Do you like the 5-speed tranny?

[ahearn]

I had a 2004 Limited with 4-speed auto and just got a '07 Limited with 5-speed. It's different and I haven't decided if I like it or not. I notice shift changes more at low speeds, and it seems to downshift and "drag" much sooner than the old tranny when reducing speed. It also seems noisier.

Anyone have any comments on this?

 

[Fred MaN]

Not happy with the gearing on the 5 speed slush box at all. The runner goes into top gear way to soon and I think it lags on hills until it shifts down. I often drive around town in forth gear.

 

[Threxx~]

I remember test driving the V8 4runner 5-speed auto at a dealer when I had my 99 Lexus GS400 (sedan) and thinking the transmission logic/gearing/shift-feel all felt very similar to my Lexus' 5-speed auto. For some reason our V6 5-speed auto doesn't have quite as familiar of a feel.

I think general motors makes the best automatic transmissions, overall in terms of shift feel, durability, logic, etc... maybe that's why BMW is using them for their RWD/AWD 6-speed autos at the moment...

 

[GatorGreg]

Do you like the 5-speed tranny?

Yes, but mine's got a stick and a clutch pedal

 

[davera]

4th gear around town

I like the 5 speed tranny just fine. Driving around town when the speeds are 35 to 40 MPH it did tend to drag or labor a bit. The RPMs were down close to 1000 or so at 35'ish MPH. I've gotten in the habit of keeping it in 4th for around town driving, only using 5th when I'll be going faster than 40 or so. Between 35 and 40 the RPMs are stay between 1500 to a bit less than 2K. This didn't hurt my gas mileage enough to tell. It is still getting 17.5 to 17.75 on average for around town driving.

 

[>MR2turbo4evr<]

....I think general motors makes the best automatic transmissions, overall in terms of shift feel, durability, logic, etc... maybe that's why BMW is using them for their RWD/AWD 6-speed autos at the moment...

wow I just couldn't believe this post (no offence), but after doing some research on the web, I found out this is true.

Now, I don't want to hijack this tread or anything, but does anybody know who makes the transmission for the 4Runner? I sure hope its Toyota......

 

[Falls]

I really love it.

I had a 99 Exploder that had a 5 sp auto in it and thought that was excellent too.

 

[TRZ06]

I really don't care for it much. I always hear how smooth the tranny is on the 4Runner, but there are times in stop and go traffic that it gets confused and sometimes will be in 5th gear at around 30 MPH and if traffic gets moving quicky and you get on it, it drags and then clunks into a few gears lower. This is not an all the time problem, but it happens on occasion.

Also I am not sure what the technitions do when I go for my oil changes at the dealership but after it leaves the dealership the tranny is very smooth and shifts sooner without dragging for about 50 to 100 miles and then it reverts back to it's normal self of dragging and lagging when needing to downshift.

I have always wish there was an aftermarket program out there, that would allow you to make the tranny downshift with less throttle applied so it doesn't drag.

It makes me wonder sometimes if a 4-speed wouldn't be better. If I am in stop and go traffic now, it goes into 2nd or 3rd manually.

I am just so surprised how all the auto magazines rave about how smooth the 4Runner trannys are. I think they would have a different opinion if they did a long term test on it.

 

[4RunnerRon]

Also I am not sure what the technitions do when I go for my oil changes at the dealership but after it leaves the dealership the tranny is very smooth and shifts sooner without dragging for about 50 to 100 miles and then it reverts back to it's normal self of dragging and lagging when needing to downshift.[/B]

That's probably because they lubed the driveshaft and temporarily stopped the binding that's typical for this drivetrain. I got mine done when I got my last oil change and the clunking/binding stopped... so far. It's only been a few hundred miles, but it's a world of difference.

As for the transmission, I think it's fine under harder acceleration and going down steep grades, but for around town driving, I find I've changed my driving pattern to accomodate the shift points. It's not as intuitive as I'd like. I agree with those who noted the early shifts to high gear at low speeds. That's kind of annoying. It should be noted that I notice the gear changes more than some since I have the Borla exhaust and the sound makes it more noticeable. If I had the stock exhaust, it would probably be nice and quiet so I wouldn't notice it as much.

 

[MicaBlue03]

5 speed transmissions have recently been promoted for their better gas mileage. I suppose they're also a good choice for vehicles with low-torque engines, or engines with a narrow powerband. This would also apply to 6 and 7 speed automatics, but some of those extra ratios are probably only for bragging rights.

If your engine (like both of the 4Runner ones) has quite a bit of torque and you're not especially sensitive to the gas mileage figure, I think a 4-speed auto is a good choice. The 5 speed in the V8 4Runners may be there more because it's a new design to take the extra torque than because the V8 needs the extra gear.

I'd expect the 5 speed to improve on the mileage of the 4 speed by less than 1/2 MPG, so it's not a big deal to me.

It's tempting to think of the extra gears as allowing a top gear that provides better mileage due to lower engine RPM. That works, but the benefit is mitigated by the fact that at lower RPM the engine needs a little extra fuel per stroke to produce the higher torque that the gearing demands.

Frankly, I'd prefer a 4 speed transmission that used the extra cost/size/weight (that would otherwise be required to produce a 5 speed) to be made bulletproof instead. I'm happy to pay the slight mileage penalty.

 

[RickyCRX]

Those of you that complain about the 'sluggishness' of in-town driving in overdrive/5th gear at 35-40mph, do you have the V6 or the V8? My V8 seems to loaf along just beautifully at 1000-1200rpm in traffic and gentle throttle will cause it to pick up speed fairly well without forcing a downshift.

I've also noticed that if you pay more attention when driving and stay in-tune with your vehicle, you will learn very quickly what amount of throttle will force a downshift at the very moment you want it to happen...

The one thing that pisses me off about North America is the tremendous lack of individuals that want to actually 'drive' their vehicles... It seems most cars here these days come with automatic transmissions. If you go to Europe or anywhere else, you find a MUCH higher number of manual transmission cars, including even a lot of rental cars. I'd absolutely LOVE to have a V8 4Runner with a 5-speed/6-speed manual transmission, but no such luck.

Ricky

 

[Northof49]

The 5 speed auto was a dream in everyday stuff for me....and on the highway. I loved the gated shifter to click through the gears, and the ability to manual select every gear; many manufacturers don't offer this, or didn't until recently. Smooth as anything for me.

I would like if it banged gears a little harder than not-hard-at-all when you're WFO tho. Pretty squishy in that sense, but probably good for traction and overall smoothness.

I never had a problem with it being slugish, but then I'm not a guy to put it in D and leave it.....I'm always switching around depending on where I'm driving and how.

 

[khaug]

I agree, the 1 - 2 shift happens too early.

Otherwise, the tranny in my '03 is pure poetry. The powertrain in my '03 V8 LTD is the best of any vehicle I've ever owned, including my '05 M-B E320!

I now have 60K miles+ on my '03, and plan to keep it for another 60K (I have to - I 've ordered a Porsche GT3). So far, absolutely zero problems with the tranny, in spite of towing my old Porsche 25K+ miles with the rig. Toyota makes durable products that are beyond compare by anyone!!!!

Regards.

 

[Koz]

It's the best truck trans I've driven. Smooth seamless shifts and with the intelligence can drop the RPMs down to an idle when motoring around town. The trans really shines when towing. With its low first gear and keeping the RPMs in the torque/power curve.

Koz

 

[Threxx~]

Oh I forgot to mention - there is one thing that bothers me a lot about the 5-speed automatic in our 2005 V6...

When you let off the gas, the car slows down pretty quickly. Like it "drags". To me if feels and sounds as though the torque converter isn't locked up even though we're idling at 40-50mph and in most cars it would be locked by then.

Does the TC in these 4runners not like to stay locked at idle in that speed range or is the problem elsewhere or is it just no problem at all and I'm being picky over a normal characteristic of this 4runner?

 

[JP4RNR]

The torque converter remains locked until you let off the gas. When you put your foot back on the pedal and and maintain a steady cruise speed the converter locks up again. Because the Torque converter operates in this manner it can be difficult to tell if it is engaged at all.

The older Toyota auto trannys (80's) locked up at about 45 Mph and above in O/D only and remained locked until your speed fell below 40 Mph or went out of O/D. On these trans it was easy to tell if the lock-up was working correctly. If your RPMS did not change when you backed off the pedal and then gently re-applied pressure as to not downshift then your lockup was working correctly. If there was a big jump in RPM's when doing this it was a sign the converter was slipping and lock-up was not engaged

 

[Threxx~]

The torque converter remains locked until you let off the gas. When you put your foot back on the pedal and and maintain a steady cruise speed the converter locks up again. Because the Torque converter operates in this manner it can be difficult to tell if it is engaged at all.

The older Toyota auto trannys (80's) locked up at about 45 Mph and above in O/D only and remained locked until your speed fell below 40 Mph or went out of O/D. On these trans it was easy to tell if the lock-up was working correctly. If your RPMS did not change when you backed off the pedal and then gently re-applied pressure as to not downshift then your lockup was working correctly. If there was a big jump in RPM's when doing this it was a sign the converter was slipping and lock-up was not engaged

Interesting info though you make it sound like it's all Toyota transmissions and my 99 GS400's transmission definitely seemed to stay locked until I got below a different speed. If it didn't I have to say it sure didn't lag nearly as much on the drivetrain and cause nearly as much slowdown as it does on our 4runner.

What was the purpose of this? It'd seem like if they did it for engine braking purposes then they would cause it to unlock when the brakes were applied at the earliest?

 

[Koz]

My trans doesn't unlock when I take my foot off the gas (locked up at highway speeds). What the trans does is, it will not up-shift when you take your foot (especially when on an incline) off the gas like most vehicles. The trans is designed to help maintain the vehicle's speed when going down a hill (by staying in the lower gear