2021 Automatic trans issues

Both 5th and 5th gears are overdrives, so only real advantage is mpg, but only at speed.
You have no manual mode man. You have S.

 

clunks and jumps? Weird things while parking in the garage? Your truck sounds possessed bro..you need a priest, not a trip to the dealership.

 

You're really going to hate it when I tell you it's normal. Almost 17K miles on my 2021 and it has been that way since day one. Driving into the garage when cold is a really interesting feat. Shifting when cold is also funny, but normal. My Boss has a 2021 as well and asked me about it as his does the same thing. Our 2015 Camry does the same clunk and jumping when cold. The engine is idling higher than warm, so you're gonna get that...

 

Tacoma transmission in the cold be like…

 

Mine will shift into 6th sometimes and hold for a few seconds, but 34’s with stock gearing will do that. Pleasantly surprised with my 2021 transmission and power.

 

I’m not a huge fan of the trans on mine, often rides 5th on the highway forever

 

No I do not believe that is correct. Mine shifts into third by 30 mph. When coasting, then accelerating, it will lurch terribly. Sometimes I just have to back off accelerator to force a shift.

 

My transmission won't go into 6th until the engine or transmission reach a certain temp. Otherwise the rest of the gears shifts normal all the time whether cold or hot.

Not true for mine. The transmission will shift into 5th or 6th from S4 after a certain rpm, or speed is reached. I believe toyota doesn't want you to over-rev the engine.

 

My 21 also does the same thing. Especially in the mornings when its 50 to 60 degrees outside which isn't really even that cold... I'm in socal... Anyways, I have noticed that it gives resistance shifting out of Park. It also seems to hold gears longer when I take off after about a 2 min warm up in the mornings until the engine finally gets to operating temperature. Its funny to me because my issues also seem to be mainly when parking it or leaving from my garage.

 

I mean, yeah. They don't want you blowing it up lol

 

I have a 22 and it hasn’t gotten any better. I had a 17 which I absolutely LOVED and had no issues with but the dealer called me and gave me one of those offers I couldn’t refuse of getting me into a new 22 so I took it because I made out big time and I can tell you I absolutely regret it. The trans/gearing SUCK and as others have said I don’t think there is much we can do. I’ve only had it 3 months and I’ve had it at the dealership four times because of how bad it is especially on the highways and shifting into fifth and sixth gear. I have heard that getting it tuned will definitely help with this and I’ve been trying to find somebody local lately to do it but it’s damn near impossible it seems so I just picked up a sprint booster in the meantime until I can find somebody to tune it. This is the final thing I’m going to try and if this doesn’t fix it I’m going to sell it it’s that bad that I can’t get used to it.

 

@Czeleznick

Check out these threads ask them for a tuner in your area as there's alot out there. They are all well reviewed tunes, check the threads.

I've run both the CVC & KDMAX Pro (current tune) but I prefer the CVC. I am looking to try out the Nexus tune next as it has great reviews.

Anyhow check them out, once you're tuned all of those issues you mention will be gone and it'll be the way it should have come. You're in a major metro area so it can't be to hard to find someone. Good luck!

M+W Nexus Tune

KDMAX Tune

CVC Tune

 

Not completely correct.
While S mode, as you stated, can be used as a gear limiter, reverting back automatically to 1st gear when the vehicle is brought to a stop, it can also be used as a manual shifting mode.
Some Toyota vehicles also have S mode with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.

Try it out the next time you're getting onto the freeway.
Start out in S1 and as you gain speed, shift to S2, then S3 and so on up to S6.
While in S6 at 60 mph, shift back down to S5 at 60mph and then to S4 at 60 mph. See what happens...the RPM's increase...manually, while the MPH stays the same.

Yeah, I know it's not a manual transmission, but it can be shifted similarly, just without a clutch.
I've driven manual cars, trucks, motorcycles, ATVs and a multi speed lawn mower also....operated mixers, blenders etc...

A manual transmission is a gear limiter transmission too. You're choosing the limiting gear, both rowing the gears up and down while at speed, or skipping gears and bringing it down to 1st gear and neutral while at a stop.

A video by Toyota regarding S or Sport Mode as they call it.

Check it out.

A screen shot:

 

The only reason it can be shifted "manually" as you have described is because the computer has determined you are meant to be in a higher gear than the limit you have now set with S mode. If it were a true manual mode, you'd be able to, for example, start from a stop in S2 and be in second gear. It isn't, it is still in first because the computer doesn't believe you should be in second.

 

ShiftSense Pro V2 - super easy, relatively cheap and takes care of the ridiculous stock shifting.
https://www.dz-custom-innovations.com/products/shiftsense-pro

 

How long have you had your '22? I found on my '19 that it took until about 7,000 miles until it fully learned how I wanted to drive. This could be in my head but I drove in Sport mode for about a week, then switched it off and from then on it shifted better without Sport mode on, GL!

 

I have only had it for coming up on 3,000 miles so maybe it could be a learning thing. The only thing I have to go off of was my 17 and with that there was no learning, it drove perfect from the minute i drove it off the lot.

 

Seems the one's with transmission issues are mostly complaining

Idk if every transmission varies depending how people drive their truck, but i noticed huge transmission shifting changes around 1200 miles. After 1500 it was even better. I'm a little over 15k miles now, and its been shifting the same for quite some time....no complaints, its spot on all the time.

 

Don't sell it. I felt the same way about my 22 SR5. I got my tune this week and it is a huge improvement. The gears shift smoothly like they should and there is no throttle lag. It is such a joy after the crap that we've been putting up with. Get the KD Max Pro tune as soon as you can. Mine only took about 10 minutes as I didn't need a TSB update. If you can't find a tuner, buy the tune and do it yourself. They will give you all the instructions you need. The tuners are great about driving to meet you somewhere for a tune. I think they are all nice guys who want to help frustrated owners like us. There needs to be a major red flag issued about Toyota by Consumer Reports advising people not to buy Tacomas until they fix the tune. I have owned Toyotas since 1979 and I am very disappointed that they would even sell a vehicle that runs like mine did.

 

It isn't a learning issue. The problems will not go away without a tune. I had mine tuned at 1800 miles and it corrected all my issues without decreasing gas mileage. The only thing helping Toyota sell vehicles is that people are buying them without driving them first. If people got a chance to test drive first many would not purchase with the throttle lag and poor shifting transmissions.