Just bought my first Tacoma. Have some questions

I recently bought a 2002 Limited 4WD Double Cab. It had a lot of miles 267,000 to be exact but i heard these cars can go even further with the right maintenance. I wanted to know if these are common issues:
1) i notice a "clunk" when i stop the car. Hard to explain, sometimes when i stop and let go of the brake it like i get a delayed "clunk" or shift under the car.
2) Check engine light just came on today and i dont notice anything different in the truck. The truck runs strong!

Anyways, thanks in advance for the input. I hope i didn't buy it with too many miles. It was well taken cared of, all the service was done at the Dealer with records, so i felt comfortable buying it.

 

Also, i'm planning to go to Pep Boys so they can diagnose the "Check Engine" light and i will keep you posted. Just wanted to get some input just in case they try to up sell me on services.

 

Sounds like axle wrap on the clunk. The CEL could be anything but hopefully nothing big. Welcome to Tacoma world! The way I see buing a used car, If I didn't do the maintance, it hasn't been done, records or no records. Just peace of mind in my book.

 

Welcome to the forum buddy!!! Yep tacos run forever!!! do you know if your taco has abs brakes?

 

Thanks for the responses. Is the Axel wrap something major that i need to address? I'm not sure about the ABS but i remember reading Brake type - "Power Assisted". First time i bought a used car or truck and i really got it used (267,000 miles)! I hope i made the right decision. It was so hard finding a Black Tacoma Double Cab.

 

Clunk sounds like axel wrap. New leaf springs should fix.

How long did you have the truck before the CEL came on?

 

No it isn't dangerous or anything the springs just slighly twist and causes your driveshaft to shift in the rear of the tranny. Some guys said the cleand and greased it and it helped. Just go through it and change fluids and filters so it will last another 200k! When you go to get the CEL checked get them to check the rear brakes to make sure they are adjust up that can cause a clunk as well.

 

^^ maybe this about the brakes I had a ranger with abs brakes and they needed to be adjust caused a clunky noise kinda like your describing.

 

I had the truck for 2 days. I programmed a new key fob and when i started the car this morning i noticed the check engine light was on. I drove my old SUV with a CEL on for a year and a half and it didn't bother me. A big reason this bothers me is, my wife and kids were all excited to take a ride, then the light comes on and i can see my wifes mood change. HAHA. She didn't say anything but i know she was thinking, "should we take my car?"

 

I am guessing the dealer cleared the code and sold the truck before it lit up again. I'd get the code pulled and see what it is. It may also be worth calling the dealer and tell them you have 10 miles (or whatever it is) and your CEL came on already, wtf, and see if they'll fix it.

 

Code was P0300 random misfire. Anyone know what the problem is?

 

change the spark plugs maybe get new wires and a new distributor cap if the problem continues..

 

awesome truck bud - same as mine!!!

 

267k, that truck is just barely broke in.

Welcome to TW! First purchase I recommend is a safe to lock your wallet in, not because tacos are expensive to fix, but because we all have a disease that requires us to never stop modding our trucks.

And by the way, start off with the cheap stuff like spark plugs and work your way up until your CEL turns off. If it's not plugs, 10 bucks says its a PCV valve or vacuum leak.

 

I brought it to my Mechanic, he said it looks like they just did tune up since aftermarket wires looked new. He also said they cleaned the engine at the dealer so sometimes something as random as that can make the check engine light go on. He wanted me to drive it around for a couple hundred miles to see if the computer resets itself since it felt like it was running fine. I will bring it back to him in 2 weeks if i notice anything of if it doesnt turn off.
The truck looks and runs great! Hope its nothing major.

 

Was the CEL on when you bought it? or did it turn on afterward? if it turned on afterward then it's not a residual code from when they did the tune-up... it has to be a NEW code.

Your computer will reset itself if the problem went away. I had a misfire cylinder 6 code on mine once, changed the plug, and it took like 50 miles for the light to go off.

Best way to detect a misfire is start the truck and stand by the exhaust pipe while it's idling to listen for a stumble every once in a while. If it's misfiring enough to throw a code, you will be able to hear it. The computer throws a code after several consecutive misfires, not just 1

 

The CEL came on 2 days after i bought it. I don't know when the tune up was done, my mechanic just told me it after he looked it was done more recently because all the wires were changed to aftermarket.
Called the dealer and they said it passed all their safety tests and they did not know of any major problems. I'm not going to trust them, just hoping it is something very minor because i like owning a Tacoma!

 

What brand of wires and spark plugs are they? Anything other than Denso or NGK are not good for Toyota's, especially Bosch. Check the wires and check at least one spark plug. If they're not Denso or NGK then that might be your problem.

Leaving the CEL on will kill your MPG's until you fix the problem.

As far as the clunk, you're going to have to figure out where the noise is coming from. It might also be your lower control arm bushings that are worn out.

 

Congratulations on your Tacoma. I also bought my tacoma 3.4 about a month ago with 205k. I also noticed a little clunk. usually when I'm backing up my driveway and hit the brake. I assume it's a slight case of axle rap. I replaced the oil in my rear and front differentials, changed the engine oil, replaced engine air filter(old one was DIRTY) and the last thing im going to do until spring is replace the fuel filter. In spring I'm going to clean the injectors and change the spark plugs. I asked my mechanic about changing the transmission oil and he strongly recommended that I don't change the tranny oil ever because it looked like it either hadnt been changed ever or it hasnt been done in a long time. He said that the cleaning detergents in the new oil will start to cut away the grime in the tranny and that there was a good chance that it would ruin the tranny, so check your tranny oil and the plug to see if it looks like it was ever changed.

 

The Dealer sent me an automated Satisfaction survey with links to Yelp, Google, Edmunds and Cars.com. I asked them if they really wanted me to do it, they called me right away and told me to bring it in to the service department to see what's going on. I will keep you posted!