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I thought Toyota's off-road dominance was untouchable until I saw why owners are now 'stunned' and ready to trade back to their older Tacoma trucks.
Imagine you’re tackling a technical, steep descent where precision is everything, only to realize your $50,000 truck’s computer has locked you out of the gears you need to stay in control. You’re forced to choose between a jerky, unpredictable ride in 4LO or watching your transmission temperatures skyrocket in 4HI; a frustrating "no-win" scenario that has purists longing for the simplicity of the past.
In my ongoing research into 4th-Gen Tacoma owner reports, I discovered a recent post shared in the Taco Nation Facebook community, where owner Derick David highlighted growing frustrations with the new 8-speed automatic transmission and a specific off-road limitation that is leaving purists "stunned."
Derick says, “My biggest gripe with the 4th-gen Toyota Tacoma 8-speed automatic is that I can’t manually shift through the gears in 4Lo. It makes driving smoothly extremely difficult. I’d keep it in 4Hi, but the transmission overheats. Makes me miss my manual 2.5-gen Tacoma on the trails.”
What I Tested
After 30 years in the automotive industry, I know that a truck’s spec sheet never tells the whole story. I took the 2026 i-FORCE powertrain out to see if these digital "nannies" are actually helping or hindering the off-road experience. What I found confirms the concerns of many long-term enthusiasts. Independent experts at MotorTrend have also noted that the latest generation has faced significant hurdles, stating that "Toyota has admitted to transmission issues and is replacing them" for affected early models. Toyota Admits New Tacoma Has Serious Transmission Issues.
This shift toward automated control is a double-edged sword that I have closely monitored for years. In my previous report on how Toyota is Desperately Trying to Stop Their Brand Image From Taking a Straight Dumpster Dive, I explored how these early reliability reports and software limitations are making 3rd-Gen owners hold onto their keys tighter than ever.
My Personal Take
When you are deep in the backcountry, gear hunting is more than an annoyance; it is a mechanical liability. I believe the new 8-speed automatic is programmed so aggressively for fuel efficiency that it refuses to let the driver override its "safety" protocols even in Low Range. The veteran reviewers at Car and Driver experienced similar frustrations with the new platform's tuning, mentioning that "the manual version’s dogged rev hang during upshifts makes it feel like the flywheel is the size of Stone Mountain," suggesting the entire powertrain family is struggling with smoothness. 2024 Toyota Tacoma Is a Manual Labor of Love.
For me, the most "un-Toyota" part of this experience is the lack of a backup plan for the driver. I’ve discussed these growing pains before, especially regarding the first-year glitches that plague new designs, in my article titled "I Drove My Friends' 4th-Gen Toyota Tacoma, and It Felt Like I Was Driving a Corolla Every Time I Gassed It." If the driver cannot manually select a gear in 4LO to prevent lurching, the truck isn't working with you; it’s working against you.
The issue isn't just about software; it’s about the thermal limits of the new 8-speed unit. When Derick David mentions that he has to stay in 4LO because 4HI causes overheating, he is describing a serious cooling deficiency.
The Physics of 4HI vs. 4LO and Why It’s Killing Your Trans
To understand why this transmission is cooking itself, we have to look at the torque converter’s mechanical behavior under load. In my 30 years of evaluating drivetrains, I have learned that heat is rarely about the gears themselves; it is about the slippage occurring before the gears even engage. When you are off-road in 4HI, you are forcing the 8-speed automatic to work with a taller "high-range" gear ratio. This requires the engine to generate massive torque at lower speeds, which keeps the torque converter from reaching its "stall speed."
When the torque converter isn't locked up, it essentially acts as a fluid-driven heater. The pump and turbine inside are spinning at different speeds, churning the transmission fluid and generating friction-based heat at an exponential rate. During a technical climb, 4HI creates so much "slip" that the fluid can easily exceed its 200°F safe zone.
Conversely, 4LO engages a secondary gear set in the transfer case, multiplying the engine's torque by roughly 2.57:1. This mechanical advantage allows the torque converter to lock up earlier, keeping fluid temperatures stable. The problem? As Derick David discovered, Toyota’s software "nanny" prevents you from choosing your own gears once you’re in that safe 4LO range. You are stuck with a computer that hunts for the "right" gear, often resulting in a jerky, lurching throttle response that makes technical rock crawling a nightmare.
The engineering trade-off is clear: stay in 4HI and risk a transmission-overheat warning as your fluid degrades, or drop into 4LO and lose your driver agency to a computer that doesn't understand the nuance of a trail obstacle. For a brand built on being "bulletproof," this software lockout is a serious blow to the "user-centric" design we’ve come to expect from the Tacoma.
What Tacoma Owners Are Saying
One user on Reddit noted the severity of the situation regarding the transmission cooling system, stating, "The 2024s have a known issue for the transmissions, and so they replaced it with a new current one along with a torque converter," which you can read in the full 4th gen transmission blew up discussion here.
Another owner highlighted the new design's vulnerability, noting, "My biggest complaint I see so far is the transmission issues on some of them. But thankfully it looks to be something that happens within a couple thousand miles," in this Reddit thread on 4th-gen hate and unreliability.
Key Takeaways
- 4LO Lockout: The 8-speed automatic prevents manual gear selection in 4LO, resulting in "jerky" throttle response on technical trails.
- Overheating in 4HI: Owners report significant temperature spikes when trying to avoid 4LO, suggesting the cooling system is being pushed to its limit.
- The 2.5 Gen Contrast: Many owners find the older 6-speed manual or automatic platforms more reliable for true off-roading.
- Actionable Advice: If you are experiencing these shifts, monitor your OBD-II data for transmission fluid temps and consider an auxiliary cooler.
The New Tech Is Starting To Feel Like a Cage
The 4th-Gen Tacoma is a marvel of modern tech, but for those of us who actually use these trucks on the rocks, that tech is starting to feel like a cage. Toyota needs to release a software update that returns manual control to the driver in 4LO before more loyalists decide to trade their 2026 models in for a 2012.
It’s Your Turn:
Have you noticed your transmission temperatures spiking during mountain climbs, or has the 4LO gear hunting ruined your trail day? Let me know in the comments below.
Next Up: Think the transmission is the only thing changing? Think again. Many owners are discovering that even routine maintenance is becoming a "maintenance shock" at the dealership. Check out my latest report: Own A 2016-2022 Toyota Tacoma? Watch Out For the $3,400, 60K Maintenance Shock
Denis Flierl is a 14-year Senior Reporter at Torque News and a member of the Rocky Mountain Automotive Press (RMAP) with 30+ years of industry experience. Based in Parker, Colorado, Denis leverages the Rockies' high-altitude terrain as a rigorous testing ground to provide "boots-on-the-ground" analysis for readers across the Rocky Mountain region, California EV corridors, the Northeast, Texas truck markets, and Midwest agricultural zones.
A former professional test driver and consultant for Ford, GM, Ram, Toyota, and Tesla, he delivers data-backed insights on reliability and market shifts. Denis cuts through the noise to provide national audiences with the real-world reporting today’s landscape demands.
Connect with Denis: Find him on LinkedIn, X @DenisFlierl, @WorldsCoolestRides, Facebook, and Instagram.
Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Derick David
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