Fix the Tow Mode - please

[Learjet]

my 2006 in 4th with TM on will keep the converter locked until it is time to downshift. I tow at 65 mph on the interstate and would have to bog down below 60 before it unlocks.

[Smoke05]

Originally Posted by Learjet

my 2006 in 4th with TM on will keep the converter locked until it is time to downshift. I tow at 65 mph on the interstate and would have to bog down below 60 before it unlocks.

I have an 05 and mine runs the same.

If your engine or transmission is over temping and you are towing with tow mode and in 4th gear, something is not right with your truck or your tranny temp gage. Mine is lucky to reach half way even in 90 degree weather towing my 7500lb travel trailer.

[debos titan]

i pulled a u-haul behind mine but i could not tell a difference. i bought the 2 chips from nissan and it seem's to do nothing for me.

[vipzach]

Originally Posted by debos titan

i pulled a u-haul behind mine but i could not tell a difference. i bought the 2 chips from nissan and it seem's to do nothing for me.

The chips(relays) are only for the trailer lights!

[UWSkier]

My beef with tow mode is it doesn't like to drop into a higher gear as early as it should when reaching the apex of hills. Mine seems to stay downshifted longer than I'd like. That motor has a ton of torque down low. Use it!

[loufish]

After reading these posts, I've come to realize this:

The 2004 Titans seem to have a problem keeping the T/C locked at moderate towing speeds, while the later Titans don't seem to share this same issue..

Now, some of the guys here have stated that the tranny temps will go up unless they manually downshift, that sounds like the T/C is unlocked because that's were the heat comes from. Are these trucks having a problem keeping the T/C locked, but the owners don't know it?

[Steamguy]

Originally Posted by loufish

After reading these posts, I've come to realize this:

The 2004 Titans seem to have a problem keeping the T/C locked at moderate towing speeds, while the later Titans don't seem to share this same issue..

Now, some of the guys here have stated that the tranny temps will go up unless they manually downshift, that sounds like the T/C is unlocked because that's were the heat comes from. Are these trucks having a problem keeping the T/C locked, but the owners don't know it?

I think you're onto something here. I've found that using Tow Mode is useless in my early '04 because the torque converter just won't lock at all. When I DON'T use Tow Mode, but instead just keep it in 4, everything's happy. Torque converter stays locked, RPMs stay low if you give it just a little gas.

And here's another way that mine appears to be different: I can have mine just set to 4 (Manual mode) and it acts just like a regular automatic, where it will downshift if the RPMs are too low, or if you punch it.

There were a number of changes in about July of '04. I would now bet that the ECU/TCU were part of them.

[Ghostface]

Originally Posted by loufish

After reading these posts, I've come to realize this:

The 2004 Titans seem to have a problem keeping the T/C locked at moderate towing speeds, while the later Titans don't seem to share this same issue..

Now, some of the guys here have stated that the tranny temps will go up unless they manually downshift, that sounds like the T/C is unlocked because that's were the heat comes from. Are these trucks having a problem keeping the T/C locked, but the owners don't know it?

Just bought my 06 Titan and look forward to towing with it and seeing how she compares to the 04. I have a am pretty sure the 06 is going to have no problems with tranny temp. I too have had the same feeling based off of other forum postings about this tranny temp issue that it was more of an 04 model year issue

[xtremerider954]

I have an 04 LE KC and have never had any temp issues when towing. I've towed everything from my car all the way from NC to FL with no problems to just using it for work pulling stuff. Love it

[loufish]

I have an 04 LE KC and have never had any temp issues when towing. I've towed everything from my car all the way from NC to FL with no problems to just using it for work pulling stuff. Love it

1. Do recall how the T/c acted in 4th and 5th gear?

2. Are there any hills in FL?

[Ghostface]

Just an update.
So pulled the camper out to the coast this weekend in the 06 and guess what? My temp never rose above 1/2. On this same trip towing same camper with my 04 I typically reached max temp at least 2 times if I was not paying attention to the guage every 30 secs or so.

[x2thez]

I have a 04 and towing in the winter, I had 5 passengers, a bed full of luggage and towing a 6 place snowmobile trailer, which is prob about 6500 or 7000 lbs. I was having a problem getting the TQ converter to lock in 5th, I downshifted it to 4th and it was happy as a clam. Even on flat areas it wouldnt lock, now this was at about 70 mph, at lower speeds it didnt lock either, but it wasnt as much of an issue. Doing this did cause teh tranny to heat up, but not to the H, but to the line below which based on my understanding is the upper limit of normal.

[Jetboy]

I have an 05 and tow about 8,000#'s and 11' 3" tall. About 1/3 of my normal trip is with 6% or greater grades and temps in the triple digits and the tranny temp never goes over 1/2. Tow mode seems to work fine in those conditions, it is on the flats that I can take it or leave it, generally leave it.

[linycctitan]

I've never had an issue towing with my '06. We usually do 15-60 miles with 8500# of boat & gear and the tranny temp never climbs above the 1/2 way point on the gauge, and sometimes its 85-90 out w/ max a/c cranked, no temp issues at all.

[tough-titan]

I have an 08 Titan with less than a 800 miles on it. I towed my pop-up last weekend up some mountain roads with no problems, I watched the trans temp and it stayed well below the the hot zone. I did take easy since it is in the break-in period. I very impressed with the power. Tons better than my old Durango.