Hillside Assist and Multiple Warning Lights

I recently purchased a 2016 Tacoma SR5 and wanted to test the hill-start assist function. While on the driveway I released the foot brake. As per the manual, the truck stayed parked for 2 seconds and then began rolling backward. However, multiple warning lights came on, the truck made alarm sounds and warning lights came on such as "Automatic transmission fluid overheating, check engine" came on and the engine actually turned off. I've gone through the owners manual and can't find anything. Can someone assist? I want to know if this is normal or if I should take the truck in to be checked. I was able to restart the truck, but when I did the process again, the second time was a hard start (turned over longer). Any info would be greatly appreciated!

 

Dun goofed

 

Best guess is that the transmission fluid stopped touching a section of your transmission and started to warm up causing your transmission temperature
Sensor to trip. Once tripped, the truck shuts itself off to prevent damage.

 

I think I had the same thing happen and wanted to ask but it only happened for a split second and by the time I heard the alarms and caught a split second of warning lights it had stopped. I was on a hill facing upwards, took my foot off the brake waiting for passing traffic and that split second before I hit the gas, it happened. When I hit the gas it all stopped and everything went back to normal and has never happened again. I however have never tried to get it to do it again.

 

Yes, normal. Truck is sensing rolling in reverse while in drive. It's a safety feature of the truck. Let's say you passed out on a hill and your foot slid off the brake and started to roll back, your truck would shut down, possibly avoiding something catastrophic.

 

Love all the replies! So helpful and was hoping they were safety features. Much appreciated!

 

I was actually curious about the hill assist. is it automatic? The only time I've noticed it is when the truck (automatic transmission) rolls backward a foot or so and then it crunches and makes all kinds of nasty sounds until i grab gas and take off Lol

 

I get similar results. When I'm facing uphill, stop in D with the brake applied. When I release the brake, the truck starts to slowly roll backwards for a couple of seconds with ticking under the hood and the traction control light flashing and beeping. Then the backwards motion increases. The light and beep frequency also increases. Other folks have reported the truck doesn't move at all while others have had the same results as me. I don't know if there is a way to adjust the system so it works correctly.

 

@iceworks24 Does this somewhat match the symptoms we were discussing?

 

Hill assist is automatic. Believe it's page 265 or 267 in the owner's manual for 2016 or look it up in the index. My boyfriend's is the TRD Sport and makes the grinding noise. Mine is the SR5 and won't roll for a few seconds (appropriate according to the manual) and then rolls back with speed. I just thought it was crazy when I got all the warning lights and the engine turned off, but makes sense that it is a safety future. Makes me feel relieved.

 

That's exactly what my truck is doing...

 

My bf has the same make and model as you and his does the exact same thing. Mine is an SR5 and warning lights flash and the engine shuts off. Hope all of this is "normal."

 

Hmmm...I honestly don't see how the engine shutting off would be a safety feature unless strictly to protect mechanical components (which doesn't take precedence over safety). One, you've lost power everything and two, it could be kind of dangerous for the truck to automatically use the transmission to bring the vehicle to a halt with the vehicle completely off (i.e. no sensors, no monitoring, nothing). I'm curious as to if it really is a "safety feature." Did it actually stop itself without any use of the brakes from you? Kind of pointless to put time, effort and money into saving the .1% (if that?) who passed out on a hill, facing upwards, at a stoplight, yet not offer power seats. Because surely the engine doesn't shut off if you are facing downhill, pass out and slip off the brake. So why bother?

What is actually probably happening is the rolling backwards in drive is causing strain/fluid pressure issues in the auto trans/torque converter and brings the RPMs too low and you are just stalling the engine. I bet it started to shudder and wasn't a quick shutoff from smooth idle. But I drive a manual, so I have no direct experience.

 

I mentioned safety issue based off of feedback in the thread. I'll be following up with the dealer as I'm not a "fingers crossed" kind of person. Had someone else in the truck. It didn't shutter. It just turned off very quietly.