Tow Mode

[KDS]

Hey guys.  I admit I haven't read the manual yet about this feature, but I was thinking about it so I thought I would make it a post.  At what weight should you use tow mode?  Does it just keep you out of overdrive or does it change/harden shift points?  Lastly, tell me about your real world experiences.  When do you use it and maybe more importantly, when do you not use it?

[ASD Dad]

I use it every time towing our camper.  I do not use it towing my landscape trailer.  Even loaded up with 3+ yards of mulch it still tows easily and I am normally not towing far or through hills with that trailer.

 

The tow mode holds gears longer, will downshift when going downhill and you press the brakes (most of the time), etc.  It still goes into OD but not as quickly.  I tend to use manual mode on the rolling highways around here when towing heavy, I can get in the right lower gear early and shift up on the way back down.  On long grades going down I can also easily downshift for some engine braking help.  

 

Doesnt hurt to use it, try it out the next time you pull something and see if you like the way the ECU is controlling things. 

 

When pulling some weight dont worry about letting the engine spin up.  I am regularly in 3rd gear on the highway on decent hills.  It gets the motor in the middle of the torque curve and you'll find you need less throttle vs. lugging the engine.  I was really shocked when I was towing with my Tundra how often the ECU wanted a low gear but these gas motors need that torque peak to be more efficient.  Had over 80,000 miles with a huge chunk of that towing with the Tundra and I am nearing 40,000 miles on my NV with 1000's of miles towing already.  Been up through the Blue Ridge and Appalachian mountains and then down to FL many times pulling our camper.  Spinning at 3500+ RPM in 100* heat during the summer in the mountains and the engine and transmission are still running nice and cool.  We have big old coolers sitting front and center behind our grills!

Edited April 25, 2017 by ASD Dad

[radin2son]

Tow mode can also be used on a heavily loaded van for the same reasons as described by ASD Dad. Use the manual mode as well.

 

On your road trip west you will encounter plenty of places to use both.

[KDS]

Cool, thanks.  On my first outing with the boat I didn't feel like I needed tow mode so I didn't use it.  We don't have any hills where I live and my boat only weighs about 4500 lbs with gear.  It did like to hold 3rd gear when getting up to speed but I expected that.  I was very happy with how it towed.  Just wish it got the same towing MPG as my diesel!

[radin2son]

On this past trip we used manual mode on all dirt roads and most scenic paved roads. I used tow mode only once.

 

Correct me if I'm wrong. To engage tow mode, I had to be stopped. (It can be disengaged when moving.) This would be for steep down hills with a heavily loaded van, not towing. Generally, there are warning signs with % grade and distance, plus there are signs for brake check zones and runaway vehicle ramps to tip you off.

 

After the fact, you will know when you needed more than lower gears.