The ECT button is stupid

I'd never used the ECT button before yesterday in my 2019 2.7L SR. I just assumed eventually I would die in my Tacoma due to me pressing down on the gas when trying to change lanes or pulling out into traffic and having the truck wait a few seconds before actually kicking into action while someone smashes into me.

I figured people only really used the ECT button when towing or driving in the mountains, and not just for day to day driving. I don't live in the mountains, and I don't tow anything. I occasionally haul either stuff from the Home Depot or furniture. I was browsing around here yesterday, and saw a thread where a lot of people said they use ECT 100% of the time. I went ahead and turned it on just to see if I'd notice any difference, and was immediately blown away and angry at how different the truck is now.

It feels like the dangerous lag between when you gun it on the pedal and the truck actually moves is gone. Driving on the interstate at 75 is much more comfortable since my truck isn't constantly annoyingly shifting through the gears trying to find the sweet spot to save me .2 mpg. While I've only used it for a day, looking at the mileage while driving, I don't even see that big of a difference, if any at all.

I'm genuinely upset that ECT isn't the default driving mode. They absolutely should have made ECT mode the normal default, and made what is currently the default mode into some kind of selectable Eco mode. I had even thought about selling it and taking the depreciation hit for something else even though it's the handiest vehicle I've ever owned because of how unsafe that lag is, especially considering I have my 3 year old and my 1 month old that ride with me sometimes.

Now my ride is much less jumpy with less transmission gear hunting and much more responsive. I really don't care if I'm cruising along at 3,000 RPM instead of 2,500, and lose fuel economy by a small fraction.

 

What’s ECT?

 

It's something they added to the 3rd gens. It changes how the transmission behaves. I didn't know it was on the 2.7s. I thought it was just on the v6 trucks. From talking to v6 guys, it sounds like they turn it on all the time because the transmission control is such shit.

 

I installed the always on mod to my 2.7. I love the way it drives with it on.

 

Wasn't this also on the first gen 4 banger autos?

 

It's on a lot of Toyota autos

 

My 3rd gen 4Runner had it too. It’s definitely not new.

 

Not sure how long, but ECT has been around for a while. My '04 1st gen has it.

 

ETC mod = me driving like an asshole in my 4 banger manual

 

1980's It was sport mode before sport mode.

I used to use it in my 4runner along with O/D off and A/C off as race mode.

 

And V6s.

 

Ur stupid

 

My mom had a ‘93 Camry that had it. I found it did absolutely nothing for the 4 speed auto.

 

Sad that folks don't experiment with all the features of their new vehicles so they know what works best for them.

 

I had a 92 camry baby blue, bought it for my g/f of the time, and she rejected it haha.

The Cressidas had it too, and they are awesome.

 

My truck is a manual, and I've never heard it mentioned by any 2nd gen auto owners that I know.

 

Friday thread?

 

Maybe it skipped a generation.

 

It did.

Side note, many new cars have it buried in the cluster. You have to go to vehicle settings and enable it usng the steering wheel controls. Very few people know this in their highlanders and siennas.

 

Google search told me it allows the engine to rev to a higher rpm before shifting gears