Gear hunting? What am I missing?

I just took my first long (500+ mile) trip in my new 23 DCSB OR that I picked up at the beginning of January. On the slightest incline the truck will drop from 6th into 5th and even into 4th to just keep itself going 65-75 MPH. Once I crest the “hill” and get to level ground or even heading downhill the truck will stay in 4th or 5th far too long. It’s several seconds from when the load is off the engine til it finally decides to shift back up to 6th. A few times I was basically down the hill before it shifted to 6th again only to have it drop to 5th again to go up the next slight hill. I live in central Kansas… we have no steep hills so I can’t imagine being in hilly country or the mountains. It didn’t do this on the test drive I took but that was on generally flat ground and I didn’t get much over 65. The truck only has 1,000 miles on it so I’m going to give the transmission time to iron itself out. Under 65 MPH or so it isn’t nearly as prevalent. But 65+ it is REALLY ANNOYING. The hills it downshifted to 4th didn’t require it. It is the only complaint I have about the truck. And it’s worse with the cruise control on.

 

All years do that, even tuned. When I get stuck like that, I switch to S and upshift, then back to D.

 

There’s no sense in waiting, just get it tuned and be done with it. What you’re describing is exactly what my truck was doing before the tune, and it’s just plain miserable.

I’m running a custom kdmax tune and love it. The cruise control is improved from stock, but still a little wonky, otherwise the truck runs and shifts like a normal vehicle now. There are several tuners with good reviews.

 

What engine you got? KDmax running tunes for 4 cyls now all years but 2019.

 

I think some 3rd gen trucks transmissions have issues with the valve body, and or torque converter. Mine shifts like complete shit from day one. I’ve said it before, but a store brand garden tractor has a smoother transmission than this truck. Last time I went to the dealer to complain due to the downshift clunk and very hard shifting, they insisted it was because my drum brakes needed servicing. That was two years ago. Brakes are fine. Trans Fluid levels perfect, tried tunes etc… There are certainly defective transmissions out there in these trucks and Toyota does not give a shit. The oddest part is that once every few weeks, I’ll hop in it, and it will drive totally normal and nice, very similar feeling to my 3rd gen 4runner from the early 2000s. Every other time, it’s herk, jerk, boom, no response from the pedal.

I didnt come from driving fancy performance cars either. I drove shitty hand me down vehicles that more wealthy family members were going to scrap for 15 years before I got this truck.

 

This thread is another good reason to get a manual!

 

Seeing how a buddies 2019 v6 auto was I can believe something isn't right with some trucks.

 

I think a lot of people are not used to the more frequent shifting of a properly functioning 3rd gen auto, but that’s normal operation. I do not mind if it shifts more often, or revs high on downshift. But I do think that a lot of people have these transmissions with defects and don’t even realize it’s an issue and not normal. This leads to all the complaints. I wish Toyota would help those of us with obvious issues out.

 

So, I have never allowed my Tacoma(s) to decide when to shift. Meaning I drive in "S" and shift by ear all the time. Other than better gas mileage, do you think that I am missing out on some performance level or doing any damage? Would it ever "get used to my driving habits" aka "learn when to shift" ?

 

My 2017 has 84k miles. I too am still waiting for it to hunt.

 

My tacoma shifts just like my gen1 tundra did except with 2 more gears. In fact it's a lot smoother. Only thing I've noticed is when the engine isn't up to temp yet, the transmission will stay in the same gear longer before it upshifts to the next one. It's sort of similar as having the ECT on, but not as bad. Otherwise it's perfect the rest of the time. I would guess its probably normal.

 

My old 4runner would hold gears longer when cold. Same with a Corolla we had years ago. Maybe an extra 600 or so RPM. I’d say it’s normal. My Tacoma does it too, and actually drives a lot nicer when cold.

 

Mine runs and shifts just fine.

 

Same…no issues.

 

Idk about it driving nicer, it's wasting more fuel if anything.

 

I think it may be part of the design to help the engine and trans warm up faster. That’s what a bit of research on it years ago led me to believe.

 

For the most part, but probably not in all cases, the problem is in the tune (software) and not with the transmission itself.

On the factory tune the software upshifts to a higher gear before it should. This puts rpms into a spot where there’s not enough torque to hold the higher gear, and the software downshifts and the process repeats over and over.

The latest kdmax tune fixes this issue and I’m sure other tunes do as well. On my current tune I’d say my truck runs as good or better than any vehicle I’ve owned. Of course I’d like to have more torque, but the 3.5 just plain doesn’t produce allot of low end torque.

 

I never owned a truck that takes as long as this one to get up to temp. I can drive 5 miles before the temp gauge reads mid way.

 

Drive a modern Subaru and get back to me on warm up times...


My truck warms up rather quickly compared to our Outback...

 

I don't have those issues with my truck. I feel if shifts spot on. If anything it's late when the truck is still warming up. I like it better than my gen1 tundra with its 5th and 6th gears. As far as torque its shy of my old 4.7 v8, but far makes up for it when pushing the heel to the steel.