Downshift & Deceleration at 32 to 23 MPH

[charlier180]

Just wondering if those forum members with 100-200K+ miles on their 4Runners have had any "wear and tear" issues with their rides?

Personally, I like this feature when I am towing in mountainous areas.
Even though my trailer and 4Runner both have good brakes this feature comes in handy.

BTW, I have found this engine braking feature work at speeds higher than 20-30 MPH.

 

[iDRiVaT4R]

In my 07' when it downshifts and I'm engine braking down hills, my ScanGauge II's current mpg's goes up to 9999, so I think the ECU cuts off the injectors when your engine braking down a hill. I have no way to prove this, so I may be way off, but my 08' Tacoma and 10' 4Runner TE did the same thing with the Scanguage. As soon as I hit the gas pedal again, the mpg's drop to the normal range.

 

[Calif-4runner]

My 07' Sport does it when in Drive around 35 mph. Seemed a little weird at first but now not so much. I'm not worried. I think shifting into 4th or 3rd or even neutral to try to avoid it might cause even more wear-n-tear.

It's a Toyota it should run to 200K miles no problem.

 

[DC runner]

1. I have always used engine braking in any vehicle I ever owned. I grew up in Mountains and I was taught by my parents to use it. I have never had a transmission fail on me, due to this.

2. I bought my 4th gen in D.C.; where there are no mountains and had not experienced this. I traveled back to my hometown for the first time with my 2005 v8 4x4 runner. As with anyone who grows up in hills, you learn your roads and can get to the point almost drive the curvy steep roads blindfolded. As a result, I drive the roads aggressively.

When I first experiences this, I thought, what the?? This is a pretty active attempt by the car to slow your ass down. I know normal engine braking and downshifting... this was something new. I honestly thought at first something was wrong with my transmission and am glad I saw this.

I can accept that my cars brain is actively trying to save my "life" from a run away event. A blown, tranny, NOPE! I figured after a weekend of being back home and this happening every now and then, usually when I was taking a steep descent pretty aggressively, that it was the cars normal behavior.

That said. That downshift is pretty substantial. It wants to slow your ass down and not listen to any lip about it.

 

[Burt]

I live in a mountain area and this feature really saves brakes going down hill. It maintains my downhill speed without riding the brakes. I put the shifter in the 4 position, when the speed creeps up down the hill tap the brakes lightly, this locks the torque converter to let engine braking work. It remains locked untill the gas pedal is hit again. I love this feature. It does not acctually shift to a lower gear it just locks up the torque converter.

Same here, I think it a great feature. My daily commute takes me up/down a 8% grade, winding 2 lane road. Keeps me at 30mph without braking.

 

[20034RunnerV84x2]

Does it on my 03 SR5 V8 too. I find it annoying too but I just need to get used to it, my 03 Highlander didn't do it. At first I thought it was my transmission but thank God I found this

 

[MICA4R]

Thanks for all the input. I'm going to drive this to the ground. Might be a while though given I have full synthetic throughout and the electronics will probably be the limiting component of this rig.

 

[toy yoda]

My 07 SE 4x4 does this too. I can feel it lurch through the breaks a little on deceleration. My mom's FJ 4x2 does this as well. Seems to be a feature of the newer 'smarter' transmissions.

 

[climberbry]

Really?

Excuse me for digging up an old topic, but to me it's not old. I just bought an 07 and this downshifting while coasting on level ground is absolutely ridiculous. Granted, yes, it makes sense for downhills, but not while coasting flat. Has no one figured out a way to disable this? I wouldn't be surprised if city gas mileage to go up as much as 2 MPG.