Pedal Commander Throttle Response Controller For 3rd Gen (2022+) Tundra: Improve Throttle Lag, Pedal Sensitivity & Drivability – Install & Review
You’re not driving your Tundra as best as you could. And your Tundra’s engine is not performing as powerfully as it can. The Pedal Commander will fix both problems.
In the early days of automobile performance, vehicles used a system called “drive-by-cable” where depressing the pedal pulled an actual cable linkage directly tied to the engine throttle. This gave drivers an immediate feeling of control over engine throttle response, but it was potentially a jerky and rough experience. Airplanes also used fly-by-cable to move flaps, but it was so tough that it gave rise to the phrase “flying by the seat of your pants”!
Modern vehicles use a system called “drive-by-wire” where pedal pressure is interpreted by a computer that sends signals to the engine according to factory-programmed parameters. While smoother than drive-by-cable, manufacturer-tuned drive-by-wire programs favor safety and moderation. This means your engine throttle is programmed to move along a curve that is cautious, delayed, and understated to the true performance capabilities of your Tundra’s twin-turbo engine.
With drive-by-cable, you could directly command your engine’s performance depending upon your own man-and-machine input. With these computer programs, your will is buffered by technology. Many people opt to retune their ECUs to be more responsive and aggressive. But this often voids warranty! With newer vehicles running $60k+, this may be unwise.
Hence, the Pedal Commander: a device that connects in-line between your vehicle’s pedal and ECU, altering the signal between the two to get you back as nearly as possible to that drive-by-cable instant feel and directness. The Pedal Commander doesn’t flash your ECU – so you won’t lose your warranty – but it does remove all of the throttle lag, the delay, the cushiony softness, the sluggishness, the lack of life, verve, and elan. It reduces the felt distance between your will and the machine’s response.
Find It Online
Product Overview
I’m not one for packaging, but I’ve got to say that the Pedal Commander comes in a really slick box. Seriously, it’s one that I may keep around to store other items. This shows attention to detail in their product development that is sure to transfer into the quality of the product itself.
In the box you get the Pedal Commander itself wrapped in a nice plastic housing with a clip, sticky hook-and-loop enclosure, a cleaning wipe, zip ties, and a mini brochure. All around a well-packaged lineup.
Installation
Tools: None needed!
The install is a breeze. Unplug your Tundra’s pedal connecter, and plug in both connectors from the Pedal Commander. Be sure that you hear the “click” sound to know that the connections are secure. You don’t want to be driving down the road and then suddenly lose your pedal to a loose connection!
If you plan to use the phone app to control the Pedal Commander, you can store the control module out of the way. Personally, I don’t like to scroll through several phone apps while driving. So, I mounted the Pedal Commander unit off to the side. Use the sticky hook-and-loop enclosure for mounting. Be sure to clean the surface with the alcohol wipe beforehand.
Review
That said, the Pedal Commander comes with four modes, each with their own micro adjustments.
- Eco is supposed to dial down your engine and save you gas mileage. I’d recommend this for highway/interstate travel. This is grandma mode – actually more sluggish than stock!
- City is the mode most people use on a day-to-day basis. It’s like your truck drank a large cup of coffee or RedBull. It’s awake, alert, spirited, and moves with surprising agility. Feels amazing!
- Sport mode is for the more aggressive, determined driving. The truck responds very energetically and dynamically. No more power is felt but it acts like it took of shot of something a few steps beyond coffee…
- Sport+ seems to be for racing only. The throttle is extremely explosive, almost angry – a like a snorting mad bull stung by a bee – to the point that it makes normal operations erratic. It is more suitable to pulling off a start line.
Overall, I would choose the City Mode on the second setting. This Pedal Commander setting feels like my Tundra is young, alive, ready, energetic, eager, happy, and more powerful. Some people are quick to point out that the Pedal Commander doesn’t actually add any more horsepower to the engine. In one sense this is true. No mechanical modifications have been added to the truck’s production of energy. So, by scientific law, no more power can have been added to the system. However, technology like the Pedal Commander does allow the vehicle to use its power more freely and readily – power which the manufacturer’s safe (and clunky) programs are hindering.
Final Thoughts
It is simply a fact that your Tundra’s engine produces more power than it currently uses under its suboptimal factory parameter delays, maps, and cushions. When improved with the in-line Pedal Commander, your vehicle’s engine will access its power more immediately, aggressively, and readily. This translates into the feel of a more powerful vehicle and more pleasurable drive. Other users have said that its as though their Tundras have either lost 1,000 lbs. or gained lots of horsepower and torque. I can attest this to be my own experience as well. For around $300, this removable, undetectable, powerful device is more than worth your try.
