Always in "Sport" Mode...

2023 2.7L 4x4 Auto

I'm currently at 6,500 miles on my new truck and I do mostly city driving under 45mph. The truck likes to slide into 5th gear and it's killing me. I live in a hilly area and 3rd and 4th are where I need to be.

I find myself using S4 and S3 very often as a gear limiter to prevent the up-shifting. I know I can get a tune to help with the shifting but S4 and S3 solve my problems perfectly.

My question is whether or not it's okay to constantly use these modes and almost never use "D". I want to keep this truck forever and put a ton of miles on it. I don't want to find myself with a toast transmission at 100k because of this...

Is there anything I should be concerned about here?

Thanks in advance.

 

Transmission will be 100% fine doing what you’re doing. Actually, it will be better off doing that than constantly shifting on its own back and forth.

 

The engine may be a bit happier too, as you're less likely to cause a lugging situation.

 

I would recommend against using all the time .toyota engineers designed this for a temporary use .. towing …hills …and such .over time it will learn your driving habit .

 

Although I see nothing wrong with using s-mode that way, I can offer you an alternative. If you want your automatic transmission to downshift, push the skinny pedal hard or blip it (hard on then mostly back where you started). The sudden throttle input will cause the transmission to downshift as faster or faster than I can with my manual transmission.

You bought an automatic transmission so it could shift for you. Let it do that for you.

 

I have noticed this, actually. It's useful when I forget to use S4 or S3...but using those modes eliminates my need to do that and driving the truck is much easier that way.

 

I've heard that the truck will learn my habits but, after 6,500 miles, it hasn't really adjusted much. I drove about the first 5,500 miles in "D" exclusively hoping that it would learn but it still grabs 5th gear at the worst times.

Can you tell me where it says it's only intended for temporary use? I checked through the manual and online and I couldn't find much on this subject. Thank you.

 

This is definitely true. The 2.7L definitely lugs when in 5th under 45mph in hilly areas. I imagine that could cause problems in the long run.

 

No they didn't and no it doesn't. The trucks control parameters are setup to provide the most fuel efficient drives while usin the D.

 

Seriously, there are no concerns. The idea that it is only for temporary use is unfounded. They wouldn’t give the option to you if they wanted you to limit your use of it. Otherwise there would at least be a large disclaimer somewhere.

Personally, I don’t like the just push the pedal harder option either. Modern automatics are programmed super lethargic much of the time and it is exhausting feeling like you have to floor it constantly to get it to downshift an adequate number of gears. Easier to just slap it over and limit it to the desired gear. But, all of that is probably why I don’t buy autos anyways so maybe my input isn’t helpful.

 

Have you tried leaving it in “D” with the ECT button on?

 

They don’t learn much. The loaner I borrowed at low mileage didn’t drive any differently from the day I picked it up to the day I turned it in with 2k more miles, and I drove it much differently than how the stock programming wanted it to drive.

And the idea that it’s only for temporary use definitely isn’t true at all.

 

Pretty sure all it does is limit the highest gear the transmission will use, everything else remains the same. There’s no risk or harm in being in S4 all the time.

 

I drive my stock 2023 in ECT mode all the time.
I'm fed up with the chronic hunting it does in non-ECT mode.
Most of my town driving is 50 mph or less.
ECT shifts into 4th gear right at 40 mph with my driving habits.
This keeps it in 1,2 or 3 for most of the time, with less shifting.

 

i believe i read this on this forum years ago, so 50/50 chance it is true.
the driving behavior that is learned is only learned in "D". no learning goes on when using "S" mode.
I use "S" mode like you since i live in hilly area. We both really want an MT. "S" mode is a very poor man's MT but better than "D".

 

This was my initial thought as well. If it's there and I'm only supposed to use it for small amounts of time, I think they would have made that more obvious somehow.

All of my other cars are MT so I agree with you on that. I really do like the auto in my truck despite this 5th gear issue though.

 

Yes, I have used the ECT button mostly when merging on the highway or in other "maximum acceleration" situations. I find that it holds onto gears a bit too long for my liking during normal driving even with very little pedal input. I only use the ECT button for short periods of time when I need to accelerate quickly and I need everything from the engine. Then I turn it off.

 

This is what I originally thought too. I use it as a limiter and the truck seems happy. But I wasn't sure if it could cause long term issues.

 

Same here, i have the mod "ECT on at start up"

 

This is interesting. Thanks for your input. I've tried normal driving in ECT mode but it holds onto gears (especially 1 and 2) for too long even with very light throttle input. I like how it shifts through the higher gears though. I end up just using the ECT button when I need to accelerate as quickly as possible. Then I turn it off.