2005 Toyota Tundra SR5 from North America - Comments

Nothing has gone wrong.

This pickup is phenomenal. It is comfortable, nicely appointed, great fun to drive, and has features that aren't really even promoted.

I drive in a mountainous area a lot and am in the habit of turning off the overdrive on downhill grades on most cars that I drive. The "intelligent" transmission in the Tundra does that for you. After you have had your foot off the accelerator going down hill, a gentle touch of the brakes once or twice causes the transmission to shift out of overdrive and provide engine braking. If the traffic speed slows more, another touch of the brake at about 45 mph results in it shifting down yet another gear. Wonderful drive-ability.

And, Oh, that 282 horsepower! This truck runs like a sports car, whenever I have the opportunity to "play" with that kind of power.

There is only one complaint. The Cruise Control feature is very badly programmed.

I drive the same roads that I have driven for 46 years and am a great advocate of Cruise Control. So much so that I have installed several after-market units on vehicles which did not have factory installed units. My opinion is qualified.

The Cruise Control on the Tundra works perfectly on level or near-level roads, but hunts-and-seeks over a range of about 3 mph on hills. It causes two-gear down-shifts, racing to catch back up, then overrunning the set speed, causing a shift into the highest gear, backing off to slow back down to the set speed and starting the sequence all over again.

Toyota's official answer to me is "don't use the cruise control on hills". Funny thing, Toyota, every other car I have ever owned, including our 2003 Sienna (my wife's favorite) and the Avalon that I traded on the Tundra after 211,000 excellent miles, all performed just fine on the exact same hills. I am still going through the mediation process. It is a real shame that Toyota ignores this and is unwilling to correct the problem, because it is an awesome ride otherwise.

This is a real issue because the truck is so powerful, quiet, and handles so well that it is very easy to unknowingly exceed speed limits. Just one of the reasons that I use cruise control a lot.

Sounds like a really nice vehicle my buddy has one too, but however is it is a 2004 there is 245 horsepower not 282 that was a change in 2005.

I owned a 1991 4 Runner and experienced the same problem with the cruise control; too bad they haven't fixed it yet. In mountainous areas I had to disengage the cruise control or the constant over acceleration would really annoy me as well as other drivers that I would pass and then slow down only to pass again.

I have a 2004 SR 5 Tundra and the cruise control acts the same. When going up a small incline the cruise control will accelerate so much that the overdrive will kick in. A really gas waster! My Mom's old Chrysler under the same conditions will gradually accelerate until it hits the cruise control set speed. Maybe I should get a Chrysler?

Best pickup you've ever owned?? I assume it must be the ONLY pickup you've ever owned. Either that or you are one very lucky owner who has somehow avoided the myriad problems the Tundras have had.