New Tacoma, crap transmission, sorry dealer. Shoot me now.

Yeah, you can’t just mash the pedal. You mush push steady and it drives just fine. I’ve used the cruise control on 200+ mile trips over hill and dale without a glitch. I love my Tacoma and look forward to driving it every time. It’s never disappointed me.

 

That’s mostly true but, I had a 2016 and now a 2019 and they both definitely smoothed out with time and miles. I believe there is a break in period. I read guys saying modern vehicles don’t have a break in period but, that’s not true in my experience.

 

TSB’s did nothing for my truck for the erratic shifting (or for the surging either). This made the shifting much more intuitive and my truck more ‘drivable’:

https://www.dz-custom-innovations.com/products/shiftsense-pro

 

So just to add to this. I drove it again today and yeah. Still love it. Also noticed that at around 4k my gas mileage average has gone up from 18 to 20 mpg. Same commute of mixed city/ highway.

 

Best thing I ever did was to never set my cluster to show me my MPG. NFG and you'll likely change your tone.

 

Bought my DCLB-OR in April and I'm part of the silent majority that is content with the transmission as-is. Test drove three different Tacomas and compared side-by-side against the Ranger. Maybe you got a lemon or maybe the muted transmission is just not for you. I'm used to it and don't experience the gear hunting others complain about, though I drive in Sport mode extensively. Try the OVTune and go from there.

 

Lol yup. I don't watch it and drive. Then when I go fill up I take a peak. My wife on the other hand. I had a few too many drinks and had her drive. She took it as a challenge and got it up to 22mpg on the highway lol.

 

I’ve also been filling up with 91/use etc all the time and noticed a big difference in the way it shifts. Getting about 11-12L per 100k. Which is what, 24-25 mpg?

 

Yep. Do this. I did and it is WAY better

 

A used ShiftSense Pro is about $125

 

They def help. But I found that once you learn to work the throttle it shifts fine. Took me 2 years though hahaha

 

@Dogtown Darren don’t mean to revive an old discussion, but i wanted to let you know that I recently upgraded to 5.29 nitro gears. I definitely suggest doing it, it’s like having a real truck. Single best upgrade I have made, without a doubt.

 

How much did it run you if you dont mind me asking?

 

It was just over $2500

 

Thanks for the info! I've about decided to do the OV Tune, but it'll have to wait until after Christmas. Santa don't care about a busy transmission, LOL

But, if that doesn't cure it, I'm open to the gear suggestion. I really dig the truck, just this one issue keeps it from being a home run.

 

It’ll fix it, trust us. Lol

In the meantime just hit the ECT button every time you get in the truck and leave it in S5... won’t be great for mpg but it’ll keep you sane

 

Its funny everyone complains about the transmission but imo the issue is just as much the engine. Toyota stuck us with an engine that makes power high in the RPM band and a transmission that always wants to keep the truck low in the RPM band.

Why in the world anyone would build a truck that makes peak HP at 6000rpm is fucking beyond me. Its my least favorite part of the truck by far. Listening to the engine scream along at 5500rpm for 30min going over a mountain pass trying to maintain 60mph sure makes for a relaxing trip.......

And before all of the "should have test drove it comments" come in, no I didnt hook my aluminum boat up to, pile the wife, kid and dog in and head to the opposite side of the state on the test drive. My bad.

 

Just curious, are you planning on keeping the truck? Sounds like that would be a deal breaker for me if I was towing a boat over a pass and the engine is screaming. Reason I ask is I will probably end up towing a boat but nothing too far from where I live.

 

How about... OVTune twin turbos?

 

This exactly. I did NOT like the transmission at first but then I learned how it was intended to be driven. It doesn't like fast pedal modulation or mashing the pedal. Drive with a linear and smooth pedal. The truck doesn't seem to react well to a fast pedal and don't bother using the adaptive cruise control.

My 18 has 33s on stock gears, stock trans tune, and I drive up and down mountains everyday on the freeway and I'm perfectly happy. The truck just simply doesn't like being driven aggressively with a stock tune.