Brief Neutral Feeling

I tried searching for a similar case, but couldn't find any on here.

My Truck: 2017 TRD OR, Auto Trans.

Symptom
When S-Shifting to 3rd gear at around 60 mph going downhill (to engine brake), I feel a very brief moment of what feels like a disconnect between the engine and transmission. Like a neutral feeling. This happens shortly after the transmission engages 3rd gear.

It doesn't happen all of the time.

My RPM's are about 4K. The engine speed slowly drops from 4K, then I feel that brief disconnect. It's almost like the truck was thinking of shifting, but didn't.

As it's occurring, there's no drop in RPM's. After it occurs, there's no increase in RPM's. It's just a weird little feeling and not sure if I'm just making a bigger deal than I should.

Where I live, 55 MPH is the speed limit on highways and sometimes I downshift to 3rd to engine brake when the slope gets steep enough. Once it happens in 3rd gear, it won't occur again unless I shift out of 3rd and back into it.

I've already done the TSB's (including REV1) for the shift enhancements and had my transmission fluid checked and filled at 300 miles of the odometer (3/4 quarts low).

I had this from the day I brought home the truck.

Honestly, it's something minor in comparison to other transmission quirks, but I wanted to find out if others have experienced this. Either way, I have an appointment for Toyota to check it out next week. Perhaps I just don't know enough about auto transmissions, but I haven't felt this in my other auto trans Tacoma's (2003 and 2006).

 

it's the holiday season, even the toughest trucks can sometimes feel sad and disconnected.

 

This is 4th gear oscillating in and out of torque converter lockup. It's not right.

It feels like a 4.5 gear, then it shifts back to 4th then back to 4.5, then to 5th around the mid 50s

 

mine does the same thing....you described it perfect....

 

This is undesirable, but I'm unsure if it's bad for the trans. My gut says it's ok.

 

Why are you downshifting to 3rd? Brakes are cheap, engines and transmissions aren't

 

So 4th gear goes into some semi analog mode. Strange for sure. Damaging, not sure

 

can you explain this? I'm not down shifting

 

I'm referring to the OP.

 

rgr

 

At least Toyota is trying. I've been critical of the engineers, but they are trying. Makes me want to ride this out. It is getting better. Give Mike some props for working this.

 

I suppose it's something I've always done. A habit I guess. Living on the Big Island in Hawaii, I'm always going up or going down a slope of one of the mountains. Some stretches are fairly steep and long and know of people's brakes failing is some areas. So downshifting in those areas help save the brakes from giving. Otherwise, shorter areas, I agree brakes are the reasonable option.

Thanks for your input. Did you mean 3rd gear oscillating in and out of TC lockup?

For what's it's worth, this only happens in 3rd gear. Not in any other gear. The transmission is definitely warmed up. But no matter cold or warmed, it happens. Not all the time.
It doesn't seems like it's getting worse or better. It could just be a quirk with the trans.

Edit: Didn't catch it earlier. Are you getting the same thing in 4th gear?

3rd gear as well? Are you downshifting for the same reasons? Just curious.

 

Mine is mostly in 4th gear. If you're getting this in 3rd then that is odd.

Can you drive and confirm it's 3rd?

 

Tried it again this morning. Shortly after being shifted into 3rd, there's a short neutral feeling. Happened twice.

It's not getting worse or better since I got the truck. It could just be normal. Thanks for your feedback. I'm taking it into Toyota for a determination next week.

 

i live on maui and use S mode most of the time and just like you when starting to go up a hill i down shift when i want. i find the issue you described to happen a lot when slowing down for traffic or to make a turn then when i give it gas to speed back up is when it occurs.

 

Wanted to post an update to this since I was the OP with the perceived issue. The following is what I received back from Toyota:

"when using engine braking the computer will apply and release the selected solenoid as needed for engine braking. That is most likely what you are feeling and will be normal."

I took the truck in for a scheduled test ride with one of the Service Advisors. None were available, but was told to email the problem to Toyota. This was their response.