How do you use the manual shifting in a Toyota Sienna?

[taximomfor4]

Me and a group of moms were just talking about one of our minivans: a 2011 Toyota Sienna. It is a 6-speed. I guess it's automatic but then you can make it manual to shift up or down...like for hills, I guess. ANyone know how to do this? We are not from a very hilly area, obviously, so have NO idea how to use this feature.

 

[DrCavin]

I don't have a Sienna, but my Audi has what sounds like a similar feature. You can switch it to be "manual" & you decide when to up/down shift. I have never used it because of a hill - used more to zip in/out of traffic

 

[golfgal]

Isn't this what the 3, 2, 1 settings are for on an automatic?

 

[DrCavin]

Isn't this what the 3, 2, 1 settings are for on an automatic?

Pretty much same, on my audi it is + / - + shifts up - shifts down....

 

[lemondog]

I have a Toyota Sienna and live up a HUGE hill. I just manually downshift slowly from 5 to 1 as I am slowly making my way up the hill. Then shift back up to 5 when I am done. Works fine.

 

[taximomfor4]

I have a Toyota Sienna and live up a HUGE hill. I just manually downshift slowly from 5 to 1 as I am slowly making my way up the hill. Then shift back up to 5 when I am done. Works fine.

So while going up hills, you move the lever over, and then slowly hit downshift, downshift again, etc?? Then if you are going down the hill, do you do the opposite? I would be afraid of trying it, does it cause sudden changes in speed?

 

[NotUrsula]

Haven't any of you folks ever driven a real manual?

When you drive a manual tranny, the sound of the engine clues you in as to when to shift; when the revs go high and you start to pick up a hint of whine, then you need to go to a higher-numbered gear to lower the stress on the engine. If you can't do it by ear, you need to watch the tachometer to determine when to shift; normally around 3000 rpms is a good time. You *can* force the engine to use a low gear to put more power to your drivetrain on purpose if you need a burst of power, but you don't want to prolong that condition, as it is hard on the engine -- only use it just when you need it, and get back down well below redline as soon as possible.

These days I do drive an automatic with manual capability. It isn't NEARLY as responsive as the real thing, but it helps a bit. Until you get good at it and learn the engine sounds, ALWAYS switch to manual only when you are full-stopped, and start with 1st gear - downshifting is not for amateurs, as you can ruin the gearbox if you really do it wrong. It doesn't cause sudden changes in speed unless you do it incorrectly, in which case it feels like hitting the brakes rather hard. For most urban/suburban driving, the most common use of the paddle-shift feature is when climbing an interstate on-ramp: put the car in 1st when you stop before the ramp turn, then shift as needed as you accelerate up the ramp. You should be in 6th gear when you reach cruising speed after the merge, and then you can slide over back to automatic to maintain the cruising speed.

Also, be careful of the direction of the shift lever. Almost all of the auto/manuals on the market have the darn thing mounted backward, so that you move the lever UP to go to a higher gear, which is the opposite of how a real manual usually works. AFAIK, only Mazda has it set so that you move the lever down to go to a higher gear.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Haven't any of you folks ever driven a real manual?

Unfortunately many American's have never even seen a manual transmission vehicle, never the less driven one.

These days I do drive an automatic with manual capability. It isn't NEARLY as responsive as the real thing, but it helps a bit.

Some automatics with manuals are actually faster and more responsive then a true manual. With the new double clutch systems, paddle shifters and electronic controls, true clutch shifting is being seen as obsolute, even on high end exotic cars.

As for the situation at hand, there really is not a lot of need to use the gear selectors for most every day driving, even up large hills, the car (electronics) will compensate and select the most optimal gear for the situation. Now, in winter driving, it can be beneficial to start in 2nd or 3rd gear (depening on how many gears your automatic/manual transmission has) as it will help moving from a stopped position.

 

[ChrisFL]

Unfortunately many American's have never even seen a manual transmission vehicle, never the less driven one.

Yes, its sad...I only drive manual transmission cars if I have the choice...so much more control.

 

[tvguy]

About 5% of all cars sold have a manual transmission these days, best I can tell from a Google search.
My mom had a car with "3 on the Tree", but she got rid of it back in 1960, and nobody in my family has owned a stick shift since.

 

[ChickieToo]

My Infiniti FX35 has one of these. When in drive, the shifter can be moved to the right to put it in the manual mode, then up or down as you see fit. It does sort of work just like a regular manual transmission without the clutch.

I don't use it for hills, but rather as another poster said, when I'm zipping around, or when I want to slow down without using the brake, like on an off ramp or at a light that is getting ready to change. It really is more like a toy for me--something to use to make driving a little more fun sometimes.

 

[NotUrsula]

Some automatics with manuals are actually faster and more responsive then a true manual. With the new double clutch systems, paddle shifters and electronic controls, true clutch shifting is being seen as obsolute, even on high end exotic cars.

Oh, I know that some are, but mine isn't. I can't afford the kind of car that has that level of refinement, so I'm planning on going back to an ordinary manual after I get rid of this one.

As for the situation at hand, there really is not a lot of need to use the gear selectors for most every day driving, even up large hills, the car (electronics) will compensate and select the most optimal gear for the situation. Now, in winter driving, it can be beneficial to start in 2nd or 3rd gear (depening on how many gears your automatic/manual transmission has) as it will help moving from a stopped position.

My car is underpowered for its weight, and I most commonly need to go to manual when I need to get my tail out of the way of another vehicle in a hurry. Mine has a definite lag if you try flooring it in DRIVE; a lag long enough to lose my life in the wrong situation. Luckily I have years of experience driving a stick, so my muscle memory takes over in situations like that -- if I had to really think about I'm sure I couldn't manage to do it fast enough (and of course, I do drive with my right hand on the stick at all times, just out of habit.)

We probably should clarify that there are two kinds of engine types that a person could be speaking of in this context: one is the traditional automatic that has D, N, 1, 2; where you would only use gears 1 or 2 in unusual driving conditions that require increased torque transferred to the wheels. In recent years some models have these gear positions, but also have the entire gear range available for manual shifting as well, normally by either moving the gear lever to the right in the box and going through the entire gear range from R to 6 (or 5), or by using small paddle gear levers mounted on the steering wheel to do the same thing. I was speaking of the second type, and I believe that you were as well.

About 5% of all cars sold have a manual transmission these days, best I can tell from a Google search.
My mom had a car with "3 on the Tree", but she got rid of it back in 1960, and nobody in my family has owned a stick shift since.

I learned to drive on a '65 Dodge Wagon with 4 on the tree; it was tons of fun the day that the gear lever broke off in my hand when I was in 2d gear and 7 miles from nowhere. (That was apparently a common issue with column shifts; I know at least 5 people who had it happen to them.)

 

[taximomfor4]

We probably should clarify that there are two kinds of engine types that a person could be speaking of in this context: one is the traditional automatic that has D, N, 1, 2; where you would only use gears 1 or 2 in unusual driving conditions that require increased torque transferred to the wheels. In recent years some models have these gear positions, but also have the entire gear range available for manual shifting as well, normally by either moving the gear lever to the right in the box and going through the entire gear range from R to 6 (or 5), or by using small paddle gear levers mounted on the steering wheel to do the same thing. I was speaking of the second type, and I believe that you were as well.

In the Sienna, you slide the gearshift left while driving. Then you tap it up (+) or down (-). None of us moms had any idea when someone would do that, and how. Just driving along in D, approach a big hill, as you start climbing the hill, slide the shifter Left, then tap it (-) right? I think you can tap it (-) for each gear. Not sure though. I think at that point, it's not a "shifter" but a paddle. LOL I know next to NOTHING about cars.

Thanks, everyone, for trying to explain, lol. I passed on some of the wisdom last night, but we all so far just stick the car in drive and go, lol.

 

[lemondog]

So while going up hills, you move the lever over, and then slowly hit downshift, downshift again, etc?? Then if you are going down the hill, do you do the opposite? I would be afraid of trying it, does it cause sudden changes in speed?

Yes, however I do not have the "manual" option in my Sienna so I literally just downshift to 4, then 3, etc. I do it based on the sound of the engine revving. But then again I learned to drive on a manual. You could also check your rpm's as another poster stated, but usually you can tell by ear when it's time to downshift.