Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) operation, observations, issues, modification

Thought I'd create a thread for 2018+ Tundra owners whose might want to discuss the new "safety systems" on their trucks. The thread was created to:

1. Discuss how modifications to our trucks might be accomplished without impacting the TSS systems.

2. Get detailed information about the system. Where the sensors are, and how they work together.

3. Interesting observations and questions about how the systems works, or doesn't work, for you.

4. How to turn off all or part of the system. To avoid dash lights, throwing codes, and other problems.

For the purposes of this thread, these are the systems included in TSS:
1. Pre-collision system (PCS), including Pedestrian Pre-Collision.
2. Lane Departure Alert (LDA)
3. Automatic High Beam (AHB)
4. Dynamic Radar Cruise Control (DRCC)
5. I'll throw in Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) and;
6. Cross Traffic Alert. I had mine go off the other day when I started to back out of my drive way. Someone was going way too fast down out street.

This forum is full of mod-ers. I noticed that some companies are beginning to make products which are compatible with TSS. In fact I saw a rear bumper that had cross-traffic and BSM sensor cut outs on the sides of the bumper. We will link these in Post #2 if anyone finds them.

I'm going to attach information and videos I can find here. Post #2 will be set aside for links to information and other forum posts with information.

Mods I did a search for a thread like this, but did not see it.

Most of the vids are not Tundra, but work the same. If you want to make your own video, or you find pertinent info, I'll link to it.

 

Reserved

 

I had my pre-collision go off twice so far, with absolutely nothing in my path. The screen flashed and told me to brake, along with the tone. Nothing I could see that was a hazard

 

I had that happen to me once too. I was on the freeway no cars around. I turned the sensitivity down, but IDK. I haven't driven it that much since I broke my damn foot.

 

I am used to all those system from my two previous trucks (F-150's) and wouldn't buy a truck without them. I was looking to buy a Tundra for about a year but didn't do so until the 2018 model made all those features available.

The only thing the F-150 did differently was to keep a set speed by applying the brakes while coasting down a hill vs. the Tundra is down shifting and picks up a few mph (I like Ford's way better). Ford also has steering wheel input/slight correction for the lane assist or monitoring. I am sure the Tundra will get that in the next model, it requires electric power steering.

I believe that Toyota and Ford are the only ones offering everything. It makes driving much safer

 

Welcome to the Toyota Tundra world. I'd be curious how you like the Tundra compared to the Fords. I always buy Toyota these days even if they don't have bells and whistles because Toyota makes such a high quality long lasting vehicle.

Some of the Toyota's do steer you back into your lane. The Tundra does not. Frankly, I don't use the LDA and I'm not sure I want the system steering for me. All these electronic systems are interesting and useful, but I could, can, and have lived without them in 45 years of driving. I do like the collision avoidance stuff.

 

Like I said I have been looking at the Tundra for a while and when it finally added the features I wanted with the 2018 model I bought one. I really like my new truck but there is always room for improvement. I did a lot of research prior to buying, did some test drives and talked to some owners I know.

I guess the only negative is the fuel mileage compared to other trucks. It would be an easy fix for Toyota by making a few changes like using electric P/S, electric fans, 7 or 8 speed automatic, combination of direct and port injection and a variable intake for more torque at lower RPMs. I am sure that the next major model change (maybe 2020 or so) will have some of those things. The first Hemi Rams had the same MPG the Tundra had and still has, the Hemi Ram is now at 21 MPG highway....it can be done. I am not complaining about the mileage because I knew it when I bought it. At 15K miles per year it costs me an extra 40.00 or so......I don't really care.

What is important to me is 1. Looks and 2. Available features. The Tundra now has that so I bought one and I am happy with my choice and my truck (except the JBL stereo). Most importantly my wife loves the Tundra as well.

 

^ Yeah, I'm disappointed in the JBL stereo too. I had the upgraded stereo in my old Sequoia too, it wasn't as good as the Ford Expedition I had, but better than the Tundra JBL crap. Really, its my only big Tundra complaint.

 

GM offers it too. Lane departure warning also comes with lake keep assist which gradually steers you back into your lane of you veer over the yellow line without activating your turn signal. I like all the GM technology, the 8-speed transmission is another story. They have some serious work to do

 

I wish the Tundra had an 8 speed. But I'll take the engineering and quality of the Toyota over the GM any day of the week.

 

Careful what you ask for lol, you just might get it lol.

 

I'm startled that people have survived so many many years without these Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) features as well as Ford and others, OH MY, how did we do it! OMG what happens if they don't work, do we leave the vehicle at home and bubble wrap ourselves and call a taxi, OH MY!

In case you don't notice, I'm be sarcastic

I remember riding in the back of a pickup doing 90 down the highway, and without airbags, no seatbelt, no knives or guns at school just a good old yard fight, dodge ball all kind of hard core stuff, WTF how did we do it!

 

Is that an actual sign in TX lol? I plan to move back to TX within the next 4 yrs. Austin / Round Rock area. It'll be on Army's dime as a retiree so I just have to pick the right time for me. I was in Killeen TX for about three yrs. I like TX heat, but killeen sucks lol

 

And to answer you question people always wanted those features. How many vehicle back in the day had the little circle mirror on their side mirror? That was their blind spot monitor lol. Shall I go on?

 

First off welcome brother and get back to Texas! Killeen is not the best of places but Austin and Riund Rock are great! Where would you like to end up!

The sign, just found that pic and loved it but I don’t know maybe!

Keep me posted when you gets back to Texas!

 

I agree with this ^ completely. But now that we have all this crap, we gotta figure out how to live with it, use it, and mod around it.

Rock on Texas.

 

The lane departure is worthless. If the crappy radio is half the way up it drowns out the beeps. If you where tired on a long trip the first thing most people do is roll down the window. There is no way you can hear the beeps of the lane departure at highway speeds with the windows rolled down. You should be able to turn it up to the point ins uncomfortable.

Everything seems to work fine still with the truck leveled.

 

Pre-collision -- I've found it to be pretty worthless, but then again I expect that it would do it's job if it really got bad (i.e., inevitable accident). So who knows . . .

Adaptive Cruise -- it's OK. Very, very nice to have in a truck. That said, I've had this in other vehicles and in those it felt more advanced -- smoother accel and decel, adaptive in stop-and-go, etc. Likely that's not possible or even a good idea in a truck, but still it's annoying to have it cut off at 35 (I think).

Lane Departure -- It's way too sensitive. And similar to the Adaptive, I'd love to see it function more like the Honda version.

 

I'm happy I picked up a 2017 that doesn't have all this stuff.

 

I’m with you and will some day trade up!

 

I am on the other hand bought a 2018 Tundra to get all those features because I am used to having them.

For those of you that don't like them you can shut them all off so you don't have to use them.

 

I get the sarcasm, and we all need to drive safely first and foremost, but the safety features in our vehicles have made a drastic difference in the survivability in a crash. The fatalities per 100k people in the US in 1968 was 26.27 and last year it was 11.59. If we were still driving cars from the 60's today we would have an additional 48,468 fatalities a year.

I for one will take as many safety features as I can get in my next vehicle.

 

Agreed, just jacking around and I'm sure I'll upgrade some day and like them!

Cheers,

 

The drop in fatalities is probably more due to how vehicles hold up in a collision, mandatory seat belt use and generally safer designed roads. Air bags were not even mandatory until 1998. These new self driving features do nothing for injuries once a collision occurs.

How did the Nissan Pathfinder equipped with emergency automatic braking slam into the back of my Tundra after I had been stopped for 5 full seconds? Likely the driver turned off that feature because it became an annoyance in stop and go traffic. So he still crashed, but what saved him from even needing a trip to the hospital? The Nissan was pancaked front and rear by another truck that hit him. The crash zones took the energy and the airbags went off.

I will agree that the new self driving systems allow the driver to be distracted by everything else besides driving without being as dangerous to everyone else. It's easy to see how distracted drivers are since the last 10 years, and how they are generally uninterested in driving.

I'm glad I bought a 2017.

 

As late as 1998 we were still at a rate of 15.36. The crumple zones, air bags and seat belts have played the biggest part in the viability of a patient involved in a collision up until now, but if the car has the ability to burn off 10, 20 or even 30 miles an hour before impact then that is just as effective in minimizing the amount of energy that is ultimately transferred into the occupants.

I recently worked head on accident on a between a early 2000's blazer and a newer Mercedes. Both vehicles were traveling around 50 mph and all occupants were belted. The blazer was a double fatal with a 3rd patient in critical condition. The driver of the Mercedes (which we can all agree has some of the most sophisticated crash technologies on the market) left with a broken ankle.

 

Thats great. It's nice to be able to have the option to disable them. Does disabling them also allow you to disconnect the sensors in the front emblem? Like if one were to switch out the grill?

 

No. The senor is not that hard to keep hooked up especially if you don't want to use it though. Toyota is coming out with a new pro grill in 2019 per their parts documentation that will be TSS compatible and im sure that aftermarket companies will have some new grills out first quarter of next year that have a spot to attach the sensor.

While they are not the best implementations the auto high beam is superb and the new led lights are much better then the 2017

 

15K/20mpg=750gallons
15K/15mpg=1000gallons
An extra 250gallons at $2.50/gallon =$625.00 not $40.00
I’m in full agreement that it’s worth it for the quality we get from our Tundras but it’s not a completely inconsequential amount.

 

You're trying pretty hard to make the statistics work for your argument. A rate of 15 in 1998 versus 11 now is hardly a difference. How many vehicles were still driven on the road in 1998 without airbags, since the mandatory air bags did not start until that year? A lot.

You can go find some more stats but I'm not buying the fact self driving cars are any safer.