"S" mode not working

Just picked up my 23 TRD Offroad about a week ago and yesterday I noticed that it won't shift into "S" mode at all. On the shifter, the letter S lights up blue but nothing on the dash changes, it still says I'm in drive even if I try to shift up and down.

Has anybody else had this issue? I just got off the phone with the dealer service center and they said they had never heard of it before so just figured I'd check here before I brought it in.

 

I’ve only seen issues with drinks being spilled on the shifter.

This is likely a problem with the shifter and it should be straight forward warranty work.

 

Check your backup light fuse

 

Care to elaborate?

 

Pull out that specific fuse and look at it. For some reason these trucks will do odd things when that fuse is bad.

 

Backup fuse i think #3 under dash

 

Yeah all 3 backup fuses are good. It’s a brand new truck so I’m thinking something just didn’t get plugged in or programmed right.

 

I know its Friday, but as far as those S modes, they keep claiming you should have 6 modes. My 2020 sr5 only goes up to 5, 6th is locked out, otherwise the truck runs, and tows great....been that way from day 1. 6th is fine long as you use only the D mode.

 

I thought the S mode always showed '4' (or 5?) on the dash no matter what gear you're in?

I still have no effing clue how that stupid S mode works....after 6+ years

 

Mine is always in 4 when I first slide over to S mode. But easy enough to downshift to 3, then slow down a bit before dropping to 2. Never to 1 unless at a complete stop - just like with a manual.

I prefer S mode when in heavy, bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic. Much smoother starting and stopping while in 2 versus the ever-lasting lag factor that comes in every time tap accelerator in such conditions while in D.

 

Does your dash indicator change from 4, to 3, to 2 etc? Or does it always display '4'?
I havent used my S mode in a long time, but from memory, I feel like no matter what gear I'm in, the dash displays '4'.

Also...is it true you cannot shift above 4, to 5 and 6 (i.e. the over drive gears) at all when in S mode?

 

Maybe a bad park/neutral switch

 

S mode will indicate 4. From there it changes on dash depending on shift selector being pushed or pulled

 

By default you can’t have “s6”. S mode is meant to lock out higher gears for towing/hauling etc.

 

Gotcha, thanks. I'll try out next time I'm driving and see whats up

 

When you switch it into S (sequential) it defaults to 4th, but you can move it. All S does is limit the top gear the truck can pick - S4 just means it won't shift into 5th or 6th, but it can go 1-4 all it pleases. S6 is good so that you can be in pseudo-drive and can shift down to 5th without going into 4th. There is also some super specific thing in S6 vs D, I can't remember what it is, I THINK it has to do with LSD functionality, but it's been so long since I knew it. And, it's a very specific use case, so for all intents and purposes, they're the same.

It's not tiptronic/"manual mode", so S2 is the same as D in gears 1 and 2. It'll still drop to 1st at the same time - although I think I read that S uses set shift points, and D uses "learned" shift points, so there may be a difference! But, 1st is still available to the truck in S2.

 

You can shift S mode from S1 through S6. When going to S mode it typically goes to S4. Nothing prevents you from putting it in S5 or S6.
As stated already the S mode position is an upper limit, the truck will still downshift as needed automatically. So while you have it in S5 or S6 it may be in a lower gear. Under reasonable speeds I’ve confirmed it can shift to 5th gear in S mode5 on a flat road at reasonable speeds. Likely the same for S6.
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/at-shifter-s-mode-preference.530301/

 

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone who gave them. I'm glad we could all get a lesson on how S mode works. I thought it was pretty a self explanatory feature.

 

I'm still not quite sure how some get the idea there isn't an S6. Slip into S mode, bump the shifter forward twice and there you are.

 

Exactly. I guess some don’t play around with S mode and just read incorrect info on TW and repeat it.