Driving the 150TD Auto

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

I have a scanguage fitted and if it is correct with the fuel use readings then sports mode will give you better economy under all conditions under eighty kmh and uphill between eighty and ninety kmh(tested using the cruise control on the same roads). The sports mode also eliminates the flat spot at intersections and vastly reduces the time the auto spends out of tc lockup (this will reduce overheating). Do drive with a light touch of the thottle though, these things are rockets otherwise and you will blow your fuel savings as well. As the development of the 150 was completed during the financial crisis for Toyota, I would suggest that the auto is mapped for the 4.0 petrol motor only as a cost saving. Can someone with a petrol auto and a scanguage confirm that the box does or does not work well with the petrol motor? Does anyone know if or when a firmware update will be available for the auto? In the Ford Falcon when you use the sequential selector the box stays in full manual mode until auto is selected again. This would be great in the Prado when in low range particually in hilly terain. I use the second gear start but the Prado insists on revving over 2300 before changing to third, this is usually after the humpty on a climb and the last thing you need is a gear change with revs on a slippery up-slope. The only option to avoid this is to place the trans in second and drive slowly but this can leave you momentum poor and holding up others.

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

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

Interesting read Barajak, probably helps with the 1500rpm vib as well.

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

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

Mine does not have a dash/body vibration at 1500 rpm but the engine does, it is because it felt to me that it was revving to slow under load that I did the investigation as I have a long uphill run at 80 kmh and in auto the motor is at 1500 rpm and noisey.

[DAdeGroot Member Find all posts View Profile Close DAdeGroot]

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

I have the petrol auto, but no scanguage.

However, when using manual mode it does seem like it stays in the gear selected. (I've definitely hit 5,000 revs in 2nd and it did not try to shift up).

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

Do drive with a light touch of the thottle though, these things are rockets otherwise and you will blow your fuel savings as well.

We are talking about the 150 D4D right?? :lol:

As the development of the 150 was completed during the financial crisis for Toyota, I would suggest that the auto is mapped for the 4.0 petrol motor only as a cost saving. Can someone with a petrol auto and a scanguage confirm that the box does or does not work well with the petrol motor? Does anyone know if or when a firmware update will be available for the auto? In the Ford Falcon when you use the sequential selector the box stays in full manual mode until auto is selected again. This would be great in the Prado when in low range particually in hilly terain. I use the second gear start but the Prado insists on revving over 2300 before changing to third, this is usually after the humpty on a climb and the last thing you need is a gear change with revs on a slippery up-slope. The only option to avoid this is to place the trans in second and drive slowly but this can leave you momentum poor and holding up others.

Given that the worldwide market for this vehicle is overwhelming diesel (although states get a 4.6l v8 in their lexus version) I do not think the gearbox was only mapped for the 4.0. Toyota are cashed up enough to properly map a transmission, especially given the fact the drivetrain is a carry-over. They just cocked it up in the pursuit of fuel economy.

I agree that the Sport mode is useless in that the box doesn't do what you tell it to do! I was using it in low range recently and it wouldn't change gears when I shifted, instead revving to 2500 rpm. I never had this issue in the Paj, the manual mode was exactly that! Seems that Toyota design their vehicles for the lowest common denominator.

[hookedon4wding Advanced Member Find all posts View Profile Close hookedon4wding]

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

From what I've read in the manual, the Sport mode only restricts the highest gear that the auto uses. Ie: if you select 3rd in Sports mode, then that's the highest gear it will use, and it will act as normal auto up to 3rd gear (using 1st, 2nd and 3rd as it sees fit). It doesn't just change up as soon as you shift up in Sports mode.

If you have Sports mode set in 2nd for example, and then tip shift into 3rd, it doesn't mean that the transmission automatically goes straight to 3rd, if it thinks it still needs 2nd, then it will stay in 2nd. It's not actually a 'manual mode'.

I presume this is so it doesn't struggle if the operator puts it in too higher gear for the speed (ie 4th or 5th at very low speeds).

Not sure I made any sense at all there :? but that's my take on the Sports mode.

Cheers, Sam.

[Schniff Member Find all posts View Profile Close Schniff]

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

I think you're correct in how it works there hooked.
Its a rediculous setup. We are not all incompetent drivers Toyota! There are times when I want 2000 rpm for a given speed, not 1500 or 2500. Let me decide!

[Hubble80 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Hubble80]

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

We are looking at leasing a new 150 GXL when the lease is up on the 120... We were looking at auto, but after reading this again, will probably go manual again!!!

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

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

If you select sports mode and then choose 5 (the default is 4) then the car shifts up and down as per normal BUT I must say that it is much more responsive and there is no longer any lugging!

IMO sports mode should be the default and eco should be the alternative!

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

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

I agree with you Riv39, I prefure to shift the lever left going over 90kmh and right going below 80kmh as this is quick and easy. The viration issues are non existant, the hesitation issues are non existant and fuel economy is up to 15% better. How could they get it so wrong? I know sceptics out there will say the scanguage is wrong but before you jump down my throat, consider that the Scanguage recently told me I had 7.3 litres of fuel left and I filled up with 142 litres. Another point to consider is that I can't find any reference to the Scanguage being in error. I tried shifting to 'S' 5 twice today at 70kmh and both times the tacko dropped 200rpm this would indicate that the auto shifted into 5th and then kept running on the torque converter instead of locking up, and owners wonder why the transmission heats up under load.

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

Re: Driving the 150TD Auto

After another week of driving in S mode I am convinced it is far better than D. The auto shift is much much better and all you miss out on is engine breaking which can of course be obtained by shifting back to D. As stated previously the 1500 vibe is all but eliminated due to no engine lugging.

I am interested in others experience here, anyone tried this outside of Barajak and myself?

[rob_macca67 Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close rob_macca67]

We are talking about the 150 D4D right??
I agree that the Sport mode is useless in that the box doesn't do what you tell it to do! I was using it in low range recently and it wouldn't change gears when I shifted, instead revving to 2500 rpm. I never had this issue in the Paj, the manual mode was exactly that! Seems that Toyota design their vehicles for the lowest common denominator.

Just resurrecting an old thread here as the above statement caught my interest..... IS the above just a "Toyota Auto" design or do all Auto 4WD's behave in this way?

I know that the last 2 Auto Toyota's I've had behave the same way, u have to trick it by taking your foot off the accelerator for a short moment when in low range to get the box to automatically change up a gear.... Would be nice that when your in LR that it goes in the gear that u select and not always start off in 1st then work it's way up to the gear selection that u desire.....

[wooley Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close wooley]

Just resurrecting an old thread here as the above statement caught my interest..... IS the above just a "Toyota Auto" design or do all Auto 4WD's behave in this way?

I know that the last 2 Auto Toyota's I've had behave the same way, u have to trick it by taking your foot off the accelerator for a short moment when in low range to get the box to automatically change up a gear.... Would be nice that when your in LR that it goes in the gear that u select and not always start off in 1st then work it's way up to the gear selection that u desire.....

the change between first and second is always the worst.

when in low range I ALWAYS have it in second start and sports mode. Makes driving much smoother and if you do need to go back to first you can just tap it down to first with the second start still on and as soon as you 'change' back up to 2,3,4,5 it will change.

[LiveFreeAndRoam Avid PP Poster! Find all posts View Profile Close LiveFreeAndRoam]

+1 with Wooley. Low Range with Second Start and Sports Mode is da' bomb.

LFaR.

[Wazza2 Member Find all posts View Profile Close Wazza2]

Thanks Wooley. I didnt know you could just tap it back to 1st with second start selected. Now where's the nearest track to give that a whirl......