Transmission tricks 05 Tundra

If your the type that just drives and doesn’t really pay attention to how a car shifts ect this post will be real boring and way too in depth, but if your like me and like seeing how things work and playing with stuff you might find this interesting

I’ve been driving my 05 tundra for a bit now and noticed some cool stuff going over the mountains. I could be completely wrong about any of this but just what I have observed.

When going uphill if you push the gas pedal just far enough you will see the rpms tick up just a little. That’s the torque converter unlocking, but your still in OD. Most the time for me that is just enough to get over the hill 65-70 (empty truck just me) but then if I slow a little for traffic or have to pass someone and give it more gas it shift out of OD. No biggie but once I’m back up to speed it will most the time not shift back into OD and instead hold the lower gear for the hill. If you just double tap the OD on/off button it will shift back into OD. (Think it just recycles the computer or something telling it no need to hold a lower gear anymore)

When going down hill and I hit the brakes it will downshift on it’s own to help brake. Again once I let off the brakes and am happy with speed or want to accelerate a little I was having to give it gas to get it to upshift, but I found the double tap on the OD selector works here to. It will be holding the lower gear and after I let off the brake if I double tap it, it will shift back into OD.

Also it seems like it won’t downshift while braking in a turn, probably to keep the rear end from coming loose in a corner. Not sure if there is a steering wheel sensor or maybe a g-meter on it.

Anyway just some stuff I’ve noticed that I think is cool.

 

I have too have noticed this in my 05 doublecab. I have used the o/d on/off a couple times but wasn't sure if it was a good practice, seems like it is if you have been using it successfully so far. I really enjoy the down shift feature down hills as the brakes in these things are the greatest and it also should help with fuel economy and cut the fuel during decel/engine braking.

 

I have an 06 DC and I noticed this, too. I actually found your thread via search because I wanted to post about it, but wanted to make sure there wasn't already a post on the subject

If the downhill grade is steep enough, the Tundra will even downshift two gears automatically. I think the trans on these things is pretty great.

Anyone know if they have any common failures?

On a side note, I also own an 01 Cadillac Catera (don't judge me; maybe I just love setting money on fire ) and its trans behaves similarly. It actually doesn't even require any brake input. It will downshift if it senses you are going down a steep enough hill.

Also, if anyone is interested in a 19 year old gently used princess in need of a sugar daddy, I will gladly- fucking GLADLY- sell you the Catera. 86k miles, great condition. Just need a new home. And access to an Amex Black Card.

 

It will learn your driving habits to. If you drive like an asshole, it’s shift points will change to help you continue driving like that. Same thing with coasting, if you coast a lot it sees that and changes shift points

 

I find it hard to believe there is an actual Catera still running in the wild. It was based on an Opel model. Does Opel still exist?

 

@Hooptytrix Yeah, there aren't many. Although around a year or so ago I went downstate and for shits and giggles I drove through a couple hoods and saw two or three of them.

I've only seen maybe 5 if them, including mine, in my whole life heh.

Haven't driven her since last fall, but there she sits. Looks so pedestrian, but she'll cost you more than a severe drug habit...


And yes, I believe Opel and Vauxhall still exist. I believe GM sold them, though. Much like I should sell this. But now my wife wants to make it her daily. That means I get to fix some of its gremlins. Don't know why I do it.. Something else will just go wrong. Always does..always hundreds of dollars. Right now it needs valve cover gaskets (~$350), a new heater control valve (fortunately cheap, except they break repeatedly...), rear air shocks (~$450 if I do the labor myself), and an amazing electrical issue where after the car has been shut off for 15 minutes or so, the DRLs will come on all by themselves and drain the battery by morning. Oh, and I think I am having an issue with Passlock and it will intermittently disable the starter.

 

ive had the horible experience of rebuilding the engine in one of those.. and to this day its the only one ive seen on the road.. well other than when they were less than 5 years old.. they were around back then. but i believe they nickle and dimed themselves to an early junkyard grave.

 

Before anyone could ask, I believe I would volunteer that won it in a poker game.

 

That's also the TC starting to heat up cuz it is Slipping to allow the higher rpms to allow the engine to create more HP & torque to climb the hill. I'd avoid that for prolonged periods, it will shorten the life of the transmission via the slippage and additional heat and wear on fluid and parts, just use the OD for what it is intended, to downshift one gear and keep TC locked to prevent raising trans temps. Luck.

 

Opel is live and well in Europe the last time I was there. Saw alot of them, very popular.

 

I often wonder what is it about US regulations that makes cars such crap. Land Rover survives in some of the harshest environments around the world but make it for American market and they become unreliable, known to be 1 of the most expensive to own. Opel cars converted suffered the same, Puegot is another

 

Something worth considering is the fact that we drive two or three times more miles per year than other countries. Furthermore, we commonly used extremely purpose-built off road vehicles as daily drivers.

I don't know if Land Rover's reliability is really any better outside of the US. I am thinking that it is a pretty American thing to own an off road vehicle but also use it for your daily driver, racking up 1000-2000 miles per month on top of its off road driving. I would bet that in other parts of the world that isn't a common thing. I think a 200,000+ mile Land Rover would be a rare find anywhere.

 

no wonder it now shifts at higher RPM's. but what can i say, i like hearing my money being spent

 

Has anyone noticed that the transmission will gladly downshift while using cruise but when you are pushing the pedal you really have to push it all the way to 100% to get a quick downshift on a hill.

 

On the 2002 the manual says to not use either CC or the O/D button when towing.

I’ve used O/D when towing since day one unless it is heavy head winds or climbing hills then it is turned off. The CC stays off during tow due to toggling effect even on flat earth/no wind. Something about the option doesn’t Jive with the a340F Transmission.

Also, manual says to turn off CC when coasting down hills at high speeds (without tow obviously). Transmission feels as if spooling if not turned off in this condition.

 

Just for clarification the OP is talking about the 5 speed not the 4 speed.

 

Yeah. I made sure to clarify a340F and 2002 years. Not sure how your manual about your Transmission reads, but throwing it out there for others. The CC thing is gnar gnar action with tow on the 4 speed. Avoid!

 

The downshifting when downhill is an 05-06 thing and it is intentional.

Opel is still alive in Europe and Vauxhall is still alive in Australia, New Zealand, and Europe with "Isnt that a Pontiac GTO? No no, its a Vauxhall" cars.

I think the reliability is from much less driving and much easier driving in a lot of cases. You don't stop nearly as often when driving in Europe, I drove across cities in Norway where I didn't stop once. Similar to other European countries, they worked out ways to avoid stopping, using round-a-bouts rather than 4 way stops for example. Less stop and go is good for your car and for fuel economy.

Old thread and way off topic but thats okay right?

 

where is @bmf4069 ?

 

I really wish I knew.

 

When going up long grades around here I'll hit the OD button instead of letting the torque converter unlock. If I stay in 4th, the transmission temps climb really fast going up those mountains.

I've also been copying @Rex Kramer and driving around town with OD off. I figure less overall shifting might be a good thing.

 

I do the same, also when going down hills. I only use OD on if I'm on flat ground with an open stretch (45mph and up) or if I'm on a highway/freeway.

It could just be my imagination but it also seems like my brakes work a bit better with OD off. Not sure if higher rpm is giving more vacuum to the booster or if the brakes aren't fighting as much against the trans.

 

Agree with this wholeheartedly, I get around 1.2-2 mpg better w/o cruise control. With all my previous vehicles unless it was extremely hilly I would always tow with cc on.

 

Yes and it drive me nuts! The cruise is so aggressive I don't use it on the open road anymore. (It's worse than my 01 Sequoia)

 

Have a 5spd auto tundra? Hate setting the cruise and having it drop multiple mph only to downshift and speed past your target?

Hit the od off button and set cruise in 4th gear. When the cruise takes over and maintains the speed you can click od off again and it will grab 5th.

Works for me.

 

I have a feeling Toyota used this shift program on all its cars of the time (at least the 5 speed autos). Our RX330 has the same programming as the Tundra.

 

Let's not forget Renault! The Alliance was an absolute pile of hot garbage. But that said, they're apparently bringing Renault back to the US in 2023. No thanks!

On the towing front, I haul more than I tow, so not much to add. Scary to think my truck is learning my habits though. I've noticed lately the truck is taking longer to shift from 2nd -> 3rd than I'd expect, waiting until it hits over 3400rpm in some cases, and sometimes fails to kick down from 2nd -> 1st after a cold start while leaving my neighborhood. Threw me off the first couple times I felt it, and wasn't sure if it was cause for concern.

 

I'd like to see some European hatchbacks hit the States. SEAT Leon Cupra R would be a sweet one but would probably compete with the VW R.

 

Isn't the '22 Golf R just a rebranded Cupra R?

 

I have 10s of thousands of miles of towing with the a340 with CC on.