what is ECT for?

[DaveM]

Having trouble understanding the purpose of the ECT setting in my 2003 Tacoma. I understand it changes the shift points, what RPM the shifts occur. Is this a performance thing for greater take off speed on road or some kind of a hill descent thing for keeping you in lower gear at higher RPMs?

 

[SOAZ]

Having trouble understanding the purpose of the ECT setting in my 2003 Tacoma. I understand it changes the shift points, what RPM the shifts occur. Is this a performance thing for greater take off speed on road or some kind of a hill descent thing for keeping you in lower gear at higher RPMs?

The great mystery. If you want to know what its NOT ask a car salesman. I've heard some duesies about it.

It stands for Electronically Controlled Transmission. - The most credible I've heard is that it will keep overdrive, but create better shift point for towing.

lets see what others say. :bike_rider:

 

[ntsqd]

To me it's a work acronym; Electronically Controlled Turbocharger. Somehow I doubt that is what is being discussed.

 

[Lynn]

A quick google search turned up this Toyota sales div booklet that supports SOAZ's theory.

 

[Bellagio]

I happen to be a car salesman, and I can tell you for a fact that it stands for "Extra Cool Truck"

Seriously though, I've never heard anything other than Electronically Controlled Transmission.

 

[Cackalak Han]

Per the manual, it just raises the shift points for when you're going up an incline with a big load or towing.

One salesman told me that it was an "Eletronic Traction Control". (He was dyslexic). :smilies27

 

[taco chaser]

The ECT holds each gear to a higher rpm before shifting, so if your truck would shift at 3000rpm than ECT mode would shift at 3800 to 4000 rpm. This is controled by shift solenoids. I roll with the ECT on in the DCab in my area which is mountain roads so it helps for holding the gears longer to get more out of the torque and rpm curve. City driving it would only decrease your fuel efficientcy.

 

[DaveM]

The ECT holds each gear to a higher rpm before shifting, so if your truck would shift at 3000rpm than ECT mode would shift at 3800 to 4000 rpm. This is controled by shift solenoids. I roll with the ECT on in the DCab in my area which is mountain roads so it helps for holding the gears longer to get more out of the torque and rpm curve. City driving it would only decrease your fuel efficientcy.

Ok, thats essentially what I was getting from reading about it, but wasn't sure. I thought there might be a possibility it was designed to help in off road situations where you needed to stay in higher RPMs but a lower gear. But I guess you'd just shift to a lower gear in that case. I'll have to test the ECT selection the next time I head up the Sierras.

 

[taco chaser]

I thought there might be a possibility it was designed to help in off road situations where you needed to stay in higher RPMs but a lower gear.

At that point you would probably be in low+4wd low or one of the combos and the ECT feature would do nothing for you, it's mainly for get up n go and holding the shift points longer for towing and less wear on your tranny when under load or driving on mountain roads by doing less up and down shifts. Nice thought though.

 

[DaveM]

At that point you would probably be in low+4wd low or one of the combos and the ECT feature would do nothing for you, it's mainly for get up n go and holding the shift points longer for towing and less wear on your tranny when under load or driving on mountain roads by doing less up and down shifts. Nice thought though.

It would be nice if the manual that came with the truck specified the type of use some of these features are intended for. I'm coming from years of basic manual transmissions, transfer cases and manual locking hubs. All this electronic hooey got me all confused!

 

[flyingwil]

FlyingWen calls mine the Extra Power button! LOL

 

[taco chaser]

It would be nice if the manual that came with the truck specified the type of use some of these features are intended for. I'm coming from years of basic manual transmissions, transfer cases and manual locking hubs. All this electronic hooey got me all confused!

Don't feel to bad, I went to school for it and I can't remember half of it with out having my hands in it daily.

 

[SOAZ]

FlyingWen calls mine the Extra Power button! LOL

I like to tell Danica we are preparing for warp speed like in Spaceballs, the movie.
I figure I can race mustang cobras and sweet Iroc Camaros when the button is depressed. I don't want to brag, but its pretty shweet. :friday:
HAHA!

 

[Martinjmpr]

I thought ECT was Electro-Convulsive Therapy, more commonly known as "Shock treatment."

Glad My Taco doesn't have that installed!