Maybe its me, but I have never driven an automatic that shifts this way.

First, I have an xB, automatic transmission with no mods. I love my car

When the car is cold (blue light on) it shifts out of 2nd at about 3400 RPM, on a flat street, with no load. When you let off gas and the car continues to pick up speed, it does not shift to the next gear. When the car is warm, under the same conditions it shifts at 2200-2300 RPM.
I figure this is something related to the temperature of the car and it shifting this way.

However, when driving on the freeway (car completely warmed up) and an upward grade of 10-15% the car shifts strangely. At 65 MPH, the car will downshift from 3rd to 4th. Upon lowering speed and decreasing steepness of the grade, the car continues at 3rd. It does not shift out of 3rd until the grade has completely leveled out.

Does this sound strange? Is it just me being paranoid? I figured, before I have the Toyota mechanics look at it, I would ask the real experts at Scion Life.

Yes, that's sounds normal to me. When the engine is warming up, it won't shift into o/d. It does feel a little weird, since these cars are designed to always get into O/D as soon as possible. Mine usually only takes a few blocks to come to temp, but I live in CA.

The hill thing sounds about right too, assuming it's a pretty steep grade and how fast you're trying to push the Box up it. What people usually complain about with the auto is a not so steep grade that makes the tranny want to shift in and out of O/D.

I agree. That sounds about right. The tranny is trying to conserve by minimizing shifting in and out of gear during hill climbs. The transmission can't figure out that there is no more hill though sometimes.

You may want to override this by clicking the OD off button "off" then "on" again after you've leveled out.

Typical of these trannys. The most annoying thing is a down hill decent by my mothers house. Down grade and slight turn to the left. The tranny down shifts, and wont upshift till im at the bottom of the hill. By the time im there, its almost at 4,500K RPM, practically screaming. According to the gurus here, this is the way Toyota built the tranny on these boxes.

i have 04 xb with auto,sounds normal to me.

Tis is from the toyota Japan bB webpage

http://www.dotphoto.com/SAN1/3B/00/70/i3B0070AB-8B0E-4366-88E6-102A910E4B93.jpg

Link to pict incase its no worky : http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=dcool&P=&AID=1633303&IID=63014252&T=1

The black line show the shift pattern of a car without super ECT and the lower line shows the shift patterns with the super ECT on. As you can see, its normal to have the car stay in gear 3 while moving up hill. And also note that the ECT will also downshift to gear 3automatically when moving down a steep slope. Hope this helps.

The mechanic at the dealer says it is a failsafe put in so that the car is warmed up b4 you start stepping on the gas and gunning it before oil is delivered to all the important places. As far funny shiffting goes mine takes the cake as it I took it back and another mechanic who doesnt know me to well at the same dealer told me that the trans fluid was low thats why it was shifting improperly. so why is a new car needing trans fluid so soon?

Tis is from the toyota Japan bB webpage

http://www.dotphoto.com/SAN1/3B/00/70/i3B0070AB-8B0E-4366-88E6-102A910E4B93.jpg

Link to pict incase its no worky : http://www.dotphoto.com/Go.asp?l=dcool&P=&AID=1633303&IID=63014252&T=1

The black line show the shift pattern of a car without super ECT and the lower line shows the shift patterns with the super ECT on. As you can see, its normal to have the car stay in gear 3 while moving up hill. And also note that the ECT will also downshift to gear 3automatically when moving down a steep slope. Hope this helps.

this uphill and downhill shift logic. toyota does this so the tranny doesn't have to work as much (going back and forth between 3rd and 4th). it is also there so you don't have to manually press the OD button. its on all toyota's :)

At 65 MPH, the car will downshift from 3rd to 4th..

????