Issue with my 2014 4Runner

T

thatoneguy34

New member
I picked up a new 2014 4Runner Limited 4WD on 10/25/13 and have logged a little under 1,500 miles so far. While traveling around Kentucky and Tennessee, I noticed an issue relating to the transmission when using the cruise control.

Here's the issue (only when the cruise is on): When I go up a steep hill the transmission shifts from 5th gear to 4th gear to maintain speed. After reaching the peak and starting to level out/go downhill, the transmission is not shifting back into 5th gear but is instead staying in 4th (at well over 3,000 RPMs). The engine sounds like it is in overdrive while going downhill...it definitely doesn't sound right.

So I took it in to the dealership where I bought it and asked the question. Unfortunately, the service tech was clueless. He first said "...it was supposed to do that..." due to the laser-guided proximity sensors which make sure the vehicle doesn't get too close to other vehicles. I told him my 4Runner doesn't have that feature and he disagreed with me. I asked him if he was referring to the parking sensors and he said those were part of the same system. I couldn't believe this guy working in a Toyota service department was so clueless!

But it gets worse! After I disagreed with his first attempts at explaining the issue, he then said it was probably due to the Downhill Assist Control. Ummm...no. I informed him of what the DAC actually does. He tried to play it off as though he knew what I was talking about, but clearly he was completely unaware of the features offered on the 4Runner.

So ultimately, he told me I would just need to leave my brand new vehicle with them so they could see if they could recreate the issue. Needless to say, but I'm not a happy camper about this option and I certainly don't have much faith in my local dealership's repair department now.

Does anyone here have feedback on this issue before I go back to the dealership and hope to talk with someone who may have knowledge of the new 4Runner?
 
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I don't think there is anything wrong with your 4Runner. I can't give you technical expertise or a reason why, really - I just think its fine.

1) Cruise Control never likes hills and
2) My truck will tend to stay in a lower gear down hills when I'm not in cruise control in order to "engine brake". A small tap on the accelerator pedal and it will shift back into 5 and I'll start speeding down the hill. **Insert [MENTION=66316]1engineer[/MENTION] 's explaination of how fluid pressure inside an automatic transmission works here**

Sorry I know its frustrating when something weird happens with a new vehicle, but I think you're ok
 
I have a Limited too, and while in cruise control on a hill it will hit Mach 3 to climb the hill then coast down it. It still makes me uneasy after almost 3 years of ownership. Its normal amigo.
 
You say service tech, do you actually mean service writer? Your experience sounds about par for the course for service writers, but generally techs know a bit about how the vehicles actually work.

Depending on how steep the downhill is, it will downshift (or stay in lower gear) to provide engine braking to help to maintain speed, and is normal.
 
thatoneguy34 said:
I picked up a new 2014 4Runner Limited 4WD on 10/25/13 and have logged a little under 1,500 miles so far. While traveling around Kentucky and Tennessee, I noticed an issue relating to the transmission when using the cruise control.

Here's the issue (only when the cruise is on): When I go up a steep hill the transmission shifts from 5th gear to 4th gear to maintain speed. After reaching the peak and starting to level out/go downhill, the transmission is not shifting back into 5th gear but is instead staying in 4th (at well over 3,000 RPMs). The engine sounds like it is in overdrive while going downhill...it definitely doesn't sound right.

So I took it in to the dealership where I bought it and asked the question. Unfortunately, the service tech was clueless. He first said "...it was supposed to do that..." due to the laser-guided proximity sensors which make sure the vehicle doesn't get too close to other vehicles. I told him my 4Runner doesn't have that feature and he disagreed with me. I asked him if he was referring to the parking sensors and he said those were part of the same system. I couldn't believe this guy working in a Toyota service department was so clueless!

But it gets worse! After I disagreed with his first attempts at explaining the issue, he then said it was probably due to the Downhill Assist Control. Ummm...no. I informed him of what the DAC actually does. He tried to play it off as though he knew what I was talking about, but clearly he was completely unaware of the features offered on the 4Runner.

So ultimately, he told me I would just need to leave my brand new vehicle with them so they could see if they could recreate the issue. Needless to say, but I'm not a happy camper about this option and I certainly don't have much faith in my local dealership's repair department now.

Does anyone here have feedback on this issue before I go back to the dealership and hope to talk with someone who may have knowledge of the new 4Runner?
Click to expand...

I had a '11 SR5 and now have a '12 Trail. Both vehicles will "hang" (for lack of a better term) in a gear sometimes even after cresting a hill. It will do this in manual or cruise control. I drive in the mountains a lot (I live in them) and I can easily duplicate this condition. It does not cause any issues that I am aware of and when that happens with me I just accelerate a bit and it will shift normally. Is it a flaw? Probably. Is it something that a dealer can fix? I doubt it. Again, it does not do it all the time. It seems you need to be in a certain gear at a certain RPM to replicate the condition. I say this but in reality it only happens rarely. I have over 90K miles combined on the two 4Runners I have had so I have a lot of seat time to experience this. The first few times it happened I thought it would be an issue but after determining the infrequency of it I did not think twice about it. I will say the 4Runner cruise control in the mountains is not the best though. Flat to rolling is fine. Mountains? I just disengage and drive it.
 
Was "laser-guided proximity sensors" on the window sticker? :)

Honestly though, cruise control on these vehicles is not great. The shift points for the transmission are very low and its designed to keep the vehicle at the lowest possible rpm (for MPG). Combine that with the fact that cruise control has no way of knowing that it is approaching a large hill and you have a recipe for the vehicle always playing catch up. Mine will go from cursing along in 5th to full power in 3rd, trying to get me back to my intended speed while on a hill. This usually results in my vehicle going up to 10mph over my intended speed and the transmission will hold the gear (for a long time) which slows me back down. After a few runs in hilly terrain with cruise on, I gave up. It's much easier (and far less dramatic for passengers) to just read the upcoming situation and put the vehicle in the gear you want. When you crest the hill, pop it back in D and be on your way.

Also your dealership is completely full of crap. I would find somewhere else to go if its possible. Laser-guided proximity sensors my ass.
 
Think this is normal.

My Lexus is250 did this as well. It downshifted automatically when going downhill to help to reduce the vehicles speed.

Completely normal.

Even out of cruise control the trans downshifted automatically.
 
from what I remember, and Toyota's cruise control has been doing this for years - all the way back into the late 80's and early 90's, is due to back pressure, from what I don't know, and as 1e said, just a tad throttle blip will kick the transmission up a gear.

now if you manually kick it down a gear before the cruise does it, it upshifts like normal once the load goes away, but if the cruise does it, it takes forever to upshift.
 
4ShoreRunner said:
2) My truck will tend to stay in a lower gear down hills when I'm not in cruise control in order to "engine brake". A small tap on the accelerator pedal and it will shift back into 5 and I'll start speeding down the hill.
Click to expand...

Hmmm...interesting. My 10' will stay in 5th down a hill but a small tap on the brake will drop it to 4 creating the engine brake effect slowing the 4R so I don't have to use the brakes. Does yours work in the reverse? From what I know most work the way mine does from posts on here.
 
westwind77 said:
Hmmm...interesting. My 10' will stay in 5th down a hill but a small tap on the brake will drop it to 4 creating the engine brake effect slowing the 4R so I don't have to use the brakes. Does yours work in the reverse? From what I know most work the way mine does from posts on here.
Click to expand...

Maybe it depends on how the downhill is approached?

Are you going downhill after an uphill climb or cruising level before hitting the downhill section?
 
westwind77 said:
Hmmm...interesting. My 10' will stay in 5th down a hill but a small tap on the brake will drop it to 4 creating the engine brake effect slowing the 4R so I don't have to use the brakes. Does yours work in the reverse? From what I know most work the way mine does from posts on here.
Click to expand...

4ShoreRunner said:
Maybe it depends on how the downhill is approached?

Are you going downhill after an uphill climb or cruising level before hitting the downhill section?
Click to expand...

I think we are talking about two different things here. The OP's issue is "After climbing a hill the vehicle will hang in 4th even after cresting the hill for some time period." To cure that you tap the accelerator. Now assuming since you went up a hill you now must go down the other side, the Grade Logic could kick in, depending on your speed. At a slower speed going down a hill, tapping the brakes will cause your vehicle to downshift, again depending on initial speed. It won't do this at 80 mph!
 
thatoneguy34 said:
But it gets worse!
Click to expand...

One of the most important skills any service writer should have is to be able to communicate effectively with a customer about the problems he/she is having with their vehicle. You would be doing yourself and all the other customers who patronize that dealership a favor, if you conveyed your experience, and your opinion of it, to the service dept. supervisor and/or the general manager.
 
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