Fed up with my Taco

Glad someone called it out.

 

Dang I keep reading of all this dissappointment with how these drive and shift. I've been driving underpowered Hyundai's and Ford Escapes with anemic 4 cylinders that are always changing gear's.
I'm only 800 miles into my Tacoma ownership but so far even towing a 6X12 cargo trailer I've found it better at all speeds empty or towing. Though when I really need to tow, I have a Ram with the Cummins

 

3 bikes @ 300 lbs. each =900 lbs + 400 lbs for the trailer =1300 lbs.

 

People just have unrealistic expectations. You can't get both decent MPG and a transmission that doesn't shift. Yeah, the AT is outstanding with even the MT's 4.30 axles so it's clearly a gearing/torque issue but then you have people bitching about the poor gas mileage.

I swear transmissions hunting, notches in phones, and all this other bullshit is just people getting angry about stuff they read from reviewers online. I'd much rather have a transmission that hunts than an old AT where you had to give it 50% throttle just to get the thing to downshift.

 

OP

Everyone gets a “bitch fest” thread. You are allowed that. Sorry your truck doesn’t do what you want it to do. That sucks.

However, when you move on, please don’t also start one of those truly puke-worthy snowflake threads “see you all later and thanks for the help. Moving to a xxxxx”. Those threads are the worst.

 

They fixed this problem shortly after you got your truck. Sorry to hear about the issues you've been having. Unfortunately, you will have to spend some money to fix the problem. Or maybe just trade it in for a new one. The average consumer only keeps their vehicle 4 years. I can assure you the new ones drive exactly how theyre suppose to and you wont be let down. Never thought I would enjoy my Taco and I now love it.

 

I ain't even mad!

 

The truck doesn’t like the weight, especially towing. I towed my street bike on a flat trailer for three hours from NY back to western mass. About 1k pound’s the truck never dropped below 4.5k on the tach. Got 11mpg. Ect and locking gear in s5/4 doesn’t do anything. The v6 truck has same hp as the 4 banger below 4K rpm. These trucks take a bit to break in, good 12k miles. Feels a little better after that plus tsb but doesn’t really change much. On flat ground it feels better than when I bought it, but throw any weight behind it or have gradual incline to drive and it will shift like mad. Anytime I drive out of town there’s gradual hills for a few miles and is a nightmare to drive. Truck wants to stay at 2k or downshift and smash 5500k the whole way. And the shifts are laggy and abrupt. It hangs before it shifts and then bangs the next gear. Imagine driving a manual trans up a grade and shifting constantly between 2nd and 5th. And back down to 2nd. Over and over. That this truck. Passing people is out, put your foot into it and there is a good 1-2 second lag before it will respond and then it downshifts bangs gear and then starts to move. Feels more like trans slipping than design, but is how it’s designed. It’s anemic and schizophrenic. The 2020 drive the same as the 18. Toyo saying it’s different is just to blow smoke. I like the truck especially in 4wd or off-road. But anytime I drive out of town it fucking sucks since it will never hold speed or a gear without constant shifting.

 

Don't like it...sell it. You might be miserable for years.

 

These tacomas like premium fuel. When i put 87 octane in the tank, i start feeling the need to start using S5 or ect power mode. When i use 93 i just put it in Drive and dont feel the need to use the other options. Say what u will but myself and at least a handful of others on here notice the difference.

The 2.3 liter in the new rangers only hit there advertised hp/torque numbers on premium fuel as well.

 

Stop beating your head against the wall and get OVTune. It fixes all the issues you are describing. Toyota's TSB's are a start but not the solution. the OVTune beta release that is now out (final release coming soon) is light years ahead of Toyota - your truck will actually drive and shift like you expect it to. If noting else check out the OVTune thread (over 3 million views and 50K replies) and see what others say. Worth every penny IMO.

 

Fake news! Put it in Drive, set the cruise at 65 or 70 mph and enjoy the drive including going up hills - but definitely not pulling a trailer! Only 18 mpg avg.

 

Damn that sucks dude look into OV tune and regear

 

I don’t care when mine shifts or what rpm it shifts at. Turn up the music and enjoy the scenery. The truck is doing what it’s designed to do.

 

Listening, sorry reading, some of these posts makes so so so so very happy I have the MT with 4.30 gears...

 

MANUAL TRANSMISSION

 

I keep seeing this statement and I keep asking for evidence but I still sit here empty handed. Unless your truck is tuned for it or you have some other issue causing the timing to retard, 93 isn't going to change a thing (and can actually make it drive worse). It's the placebo effect and I'm willing to bet that if I filled your truck up for you at random 10 times in a row, your accuracy in guessing would be pretty damn near 50%.

 

I traded a '06 Volvo XC70 with 5AT (only AT that I have ever owned in 55 years of driving) for my M/T Taco. The Volvo AT had a manual mode that would lock up whatever gear that was selected, so no gear hunting, period. I gather the Tacoma AT doesn't offer this feature so I am glad I bought the M/T.

 

This is true, I'd like to see some data to back this up as well. Unless our trucks have an anti knock system (and the probably do for gas below 86) there is zero benefit for using premium gas other than maybe the detergent packages.

Remember higher octane does not contain more energy or burn hotter. All it does is burn in a more controlled fashion, reducing compression ignition (detonation). If you do not have a higher than stock compression engine (necessitating a more controlled burn and limiting detonation) all evidence is you are wasting your money.