ECT PWR button

I had a hard time believing or accepting that better gas mileage is obtainable with this button used. But now I am! But how? I think of it as a tow/haul button. Can anyone enhance my understanding of the ECT button?
I have a 2019 offroad by the way.

 

It holds gears longer when it’s engaged. I personally get worse MPG with it on. I use it when I tow and when I am merging onto highways.

 

I think I get *slightly* better mileage with it, but I’m OVTuned.

 

Ive seen it from about 19.5 and now to 20. Something. Although its only my second wek owning the truck!

 

I don’t see how better mpg could be obtained with ect on. I have a 2019 trd off road also just hit 2k miles. Playing with all the buttons only thing I noticed at all was stays in the gears longer than trying to find 6th gear as quick. Finding 6th gear quickest seems to be best option for fuel consumption typically but I honestly don’t drive the truck for it’s great fuel economy. Truck has 2k miles just because I wanted to get miles on it as soon as possible to let the ecu have a chance to learn my driving habits. Not bad but still sucks shifting and throttle response sucks. Truck absolutely hates any incline. Really wish they’d have put the 4.0 in the 3rd gen because I loved my 2015 drivability way more but like other features of the 2019 trd off road better. If my old truck was 4wd I’d likely have not traded for this one.

Sorry to drift a little on the original comment/question.

 

It’s because the engine manages the power-to-weight ratio better. The trucks mpg are increased by getting to speed and staying there easier with the ECT engaged. Mpgs are always better with ECT the when one learns how to feather the pedal for cruising.

I re-geared to 4.88’s and ECT is pretty much for towing now

 

ECT PWR basically changes two things; shift pattern and lockup pattern.
Everyone always mentions the higher shift points and naturally assumes higher MPGs.
There's more to the equation(s)...

 

I often wonder if anyone drives with the real-time MPG graph.
It can tell you quite a bit; especially about pedal threshold and manipulation.

 

I recently bought a ‘19 OR and have been playing with the ect and S modes.

At first I was just doing ect and it’s definitely more responsive and holds gears for longer.

Lately I’ve just been switching over to S5 and am liking it more than ect. It’s not as touchy but holds gears nicely. Drives like I think a truck should feel like and the MPG’s are the best I’ve had in any mode.

I also tried ect and S5 together but haven’t done it enough to comment.

 

I recently installed @MESO ECT button on a Pro shift knob and liked it so much that I just got a ECT always on module and installed it today. Don’t know what it does to my gas mileage because I haven’t given it a thought in a long time. I drove a hybrid for years before I got my Taco and got 50 mpg so I figure I can get 15-20 mpg with my Taco for years and balance the mpg books!

 

Even doing 70-80MPH, I get better MPG in S5 than 6th (watching the bar graph and also resetting MPG's). 6th is simply too tall, and the motor strains.

Think of it like riding a bicycle in too tall of a gear... you can exert 100% effort and still not make much progress. You need to downshift, spin your legs faster, and ultimately expend LESS energy even though you're "RPM's" are higher.

 

I was waiting for my first drag race to use this feature.

Sometimes it gives me anxiety knowing such a powerful feature is ready to unleash at moments notice. It’s a ton of responsibility.

 

Sarcasm, I know...

... but if ECT wasn't an option, and we were stuck with the regular programming/shift points, I would have sold this thing before hitting 1,000 miles. As it is, I have less than 3,000 miles now, and I'm just biding my time until I figure out what to get instead.

 

ECT kills my mileage. You guys must just drive downhill!

 

I do the same thing. In town I use S4.

 

I use it every time I drive. But not for mpg’s. Agree with others that increased mpg is unlikely as it holds lower gears longer.
I get tired of all the quick shifting/TC action, whatever this tranny is doing. Im in Cali so stop n go is the normal order of things and that drives me crazy. My nerd brain thinks “maybe Im saving the trans by limiting all the shifting”? Who knows. I way over analyze every car/truck I drive
I would buy the ECT always on switch, but hell I can push a button.
To each his own and good luck.
But now I gotta follow that posters switch to 4.88 gearing. Dammit...

 

Yah the 4.88’s definitely fixes this. 5th gear behavior is now 6th gear.

 

You could be at very low rpms and drinking a lot of fuel just to move the weight of the vehicle. That is why (if driven right) ECT can have better mpgs. The truck’s mpgs suffer big time when it has to basically lug to move the vehicle. 4.88’s has made the truck’s weight easier to move, hence better avg mpgs

 

Correct, tranny stays in gear longer.

 

“Better mpg” when most of our trucks have never been above a 18mpg average for a tank lol. I notice a lot better low range torque along with it assisting me uphills. Isn’t this button designed for a Tacoma that is towing?