Solomoan

Sorry about this one...

I need to have recommendations on the normal position for the gear shift handle to be in when shifting from park to drive. You can either be in D (right) or 4 (left), and I've noticed a difference in RPM's on the tach, and wondered which would be the correct/most efficient slot for normal city driving?

yaro1

D is the correct one. Not embarassing though. I wondered at first. I believe that the number is just the highest gear the tranny will shift into. It can almost be used like manual transmission I think I heard. Yo'u would only use the lower numbers on difficult terrain or if going downhill and you want to downshift to use engine braking.

Please correct me if I am wrong though.

D - 5th gear (overdrive?)
4 - 4th gear
3 - 3rd gear
2 - 2nd gear
L - 1st gear

Capirato

There is no overdrive.

I love that 4th gear for passing.....

~ Cap

caha14

5th gear is an overdrive gear. It just isn't labeled as a D with a circle around it as in most domestic vehicles.

4th gear should have a 1:1 ratio (or close to it - sort of what 3rd gear is on 4-speed trannies), though I can't find the exact numbers for the GX.

Solomoan

Appreciate the advice and will stick to D.

looknow12

D is fine. The GX's transmission coupled with its pretty good torque at low RPM's will keep it driving smoothly.

Typically (10 years ago) when they had overdrive, the transmissions would overshift because the engines would labor in the overdrive great (4 back then). So to smooth things out, one would leave the transmission in 3rd around town. My 4runner had a button on the shifter making it easier.

Now the only time you might shift down is when driving up a steep hill and/or pulling a trailer. To keep the truck from overshifting, a lower gear will keep the engine at a higher RPM allowing it to maintain speed.

GXtreme

If your are in bumber to bumber traffic, stay away from D.

looknow12

It doesn't matter. The GX will do a go job of holding a lower gear anyway. You'd put more wear in manually shifting out at an RPM the transmission is not designed for.

I.e. traffic let's up, you're still in 1st (unless you're in 1st what's the point) at 25 mph you decide it's let up enough to shift out, clunk, transmission, drive shaft, rear and front end, center differential all take a jerking.

I believe the transmissions today are well software tuned enough to maximize the life of all drive components.

SacKen

I second that. Unless you are doing something abnormal like towing, off-roading or going downhill and the auto-downshift isn't kicking in for you, you should be in D 99.999% of the time.