Settle this for Sequoia and 4Runner owners...

[Yosemite_Sam1]

These vehicles gear hunt even when going uphill and you don't have to manually shift to lower gear if it's losing momentum. All you have to do is depress to the floor the gas pedal to downshift to regain power and desired speed.

It's when going downhill that one needs to manually downshift for the engine brake assist.

[Grit_dog]

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

[memtb]

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

[Yosemite_Sam1]

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.

[memtb]

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

[BarabooBob]

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?

[enblethen]

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.

[ShinerBock]

Bedlam wrote:
You may also want to manually downshift before an uphill grade so you are in more of the power band when climbing. The automatic will not downshift until there is sufficient pressure which may be too late.

This is true. I think those that say they they just let it do what it needs to do probably should do more reading on how a auto trans works.

There is a reason why heavy duty truck automatic/automated transmissions rely on GPS coordinates to downshift because the trans computers are not smart enough to know when it is going up a hill. It only knows pressures, throttle input, and rpm. So it generally downshifts after it is too late and needs to use more engine power to regain momentum especially when in cruise control.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

Bedlam wrote:
You may also want to manually downshift before an uphill grade so you are in more of the power band when climbing. The automatic will not downshift until there is sufficient pressure which may be too late.

I usually try to gain speed so I'll have that momentum going uphill.

[Bedlam]

You may also want to manually downshift before an uphill grade so you are in more of the power band when climbing. The automatic will not downshift until there is sufficient pressure which may be too late.

[K_Charles]

They make automatic transmissions so they will shift automatically. I use mine that way and it does just fine.

[Yosemite_Sam1]

BurbMan wrote:
How is this specific to 4Runner and Sequoia? FWIW, it's good a practice to downshift going uphill too...otherwise if you have to lift off the throttle for any reason the transmission will upshift, then when you get back into the throttle it will downshift again. If you select the lower gear it will stay there and your lag time to power is less.

The debate is on a forum among owners of Toyota Sequoia and 4Runner.

Not sure, nor part of the debate whether other trucks have these features and capabilities -- which are effectively auto and manual shifting modes.

But you do have a point although I assume that the shift to lower gear is just to regain momentum and maintain previous pace or speed (not going any faster for the gear to get to higher gear).

[BurbMan]

How is this specific to 4Runner and Sequoia? FWIW, it's good a practice to downshift going uphill too...otherwise if you have to lift off the throttle for any reason the transmission will upshift, then when you get back into the throttle it will downshift again. If you select the lower gear it will stay there and your lag time to power is less.