2017 Land Cruiser selects 1st gear

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kaschool

kaschool

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Jul 15, 2018
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Hi All

Wanted to check whether any 2016-2020 owners have noticed this on their vehicles. I have a 2017 LC (so obviously the new 8 speed gear box). What I have noticed is that lets say you are coasting to a stop and get down to somewhere between 4-8mph then re-apply the gas, the vehicle selects first gear which causes a rather abrupt jolt and high RPM since the better gear selection when coasting at that speed and then accelerating would be 2nd gear.

It's not a major issue for me and I have just adapted my driving in that if that situation occurs instead of the typical amount of gas I've learnt to apply it more slowly to minimize the higher RPM's and jolt that will occur since it always selects first gear. I don't know precisely but it will select 2nd gear if the vehicle is coasting in the 10mph+ range and there is no issue in these cases. it just seems to be in the low to high single digits MPH where it selects first gear and it doesn't seem to be the right one.

there was a tranmission update for 2016/2017 LC's but that was more for a harsh 1-2nd gear transition so I don't think that update was planning to do anything about what I described above. I did get that transmission update anyway and as expected it didn't have any effect on the vehicle selecting 1st gear at low speeds "issue".

Anyone else experiencing what I describe above and your thoughts on it?
 
Yup, it's noticeable. I did find some relief with the software update. Once I had that done, my transmission shifted much better generally. I hope your dealership did it correctly. Did you get the harsh low gear upshift when cold fixed with that update? It's not just the 8 speed, others on Mud have noted some rough low gear downshifts with the 6 speed too. It's not an uncommon post on Mud with the 200 LCs. Try using ECT PWR mode and see if it helps.
 
I feel like this might be a general Toyota mapping issue. I have it on my 200, if I get to below 10mph its in first and have just adjusted to easing on the throttle. Same issue with my Avalon as well... had that taken in for software updates while under warranty but still happens...
 
This is a problem on my 2018, which I understand should have the software update applied from the factory. Adapting my driving style is the best I have been able to do so far, but it remains considerably annoying.
 
If I am slowing to a speed like that, I come to a full stop before accelerating. I've never noticed what you are describing.

Oops, mine's an earlier version, so this may not apply.
 
I noticed the same thing (TSB has been applied in my '16). I think this is a function of the very low 1st gear in the 8-speed transmission combined with a mapping that selects 1st gear at too high a speed. My 2006 4Runner has the exact same symptom after putting 4.88 gears (I still run relatively normal sized tires on the 4Runner - 255/85R16 BFG KM2, and 265/75R16 Goodyear X-Ice, so overall gear ratio is even slightly lower than the LC 8-speed with stock tires).

The ECT 2nd button will avoid first gear altogether (which I find fine for normal driving, again given the relatively low gearing of the 8-speed), but you have to press it every time you start the car. I forget so I have also just adjusted my driving style to accomodate the behavior.
 
Sandroad said:
Yup, it's noticeable. I did find some relief with the software update. Once I had that done, my transmission shifted much better generally. I hope your dealership did it correctly. Did you get the harsh low gear upshift when cold fixed with that update? It's not just the 8 speed, others on Mud have noted some rough low gear downshifts with the 6 speed too. It's not an uncommon post on Mud with the 200 LCs. Try using ECT PWR mode and see if it helps.
Click to expand...
I hadn't really noticed any harsh 1st-2nd upshift but I asked the dealer to do the transmission update anyway. That was about a year ago. Interestingly now I do notice a shift from 1st-2nd when the engines cold. It is not really a hard shift and only reproduces if I'm lighting accelerating (5-20mph) over several seconds and what I'll notice is the shift from 1st to 2nd is like the ECU is riding the clutch. this may actually be the new transmission programming in action - I.e. they engage the clutch for longer during cold temps and shifting from 1st-2nd to "smooth out" the previous harsh gear change. So to me if you're just feathering or slowing accelerating over several seconds from cold you get a clutch ride effect before it shifts into second. Some people may not notice or care and it's not a big deal for me either I'm just trying to describe what I noticed (this is all post trans update). the trans update did not seem to improve the issue of vehicle selecting 1st gear at slow speeds, instead of 2nd for me.
 
My 2016 has done this since new. It got slightly better with the software update. It is better with ECT PWR on. The dealer thinks I'm crazy and says its completely normal shifting.
 
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