V6 Auto+Hills = haha

[Rodent]

<rant>
Ive never really noticed it before maybe becuase i was enjoying the new truck, but damn does this truck blow chunks on any sort of incline. Damn thing cant hold 70-75 for crap unless it downshifts.
</rant>

There are no maintenance lights on or anything. Unless this is pretty common behavior with this truck?

Thanks

[6shooter]

um. yeah-that's what it's designed to do. downshifting on an incline at 70-75 is not bad-what are you used to driving?

[Rodent]

I know they are suppose to downshift but its laughable how often it does it and for how long compared to my old car, a 96 yukon v8 auto 4x4. Oh well once they release a v8 version if ever Ill upgrade I guess

[MrGrimm]

[briangp]

If you dont like the downshifting you should have got a manual. Unforntunately this is what automatics do. The truck could pull the hill just fine without downshifting, at least imo, dunno what 'hills' you got, sounds more like mountains to me.

[Nicky9]

How many miles do you have on it now? Maybe you just started driving it harder up the "hills"?? Check you air filter... make sure its clean.. but downshifting is completly normal for most vehicles. I really dont understand your issue... should have got a hemi that will ownshift up hills when doing 70-75mph?
The tacoma powerplant has plenty of hp to climb hills even when towing... I drive up and downin the Blue Ridge Mountains a lot and never have any trouble downshifts and has plenty of balls left on stand by if i need em.

[SMEbay]

Originally Posted by Rodent

<rant>
Ive never really noticed it before maybe becuase i was enjoying the new truck, but damn does this truck blow chunks on any sort of incline. Damn thing cant hold 70-75 for crap unless it downshifts.
</rant>

There are no maintenance lights on or anything. Unless this is pretty common behavior with this truck?

Thanks

Seriously though, the only time I have issues with downshifting on hills is when using cruise control. Also, it's amazing how much torque this V6 has if you slow your speed to 65-70. Around 75mph and above, the wind resistance is just too much. The Taco is as aerodynamic as a barn.

[rydr1]

at first i did notice this issue i would have a weekly commute of a steep hill for.
i then used cruise control and the trans didnt down shift.

here is the good part you have to get used to presseing the gas pedal so it can keep going and wont down shift. i have got used to it and is no longer a problem, well i never saw it as a problem.

the other nice thing is when all that traffic starts to slow down because they cant keep their speed going up hill you can accelerate and the truck will respond very nicely.

[bardb]

From what I understand, the 07 cruise strategy is greatly improved over the 06 (or maybe the improvement came mid 06?) so you should consider yourself fortunate. The hypersensitive cruise is my only complaint with my 06. Try reading these.

http://toyotanation.com/forum/t207578.html

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/t190122.html

[rydr1]

Originally Posted by SMEbay

.

i want one of these to pull out when my wife is nagging at me.

[06 Sport Taco]

No problems here last month. I had the bed full of caming gear plus a bike rack with 4 mountanin bikes on it and a full cab. Yes it downshifted(like it was suppose to) and cruized up the AZ mountain roads @ 80-90 MPH. My other truck is a 94 Silverado with 160,000 miles on it and it is able to cruze up the same mountain roads just as easily. Nothing wrong with your Tacoma, matter of fact I bet there is a better torque in it than your Yukon ( maybe huh?)

[meauxjeaux]

Originally Posted by Rodent

<rant>
Ive never really noticed it before maybe becuase i was enjoying the new truck, but damn does this truck blow chunks on any sort of incline. Damn thing cant hold 70-75 for crap unless it downshifts.
</rant>

There are no maintenance lights on or anything. Unless this is pretty common behavior with this truck?

Thanks

The difference between the two is the number og gears they have.Your tacoma has 5 forward gears and your chevy had 4.The gears are longer in the chevy,but the shorter gears in the tacoma yeild better response to the smaller displacment 4.0 and much improved gas mileage.Downshifting in most newer cars occurs when a bunch of different variables are met,such as throttle position,injector pulse width,engine load,rpms,mph.,etc.

[Lou czar]

The downshifts are a little extreme, but it is what it is. I went with the 6sp for many reasons. That was one of teh small reasons. But a 6sp is so much more fun to drive. The down side is that teh 6sp does get worse gas mileage than the auto. Only on my second tank full, but it was 1.8 MPG less. My highway driving is 5+ MPH slower too .

But hey, I still love the Truck!

[steamboatdevil]

Originally Posted by Rodent

<rant>
Ive never really noticed it before maybe becuase i was enjoying the new truck, but damn does this truck blow chunks on any sort of incline. Damn thing cant hold 70-75 for crap unless it downshifts.
</rant>

There are no maintenance lights on or anything. Unless this is pretty common behavior with this truck?

Thanks

At the start of the hill simply bump your shift knob to the left. As soon as you reach the top of the hill bump it to the right (edited). Simple as that..

Overdive was intended for long flat cruising not climbing mountains.. geezzzz

[meauxjeaux]

Originally Posted by Lou czar

The downshifts are a little extreme, but it is what it is. I went with the 6sp for many reasons. That was one of teh small reasons. But a 6sp is so much more fun to drive. The down side is that teh 6sp does get worse gas mileage than the auto. Only on my second tank full, but it was 1.8 MPG less. My highway driving is 5+ MPH slower too .

But hey, I still love the Truck!

can't imagine how a manual trany gets worse than auto?