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Rough Shifting and Power

MikeInHD

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As the title suggests. I'm about 300 miles into a new 2025 4Runner i-Force max hybrid and about 1/3 of the times I drive, the truck exhibits some odd shifting. It's sort of clunky, but almost like the truck doesn't know it needs to shift. It will even happen when shifting into drive after being in neutral.

I suspect it could be the hybrid clutch engaging or disengaging, but I'm not sure.

It also seems to happen less on longer drives and also less when in sport mode.

I thought it could be low on trans oil from the factory, but that would be odd too.

Anyone else experience something like this?
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sliver

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I do, mostly when the 4runner is "cold" and in Eco mode. It seems to be doing it less on Normal.
 

jimr

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As the title suggests. I'm about 300 miles into a new 2025 4Runner i-Force max hybrid and about 1/3 of the times I drive, the truck exhibits some odd shifting. It's sort of clunky, but almost like the truck doesn't know it needs to shift. It will even happen when shifting into drive after being in neutral.

I suspect it could be the hybrid clutch engaging or disengaging, but I'm not sure.

It also seems to happen less on longer drives and also less when in sport mode.

I thought it could be low on trans oil from the factory, but that would be odd too.

Anyone else experience something like this?
I have found that the car seems to want to avoid downshifting (e.g. when going uphill) by using the electric motor to assist the gas engine while staying in whatever higher gear it's currently in. It'll give up and downshift if/when high electric power isn't sufficient, which can result in fairly abrupt acceleration. Not sure if this is the same symptom you're experiencing, but here's how I've drawn the above conclusion:

If you enable the "motor power" gauge display, it shows when the electric motor is running (or not). The LHS side of the attached pic shows that the electric motor is NOT running because the analog gauge is all grey. When the motor is running the gauge will show blue, from a small amount of electric power to a lot. Charge level is shown by the bar graph below the blue "MAX" (3 out of 8 bars in the pic).

2025 Toyota 4runner Rough Shifting and Power elec
 

828findadventure

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As the title suggests. I'm about 300 miles into a new 2025 4Runner i-Force max hybrid and about 1/3 of the times I drive, the truck exhibits some odd shifting. It's sort of clunky, but almost like the truck doesn't know it needs to shift. It will even happen when shifting into drive after being in neutral.

I suspect it could be the hybrid clutch engaging or disengaging, but I'm not sure.

It also seems to happen less on longer drives and also less when in sport mode.

I thought it could be low on trans oil from the factory, but that would be odd too.

Anyone else experience something like this?
Mine did it and then went away by the time I finished the break in miles which was about one thousand easy ones.
 

montesurg01

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I have found that the car seems to want to avoid downshifting (e.g. when going uphill) by using the electric motor to assist the gas engine while staying in whatever higher gear it's currently in. It'll give up and downshift if/when high electric power isn't sufficient, which can result in fairly abrupt acceleration. Not sure if this is the same symptom you're experiencing, but here's how I've drawn the above conclusion:

If you enable the "motor power" gauge display, it shows when the electric motor is running (or not). The LHS side of the attached pic shows that the electric motor is NOT running because the analog gauge is all grey. When the motor is running the gauge will show blue, from a small amount of electric power to a lot. Charge level is shown by the bar graph below the blue "MAX" (3 out of 8 bars in the pic).

elec.jpeg
That is helpful, thank you. I’ve experienced similar so I‘ll check this out on mine.

More importantly how are you getting 26.6mpg ors did you just reset it after a fillup?
 

jimr

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That is helpful, thank you. I’ve experienced similar so I‘ll check this out on mine.

More importantly how are you getting 26.6mpg ors did you just reset it after a fillup?
Extra good mileage came from buying gas at 9000 feet elevation, resetting, then driving home 30 miles away at 6000 feet.
 

sliver

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Extra good mileage came from buying gas at 9000 feet elevation, resetting, then driving home 30 miles away at 6000 feet.
Ah! I'm hovering at 16.5 and 16.6 MPG.... And I did mostly Highway... :( I'm guessing the Trailhunter's got alot to carry. (Steel skid plates, Rock skid plates, and the infamous snorkel)
 

jimr

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Ah! I'm hovering at 16.5 and 16.6 MPG.... And I did mostly Highway... :( I'm guessing the Trailhunter's got alot to carry. (Steel skid plates, Rock skid plates, and the infamous snorkel)
16.5 mpg sounds kind of low. I'll generally get 22-24 over flat terrain. I do use ethanol-free gas, which as I understand gives better mileage due to higher energy density than the ethanol stuff. I've also found mileage decreases substantially going over 70mph on the hiway.
 

sliver

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There is a lot of that (about 75% of my mileage is on the highway > 70mph) Hopefully it will be starting to climb up. I have one more 1000 mile trip, then it will be driving around town for a while...


And I use Regular 87, I'll try either ethanol free, or 89 see if that makes a difference, thanks for the tip.
 

dgorman

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16.5 mpg sounds kind of low. I'll generally get 22-24 over flat terrain. I do use ethanol-free gas, which as I understand gives better mileage due to higher energy density than the ethanol stuff. I've also found mileage decreases substantially going over 70mph on the hiway.

Same here, hovering around 16.5-16.7, highway mostly commuting from evergreen to Denver
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