Sputtering at 50-60 mph

I have heard great things about OTT tune. I am definitely looking at that as the last resort. Hate to spend $450 to make it run right, but it may be worth it.
 
Why you'd need an aftermarket tune, beats me, unless you just got a poor running truck. The latest factory tune in these gen3 tacoma's run fantastic.
 
tacojoel said:
Why you'd need an aftermarket tune, beats me, unless you just got a poor running truck. The latest factory tune in these gen3 tacoma's run fantastic.
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Something has to be wrong with mine then. It is far from running fantastic.
 
Then it needs to have the dealer check it out. Gotta be something wrong. I've had quite a few toyota pickups since the 70's...most were just ok, while a couple others ran very well. This gen3 2020 has been exceptional when compared even to my last tundra that I thought couldn't get any better. I hear so many different stories from those that own gen3's, it makes me think that some are factory tuned well, while others are not. Could be why there are so many used ones on the market. You'd think all trucks built today would be cookie cutter made, but obviously they are not.
 
tacojoel said:
Then it needs to have the dealer check it out. Gotta be something wrong. I've had quite a few toyota pickups since the 70's...most were just ok, while a couple others ran very well. This gen3 2020 has been exceptional when compared even to my last tundra that I thought couldn't get any better. I hear so many different stories from those that own gen3's, it makes me think that some are factory tuned well, while others are not. Could be why there are so many used ones on the market. You'd think all trucks built today would be cookie cutter made, but obviously they are not.
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I now have heard from a couple others with the same issues and same year Tacoma that had dealership check AT fluid and they were low. The issue went away after fixing. I have an appointment with my stealership this friday (1/26/24) to check AT fluid level per Toyota's recommendation. I will update once complete. I am hoping this will resolve my issues for good.
 
I thought the low atf in those gen3 tacoma's applied to only a few older models that had the external tranny cooler, not mid 2020, and later ones that no longer had this cooler. Been also reported if this lugging feeling is felt, to run only premium fuel. After several tanks the truck ecu will adjust to, making more power eliminating the issue, or at least masking it. I really don't know what the dealer can do if this is the case, unless the truck has something really wrong.
 
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tacojoel said:
I thought the low atf in those gen3 tacoma's applied to only a few older models that had the external tranny cooler, not mid 2020, and later ones that no longer had this cooler. Been also reported if this lugging feeling is felt, to run only premium fuel. After several tanks the truck ecu will adjust to, making more power eliminating the issue, or at least masking it. I really don't know what the dealer can do if this is the case, unless the truck has something really wrong.
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I have seen people with 2020's and through to 2023's stating they had low atf. The most recent one I have seen was a 2023 and he said once the atf level was fixed it drives perfect now. All I can do is tell the dealer and Toyota what to do because they act as if they have never heard of this issue before and all they want to do is inspect the transmission then say everything looks good.
 
No dipstick. As far as some 2020's like mine have the external tranny cooler, which some were found to have low atf. Later 2020's I think made around march-april did not have this cooler, or the low atf issue. No tacos after that came with the external cooler, or that problem from what a friend of mine has seen, services these trucks. He says its real easy to overfill these transmissions, than under fill one.
Your truck sounds like a poorly tuned one which seems more common needing premium fuel, or an aftermarket tune to get it where it should have been. You'd need to drive my 2020...it's very close to the performance of my 4.7 tundra v8 with way more up top from this 3.5. There's no nothing, sputtering, or lugging anywhere when you touch the go pedal. Trucks a rocket.
 
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At the dealer now waiting for transmission to cool down to correct temp to check atf level. In the meantime, I test drove one, with the mechanic, and it drove 1000 times better than mine. It has none of the same issues. Hopefully the next post will be “truck is driving amazing now!”
 
Thats good to hear. Just validates what i've, and others been saying that these gen3 auto's have been factory tuned inconsistently.....you either get a good one as I have, or you get a pooch. I'd be willing to bet for this reason there are many used gen3's out there for sale that did't perform well for their previous owners.
 
There is a dealer local here that has 3 2023 TRDOR all worth about 25,000 miles on them. Probably all 3 drive like ****. The mechanic (here at my dealer) told me earlier they have had several complaints on this same issue. He said unfortunately they have just had to tell the owners there is no fix. He said the ones he has checked for low atf have all been ok, not low. He also said all the symptoms I’m having sounds like low fluid. I guess we will find out soon.
 
It would be the first 2023 taco I've heard about that came with low tranny fluid, especially if it made any difference. It'd have to be nearly a qt low....that was the issue with early 2020, and older ones that were not filled enough to compensate for the external tranny cooler they came with. Newer taco autos were fine as toyota deleted the cooler. And yes, there is no factory fix for the taco's that do not perform well I've head of, other than running premium fuel, or getting an aftermarket tune. Some trucks need both.
 
ATF-good. Technician said my truck drives like s#&t. Not just gear hunting like what most complaints are. He thinks it’s a bad transmission or torque converter. Said Toyota may recommend replacing both. They are contacting the tech engineer from Toyota for next steps. They said more than likely he will come down for test drive and provide recommendations.
 
JayQQ97 said:
Strange things can happen
It had to go somewhere!
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From what I read it never went anywhere. Hopefully JD will get his truck back better than new. I knew it had to be something other than low fluid, or a friend of mine thats an auto tech would have told me so. Torque converters have been a known issue on the gen3.
 
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