T-SB-0044-14 Feedback: Engine ECM Reprogram [Pinging]

I am going to go in tomorrow n have this done one way or another. Ill definitely report back what happens.

 

Sitting at Simi Valley Toyota right now.... First went to Thousand oaks Toyota and they looked at me like wtf are you talking about.... Called Simi and the first service guy I talked to went yup I know what you are talking about bring it I'm I'll get it flashed for ya.

 

Update, had the calibration flashed as far as i can tell... i never told them the TSB number but the person i spoke to actually printed it out and showed me what they did. in the 15mi drive home she seems happier, and the hill by my house that it would always pop out of 5th lockup at 45mph, it was able to stay in 5th lockup. so something has changed. Time will tell about mpgs.

 

I experienced the same transmission shifting changes post-TSB - initially. I'm tempted to say that the reflash allowed the engine/trans. ECU to relearn my driving style - and during this time period, the truck seemed to shift "better." Why do I say this? After some thousands of miles of driving, my truck now occasionally pops out of 5th under heavy acceleration uphill, or when continued skinny pedal is applied during acceleration on level ground.

Either way, pinging noises still drastically reduced to almost nonexistent.

Glad to hear you could finally bring it in .

 

Has anyone had this done with a supercharger yet? Or heck in Canada?

 

Had the TSB performaed a couple weeks ago, the truck is still pinging (even on premium), although not as bad. Going to take it back in. If they cant fix it is it possible to lemon law the truck? I didn't pay 30 grand for a brand new truck to have it ping.

 

is there anyway we can pull what calibration is on the truck from OBD.... outside of the sticker they put on the underside of the hood (which the dealer did not do in my case) i only have their word they reflashed the ecu.... and i dont trust the dealers as far as i could throw my truck.

 

I would say it is a good idea to return to the dealer and show them the ongoing symptoms you are noticing. Give the service department an opportunity to correct the problem. Lemon Law is state-specific, I believe (someone correct me if I'm wrong). You'll need to do some research to determine what guidelines allow Lemon Law in your state.

It **might** be difficult to lemon law a vehicle that has no actual physical damage due to bad design or manufacturing process. I could be wrong, but it seems like you'll need some verifiable component failure to succeed in qualifying for Lemon Law.

 

I brought it back to the dealer today and they said the pinging was "normal," to which I explained it wasn't, otherwise there wouldn't be a TSB to address the issue. They said they're contacting someone at Toyota America or something like that and that they should have an answer tomorrow. This problem certainly isn't normal and if they can't fix it what options do I have?

 

Your not the only one that continues to have a problem, I wanted to wait until I had done the 30k service to see if the new plugs would make any difference, within miles of filling up with 87 the ping returned. I'm on a tank of 89 right now that seems to be doing well.

 

I'm using 93 and it's still doing it. I would imagine if I put some 87 in there it would be terrible. Aside from it being very annoying one of the things I'm really worried about is long term reliability of the engine. I don't want to have my truck paid off and a couple months later at 65,000 miles start having to rebuild the engine.

What change was made to the engine that causes the 12 and newer trucks to do this but not the 05-11?

 

My 2010 does it with 91 California gas. I've search and some 05-11 owners also have the same problem.

Now, how loud is your guys's pinging noise in the 2012+? Mine is very low that I have to shut the radio off to hear it, faint enough that my wife and probably 80% of people won't even notice it at all. Me as a car guy always pay attention to mechanical stuff.

How loud is the pinging in the 12+ tacomas?

I searched online and seems may new vehicle owners have similar problems with their vehicles. Check Subaru's new engine.

 

Yeah same here, not really sure what effects it may have but can't be good. When I run 91 the engine sounds great, no issues. I heard a few pre face lift guys complain but the only differences I know of is with emissions.

 

It's not loud enough to notice with the stereo on but with the AC on full blast I can hear it, i can also feel it. Where my truck used to accelerate smoothly through it's rpm range I now notice as I mash the gas it accelerates real fast and then basically just stops ( which is where it begins pinging). Usually it hesitates right before it starts pinging. Basically past about 1/4 throttle the gas pedal doesn't do anything as the engine is fighting against it self from the pre ignition. Pre TSB it was terrible, post TSB it's less terrible.


Update: My local Toyota dealer has asked me to bring the truck back in for "further inspection" and that they will provide me with a loaner vehicle until they are finished with it. Hopefully it's fixed this time.

 

my 13 has never pinged.... i got the reflash for possible increase in MPG's and possible better behaved auto trans.

That stated i have had an XTP intake manifold spacer on since very early on in the trucks life... this definietly helped beef up the power in the midrange at the rpm range these pinging typically occur. And i have always ran 87 octane cus im a cheap ass.

 

These are some interesting developments. Can you keep us updated, Dr. Corn?

 

Go to page 5 of this post, I uploaded the audio from my phone this was taken in cab with the phone down by my knee. On my truck it was loud enough that my 8 year old in the back asked what the noise was. My ping also seemed to get louder over time.

 

Got it! WOW

 

.
..
...Just had this done

it is cold and cannot easily reproduce the ping, but the service manager got them to do
the ECM/PCM update anyway.

around the shop they call this update the 'torque converter lockup update'


immediate result: it drops out of 5th readily now, instantly more drivable all around town and especially uphill, and accelerating. this is what the tranny PCM should have had from the get-go. totally perfect now.

I understand it may learn my driving and change a bit but this update is so freakin awesome I cannot tell you

what this update does: primarily it changes the shift points, especially it unlocks torque converter much sooner and more intelligently when you goose the gas

secondarily it changes the timing advance/retard


A#1 best lucky update

 

really ? mine is opposite

....my update makes it more readily pop out of 5th, and into 4th and even 3rd... much easier on hills. I live in a nest of 1/2 mile, 7-14deg drumlins and they have 30-35mph speed limits. pre-update it would lug and barely want to unlock out of 5th, so I'd manually shift to prevent pinging. now it is much better at these hills and dropping down a gear or two properly


Taco new PCM flash is behaving like my '4runner does with the ECT/PWR button on'. more readily jumps down a gear...