Been Driving in 4 instead of D how bad is that.

Sorry, I am a new member and this is my first time posting, but I feel very very dumb right now, and am worried that I may have done something to my Engine. I have a 2015 Tacoma Automatic 4x4, and when you put it in drive It goes Parking, Reverse, Neutral, 4-D
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I just bought the truck, and I have just over 1400 miles on it, but I have been driving in the 4 position. I just thought the 4 and D were the same thing, and thought it weird at 70 MPH I was pulling 3000 RPM, My question is other than being a complete idiot, how bad has this been for my Engine. I am so worried that I just tore up my Engine. Nothing has ever sounded horrible or anything but Just worried. Can someone tell me how bad this is.

 

You just bought a lot of gas that otherwise you wouldn't have assuming you correctly broke in the engine when brand new. You maybe should re-read the owners manual?

 

Doubtful, my understanding is you were not using your OD gear. I am new to the setup too. Rookie just like you.

 

naw you're good, i bet you got terrible MPG though

 

Only thing 4 does vs D is that you arent shifting into 5th (overdrive). No biggie at all.


The taco engine can run 3K rpm all day long . Things a damn work horse. Dont sweat it.

 

It's a common error. I did it the first time I test drove the truck, until the salesman pointed it out. No harm done. In fact I drive in "4" very often to get the extra engine braking. Your gas milage was ~ 1 mpg worse than in "D". That's about it.

 

It's fine I do it all the time going up grades and what not doesn't hurt your engine just keeps drinking gas tranny will have to adjust a little to D now though since you've never ran it might shift a little funny the first little bit till it adjusts still nothing bad though

 

Most people who are towing keep it in 4 not D

 

you're good, just using more fuel.

as for engine break in? That's not in my skool of thought but to each their own, I'm a believer in break it in like you stole it! JMO though!

 

As everyone said, no worries at all. All that did was prevent shifting into 5th gear. You got some poor MPG on the highway is all. Running at highway speeds in 4th is just fine, if a little inefficient.

 

Thank you Very much to those who answered. I appreciate the feedback. I am not so sure that had I read the Drivers Manual it would have clicked. I got lucky it clicked this time. I am feeling so much better right now.

 

Prerunner 06 will quiz you later, hope you made flash cards.

 

Yep totally fine....as others said, you burnt a little extra fuel and that's it.

 

Forget about it.

If you want your truck to forgive you, change the oil with some nice synthetic, give her a full carnauba body wax, kiss her tail pipe and go for a ride.

 

This. 4 is recommended for towing .

I agree that you just used more gas and probably have the equivalent of 1800 give or take overdrive miles on your engine.

Seriously doubt you hurt your engine.

 

I drive in 4 most of the time

 

Driving in 4 instead of D will actually cause a micro black hole to form in your brain. Being very tiny it will take a long time to do any harm however by 105 years of age you'll die from it.

Studies also indicate that driving in 4 instead of D is a type of phobia called overdriveaphobia.

 

To make you feel better, I rarely use 5th gear with my 5 speed.

 

It is a little different though with the auto as the computer is designed to be most fuel efficient in D. It actually says in the manual to use D for regular driving ( not towing) for the best fuel efficiency. I doubt driving I 4 instead of D makes a huge difference in mpg. I use D and @65 I'm usually around 1500 or 1600 rpm I bet in 4 at the same speed you'd be running 1800~1900 rpm give or take. So depending on the highway speed run it might be more noticeable at higher speeds.

Now I'm curious what my rpms will be in 4. I'll have to try tomorrow and see. However I have once or twice bumped it from D to 4 on accident and I noticed immediately that'd be be due to the engine brakeing though.

 

I ran a little experiment today. Drove to work in my 15 V6 automatic trans I put in D as usual. At 65 mph the tach was right around 2000rpm. At the next stop I changed to 4 instead of D at 55 mph tach was much higher around 2700 rpm at 65 nearly 3000.

So driving in 4 will not harm your engine or transmission but it will increase your fuel consumption somewhat. Now 1000 rpm might not sound like much but that could easily mean a loss of 2~3 mpg depending on driving conditions and habits.