GR86 Jerky acceleration when cold?

When cold is your 86 OK to pull away smoothly and easily?

  • Yes smooth as butter

    Votes: 11 13.4%
  • Not perfect but not an issue

    Votes: 48 58.5%
  • Finding it frustrating but ok to live with it

    Votes: 20 24.4%
  • Jesus Christ its annoying, just stop it, stop it now!

    Votes: 3 3.7%

  • Total voters
    82

Silver Fox

Totally Hooked
May 7, 2022
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The 86 is a car that trains it's driver
I'm glad you posted this @KobayashiMaru86 . I recall you posted this statement (or similar) before (possibly relating to the GT86), and it's a nice elegant statement that encapsulates so much about the 86s.

I'm glad you posted it cos I was going to mention it and I couldn't remember who it was who said it. I knew it was one of you intelligent, knowledgeable, thoughtful contributors (yourself, @doogle83 , @ZN8 and a good few others), as opposed to those wittering on about coat hooks and pyjamas and other such nonsense for example.
 

KobayashiMaru86

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Apr 14, 2022
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It's definitely made me raise my game but fully expected this. When my brother got his 86, he wasn't smooth and was used to ragging a Swift Sport about. Gave him some tips about shifting and timing. Several years later he's a far smoother and better driver for it. No wasteful wheel spin, steering only as much as is needed. He's improved a lot.

You do notice how the throttle is more once you have an exhaust you can here. Even on the Skoda's I was used to a more sensitive throttle. You could blip it with hardly any effort, almost play with it with the smallest of touches. If the throttle movement is on a scale from 1 to 10, 1-2 doesn't do much and it's all between 2 and 8. 9 and 10 don't do much either. I'm happy enough with it though. You drive smoothly and it's fine. It's up to you to drive better and match what the car demands. I'm always wary of making changes and I like adapting to what a car wants. I'm off up North Wales for a spin with some car mates this weekend and I'm excited to compare this on the roads I used to know so well.
 

SJR202

Obsessed member
Jan 28, 2022
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Fleet, Hampshire
It's definitely made me raise my game but fully expected this. When my brother got his 86, he wasn't smooth and was used to ragging a Swift Sport about. Gave him some tips about shifting and timing. Several years later he's a far smoother and better driver for it. No wasteful wheel spin, steering only as much as is needed. He's improved a lot.

You do notice how the throttle is more once you have an exhaust you can here. Even on the Skoda's I was used to a more sensitive throttle. You could blip it with hardly any effort, almost play with it with the smallest of touches. If the throttle movement is on a scale from 1 to 10, 1-2 doesn't do much and it's all between 2 and 8. 9 and 10 don't do much either. I'm happy enough with it though. You drive smoothly and it's fine. It's up to you to drive better and match what the car demands. I'm always wary of making changes and I like adapting to what a car wants. I'm off up North Wales for a spin with some car mates this weekend and I'm excited to compare this on the roads I used to know so well.
Hi @KobayashiMaru86 , thats a really interesting scale you've put:
If the throttle movement is on a scale from 1 to 10, 1-2 doesn't do much and it's all between 2 and 8. 9 and 10 don't do much either.
It is a really good way of describing it, for me my car doesnt relate to it. My scale would be:

1-2 is 80% of all throttle power/acceleration, 3-8 is mild increase say another 15% in acceleration, 9-10 little difference the final 5%. As per my OP when engine completely cold its intensified.
Some great comments and views as always, all cars are different but by no means am I not used to sports cars, from Elise's to Porsche and most Land Rover's at the other end of the scale, so maybe more mileage is needed but gut feel as a keen driver and car owner/enthusiast is something isnt quite right... :unsure:
 

KobayashiMaru86

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Apr 14, 2022
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Hi @KobayashiMaru86 , thats a really interesting scale you've put:

It is a really good way of describing it, for me my car doesnt relate to it. My scale would be:

1-2 is 80% of all throttle power/acceleration, 3-8 is mild increase say another 15% in acceleration, 9-10 little difference the final 5%. As per my OP when engine completely cold its intensified.
Some great comments and views as always, all cars are different but by no means am I not used to sports cars, from Elise's to Porsche and most Land Rover's at the other end of the scale, so maybe more mileage is needed but gut feel as a keen driver and car owner/enthusiast is something isnt quite right... :unsure:
That's fair. Perhaps I should mean 1 does nothing in comparison to other things I've had and 2-8 is the rest of it. 9-10 like most cars does very little. When it gets to 2 it's there so perhaps this is where the jerkyness is coming from for some. Also being cold when choke is out could exaggerate this too. Even my last car was a bit kangaroo like on cold with the throttle. A more exaggerated throttle than this but had similar steps was my Mk2 Fabia vRS. Being DSG I had to be feather light on the throttle round town and manoeuvring especially. Even if it would move a little on it's own, I had to be patient with it and if you were too aggressive and hit the kickdown it would drop a gear when you least wanted it to. I'm probably sensitive with the throttle because of it. For me it's fine and I've adapted OK. Linear is always better if you can get it. That's for a map to sort in 3 yrs time if I feel the need.
 
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SJR202

Obsessed member
Jan 28, 2022
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HI @KobayashiMaru86 that all makes sense, Im sure more driving will help with the 'getting used to its quirks', I love every other aspect of the car, possibly all been more emphasised of late as all my journeys have been around town/traffic/commute type driving and havent been out on the open road for a bit so almost every journey has been short with a cold engine. Maybe I should try some bare foot driving till i get used to it ;)
 

CarlosTheJackal

Devoted member
Apr 26, 2022
42
117
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Sunny Huddersfield®
It's a relief to find that it isn't just me that finds it a challenge to make smooth progress for the first half-minute.

In the initial 30 metres from my house, I have two very tight turns, both on steep inclines (probably both 1 in 5s, in old money), coupled with a fairly loose and bumpy road surface, so I'm never quite certain whether my drunken kangaroo impression *is* the result of an issue with the throttle map... or a lack of sensitivity on my part, a momentary lack of traction, the ruts in the road creating uneven pressure from my foot to the pedal... or aliens.

I never had an issue in any car before - no matter which wheels were driven - and my previous Yaris GRMN positively scampered up the same section of road like a mountain goat.
 

SJR202

Obsessed member
Jan 28, 2022
389
458
63
Fleet, Hampshire
It's a relief to find that it isn't just me that finds it a challenge to make smooth progress for the first half-minute.

In the initial 30 metres from my house, I have two very tight turns, both on steep inclines (probably both 1 in 5s, in old money), coupled with a fairly loose and bumpy road surface, so I'm never quite certain whether my drunken kangaroo impression *is* the result of an issue with the throttle map... or a lack of sensitivity on my part, a momentary lack of traction, the ruts in the road creating uneven pressure from my foot to the pedal... or aliens.

I never had an issue in any car before - no matter which wheels were driven - and my previous Yaris GRMN positively scampered up the same section of road like a mountain goat.
Ive not had chance to fully experiment with improvements, drives since attempting it have not had as cold weather starts as before, however this process I found on the GT86 forum so far has made me feel its gone from genuelny annoying and something wrong with it, to now, its a liveable quirk that doesnt make you look like you've never driven a car before:

https://www.gt86ownersclub.co.uk/threads/throttle-delay.14692/
- Get in the car and switch on the ignition (don't start the engine).
- Depress the throttle pedal 5 times. Be sure to do it fully each time, all the way down and back up.
- Start the engine and allow it to idle for 30 seconds or so while the cam timing sorts itself out.

This should allow the ECU to determine the full pedal travel. It should respond much better as a result."
 

CarlosTheJackal

Devoted member
Apr 26, 2022
42
117
33
Sunny Huddersfield®
Ive not had chance to fully experiment with improvements, drives since attempting it have not had as cold weather starts as before, however this process I found on the GT86 forum so far has made me feel its gone from genuelny annoying and something wrong with it, to now, its a liveable quirk that doesnt make you look like you've never driven a car before:

https://www.gt86ownersclub.co.uk/threads/throttle-delay.14692/
- Get in the car and switch on the ignition (don't start the engine).
- Depress the throttle pedal 5 times. Be sure to do it fully each time, all the way down and back up.
- Start the engine and allow it to idle for 30 seconds or so while the cam timing sorts itself out.

This should allow the ECU to determine the full pedal travel. It should respond much better as a result."
Interesting stuff - I'll definitely give that a try this evening. Nice find - cheers!
 

Nick

Totally Hooked
Dec 6, 2021
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West Midlands
https://www.gt86ownersclub.co.uk/threads/throttle-delay.14692/
- Get in the car and switch on the ignition (don't start the engine).
- Depress the throttle pedal 5 times. Be sure to do it fully each time, all the way down and back up.
- Start the engine and allow it to idle for 30 seconds or so while the cam timing sorts itself out.

This should allow the ECU to determine the full pedal travel. It should respond much better as a result."
Thanks for this. I haven't been too bothered about it, and just took it for granted it was just how it is, but I tried this out and to my suprise it seems to have made a difference, it does feel smoother to me now from a cold start (I don't think it's just all in my head, but you never know...).
 

Silver Fox

Totally Hooked
May 7, 2022
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Ive not had chance to fully experiment with improvements, drives since attempting it have not had as cold weather starts as before, however this process I found on the GT86 forum so far has made me feel its gone from genuelny annoying and something wrong with it, to now, its a liveable quirk that doesnt make you look like you've never driven a car before:

https://www.gt86ownersclub.co.uk/threads/throttle-delay.14692/
- Get in the car and switch on the ignition (don't start the engine).
- Depress the throttle pedal 5 times. Be sure to do it fully each time, all the way down and back up.
- Start the engine and allow it to idle for 30 seconds or so while the cam timing sorts itself out.

This should allow the ECU to determine the full pedal travel. It should respond much better as a result."
Great, thanks for this @SJR202. I'll give this a try.
 

Conscript

Totally Hooked
Apr 20, 2022
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That was my post! I thought there was something good looking about it ;)
Yes, I did that too, and just like with the GT86, it did feel like it took out a little of the dead-zone at the top of the throttle pedal.
 
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Silver Fox

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That was my post! I thought there was something good looking about it ;)
Yes, I did that too, and just like with the GT86, it did feel like it took out a little of the dead-zone at the top of the throttle pedal.
Would you say there are any actual or potential disadvantages resulting from the procedure? Any adverse consequences?
 

Conscript

Totally Hooked
Apr 20, 2022
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Would you say there are any actual or potential disadvantages resulting from the procedure? Any adverse consequences?
Don't think so. I gather all its doing is refreshing the pedal position calibration, so the ECU knows the extent of the full pedal travel. It might not make much improvement, but it can't hurt anything.
 
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Silver Fox

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Don't think so. I gather all its doing is refreshing the pedal position calibration, so the ECU knows the extent of the full pedal travel. It might not make much improvement, but it can't hurt anything.
Thanks, I shall try it with interest.
 

SJR202

Obsessed member
Jan 28, 2022
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Fleet, Hampshire
Thanks for this. I haven't been too bothered about it, and just took it for granted it was just how it is, but I tried this out and to my suprise it seems to have made a difference, it does feel smoother to me now from a cold start (I don't think it's just all in my head, but you never know...).
@Conscript I thank you for the original post :)
I've only tried it once and think its improved, its still a bit sensitive / jerky when morning cold start, but maybe 50% better than it was, almost undrivable when very cold mornings, now it certainly takes a lot more concentration and precision than a 'normal' car but its liveable.
This morning, 1st gear was a little jerky but 2nd and 3rd were ok, where as before I just got it up to 4th as quick as I could to avoid bouncing down the street!

It does make me wonder when the cars have sat around inevitably with a flat battery from in my case June UK arrival and January dealer delivered what it might do to all the computers :unsure:
 
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FRAJ

Obsessed member
Apr 27, 2022
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A few times now when just started from cold and driving slowly along the road in 1st at idle, when applying the smallest amount of throttle to speed up it seemed to cut fuel completely and suddenly decelerate. My instinct is to put the clutch in and try again, as adding more pedal will just launch it down the road. It is very (too) sensitive, esp compared to most modern cars.
I had tried the pedal position refresh just the other day and noticed no difference. It may be doing something, but I can't find the source of that procedure. It also gave no feedback (dash lights etc) that anything was happening - I did find another Subaru procedure that talked about this type of thing and it had the EML light coming on / flashing to indicate the procedure was being carried out or entering self test mode.
 
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BOOSTFAN

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Thanks for this. I haven't been too bothered about it, and just took it for granted it was just how it is, but I tried this out and to my suprise it seems to have made a difference, it does feel smoother to me now from a cold start (I don't think it's just all in my head, but you never know...).
I did this yesterday & feel a definite improvement, many thanks.
 

SJR202

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Jan 28, 2022
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This might be nonsense, but I was trying to find more info and recently been using chatGPT for info on things and its 99% accurate with what its told me, it also wont give an answer if it isnt 'sure', this might be trawled from non EU/UK websites but my question below and response. Need to follow up with Toyota when I have the chance.

ME: does the toyota GR86 have an issue with throttle mapping?

ChatGPT: There have been some reports of the throttle mapping on the Toyota GR86 being overly aggressive, which can cause the car to feel jerky or difficult to control at low speeds. However, this is largely a matter of personal preference, and some drivers may actually appreciate the more responsive throttle.
That being said, Toyota has acknowledged the issue and has released a software update to improve the throttle response and make it smoother and more predictable. This update is available to owners of affected vehicles through Toyota dealerships, and is recommended for those who have experienced issues with the throttle mapping.
 
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KobayashiMaru86

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I've done the reset out of curiosity. I'll see how it is on the way home. I've been fine with it. It is sensitive when cold but choke is out so more fuel and my last car was like this too. But I'd put that down to colder plugs as when I changed to colder ones because it was better for a mapped turbo car I did get the kangarooing when cold.
 
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