New to Tacoma, downshifting a lot

Hi,
I have an 01 3.4L Auto 4x4 that I purchased a few months ago. It seems to run fine, but to me, it feels like it has a lack of power. I had a similarly equipped Ranger and it downshifted much less. I notice it mostly on the highway. In moderate hills, the transmission will kick down sometimes 2 gears to keep the cruise control set speed (usually 72 or 73 on the highway)

Not really sure where to start looking.

Thanks.

d

 

Wheel / tire package been upsized? Truck lifted?

Any bed load or towing, or is this while empty?

Last tune up was............ ?

Tried driving in these conditions w/o the cruise, just to see how it feels with 'foot control'?

 

mine does this too on cruise control but not with me driving. its the cruise control doing it because it is sensing it drops below the setting and wants to keep the speed so its over accelerating to compensate for losing 2-3 mph of speed going up steep grades or pulling even modest loads up bridges. it downshifts out of overdrive but senses it isn't speeding back up fast enough so it downshifts again to second gear.

yes it is bothersome but its normal because of the gearing in our trucks, a different gear would solve this but then you average mpg would suffer too much for the few times this situation happens.

if you think its bad you should see the 4 cylinders, they will often do it without any load in an empty truck on any long bridge or hill lol

 

Normal from my experience with the 3.4 auto. Toyota coulda done better with the trans and cruise control.

 

The factory cruise control in these trucks is absolutely horrible. It isn't a under powered issue, but more of a poor calibration issue. The distance between up shift and down shift is too narrow and too aggressive. If there was a way to recalibrate.....I would do it.

 

I hardly ever use the cruise control on mine unless on a flat stretch because of downshifting.