How do you shift your auto?

Hello 2nd Gens

Be warned, this is not a Friday thread!!!

Not looking for any elitist remarks insisting we should have a manual. They don’t make a manual for southpaws anyway. Now excuse me while I risk Tacoma World humiliation.

Onto the topic at hand...

Looking for some input on how to correctly shift from 4 to overdrive as the manual only states specific ranges for gearing. I’m not looking to cause excessive wear in the transmission, if that’s even possible.

Is it normal and okay to still be applying throttle when upshifting into overdrive? (D). Sometimes I get a rev hang or an obvious hesitation. Sometimes a slight jolt/thud which I could only assume in the TC. Even while on flat ground with no throttle applied it’s not a smooth and seamless as the other gears

The dealer states throttle application is fine as long as it’s a conservative amount and on flat ground. They couldn’t give me an RPM figure but insisted as minimally as possible. Wouldn’t that defeat the purpose of an upshift if you have to slow down? I’m not cycling through the gears manually like a Jeff Gordon here. I’m usually coming out of heavy engine breaking and upshifting back to D.

What’s everyone’s experience with this? I do moderate towing during the warm months here and the last thing I would want is a slipping transmission. I have never towed in OD. Bought from original owner with 13k miles reaching around 48k miles now. Never flushed tranny fluid.

Any constructive input not consisting of “qUiT dRiViNg iT lIKe a MaNuAL!” is appreciated.

 

I let the truck do the shifting. I just put the selector in "D" and go. Towing, the selector goes into "4" only.

My left hand does the steering and blinkers. My right hand controls the radio, AC and wipers.

 

Ill use 4th on steep grades cause it likes to take naps and wont down shift on its own unless i put my foot through the floor.


Other than that she stays in D

 

Thanks for the response but I’m not asking for body posture and positioning when towing. This is more of a technical question regarding throttle position procedure when upshifting from 4 -> Overdrive and whether or not doing it in certain areas of the powerband are doing any premature harm.

What’s your experience when getting back into overdrive? Do you aim for an special RPM for a smoother transition? What’s the highest speed you’ve put back into OD?

Do you ever get any hesitation, rev hang, or jolt/slap?

 

There is no reason to be in 4 unless towing. For general driving put in D and be done with it. If your in 4 and want to go to D just do it, there is no set rpm point to do it.

 

Reality.....you don't need to do the shifting. The truck will handle it.

Typically, when up shifting you relax the throttle, so the engine speed drops, make the shift, then apply throttle.

But, none of this is needed with an Automatic

 

sorry for my ignnorance, but 2nd gens have an overdrive?

 

See that’s what I though too with modern automatics. So it shouldn’t matter if my foots into it or not when going back into overdrive for cruising without tow. I’ve tried shifting the truck without throttle like my manuals in the past but it seems to like the foot on the gas. Sometimes when I do this there is a hesitation/hang and sometimes an audible thud similar to 4WD system. My worry is too high of powerband could prematurely cause trans failure. I know nothing of transmissions.

That’s not correct, there are plenty of other reasons. I don’t think you read the post but thank you sharing.

 

Can't speak for all 2nd Gens. I know my '06 with AT has overdrive.

 

OP.......stick it in "D" and drive. Forget about trying to shift it like a manual.

They are complete different beasts.

 

I have a 12 TRD sport 4wd. how can I tell if I have overdrive? is there a button or indicator on the PRNDL if you have it?

 

Refer to your Owner's Manual. It will have details for your truck.

FWIW, I'm pretty sure your Auto has OD.

 

I dive my truck in 4th all frequently. Probably 3x per week.
There are certain roads I drive that the speed limit is right in between where the truck likes to shift in between 4th and 5th and it constantly want to lock/unlock the converter.
So I drive it in 4th and cruse there at around 2000 rpm. (The same RPM I am turning in 5th at 70mph)

When I shift to 5th from 4th. I let off the throttle and shift the selector to 5th.
The truck changes gears, then I reapply the throttle.

 

unfortunately my truck does not have its original owners manual. But ill see if it says anything in the digital one I have saved somewhere.

 

All trucks with the A750 trans (that includes V6 Tacos from 05-15) have overdrive. I think your confusion is in what overdrive is. It’s just a ratio numerically smaller than 1.00:1.00.

Edit: 5th gear is OD in your case

Edit 2: that’s why I hate the saying “sending sth into overdrive...” it makes RPM drop... clearly propagated by the clueless, lol

 

Well you never stated your reason for being in 4. Why are you driving in 4? Yes if it’s hilly and you don’t want the down shifting I can see it. Again why are driving in 4?

 

oh got it. so just having it D lets it go into an overdrive gear? I thought it was a special button or something like I've seen on other trucks, that I just hadn't noticed on my truck or was a feature I was missing out on. lol

 

Hilly Ohio. I use 4 to engine brake sometimes depending on circumstances then bump back into over drive when sufficient.

 

D is Overdrive
The converter can lock up partially to fully in gears 3,4,5.
I find 4th gear is well suited for hilly terrain.

 

Yes. Putting it in 4 will lock the trans out of OD.