Potential new owner. Toyota safety sense or no?

I have a 2017 tacoma and been looking to replace it. Might go with a 2021 4runner at my local dealership, but would like to know if people would prefer their 4runners with TSS or with out it. Never owned any vehicle with these newer driver assistance technology. Sounds like they'd be great on longer drives or road trips, but heard some owners find them more annoying.

 

It’s really a personal preference. The luddites among us don’t like these features on principle. Others who are used to having them on other vehicles find the 4Runner’s implementation of them to be comparatively unrefined. Personally I find TSS to be a mixed bag and neither compelling nor a deal breaker. In your place I would weigh other factors more heavily.

You might consider downloading the owners manual and reading through the safety sense sections.

 

Its good to have it with Technology package.
Some of the features can be turned off as desired. However, these features cannot be added as aftermarket.
Thankfully I did.

 

Toyota Safety Sense (TSS) may be just the thing for you if you're a new driver, not confident behind the wheel, feel some anxiety while driving or you just feel the need for another layer of security. In any of these cases, definitely go for a vehicle with TSS as you can always deactivate them later.

All TSS features were deactivated on my 2023 SR5 within weeks of taking ownership.

1. The Lane Departure Alert (LDA) warning beeped incessantly when I crossed the center line of the road to pass a cyclist. LDA deactivated.

2. The Dynamic Range Cruise Control (DRCC) braked on me as I passed a van parked on the shoulder. There was nothing in front of me. Just empty space and open road. But a van parked on the shoulder caused TSS to activate my brakes. It was terrifying considering there were vehicles behind me. DRCC was never never used again after that, just the normal cruise control. DRCC deactivated.

3. The Automatic High Beams don't turn on and off when I want them to. Deactivated.

4. The Pre-Collision System (PCS) also beeped when not needed. PCS Deactivated.

The 4Runner is equipped with the TSS-P package which is at the lower end of the TSS family. There are more advanced packages for other vehicles but on the 4Runner it's just the four items listed above.

https://www.toyota.com/4runner/4runner-features/tss-p/

 

I turned it all off.

 

The drivers that need TSS, turn it all off.

The drivers that do not need TSS, leave it on.

 

I wouldn't pay to TSS if I had a choice. when I used Dynamic Range Cruise Control - it works in normal conditions, but when vehicle in front of me hit the brake and come to full stop, cruise control start braking not too aggressive in my opinion, I had to apply brake myself. Also cruise control and pre-collision system turns itself off when radar plate collects too much dust or snow of ice from the road. Lane departure might be helpful if you tend to fall asleep behind to wheel, but with normal driving it not really needed, it just beeps when you cross a line on the road without using turn signal. The only thing I found somehow helpful is automatic high beams, it worked fine for me on country roads, but I'm just fine with manually turn it on and off.

 

TSS systems are the norm on most new vehicles now. Many insurance companies have premium discounts as well. I would get it. The 4R is a solid vehicle and is the flagship of Toyota when it comes to build quality. Our 4R is definitely built better than my Tundra which is also a 2020.

 

TSS on the 4runner is meh. I had a 2021 and traded it for a 2022 because blind spot monitor was that important to me.

The two things I wouldn't want to do without are radar cruise control and blind spot monitor.

The other stuff - like lane departure doesn't do anything but beep and is annoying. In a car with assisted steering it's nice to have.

For the premium you're paying for TSS on a 2021 why not buy new and get blind spot monitor too?

Used needs to be 5 years old to justify the cost difference for me, but your line may vary.

 

I had all these features in a previous Nissan vehicle and I ended up purchasing a used 2018 4 runner without them less than a year ago . I thought I would miss the features however I’m kind of glad I don’t have them in my 2018 as it cost me time and money a couple of times they went screwy on my Nissan. I look at as less to worry about and the trade offs negligible if you are a real driver and not a distracted zombie wheel holder moving with the horde.

 

I am not a fan of nanny features but they don't inhibit me in any way other than an odd beep getting close to a road line or something. Dynamic cruise control is awesome. I honestly cannot think of a scenario that would make me wish I did not have any of the TSS features.

 

Having both pre TSS and TSS.
My vote is for you to buy the newest 2023 with all the features with blind spot monitoring, 360 camera, etc.. etc.. The only reason I'm keeping my 2019 Pre-TSS is since it have comparatively less stuff to go wrong. But on long tiring road trips small things like lane departure warning I would appreciate just in case. Also things like automatic braking.

 

Sounds like tss might be worth it since I get sleepy on 2hr+ drives, but those automatic braking stories worry me. Was not aware that the blind spot monitoring didn't come on the 21s. I have it on my tacoma and would like to have it on my next car. I wanted to avoid buying new, because I wasn't originally planning on spending that much to replace the truck, but I might reconsider for those features. My trade in is worth $32,500 and the 4runner the dealer has is about $40,500 with 48,000 miles. A 2023 4runner trd off road premium with the minimum features I want will be about $46,710. If that specific configuration was on the lot, I might bite, but they don't have one like that yet and I don't think I can wait. I'd like to get rid of the truck sooner than later.

 

Agree with kmeeg. In my experience there is a time/place where they are useful. Keeping them all active is annoying, so activate only as needed. I for one appreciate having the option available. I Just returned from south Florida to Kansas City and used the DRCC most of the way, no issues with it. (Wife found it unsettling however she did none of the driving) JMHO.

 

It's worth it if you get sleepy on 2hr+ drives.
Here's a report to the NHTSA from someone complaining about the adaptive cruiser control braking for no reason:
https://www.carcomplaints.com/Toyota/4Runner/2022/brakes/service_brakes.shtml

 

Haven’t had the adaptive cruise brake on me like that yet (thank God), and I don’t normally use it anyway, but when you’re in a convoy of any size, even just two vehicles, there nothing nicer than being able to set cruise at 80-something, and then just have the truck follow your leader closely as it slows and speeds with them. I was able to avoid using my feet for the better part of a 6-hour drive behind my father-in-law’s truck and trailer, as we just casually followed him automatically, with just the steering.

Outside of that specific use-case, I don’t think I use any of the TSS, but it’s still nice to know it’s there if I ever want it.

 

can the automatic braking be disabled by the user or is it always on?

 

In my 2022 pre-collision system can be disabled in the settings. Also it disables itself automatically when radar plastic face gets dirty enough.

 

On my 2020, I am happy to have the TSS features. Here's how I use them.
-Radar cruise control: I usually just use "regular" cruise control by holding the button down long enough to deactivate the radar option. However, there are some relatively slow speed situations where I really like it. This would be 40-60mph single lanes of traffic where it does a good job of keeping a fixed distance from the car ahead. At higher speeds, I find it brakes and revs too much so that's when I deactivate the radar option.
-LDA: I always deactivate it when I'm driving because it alerts too often. But I often turn it back on when my spouse is taking a turn driving on long trips because she's easily distracted.
-Pre collision warning. This has been great for me. It's issued an alert about 5 times total since I've had the truck (almost 3 years now), and all times were reasonable to expect a warning. All related to vehicle ahead of me stopping quickly or pedestrians in the street. They have all been just warnings with no noticeable braking (although there may have been assist that I didn't notice). I don't believe the automatic braking can be disabled.
-No blind spot monitoring on my 2020 non-premium.

 

100%

I'm not a fan of these new nanny systems. But not because I am 100% apposed to it, like you said I find the implementation to be unrefined and annoying.

Too bad you cant get a new 4R with out it. Glad I got my 2019 before they started forcing it on us.

However I love TSS for other drivers. I find it quite entertaining how everyone cuts in front and they get pushed back to the end of the line.

 

Yes for the Dynamic Range Cruise Control which can be bypassed by holding down the cruise control button for two seconds and then you'll have the normal cruise control with no automatic braking.

 

Not

 

It seems the TSS systems are like the KDSS - those that have it like it, or at least like it most of the time, and have use for it. Those that don't have it don't want it.

And before anyone says "yeah, but at least you can turn off TSS, but not KDSS" - not so. There is a way to turn KDSS off at will.

 

That sounds like the auto brake is only active when dynamic cruise control is used. Is auto brake on when driving normal without cruise?

 

I think the Pre-Collision System with Pedestrian Detection also has an emergency automatic braking system. You can read more about it in the link below:
https://www.toyota.com/safety-sense/

 

I'm too new of an owner to comment, haven't noticed any of that stuff in action so far. I will admit I am a luddite and greatly prefer being personally in control of everything. I have virtually NEVER used cruise control in any car I have owned since it was invented. I suspect I will end up turning all this stuff off.

 

The dynamic cruise control is great on a clear hwy drive but sucks in denser traffic, or when there is bend in the road and people waiting to turn right. I’ve had it brake on me when it’s a slight left bend to the road and someone is at an intersection to the lane on my right slowing or waiting to turn right. I can see this system being annoying if you meet an aggressive driver that “brake checks” you. It’s probably best for road trips and not daily use, especially rush hour.

The pre collision did work in my favour once, when someone turned right in front of me from right into my lane. This is when I wish I had upgraded my horn and a light bar.

 

I’ve never had anything unusual happen with the TSS system on my ‘21. The dynamic cruise is great for highways in my state because they’re so crowded and chaotic that regular cruise control is completely worthless.

 

Did you have to pay the stealership to disable the LDA and DRCC or is there a procedure that I can do myself?

 

The DRCC you manually deactivate by holding the cruise button for a few seconds when turning it on, and it’ll turn on in regular cruise mode.

I pressed the button on my steering wheel to turn off LDA and it went away. I don’t know if others are experiencing issues with it automatically re-“arming” on startup, but mine doesn’t. I had completely forgotten I even had LDA until this thread.