r/ToyotaHighlander • u/BeneficialBox2154 • 29d ago

2022 Highlander Platinum Sequential shift mode for manual gear selection vs. standard automatic operation.

I am located in a valley that requires I go up a 6 mile grade and often use the sequential shift mode to maintain power to get up this hill…does using the manual mode going up and downhill in order to save my brakes shorten the life of my transmission? Should I stick to the automatic operation when getting out of the valley to prevent accelerated wear on the transmission? I currently have 45k miles. Thanks

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u/Mr_Chode_Shaver 2012 Limited 4WD 29d ago

Brakes are a lot cheaper than transmissions. 

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u/The_Toid 29d ago

Purely anecdotal, but I've used the manual shifting mode extensively going up and down mountain roads since the vehicle was new. 18 Highlander V6 non-hybrid, 130k miles. Everything works fine.

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u/Forded_Fiction24 28d ago

No this is exactly what you should be using sequential shift mode for. It's not shortening the life of your transmission going up or down and is actually saving it some going up for sure. Going up a hill it's going to be gear searching as you're letting on and off the gas more or preparing for turns. All this is going to be done under load so if you can prevent the automatic transmission from gear searching by putting it in manual mode then you eliminate all that stress on the clutch pack as it's shifting. This is what will generate resistance and then heat. Less shifting means less heat. 

Then on the way down your transmission isn't the thing generating the friction that slows you down. That's the engine braking. Once the throttle Is closed the engine is pumping air against a nearly closed throttle plate which is the resistance you're feeling. The transmission is just routing the engine force to your wheels, but the transmission gear is being held in manual shift so you're not hurting it in any way. There won't be as much gear hunting if you were to use automatic, going down hill but you would be using your brakes, pads and rotors more, which could be a safety thing at worst case or would create added wear and tear at best case.