Use of ECT in the Tacoma

Joisey

Joisey

Well-Known Member
I had asked online and in three different Toyota dealerships and the answers were more or less split whether or not using the ECT button prevented the transmission from shifting into 6th gear. So, I wrote to Toyota corporation and here is their answer.

"Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate your inquiry, and thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond.
We have researched and found the following information:

ECT PWR switch- Enhances acceleration performance and responsiveness by controlling the engine output and by changing the shift point of the transmission, thus achieving a sporty drive. Limiting the use of 6th gear when in this mode is a normal characteristic.

S mode- Will allow the use of 6th gear however, if the vehicle speed and engine speed exceeds or go below a preset level in response to the driver's downshift operation request, changing the shift range will be prohibited. In this case, the buzzer in the combination meter will sound to alert the driver.
We apologize, we do not have a speed diagram for each gear."

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #1908093089. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Sharyce W.
Toyota Customer Experience Center

Notice how under the ECT mode heading, Toyota states that this mode not only changes shift points (which I already knew) but states that it also controls engine performance (which I had suspected).
 
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Joisey said:
I had asked online and in three different Toyota dealerships and the answers were more or less split whether or not using the ECT button prevented the transmission from shifting into 6th gear. So, I wrote to Toyota corporation and here is their answer.

"Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate your inquiry, and thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond.
We have researched and found the following information:

ECT PWR switch- Enhances acceleration performance and responsiveness by controlling the engine output and by changing the shift point of the transmission, thus achieving a sporty drive. Limiting the use of 6th gear when in this mode is a normal characteristic.

S mode- Will allow the use of 6th gear however, if the vehicle speed and engine speed exceeds or go below a preset level in response to the driver's downshift operation request, changing the shift range will be prohibited. In this case, the buzzer in the combination meter will sound to alert the driver.
We apologize, we do not have a speed diagram for each gear."

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #1908093089. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Sharyce W.
Toyota Customer Experience Center

Notice how under the ECT mode heading, Toyota states that this mode not only changes shift points (which already knew) but states that it also controls engine performance (which I had suspected).
Click to expand...
That opens the door for a whole lot more questions. Id like to see the difference in torque and hp gains in ect. Also if youre planning on using ect should you fill up with premium vs 89 or 87 octane. Mine seems to run best on 89 under just normal day to day driving, 93 seems to be overkill on a daily basis. Do three pedal drivers have ect? Has yota installed their own performance tune but disguise it as ect?
 
Joisey said:
I had asked online and in three different Toyota dealerships and the answers were more or less split whether or not using the ECT button prevented the transmission from shifting into 6th gear. So, I wrote to Toyota corporation and here is their answer.

"Thank you for contacting Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
We appreciate your inquiry, and thank you for allowing us the opportunity to respond.
We have researched and found the following information:

ECT PWR switch- Enhances acceleration performance and responsiveness by controlling the engine output and by changing the shift point of the transmission, thus achieving a sporty drive. Limiting the use of 6th gear when in this mode is a normal characteristic.

S mode- Will allow the use of 6th gear however, if the vehicle speed and engine speed exceeds or go below a preset level in response to the driver's downshift operation request, changing the shift range will be prohibited. In this case, the buzzer in the combination meter will sound to alert the driver.
We apologize, we do not have a speed diagram for each gear."

Your email has been documented at our National Headquarters under file #1908093089. If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.

Sincerely,

Sharyce W.
Toyota Customer Experience Center

Notice how under the ECT mode heading, Toyota states that this mode not only changes shift points (which already knew) but states that it also controls engine performance (which I had suspected).
Click to expand...
This is great info Joisey! Thanks for sharing!
 
bdarnold12 said:
That opens the door for a whole lot more questions. Id like to see the difference in torque and hp gains in ect. Also if youre planning on using ect should you fill up with premium vs 89 or 87 octane. Mine seems to run best on 89 under just normal day to day driving, 93 seems to be overkill on a daily basis. Do three pedal drivers have ect? Has yota installed their own performance tune but disguise it as ect?
Click to expand...

I'm sure Toyota claims that ect button as their performance tune but eeeh... lol
No ECT for 3 pedals, our shift points are set to wherever the duck we want them... [emoji1787]
Use whatever fuel makes you smile but just know that the fuel itself doesn't give you anything but sensations. Lol
Jelly that you can get 93... haven't been able to run any of those tunes yet... haha
 
Joisey said:
Since the ECT mode gives the engine more power, why lock out 6th gear when now, with the increased power, the engine may actually have the guts to use 6th gear?
Click to expand...

They did mention enhanced performance and responsiveness which is more than likely just a different throttle by wire map and maybe timing map change (doubt it) to raise mid range power but not peak power. However, tests have shown that there is no change in vehicle performance. Sounds like mostly a built in Pedal Commander.
 
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whippersnapper02 said:
They did mention enhanced performance and responsiveness which is more than likely just a different throttle by wire map and maybe timing map change (doubt it) to raise mid range power but not peak power. However, tests have shown that there is no change in vehicle performance. Sounds like mostly a built in Pedal Commander.
Click to expand...

I've seen those tests where the ET of the truck was a few parts of a second slower using the ECT mode. I would like to see the horsepower and torque charts overlaid so that you can see the true difference between the standard and ECT mode. Everything else is just a butt dyno.
 
Joisey said:
I've seen those tests where the ET of the truck was a few parts of a second slower using the ECT mode. I would like to see the horsepower and torque charts overlaid so that you can see the true difference between the standard and ECT mode. Everything else is just a butt dyno.
Click to expand...

I want to see those too. I don't believe there is a power increase all with the button. Toyota would brag about it if there was.
 
whippersnapper02 said:
I want to see those too. I don't believe there is a power increase all with the button. Toyota would brag about it if there was.
Click to expand...

Butt dyno here...I can't say as I agree, but have no proof. The engine seems to rev much more freely in ECT mode. I'm not talking to redline, maybe 3600 or a bit less. Again, the chart would be great to see.
 
Just spit balling here but somewhere on here I read that 4th gear was 1:1, 5th gear is basically overdrive, 6th gear would be double overdrive. Maybe yota is trying to tell us that if youre pulling hard enough or running hard enough to use ect you don't need to be in 6th gear. Too much transmission heat??????
 
bdarnold12 said:
Just spit balling here but somewhere on here I read that 4th gear was 1:1, 5th gear is basically overdrive, 6th gear would be double overdrive. Maybe yota is trying to tell us that if youre pulling hard enough or running hard enough to use ect you don't need to be in 6th gear. Too much transmission heat??????
Click to expand...

It's really meant for towing so it makes sense that it would keep the trans out of high gear to keep it from hunting which creates heat. It's in now way a performance enhancement to a non performance vehicle.
 
whippersnapper02 said:
It's really meant for towing so it makes sense that it would keep the trans out of high gear to keep it from hunting which creates heat. It's in now way a performance enhancement to a non performance vehicle.
Click to expand...

If I towed with this truck, I'd limit it to 4th gear, 1:1 ratio. Overdrive gears get beaten to death towing. My 06 GMC limited the trans to 1:1 when towing.
 
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