Settle this for Sequoia and 4Runner owners...

I towed with an older Sequoia for a while. Key is to downshift at the beginning of a grade (up OR down) so you have torque going up and control going down. I don't understand why people are so reluctant (lazy?) to do this, and want the electronics to make all the decisions for them. Just do it--it's not rocket science.

Yosemite Sam1 wrote:

memtb wrote:
Our 2013 4Runner, will downshift on a decent, once your speed exceeds 5 mph over the cruise control set point. Of course....you must have the cruise control activated to enjoy this feature! ?? memtb

Thanks, this will be a hoot for my Sequoia, 4runner and Tacoma/Tundra driving friends if they don't know. this yet.

One friend said that his SUV pulling his RV becomes a bit scary wobbly going downhill at 60 miles per. hour at. I-80. Eastbbound from Donner peak. Perhaps he can set the cruise control at 55 mph to keep control.

Or perhaps he should just use his brake and transmission control to tow at a reasonable speed. GOOD GRIEF if you are wobbly, SLOW DOWN before you get in a sway situation.

I don’t think Toyota is using CVTs in anything that is rated to tow. Nissan has a CVT in their Pathfinder, though, with a 6k lb tow rating... not sure i’d be that brave.

I put 140k towing miles on a 2008 Highlander. I like to downshift to 3rd or even 2nd (it’s a 5 speed and I don’t use 5th for towing) wither up or down steep hills. The odd thing is, the manual says to leave it in 4th, and when i asked the service writers they claimed that cooling was best in 4th (better than if manually shifted to 2nd or 3rd). I never found out if they were blowing smoke, but I suspected it.

enblethen wrote:
Newer vehicles have a CVT (continuous Variable Transmission). They are more computer controlled via ECMs. They seem to shift quite a bit different then previous automatics.
Yes, they can be manually shifted in most.
Not sure which transmissions are put in Toyotas, but most newer vehicles including large trucks use a form of CVTs.

What is your source on this? The only CVTs that I'm aware of are in smaller vehicles. Full size pickups use conventional automatics with torque converters, and large trucks that are automatic use either a conventional auto (like an Allison) or an automated manual.

Yosemite Sam, wth are you talking aboot?
Been drinking or what?

Yosemite Sam1, I don’t know how far down it will shift. We’ve never towed with ours, going from OD to 4th was sufficient to slow the vehicle...don’t know if it would continue to downshift when towing! memtb

memtb wrote:
Our 2013 4Runner, will downshift on a decent, once your speed exceeds 5 mph over the cruise control set point. Of course....you must have the cruise control activated to enjoy this feature! ?? memtb

Thanks, this will be a hoot for my Sequoia, 4runner and Tacoma/Tundra driving friends if they don't know. this yet.

One friend said that his SUV pulling his RV becomes a bit scary wobbly going downhill at 60 miles per. hour at. I-80. Eastbbound from Donner peak. Perhaps he can set the cruise control at 55 mph to keep control.

Our 2013 4Runner, will downshift on a decent, once your speed exceeds 5 mph over the cruise control set point. Of course....you must have the cruise control activated to enjoy this feature! ?? memtb

I have not seen any full size pickups using CVT's. This is a quote from FLeetowner.com--"After three years of development, Ford Motor Co. engineers are testing a more robust continuously variable transmission (CVT) design in a Ford Expedition SUV, with its standard 215 hp, 4.6-liter V-8 engine. This represents the first time this technology has been applied to a full-size truck. I wonder how they will work with 400 hp?

Newer vehicles have a CVT (continuous Variable Transmission). They are more computer controlled via ECMs. They seem to shift quite a bit different then previous automatics.
Yes, they can be manually shifted in most.
Not sure which transmissions are put in Toyotas, but most newer vehicles including large trucks use a form of CVTs.