Hill Start Assist Control

Any one else having the daunting task of getting Toyota to address the non functioning Hill Start Control Assist feature on their trucks? Mine has been non existant since day 1, and now I'm approaching year #2. Eight service appointments, 2 different dealerships, and a case manager to evaluate the issue, they refuse to admit there is something wrong with it, even though the truck rolls back imediately after brake release, regardless of the slope. I think they are all being prompted to the same response from the leaders at Toyota " the system is operating as designed " must be their go to for not wanting to address an issue that is most likely headed to recall. Any info would be great to make me feel like I'm not alone.......

 

I was told my 18' OR had it too, but it has never once engaged as well. I thought I read somewhere that maybe only the Sport models actually came with it?

 

I have it on my Sport MT - but frankly I do not like it or better put, do not have a use for it. Like sitting at stop sign on a steep hill it engages and frankly I do not need it to. Overall, I have gotten used to it,.

 

My friend has a 16 base model and his works fine, another has a 17 OR and his also works.

 

I live in Massachusetts in a very hilly area where that feature would come in handy preventing me from hitting the knuckleheads on my bumper. The feature is advertised as a standard feature throughout all the Tacoma models. I have auto transmission

 

OP are you sure you are depressing your brakes firmly? Like, you come to a stop on a hill and then consciously depress the brake hard? I know they won't work if you just barely press down. Just a thought.

 

I've tried every variation. Nothing holds it.

 

Then you have a problem. What happened when the service manager tested it? Did it work?

 

I live NH in a very hilly region, but in a 34k truck, I would want all systems to work properly! As stated, I really do not notice it anymore, but when the truck was new I remember thinking what a silly feature. Overall, welcome and let us know what the dealer says.

 

It took me a couple days to figure what the hell was going on when trying to back down my driveway in neutral. I also noticed it at some hilly stop signs. Then, I RTFM. I'm definitely not a gizmo guy and don't need it, but it is probably saving about 1/3 of the clutch's life considering the hilly area that we live. So, I've gotten used to it.

It seems to work on any slope over about 5% or so? If it isn't working then something is up.

@Mike S. 2016 off Road, how early is your 2016? Does it drive fine other than the missing hill start? I'm just thinking about some the threads around here about the very early 3rd Gens with the 4B10 ECU, it might be worth pushing for a new one if you have other issues along with the hill start problem.

 

Out in the Seattle area I could see it being a benefit. I lived there for a few years and you do have some steep hills in down town. When I did live there I had my 5sp MT Civic

 

Yeah. There are some stupid steep intersections in the city. I admit to having a few problems with our old FWD turbo cars. On those, a lightly loaded manual boost controller really helped. It wasn't turned up enough to throw a CEL, just enough to keep the wastegate closed at idle for a lot of early torque.

We're in the 'burbs, but still plenty of hills.

 

Thanks everyone. As far as the results from any of the dealerships, they all scratch their heads and keep going to the vague description of the components function. I tell them that it rolls back right away, they say what is it supposed to do, I give them my understanding of the feature..once on a slope at or greater that 5 degrees, the brake should be depressed, and in the foot motion from the brake to the accelerator the truck should stay for approx 1 to 2 seconds without moving. My hold time is ZERO. Then they have the ordasity to write up their conclusion that they could not duplicate the customers concern and it is operating as designed. Unf...ing believable. It's rolls back as described on them, isn't that duplicating the customer concern?????????
Other than that, I can sometimes hear a compressor like sound coming from my rear end of the truck after it has been sitting in the garage in the off possition.
Love it otherwise.

 

at first i hated it. Now I'm used to it.

i feel it's not necessary. they have just created another opportunity for mechanical or electronic failure.

 

That sound is just venting your gas vapors. Pretty much any modern Toyota does it.

If I were you, I would go test drive a brand new Tacoma and see if it works. Then I would go to the service department armed with that info, or go to another dealer.

 

I get that, but 2 things exist for me..i have had it in other vehicles and love it due to my local terrain and the fact that I constantly have heavier items in the bed which make it roll back that much quicker. Also if that doesn't work, hasn't worked and will never work...what else will that eventually affect?? Plus its in Toyotas standard features for all of the trucks.... false advertising ?? And yes my next move is to test the newer model to confirm this feature exists, when confirmed approach corporate to ask for a credit of initial investments and transfer into another vehicle.

 

The way that you describe it is how it works for me. It holds for about 3sec. There is no noise that I hear with it working other than maybe a little click of the pads releasing?

If it would help, I'd be happy to make a video?

 

Yes tonered, that my understand of proper operation. I have and have shown a side by side video of my OR and a basic model with the basic operating properly and mine doing as I've described. They look at it and ignore the evidence.

 

Didn't know they had the hill stop feature on Autos, I don't understand why any one would want it on one either. Hold brakes and move foot from brake pedal to gas pedal, if done quick enough no roll back. I understand why its on manual trans, but I am not a fan of it on them either, other than my hope is it save on the clutch.

Now the real issue is the dam ABS, this feature is destroying my brakes. My winter driving style does not help.

 

I always feel like the abs stops skidding but in doing so it extends the stop distance. I feel like if its skidding its slowing down but I dont know test wise which stops faster distance wise. if that makes sense.