ETC mode

Yes, your post is right on the mark.... the dealer will not do a physical check as it involves an hour (?) of a Tech's time, and they will NOT get paid by Ma Toyota to just check tranny fluids...!!

Not sure how accurate the Temp. thingy you used is, but it's way easy to short out #9 and #13 wires in the OBD connector, and put the truck into "tranny temp. check mode", and let the truck tell you when she is at the optimal temp for tranny fluid checking...!

But adding fluid does make a difference man.... Mine was 1 1/2 QT low..... Night and day how it runs now..!

 

How do I convince these guys to check my fluid? I left a detailed voicemail on the service manager's line tonight and I expect hear back soon. On cold starts the truck is jerking into drive or reverse and is almost lunging forward/backward as you ease off the brake...this isn't safe.

Hopefully they'll take care of anything. First new vehicle experience, and a Toyota no less. Can't believe it.

 

It must be checked physically....!!

I think the only way you can get them to check it is this....

Tell them the tranny is low..... YOU know it is.... (It takes them over an hour of labour cost. they will NOT do this on their own)..
Ask them to check it physicaly and if it's low... Toyota pays... If it's not low...You'll pay...

This way the dealer has nothing to lose.... either you OR Toyota pays...!!

Only thing I'd do is insist on watching them do it....!! Do NOT take their word ...!!

My way is to do it yourself...... this is THE only way to know if it's done properly..... If you are not mechanically inclined... do you have a buddy that is..??

 

I love the DSG in mine, and I tuned it because the transmission setup in it is just like the Tacoma...6th gear @ 42 MPH....bothered the heck out of me, damn it, it's a GTI, not a Passat!! So I fixed it with a Unitronic Stage 1 ECU and TCU tune and never looked back!

 

i did that about a year ago and smitty99 threw me under the bus...where is smitty99?
i have the on all the time mod.

 

It's a lease and I don't want to void anything by doing this. This dealership has promised me a lifetime engine/transmission warranty as long as I don't service it anywhere else.

The waiting room has a window that looks down into the service bay. I saw them as they performed the ECU update. Hopefully the service manager will call me up and tell me they'll check everything at no cost but if not I'll do as you suggested.

Had the truck less than a week and this ECU flash fixed some things but made others worse. I feel sick to my stomach knowing my first payment is coming out soon and I may be stuck with this.

 

If it's lease DO NOT buy it as running the tranny for yrs at a low level... You don't want..!!

 

Well it's only been 1 week (250km). Hopefully this is just a fluid issue and it will be resolved. Will update when I have one.

 

if I have to click that link one more time I think I might go crazy . I really hope @mesojdm would update that threads title when it becomes available.

 

Forgive my ignorance, I'm still learning. What would the difference be between having something like this and just having the ECT button on all the time?? Just convenience of not having to push the button or more?

 

I've used ect once when I was hauling 2500 pound of rock through some mountains, just for shits. I drive up and down mountains to work and never use it. Guess 80% of taco owners on this forum must of traded in sports cars...

 

every time you start the truck you have to push the button, if you are out making stops at stores you have to push it every time. before you say whats the big deal here are two examples.
so you get used to the get up and go of the ECT function then you get distracted when leaving a store and forget to push the button. leaving the store you wait for traffic to clear and when you get a opening you make your turn into traffic and HOLY SHIT you push the gas pedal and nothing and traffic is bearing down on you. been there done that.

this i confess might be because i am old but have been occasions i forgot to push the button then remembered while sitting at a light and reach down to push the button but muscle memory takes over and i push the start button and turn off the engine, duh. then the light turns green!
best mod ever for this truck, IMO

 

You must be in Canada since you're posting kms. Let us know what they say for sure. If there is some sort of Canadian specific Technical Service Bulletin for this.

 

Transmission fluid level vs ECT performance.

Shorting out wires!? That doesn’t sound too good! That’s the kind of thing that I try to refrain from performing!

So it’s like this Mr. Dealer Service Adviser-
I was attempting to check my transmission temperature for a fluid level adjustment by just tapping into a couple of wires on this harness when a bunch of sparks started flying, which started a very small fire, which melted a few wires and put a couple of black spots on the kick panel. So the way I see it, Toyota has manufactured a product that melts, catches fire and causes black patches to appear. And, I have these slightly painful red spots on my fingers from dealing with this. Just kidding of course.

I just wanted to say that an infrared thermometer seems to be pretty accurate and is a great tool for around the house. The specs say it’s accurate to within 2% when used above 32 degrees. It matches other thermometers I have around the house.

Infrared is great for checking home insulation cold and hot spots in your ceiling, floor or walls, heat moving thru insulated blinds or curtains, duct work, whether you have a possible fire source or overheated wires in a wall next to wiring, outlets or lights, overheated motors or compressors, light ballasts, etc.

It can also tell you how much drop in temperature your stock or aftermarket transmission, engine and power steering cooler is cooling your fluid by measuring inlet and outlet temps by just pointing the red laser dot at your desired temperature check location on your Tacoma.

To get a transmission pan temp it might not match the truck reading exactly but I think it’s perhaps pretty close to what you need in temperature range for the fluid check.

They are a pretty cool tool. I’d recommend one for any do-it-yourselfer. They’re good for at least a few minutes of entertainment for anyone.

I would not recommend one for checking the temperature of airplanes in the sky. And definitely don’t point it at anyone carrying a firearm. Or, anyone else actually.

Next tool to purchase are some scan tools, just for the heck of it, and they might come in handy.

The thermometer on the shelf reading 70.2 degrees had been sitting on a granite kitchen countertop next to an exterior tile wall and was reading slightly colder prior to this picture.

 

I think the shift sense pro has different shift points programmed in, I installed it ans really enjoy it and the other option to having the ECT button on all the time, was not available. Get the ect button first and see if that is what you like and then you can always upgrade if needed. I use both just because sometimes on the highway, the SSP does not shift into 6th till after 72-75 and if I hit the cruise at 70 then it just stays in 5th so I just push the shifter over and it drops into 6th.

 

Hey @Tehcoma do you have the ECU update number on your paper work?

 

They gave my truck TSB 4419. Must be the Canadian bulletin for the Rev1 update.