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Transform the way your 2016 Toyota Tacoma Drives – Here’s How

A transmission reflash Toyota has kept quiet is making some Tacoma owners very happy.
Toyota Tacoma Owners Need To Know About This TSB

Does your 2016 Tacoma equipped with an automatic transmission seem a little bit off? Does it hunt for gears while cruising sometimes, or when you are on a slight incline? Have you felt that the cruising RPMs are a bit higher than you would have expected? Is there a delayed engagement shifting from Park to Drive or into Reverse? What about skipped shifts, slipping transmission and lurching? If you have had any of these issues, read on.

Toyota has issued a Technical Service Bulleting (TSB) 0077-16 that can transform the way the transmission in the 2016 Tacoma operates. Reviews from owners that have had the service performed are mainly positive, with many being entirely positive. Torque News reviewed forums, clubs, and Youtube videos discussing the results of the TSB and our favorite was the one below from Taco Bandit.

Although the TSB documentation from Toyota lists only a few issues, owners are reporting the fix solves more problems with the transmission. Taco Bandit summed up his truck’s driving experience overall after the TSB by saying “It actually does feel like an all-new truck. It’s very very pleasant to drive now.”

If your Tacoma is having problems shifting in any way, it would be well worth your time to have the truck looked at and ask if TSB 0077-16 might be applicable to your truck. Please note that manual Tacomas are not included (in case that was not obvious). If you have had the TSB done to your Tacoma, we would love for you to place a comment below to help other owners.

Automotive News
Pickup Trucks
Toyota

Comments

Gord Westover (not verified)    July 28, 2017 - 11:03AM

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Is bulletin TSB oo77-16 available in Ontario Canada?
My son's Tacoma needs to be replaced or corrected and Toyota has offered him nothing in repairs to solve transmission problems sopfar.
Sincerely
Gord Westover

Greg turner (not verified)    March 26, 2018 - 11:41PM

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Is your transmission fixed yet .i have been fighting since last july ,left it at the dealer 2 times 1 week each time.my transmission flares between 6 to 9 hundred rpm on the 3 - 4 shift only cold .not every morning ,its been reflashed ,fluid checked multiple times,filled ,drained excetera.i also am in ontario.other than trading it ,toyota seems to be dragging there heels.

William Rau (not verified)    October 20, 2017 - 5:03PM

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I had the update performed on my 2016 Tacoma but it only helped minimal and held for about a month then went right back to its old tricks and the dealer is telling me that the truck is performing as designed. I have hired a lawyer and asking for my money back. I am furious at this stage. It might be worth noting that my truck performed just fine for the first year and then the transmission just went haywire.

Steve Williams (not verified)    October 25, 2017 - 4:20PM

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Good luck with the lawsuit!! There are lots of tacoma owners in the same boat. Drop me a line if you win! I'd like to hire the same lawyer. This issue might be suitable for a class action suit.

Steve Williams (not verified)    March 27, 2018 - 10:58AM

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I appealed to the Toyota headquarters and filed a formal complaint. My complaint was denied, next step would be to hire a lawyer and sue. It's not worth it to me, I'll just take the hit and trade it in or sell it. This truck earned it's Consumers Report rating of "Worst Truck of the Year" This transmission/engine combo is a disaster! If anyone get a class action suit going I want in!

mike blackburn (not verified)    February 25, 2019 - 5:19PM

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My 2016 Tacoma shifts and drives terribly in normal traffic! It did notice any problems on my
two mile test drive (or at least I didnt notice) but now, it seems gutless at times, and sometimes there is huge hesitations, especially when cold!

Steve Wiliams (not verified)    February 28, 2019 - 8:34PM

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Yup, it’s a 278 HP joke. No power at low speeds, irratic shifting, hesitations and surges when cold at low speeds (this is going to kill somebody) Certainly worthy of the title “Worst Truck of the Year” Give me my money back!! Give me my Subaru back! Toyota makes no statements or promises regarding the performance or mileage when towing a trailer. If they told people how they would perform they wouldn’t sell a single truck.

Marcy Newman (not verified)    October 14, 2020 - 9:17AM

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We are having the same problem. Getting the same “operating as designed” comments. They tell us the transmission “learns how you drive and then adapts. Problem is we have multiple drivers for this, our only vehicle. This is a design flaw and is not how a truck should operate.

Bill Gibson (not verified)    April 10, 2018 - 6:46PM

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Ordered one of the first 2016 models. Ran great for a while and then transmission started acting up. Re-flashed, ran great and reverted back to junk. I have a great service adviser who has worked with me thru three Tacomas. He was as frustrated as I am. Toyota advised to drive the truck in ECT mode if I didn't like the way it shifted. I am in for a class action. No more Taco's for me..

Nick Walsh (not verified)    September 25, 2018 - 5:55PM

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I blind ordered my Tacoma Limited due to the reputation. Oh am I sorry I bought it. Had the transmission flash and I still hate the shifting. only time this truck performs is when I go to pass someone then, it takes off like a rocket. I hate this truck big time. I am certainly in for a class action... I want my money back. $40,000 for a junky truck, even the engine sounds like a junker.

Steve Williams (not verified)    September 25, 2018 - 9:51PM

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Join the club. Wish I had read this thread before I bought mine too. Certainly worthy of the title "Worst Truck of The Year" that Consumers Report gave it. Good luck with any resolution from the dealer or Toyota. They should give us all new transmissions!

Gaines Burns (not verified)    October 16, 2018 - 12:05AM

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Does TSB 0077-16 cover the 2014 Tacoma? My issue is the transmission is very slow to upshift after accelerating. I try to coax into upshifting by taking my foot off the gas, which seems to help, but it is still slow to upshift.

Kirk (not verified)    May 19, 2019 - 4:28PM

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My 2016 4 cylinder Tacoma has the very same issues as the 6 cylinder but no TSB was created for it. Took it to the dealer for the upgrade and was told by the service manager there is no upgrade for the 4 cylinder with the exact same transmission. Likes to go to 5000 rpm when shifting from 3rd to 4th. Called corporate and was told there is no fix for the 4 cylinder period!

ROBERT Osborne (not verified)    September 27, 2019 - 10:23PM

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The reprogram done on my 2017 Tacoma did NOT fix the problem, so they said we will look at it again. Maybe next time will get it right, but I’m afraid it has done damage to the transmission by now. Transmission will only slip so much before being fubr, maybe Toyota should start replacing transmissions that are still having problems after the so called fix

mike blackburn (not verified)    September 28, 2019 - 1:40PM

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I have owned many Toyota trucks I my lifetime! Unfortunately I bought a 2016 Tacoma with 20k miles, and did not drive it long enough to recognize the trans issues. The dealer did an computer update on , when I insisted. It lasted a month, and is now shifting as terrible as before. I am very disappointed!

Robert P P Peden (not verified)    October 8, 2019 - 9:08PM

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My 2016 after about 3 months became anemic, I complained when I took it in for oil change service manager seemed oblivious to what I was saying but the lub tech told me he could make it better which it was like a different truck. Yea I sad the oil change person new more or disclosed more than service manager (cant make it up. ) Now it is revving up slightly between 3-4 and when I called service manager he stated they have not heard of any issues with transmissions but now I know the truth. No more Toyotas for me

Mary Echols (not verified)    December 11, 2019 - 6:50AM

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Just had the reflash and shift logic update done yesterday. I told them to keep it over night and drive it today to make sure it worked. I’m a service advisor for another make and when I went to Toyota, I told the advisor there it was Torque Shudder. He said “probably not torque shudder. It’s probably the GDI kicking in.” Hm. If I’ve been driving it for 20 minutes and the GDI hasn’t kicked in yet, I’m extremely curious to know how I’m driving it. Extremely rude of him to dismiss my knowledge and come back with something that makes 0 sense. Anyway, I hope the update fixes this issue.