Automatic issues

[mcsumway Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close mcsumway]

Re: 5 Speed Auto, downchanging

Ben how does it effect fuel economy??

I thought this programming was designed to give better economy - and with the reflash your economy might rise.

Just a thought.

Warren

[Snowmann Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Snowmann]

Re: 5 Speed Auto, downchanging

Hi guys
I have had my GXL auto for 2 weeks now and think that either there is a variation between vehicles or that perhaps Mr Toyota has done a little bit of fiddling with the mapping of the auto. My experiences that relate to this thread are:-
1. The auto is very, very keen to downshift when coming down a hill. Around Sydney, in traffic, along some long downhill runs, one touch of the brakes and the auto changes back to 4th, a second touch of the brakes will result in a change back to 3rd. The car usually does not upshift until I reach the bottom of the hill. Sure, if I were driving a manual, i would see the bottom of the hill approaching and upshift based on what was about to happen. to be fair to the auto, it needs some other factor on which to base "its decision", and it seems that factor is whether the throttle is powering on or is still on overrun.
2. The auto will change back on a steep downhill run even if you are on cruise control. There is a rather steep downhill run the Western side of Lithgow going down to Cox's river (near the Wallerawang power station) in a 110kmh zone and my auto changed back to 4th to stop the vehicle running away.
3. I don't have any problems with a lag on roundabouts.
4. The auto on the prado seems to slide between gears rather than make a solid change.

[Hoges Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Hoges]

Re: Automatic issues

I'm interested in the re-map, as I raised the issues with the TD auto in my 7000ks review post, http://www.pradopoint.com/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=8224.

After 20k in this vehicle, my seat of the pants diagnosis is that the vehicle holds taller gears in an attempt to increase fuel economy, at the cost of being a pain in the arse to drive, especially when turning corners, or on the gas, off the gas, on the gas situations.

At the 10k service, I had the dealer technical manager come for a drive with me. Of course, in the short time he was in the vehicle I couldn't get it to do what it does for me. Are these Toyota guys magic??? Anyway, he suggested that based on my feedback the trans may need a re-map, and he would follow a reporting process to make Toyota aware.

To date I've heard nothing since. As I type this I'm sitting in the dealership waiting for the vehicle while it undergoes the 20K service. The tech mgr is not in and no-one seems to know anything about a re-map, not even the service mgr!

Can anyone tell me what it's actually called, was there a dealer tech bulletin and what is it called?

[Hutch Addicted PP Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hutch]

Re: 5 Speed Auto, downchanging

Hi guys
I have had my GXL auto for 2 weeks now and think that either there is a variation between vehicles or that perhaps Mr Toyota has done a little bit of fiddling with the mapping of the auto. My experiences that relate to this thread are:-
1. The auto is very, very keen to downshift when coming down a hill. Around Sydney, in traffic, along some long downhill runs, one touch of the brakes and the auto changes back to 4th, a second touch of the brakes will result in a change back to 3rd. The car usually does not upshift until I reach the bottom of the hill. Sure, if I were driving a manual, i would see the bottom of the hill approaching and upshift based on what was about to happen. to be fair to the auto, it needs some other factor on which to base "its decision", and it seems that factor is whether the throttle is powering on or is still on overrun.
2. The auto will change back on a steep downhill run even if you are on cruise control. There is a rather steep downhill run the Western side of Lithgow going down to Cox's river (near the Wallerawang power station) in a 110kmh zone and my auto changed back to 4th to stop the vehicle running away.
3. I don't have any problems with a lag on roundabouts.
4. The auto on the prado seems to slide between gears rather than make a solid change.

No different to the petrol 120, to me it is normal, just how the box is set up, it does however take time to get use to

[Geoffy Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close Geoffy]

Re: 5 Speed Auto, downchanging

I have had this exact same thing too, most noticeable when coming out of roundabouts.

Mine does exactly the same thing. To me it's like the box holds a gear a couple too high for the situation, and when you get on the throttle it momentarily tries to pull in the higher gear (thus providing the huge flat spot feeling) and then eventually drops back a couple of gears and then pulls normally.

There is a roundabout near my place where it does it EVERY SINGLE TIME.

Coming from a Discovery 3, this gearbox feels like it should be in an XD Falcon..... I hope they can do something to resolve it's perpensity to always be in the wrong gear.

[Bazza Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Bazza]

Re: Automatic issues

Guys,
I think it's a common thing in the late model autos, 120's or 150's. My current model 09 120 has done it from new, and still continues to do so, even after the dealer had suposidly "re-maped" it.
It wants to stay in top gear for as long as posible. I've solved the problem by driving it like a manual. Should not have to drive it this way, but letting it do it's own thing, drives me mad!
My previous 03 120 had the four speed auto and never had a problem. IMO it was the perfect match for the motor and weight of the vehicle.
Barry

[pwop Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close pwop]

Re: 5 Speed Auto, downchanging

That's good news - Toyota has scheduled my VX-L for Thursday for the recall reprogramming - maybe other fixes were incorporated (I have about 30K on it so far) - OK, so it doesn't hurt to dream

I had my car at the dealer earlier this week. Interestingly enough this update is only done when requested by the owner - not routinely.

[trackers Member Find all posts View Profile Close trackers]

Re: Automatic issues

had the remapping done today, and to my surprise it has fixed the shift problem when coming out of roundabouts!! So who knows what is going on. We are currently on a 4week caravaning trip and will give a report of performance,fuel useage etc, for thOSE THAT MAY BE INTERESTED. wILL DO THIS NEXT WEEK WHEN WE GET BACK HOME.
cHERS

[simcott Lurker Find all posts View Profile Close simcott]

Re: Automatic issues

Hello
This is my first post so please forgive any breeches of due proccedure.
Having read the posts on downshifting, I think that I have the opposite problem.
I have an 08 gxl D4D with an auto transmission. It seems to me that this transmission thinks that it is coupled to a boring old 6 cyl petrol engine. I find that it down shifts at the slightest hill instead of using the tourque that a diesel has. The engine just gets into it's best tourque range, (2000rpm), and at the slightest resistance of a hill or acceleration the bugger downshift and revs to 2500 rpm plus before shifting back up. I can live with this but I suspect that it probably uses more fuel. I was wondering if the trans can be re-mapped to use what I think is the diesel advantage?

Cheers
Simcott

[XWGT Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close XWGT]

Re: Automatic issues

Well I definately have the lag out of corners issue on both of my 150's. I assumed it was the traction control being ridiculously cautious but I'm interested to see there appears to be a software update. Will get this applied when its in for warranty work next week.

As for the downshifting............well one vehicle does it really well, and one hardly at all. Will give it another 1000k's then ask the dealer what is going on as the two cars are definately different to drive in terms of the auto and how it drives.

[XWGT Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close XWGT]

Re: Automatic issues

Had the update applied to one rig today so will let you know it is makes any difference at all

UPDATE - Ok had the reflash done at it seems a little more responsive off the mark. However the hesitation around corners is still there although it seems to be less frequent (but that may simply be changed driving conditions etc). Certainly no magic bullet

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: Automatic issues

Had the update applied to one rig today so will let you know it is makes any difference at all

UPDATE - Ok had the reflash done at it seems a little more responsive off the mark. However the hesitation around corners is still there although it seems to be less frequent (but that may simply be changed driving conditions etc). Certainly no magic bullet

By hesitation, are you referring to a flat spot at 2400RPM as discussed in the 150 Series Diesel Engine Forum? I believe that the flat spot issue is definately a software glitch associated to the the engine not transmission. I appologise if this is different.

[XWGT Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close XWGT]

Re: Automatic issues

No sorry was referring to the hesitation you get when exiting a corner and you accelerate before the car has straigtened up. Its like traction control being over cautious but it does not appear to be the TC causing the hesitation

[Riv39 Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close Riv39]

Re: Automatic issues

No sorry was referring to the hesitation you get when exiting a corner and you accelerate before the car has straigtened up. Its like traction control being over cautious but it does not appear to be the TC causing the hesitation

My mistake thanks for clarifying

[XWGT Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close XWGT]

Re: Automatic issues

By hesitation, are you referring to a flat spot at 2400RPM as discussed in the 150 Series Diesel Engine Forum? I believe that the flat spot issue is definately a software glitch associated to the the engine not transmission. I appologise if this is different.

My apologies. I have re-read your thread and would now say yes, it is behaving as per the 2400RPM flat spot you mentioned. While not at 50kph when existing roundabouts (no really! ) I guess it happens more often than not when you are carrying speed and want to accelerate so it may actually be the problem you described.

Hopefully theres an answer on the way from Toyota!