MT occasionally locks out 2nd gear

Hey all. I've had this happen 2 or 3 times now so thought I'd ask about it. 2023 TRD Sport MT with ~1,500 miles. 2nd gear becomes completely locked out. The best I can recall is I'm downshifting at the time, but not coming to a complete stop. Speed is around 20 mph, so 3rd will result in no power and 1st isn't great to downshift to at that speed. The last time I ended up panicking because I was in heavy traffic and a guy almost merged into me and I ended up in 3rd with no acceleration. After I go into 1st or 3rd, then 2nd is available as normal again.

I haven't found the sequence of events that triggers it, so can't really take it to dealer because I know their answer will be some variation of "works on my box." Anyone else ever have this happen? What am I doing wrong?

Expecting the AT guys to chime in and say "should have got an auto..."

 

What do you mean by “locked out”? Are you sure you aren’t just moving the shift lever incorrectly? It happens to the best of us.

 

Feels like something physically blocking the path to 2nd. It goes into 3rd or 1st fine. Pretty hard to get 2nd wrong - left, down. I hear you, but I genuinely don't think I'm just blowing the shift, been driving manuals for 30 years, although this is my first Tacoma.

Edit: oh, I see what you're saying. Maybe I'm going too far left into the reverse column? That could be it I guess

 

Yes, I think that might have happened to me a couple times when I’m in a hurry or distracted. More often Ive put it in reverse instead of first, but Ive gotten better at that over time. Reverse was right and down on all my other transmissions. They were 4 and 5 speeds.

 

This happens to me on the mountain. I need to pass so I need to get it in 2nd, but all attempts fail over a certain MPH. Even rev matching the snot out of it, it still won't go.

 

OK, the more I think about it, this is probably what's happening since these have been times when I've been shifting in a hurry so probably gave it some extra juice. I have also done the accidental reverse instead of 1st a couple times. I don't love the reverse location on this trans, but still miles better than an auto.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction, it was user error after all.

 

This only happens with 1st to me… 2nd is usually good.

 

For me initiating the reverse gear selection requires a deliberate motion so don’t think that could be the problem. Next time it happens, if it’s safe to do, with clutch pedal depressed, increase engine rpms and put slight pressure on shifter to see if you can rev match engine and transmission. Mine will feel like it’s locked out if I try to downshift and the rpms are not high enough. I’m conservative downshifting and make sure vehicle speed is slow enough for trans to ‘drop’ into gear. If it sounds like I’m saying you aren’t shifting properly I’m not. Just suggesting.

 

Thanks. If it happens again, and I can confirm I'm not in the reverse column, I'll try rev matching.

 

Absolutely no issues here, 50k miles. Transmission was a bit “notchy” but broke in really nicely.

I got “locked out” of first a few times over the years but that happened on all my MT vehicles.

 

I’ve done accidental R twice so far. Yeah not a fan of location but it’s a very minor thing.

Both times wasn’t paying attention sitting at a red light…

 

Very pricey, but a short throw shifter solved the absurdly weak reverse indent when going to 1st/2nd in a rush when short stopping with the stock shifter.

 

I had this issue but with 4th when my truck was new. Tried the dealer and was told to give it 30'000kms for the transmission to break in. Crazy and dangerous yes but, it did correct itself. I changed my transmission fluid at 10'000kms and it was much better but the odd time would block 4th on a downshift but now at 145'000kms I don't know the last time it even happened. It sounds like these transmissions just take a while to break in from similar hicups i've read on here. All in all I would change the transmission fluid after a few thousand more miles and run it till mid way through your basic warranty and go from there(as sketchy as it sounds)

 

I think it’s more likely that people get better at shifting their transmission than the transmission gets better at being shifted.

 

I kinda disagree because I test drove a few other brand new Tacoma's fighting with my dealer to address an issue with mine and I drove them all the same and could feel the difference

 

I have a 2023 mt. The shifting was a bit notchy when new; but I wrote that off to lack of experience with the Tacoma gearbox. However, I changed the transmission, both differentials and the transfer case gear oil to Amsoil at about 700 miles. This was far from necessary, but I like doing simple maintenance like this. Got out some dark oil with metallic swirls in it. Since the change, shifting as been smooth as butter. My imagination? Maybe. But maybe also worth a try.

 

stupid question, but are you rev-matching while downshifting? i can't speak on the tacoma's manual, but without rev-matching, my brz will absolutely be harder to get into a lower gear.

and the reason i ask is i once had the displeasure of watching a corvette driver attempt to show the world he had a manual on a long state road with a few stop lights. i witnessed him downshift to at least 4 stop lights from 6th all the way to 1st without ever rev-matching. i could literally hear the car shouting in pain every time it lurched on clutch release...

 

Yep, I still have the 2nd gear lock-out from time to time @ 70K miles. Usually, I am in lightly accelerating in 3rd and need a quick 2nd gear (and usually going up a slight grade.) Just sit there and coast and fumble around until it lets you in. Doesn't happen often, but it DOES happen. I also don't understand why it does that. I run Redline MT90 oil but that made no difference.

 

Ywah this happens to me too going from neutral to 1st at a stop sometimes.

Figure it’s something with the synchros not quite lining up or some other weird quirk. Putting the lever quickly into 2nd and back to 1st always works for me.

 

Slow down your shift let the rpm drop before shifting in that gear . If you try shifting into that gear at higher rpm the truck will fight you .