1. Welcome to Tacoma World!

    You are currently viewing as a guest! To get full-access, you need to register for a FREE account.

    As a registered member, you’ll be able to:
    • Participate in all Tacoma discussion topics
    • Communicate privately with other Tacoma owners from around the world
    • Post your own photos in our Members Gallery
    • Access all special features of the site

2020 randomly difficult to start?

Discussion in '3rd Gen. Tacomas (2016-2023)' started by H20TACO, Jan 25, 2021.

  1. Jan 25, 2021 at 6:40 PM
    #41
    H20TACO

    H20TACO [OP] Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2016
    Member:
    #202533
    Messages:
    33
    Gender:
    Male
    Only been here a hear. Had zero issues last winter and zero issues at same temps in town. Just seems weird that I don’t have the same issue at the same (and colder) temps other times.
     
  2. Jan 25, 2021 at 8:52 PM
    #42
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    14,855
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    I dont get it. My 18 drove great out of the box even on pre TSB ECU flash. Fast, responsive and no hesitations/stuttering. Tuned, this 3.5 is a freaking animal. I know earlier 3rd gens had shitty drivebilty, but 2020?

    What are your complaints on the stock tune?
     
    Last edited: Jan 25, 2021
    The hammer likes this.
  3. Jan 25, 2021 at 8:54 PM
    #43
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    14,855
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    My truck drives better then the day i picked it up, she broke in nicely. Very reliable and a fun truck to drive.
     
    Kev250R and The hammer like this.
  4. Jan 26, 2021 at 8:29 AM
    #44
    txst

    txst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    Member:
    #259654
    Messages:
    122
    Wichita, KS
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tacoma Sport Access Cab, 6MT
    TSB0058-18, TRD Pro Grill
    I wish I understood why there are such variations in these trucks. I had been waiting to test drive a manual 2018 Tacoma, and finally my local dealer got one in. When I test drove it, it felt like there was water in the gas tank - it hesitated terribly and drove like it ingested a wet sock in the intake. I ended up buying another one which drove much better several months later. Unfortunately, over time it's driveability deteriorated, though not to the point of the first one I drove. I had it checked by the dealer when I convinced them to perform TSB-0058-18. Before they flashed, there were no codes. After the flash, it was better, though not what I was expecting. Over time, again it almost went back to the way it was with the original tune. I got tired of it and bought the OV Tune and am running 2.0. I wasn't looking for huge power gains, just improved driveability. Again, it was much improved, but does deteriorate over time. I reset the learned values from time to time, and it helps. I will say with the OV Tune, the long crank times are much less frequent than with the stock tune and even after it settles in, it is still drives much better than stock.

    Either some people are numb to these issues or there are some trucks that run very well and others with issues that can't be explained. Weird.
     
    Junkhead[QUOTED] likes this.
  5. Jan 26, 2021 at 9:19 AM
    #45
    The hammer

    The hammer Who’s the Wrench?

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2016
    Member:
    #180475
    Messages:
    3,880
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tacoma SR5 4X4 DCLB TSS Pkg 17X8" BSW-Cooper DIscoverer AT3 4s P265/65/17
    Underworld Flex trifold, tinted, TRDPRO grill, TRDPRO shift knob, etc,etc
    Not using regular top tier 87 octane as recommended in the owner's manual is one of the main cause or poor performance. The savings from buying the cheapest fuel at the discount fuel stop is just not worth the performance loss over time.

    They (discount dealer) are not required to maintain their fuel facility as rigidly as a top tier dealer so they can sell fuel at the cheaper price.

    [​IMG]
     
    Kev250R and ginseng27 like this.
  6. Jan 26, 2021 at 9:20 AM
    #46
    ginseng27

    ginseng27 who knows?

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2017
    Member:
    #216702
    Messages:
    2,989
    Vehicle:
    '17 DCSB OR
    not enough.
    Yeah, I try to stick to top tier brands for sure. That said, my truck hasn't hesitated to start recently so maybe it had to do with lower quality fuel that I potentially put into the truck at some point during my road trip. :/
     
    The hammer[QUOTED] likes this.
  7. Jan 26, 2021 at 9:25 AM
    #47
    The hammer

    The hammer Who’s the Wrench?

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2016
    Member:
    #180475
    Messages:
    3,880
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tacoma SR5 4X4 DCLB TSS Pkg 17X8" BSW-Cooper DIscoverer AT3 4s P265/65/17
    Underworld Flex trifold, tinted, TRDPRO grill, TRDPRO shift knob, etc,etc
    Cheaper fuel is probably damaging to the fuel pump and injectors. I have yet to replace a fuel pump, injector or experienced drivability issues on any of my personal vehicles in some 20 yrs or more.
     
  8. Jan 26, 2021 at 10:29 AM
    #48
    Junkhead

    Junkhead TRDude

    Joined:
    Feb 27, 2019
    Member:
    #284671
    Messages:
    14,855
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Serge
    Prince George, BC
    Vehicle:
    Black 4x4 Sport MT 2018
    Some Serious Tires
    That sucks you are having these issues man.

    My taco drove amazing straight from the dealer even on pre tsb ECU calibration. I have always used shell 91 E0, after dealer's fill. My biggest complaint was always the dead pedal feel, this was my first drive by wire vehicle. Also i wasnt a huge fan of the inconsistent clutch feel (thank you ADM). I got them to do the TSB only because i read about it on TW. It seemed like it helped in the low end, other than that i noticed no difference. I am running 91 SFOB now, only because all these guys were raving about it and i wanted to see whats its all about. I gotta say, it did improve how the engine delivers the power and i love my truck even more now. I put on about 5k miles since the tune and it feels like its just getting better and better. I was actually driving the other day and noticed how well the tune filled in. In my case, if anything it surely is getting better and not deteriorating by any means. I did notice the shorter cranking times with the tune though, i found those odd on the stock tune.

    Im definitely not numb to how my vehicle drives, im actually quite the opposite. Im a driver and i had all MTs before, so im very in tune with my vehicles.

    You are right on that there seems to be a lot of variatons, some tacos drive great and some not so much. Especially the earlier calibrations, i dont think its much of an issue in 19+ MY.
     
    The hammer likes this.
  9. Jan 26, 2021 at 10:32 AM
    #49
    Kev250R

    Kev250R Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 14, 2020
    Member:
    #328003
    Messages:
    1,282
    Gender:
    Male
    First Name:
    Kevin
    Orange, So.Cal.
    Vehicle:
    2020 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 6MT
    Floor mats, junk in center console
    Mine has done this once, maybe twice in the past 10 months. For me it seems to happen when I go from where I live (basically sea level) up to the mountains (~6,500’). It’s a drive I generally make once or twice a month. It seems more prone to happen if these is a large gap in temperatures between the two places as well.

    To me it’s normal and doesn’t bother me. FWIW The engine in my ‘93 T100 (which has nothing in common with the engine in my Taco except for the number of cylinders) behaves much the same way in similar circumstances.
     
    Junkhead likes this.
  10. Jan 26, 2021 at 11:02 AM
    #50
    gudujarlson

    gudujarlson Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 2, 2019
    Member:
    #298083
    Messages:
    5,943
    Gender:
    Male
    Minnesota
    Vehicle:
    2020 TRD Off-Road DCSB 6MT
    Kings, Dakars, SPCs, 33's, Mobtown Sliders, TRD Skid
    I’m still not clear on how long you waited for it to start while turning the key. I think it’s normal for it to take a 1-2 seconds once in a while. No car of mine has started instantly 100% of the time.
     
    Junkhead, The hammer and Kev250R like this.
  11. Jan 26, 2021 at 6:11 PM
    #51
    H20TACO

    H20TACO [OP] Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2016
    Member:
    #202533
    Messages:
    33
    Gender:
    Male
    Yeah. I have been buying the lower octane. Maybe will try the 87 and see if helps.
     
    The hammer[QUOTED] likes this.
  12. Jan 26, 2021 at 6:36 PM
    #52
    The hammer

    The hammer Who’s the Wrench?

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2016
    Member:
    #180475
    Messages:
    3,880
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    '16 Tacoma SR5 4X4 DCLB TSS Pkg 17X8" BSW-Cooper DIscoverer AT3 4s P265/65/17
    Underworld Flex trifold, tinted, TRDPRO grill, TRDPRO shift knob, etc,etc
    It may take a couple tank-fulls and you may or may not notice the difference as it may come gradual. This maybe because the ecm is constantly changing and adapting to the fuel type/air mixture for max performance.

    Also keeping a clean air filter will help keep your engine stay clean, along with all its components to last and perform as designed.

    Best of luck
     
  13. Jan 26, 2021 at 6:37 PM
    #53
    H20TACO

    H20TACO [OP] Active Member

    Joined:
    Nov 16, 2016
    Member:
    #202533
    Messages:
    33
    Gender:
    Male
    Thanks!
     
    The hammer[QUOTED] likes this.
  14. Jan 27, 2021 at 4:42 AM
    #54
    txst

    txst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    Member:
    #259654
    Messages:
    122
    Wichita, KS
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tacoma Sport Access Cab, 6MT
    TSB0058-18, TRD Pro Grill
    I always use top-tier 91 non-ethanol gas, and still have these issues. Also, my truck only gets about 17.5-18mpg in mixed driving, and I drive gently. I don't understand how some people are getting 20+mpg. The OV Tune did improve my mileage over stock, but again, as the learning values are determined over time, it decreases but is still better than stock.

    I don't get that either.
     
    Last edited: Jan 27, 2021
  15. Jan 27, 2021 at 5:08 AM
    #55
    OrangeRa1n

    OrangeRa1n Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2021
    Member:
    #353307
    Messages:
    303
    Gender:
    Male
    Houston Area
    Vehicle:
    TRD-Offroad 2021
    The manual calls for 87 octane gas, using anything higher will result in no difference in performance and sounds silly. If you are running different timings, a higher octane might make a difference. Most turbos also require the higher octane to reduce the chance of pre-detonation. In a Tacoma, you will see absolutely zero difference unless you are experiencing engine knock, in which case, something is seriously wrong.

    My original point was not directed at octane, rather the quality of the gas at the station. Some stations might have bad gas or gas that has sat long enough for water to accumulate in the storage tanks (as ethanol absorbs water). There's a small station in my town that holds gas for months at a time and has caused issues with my old turbo'd truck.

    However, as required by law, every brand of fuel should contain relatively the same additives. I could be misinterpreting what everyone is saying, as the lowest grade of gas here is 87-89. If your area has a lower rating, you ARE hurting performance; however, the engine can most likely accommodate it. Still, I wouldn't test this and your mileage may vary.

    Personally, I get 17-19 city and 19-20 highway (70 mph) in my automatic. The key is crusie control. Anything past 70-75 will cause a large reduction in MPG due to drag. This is with winter-blend Texas fuel. You will get better MPG with ethanol-free, as gasoline contains 46.4 MJ/kg of energy and ethanol contains 30 MJ/kg. However, I highly doubt this would translate to fuel savings, if anything it would cost more. This is also the reason why non-flex fuel cars cannot use E-30; as it requires larger injectors/fuel pumps to provide the same air/fuel ratio as E-10 (you would run LEAN).
     
  16. Jan 27, 2021 at 9:10 AM
    #56
    txst

    txst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    Member:
    #259654
    Messages:
    122
    Wichita, KS
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tacoma Sport Access Cab, 6MT
    TSB0058-18, TRD Pro Grill
    Since I am running the OV Tune, it has "octane learning".

    I agree with a stock tune, unless you are getting detonation, octane makes little difference. Top tier is always a good idea, but especially for direct injected engines. When I had my 4Runner, I could definitely see a range difference in a tank of E10 vs. E0.
     
    OrangeRa1n likes this.
  17. Jan 27, 2021 at 9:14 AM
    #57
    ginseng27

    ginseng27 who knows?

    Joined:
    Apr 19, 2017
    Member:
    #216702
    Messages:
    2,989
    Vehicle:
    '17 DCSB OR
    not enough.
    Yeah, I have the 87 performance ovtune on mine. closest octane around my parts is 88 octane. so i use 88 octane. never lower. but the quality of gas from there has been my concern as well.

    as for mpg, i use cruise control, and during the winter, i've seen about 20.5 mpg on the highway. during the summer, i've seen up to 23. remember to use proper fuel, clean your filter, and keep your tires pressured up. I tend to run them about 35-40 psi during the summer and i see significant gains with that.
     
  18. Jan 27, 2021 at 12:37 PM
    #58
    txst

    txst Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2018
    Member:
    #259654
    Messages:
    122
    Wichita, KS
    Vehicle:
    2018 Tacoma Sport Access Cab, 6MT
    TSB0058-18, TRD Pro Grill
    I have never seen anything even close to 23mpg on my truck - regardless of winter, summer, octane, E10 or E0, cruise or not, highway, etc. I even live in KS and our roads are very flat.
     
  19. Feb 4, 2023 at 9:31 AM
    #59
    Mattp42

    Mattp42 Active Member

    Joined:
    May 15, 2020
    Member:
    #328173
    Messages:
    26
    Gender:
    Male
    Vehicle:
    2020 TRD Sport dcsb
    20in Fuel rims, no lift kit. Two 10in JL subs in custom fitted box behind rear seats
    This just happened to me for the first time today. Here in NJ, it was in the low teens, pretty cold. I figured I would look up on here to see if anyone was having similar issues. This is my first Tacoma and also my first push button start. I pushed the button and it cranked for a good 5-7 seconds and started. Let it warm up, rode down the road to my local convenience store about 7 miles away, started fine from there. Then drove 40 minutes away after that, started fine again. Hate to spend $200 on a new battery if it isn’t necessary. Seeing it’s been a while, have you had issues since?
     

Products Discussed in

To Top