Trailer is making my Taco go nuts!!

Just bought my 2017 Taco Off Road 2 weeks ago. Bought a Triton trailer for it (aluminum & 370lbs) and drove it home on the NYS Thruway at about 70 mph. The truck almost seemed stuck in 4th & was at 3000 rpm almost all of the 2.5 hours home. The terrain is fairly flat from say Syracuse to Rochester.

Took the Taco in this morning to the dealer but the firmware is the newest & no issues were found. Told the truck "needs to learn" how I drive. By the way, it shifted to 5th & sometimes even 4th without anything attached & no real hill in site!!

This is my first truck, first 4x4 for sure, & like you I invested a good deal of money for it.

I've seen stories of this tranny upshifting too soon.......has anyone else had the downshifting & 11.5 miles per gallon that goes with it??

 

I am as yet unfamiliar with all of the details of this truck as i will be looking to get one sometime this year. Is there a trailer button that you are using on the dash? My 2017 Highlander takes you out of the highest gear and runs up the RPM's, but that is mainly to be used for really heavy trailers (such as my 4k lb camper, where I have to do such so I don't throw the transmission). Even on flat terrain I will sometimes go with the high gear... In Syracuse, like you.

I would not use that selection for such a light trailer, (again, assuming you have such a selection). I will also be looking to get a manual transmission, that way I will have absolute control over what gear I am in.

 

Did you try the tow/haul button labeled ect? it is located below your 4x4 knob. The manual suggests not towing within your first 500 miles.

 

Unfortunately, there's no trailer button. Since you're familiar with the area, I bought the trailer in Herkimer & brought it home to Batavia. The only "hilly" areas are Herkimer/Utica & the Geneva exit on the Thruway. I'm totally baffled & kinda PO'd too. I'm going to try the ECT button as suggested by ADK as well.

User groups are the best!!! Seems like one of us had always had the issue & got the answer.....

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

Welcome!

 

Welcome!

 

Ok, let me give this a shot. As for a Tow/Haul mode button, you're not going to find one labeled that on a 2017 Tacoma (US). However, you will have an ECT Power button. Not sure why they labeled it Power, because it doesn't give you any more power, however it will change your shift points to a higher RPM and help with the crazy shifting when hauling. I have hauled a lot with my Tacoma's, including a fairly heavy 19' Airstream. Turn ECT on when hauling. Now on the older Tacomas you had an option to keep it in 4th, with the new "S" mode, for sport I suppose, I guess you would just put it in "S" and use 4th to keep it from going into overdrive. I have hauled across country and through many mountains like that and never had a real problem. Of course, that was with the old engine, I haven't hauled with the new one yet, but I imagine it will do just fine. FYI, pulling the Airstream I averaged about 12MPG, so don't expect to save any gas.

 

I'm going to try the ECT button. I'm hoping it'll let me get above 4th gear. Let me know about how your 2018 does. My dealer said that I wasn't the first to complain about this. I'm really hoping for some Toyota help & soon.

 

I think it will let you get to 5th gear. Unfortunately all the power in our engines in in the upper half of the rpm range.

 

5th and 6th are both highway gears. Slam it in 5th and let her ride. You'll hurt your motor more by trying to force it do work at a lower rpm more than you will letting it do easier work at a higher RPM. I do 4th around hills all the time

 

Sorry about that, I suppose I should have said 5th. Keep in mind that the last towing I did was with my 2015, so I had a 5 speed automatic, I did my towing in 4th most of the time. Generally speaking, most will tell you not to tow in overdrive because its hard on the transmission. That said, if you're towing something light at highway speeds, and don't have a lot of inclines to deal with, you're probably fine even going into 6th. Anyway, hope the ECT helps a little, and always remember that safe towing is about getting it stopped, not getting it going.

 

Talking at coffee this morning with the guys....it came to me that my Off Road has the crawl & other stuff other Taco 4x4's don't have. Does this mean an entirely different tranny? Could this possibly have any effect? (Grasping at straws now as frustration builds & I again realize the money spent versus the satisfaction gotten)

 

Makes no difference as far as the transmission, ect will help.

 

I did a little test a few minutes ago, in "S" mode the transmission defaults to 4th and stays there unless you change it. In 4th at 70 MPH, no load, I was at around 3000 RPM. I manually went to 5th and was around 2000 RPM. I am willing to bet that if you use ECT and "S" mode and stick to 4th and 5th you will see a big difference. Nothing to base that on except past experience in the Gen 2 Taco and my gut. Let me know how it goes, I will be doing some towing this spring/early summer.

 

crawl control just your computer controlling your throttle and brake (low speed cruise control)

 

I'll check out the trailer in S mode with ECT on as soon as I can. This all makes sense at least.

Gotta let you know.......I own a Can-Am Spyder & our user group is an amazing resource with lots of answers & real life expertise. You guys have equaled or surpassed that group!! I can NEVER thank you guys enough. I hope the answer is here.

 

The last thing that is worth trying is resetting your computers and reteaching your truck how you drive. When I switched to 33in tires this made a noticeable difference in how well it handed the added loads of having bigger tires. This is accomplished by disconnecting the battery (removing only the positive terminal is sufficient) for 1 or more hours. Then reconnecting. For the next 200 miles drive it threw every on road task you wish it to complete at the safe speed you want to do it in(don't try to do 100mph in first gear or 85mph up a steep mountain, nothing crazy or out of the trucks capabilities). I would recommend driving over a mountain, tow a trailer on the thruway, along with your normal daily driving route.

 

Thanks for that one ADK!!! I was told that at 1200 miles they Taco was still "learning how I drive it". I heard "you need new muffler bearings" So the truck really does learn huh?? That being said.....it was a dealer trade so someone drove it almost 300 miles to Rochester before I got it. If the ECT thing doesn't work, I'll disconnect the battery before going to bed some night, hook up the trailer & head down the thruway.

Again...... a million thanks!!