at the local Toyota dealer in Albuquerque for the first time. Looking around I'm having doubts about the taco. I owned a Ranger in Fiji and loved it. But now back in the states I need another truck. Really wanted to wait to see/drive the Ranger so I told the sales guy no test drive. Yet. But the manager came out when I was leaving. I was looking a white limited taco that caught my eye. I know that's not what people here go for but that one seems the trim I would want. Finally he convinced me to take a drive and I thought what the hell. Let me see if there is anything to this transmission mumbo jumbo. Personally, I did not think it would be that bad. I've driven plenty of the overseas models and they are great. We are talking Prados, and a hiluxes with turbo diesels In my mind non of this could be true. Toyota could never mess something up that badly. No way. So pulling out to the frontage road my first impression is yes, this shit is gutless compared to my Ranger. But its a truck and straight line acceleration is not the end all. Then I started cruising at around 50 mph on the straight and level and then it started. The damn transmission started to do the infamous searching up down up down. And I think why I was feeling the engine being gutless was I probably did not give enough gas. Probably that shifting early BS. Makes total sense. I wasn't on that frontage road for 30 seconds and all I could say to the poor sales guy was shit, they were right. This transmission is messed up. I'm done. We went straight back. I still can't believe that was a Toyota I was driving. By yeah, its no doubt the engineers against the wall getting this thing to pass EPA. But what's worse is from what I can gather, there is no sure cure for this. Am I to pay 38K and maybe a flash or a top off of AT fluid will help maybe? Again, the test drive drove it home and hard. That 10 minute test drive was all it took to convince me 100 percent that the transmission was borked. Toy should just put in the Hilux 2.8 diesel and be done with it. Problem solved. More power and MPG to boot. There are other ways to provide power without resorting to some engineer messing with the transmission code to the point where functionality takes too be a hit. I get it, Toy wants to stick with big normally aspirated motors with 10 year old AT. They feel its more reliable. But when this crap happens its time to move on. Put a modern/boosted engine and a 8 speed. Diesel. Anyway this is my first post and I'm probably going to get kicked off. But really, is there any hope for me getting into a taco?

 

You must work for OVtune

 

I have no affiliation with OVtune, and I have never run one of their tunes.

I do plan to try their tune for 2019 trucks once it's available, though.

 

There's nothing really wrong with the transmission, it just doesn't perform as many have expected but is not the result of defect. And it's usually just the same 5 guys bitching in thread after thread about the same crap, myself included. I suspect the 1 qt low guys are probably having it checked cold, if at all, by the dealership. It wouldn't surprise me if the Toyota techs are just saying they added it since there is no way for the customer to check. Two overdrive gears, dual clutch technology, and the Atkinson cycle takes some getting used to. That being said, the new Ranger looks awesome. You should get one and tell us all how we made a horrible mistake. If my wife wouldn't kill me, I may consider trading in.

 

Hmm.. that doesn't help lol. The other thing that my wife hated about the taco was the back seat. Compared to our prior Ranger she said it was very small. She is all of 5'4" and 120 lbs. The driving seat was a little too low as well. But I expect Ford's Rangers 2.3 boosted motor mated to that 10 speed is going to be a much better performing motor then the tired 3.5 that Toy uses. And Albuquerque is 5000 feet so turbos generally do better higher up. But the biggest difference when comparing the Ranger/Taco is one is all out on modern tech. Most advanced boosted motor, advanced transmission, using aluminum in many areas to reduce weight etc.. and the taco is just what it has been for over 10 years. I still can't make up my mind. I may have another test drive before I decide. But I will wait until the Ranger's hit my dealers. I waited this long what the hell.

 

When do rangers hit lots?

 

I have a 2018 dcsb and it seems to shift fine except when on the highway it constantly gears down. I have not checked to see if it is a situation that only or mostly occurs when in cruise control. Shifting into manual does not seem to help. I live in Kansas and this thing is gearing down two gears on slight hills.

 

I'm told in February 2019. Ford has already started production in Michigan. The press already has some trucks now and the embargo will be lifted next Tuesday so you'll start to see some real numbers and real test reviews in just a few days. From everything I've been hearing and seeing that should be top of class midsize truck. I'm pretty sure that Toyota is going to have to refresh the Tacoma after this truck comes out. I saw the same thing happened overseas when the t6 ranger hit the streets and the old Hilux was devastated in sales but the new Hilux is quite the truck I'd buy one of those tomorrow if I could.

 

What is "dual clutch technology"?

I test drove three 2018s and I hated the transmission. Drove a couple 2019s and now I own one and I enjoy it! Yes, it IS different and I do feel like it is overengineered* but I am getting used to it and I enjoy the driving experience.

*A v6 with all this mumbo jumbo Atkinsson, Otto and I'm averaging 14.1 mpg (still break in) when my 6.4l pushrod Challenger v8 with 485 horsepower averaged 17.1.

 

Apples to oranges..... number one it's not an old engine or transmission. The first generation of Tacoma to use it. Then you are comparing an old ranger to a new tacoma. Old tech vs new tech. Of course they are not going to perform the same. That's like me comparing my old kia to my to my new tacoma. And as for the ov tune bashing, it's a work in progress. If you truly followed those threads you'd see the massive improvements hes made in a relatively small amount of time. I've been following since day one and actually placed an order yesterday. The next update he releases will probably be closer to the finished product and may just fix all of what Toyota messed up on. And I wouldn't even say they messed up, it's all in the name of economy and cost effectiveness.

 

95% of these people with “issues” ARE the issue. They have zero clue how to drive.

 

I get better gas mileage in S mode vs D. Just sayin.

 

all who think a 10spd isn't going to search for gears are not fully understanding what 10 SPEEDS means.
1-2-3-4-5 -6 oh need to pass this person 2-3-4-5-6-7-8-9-10 oh little incline-8-9-10.
if it has ten speeds its going to use them. just like ours has 6 and it uses all of them.

 

Searching for gears isnt the issue as much as it shifting too early and lugging around, power doesnt respond in smooth fashion, have to smash the pedal and then it is slow to change gears.

 

I no longer have these issues. You can come over to my house and drive my truck around. Then we can do karate in the garage.