2011 2.7L 4x4 Clutch Slipping.. Help?

I have a 2011 Tacoma Reg Cab, 2.7L I4, 5spd Manual, about 11,000mi. I've noticed in the last month the clutch has started slipping. First instance I noticed it was in 4th gear around 50 mph accelerating and noticed something wrong. I let off the throttle, stabbed it and noticed an rpm flare. It was in the low to mid 30s outside when that happened, so I was wondering if that made a difference somehow.
I know how to drive a manual and I don't ride the clutch but I will admit, I could probably be shifting a bit slower than I am, and I do give a little throttle overlap to aid smoothness of shifting. I do not, however, jam the thing between gears, I don't ride the clutch on the rpm drop after the shift.

I was going to take it into the dealer but couldn't get it to do it again. A few weeks later, I noticed that during shifts, the clutch was reluctant to engage. I'd shift at around 2500rpm, do my throttle overlap and if I stabbed the throttle instead of my usual input, the rpm's would float around 2000-3000 for a few seconds, I let off and they'll drop back down and the clutch engages. Then today coming home from school, I finally noticed the slip in 4th gear again, same situation. 4th gear, 50mph, sudden brisk acceleration. It, of course, wouldn't do it when I tried it later, but when going up a hill I did notice a smell that I swear was burning clutch, but this was when I didn't notice it slipping.

Long story short: It *sometimes* slips in 4th gear, the clutch is reluctant to engage on shifts, I'm not sure how to convince the dealer that it is a defect.

I almost don't want to drive it anymore until I get the problem sorted out, the more it slips the more it's going to look like driver error and the dealer will just tell me I'm riding the clutch and it's not covered under warranty.

 

Am guessing it is a hyd clutch? If the fluid looks dark or dirty get one of those turkey basters at Wal Mart and suck out some fluid, put in new and work the petal about 50 times. Do this a few times and see if it helps.

Doesnt make sense it will do it sometimes and not all the times unless you are running the shit out of it when you notice it is slipping.

If the clutch was shot it would slip more in the lower gears since more torque is being applied to it.

 

I honestly haven't held down the accelerator for too long for fear of burning up the clutch, but yes, I shift, stab the throttle, the revs don't drop, they float there. They did decrease slightly so I'm guessing they would, I'm just going to check this real quick.

 

Yep it's a hydraulic clutch. And yeah it is weird how it only does it in 4th.

 

my buddy's 4 cylinder was doin the same thing. he just had toyota replace the cluth and flywheel all under warranty

 

Gelo760, What happens is I'll shift and the clutch will hover at an rpm and until the truck's going fast enough so the trans matches speed with the engine it'll stay there. Once the clutch grabs it'll drop a few hundred rpm. And I did manage to get it to slip in 4th again, I think I'm calling the dealer tomorrow.

 

Thanks for all the replies guys, good to know I'm not going insane.
Edit: Clutch glazing, sounds about right.
Is it the Luk clutch? that's what I've been reading.

 

I don't think anyone has found the actual document, just references to it and a brief summary.
This may be the number....CLUTCH TSB-0066-11

 

Slipping already? Maybe it's your driving?

 

The only TSB I can find says it only applies if the clutch *never* engages. That isn't my case, is this the only TSB out there? http://www.tacomahq.com/758/tacoma-tsb-5-speed-manual-clutch-disk-defect/

 

I highly doubt that, I drove my dad's Yaris for a year and a few months (Same amount of time I've been driving the Tacoma) as my daily driver and that car's now got 30K on the ODO and no clutch problems.

 

I had found that, but it's someone's translation, not an official Toyota document as all TSB's are.

I think that you could be in the early stages of the defective clutch disk failing.

 

Good luck all. I have a V6 auto and have the torque converter shutter. It's an 2007 and out of warranty. My dealer says they will have a fix in April and i will get a new one at no charge. I'm crossing my fingers. I know Toyota will take care of y'all.

 

I'm actually attending a technical college and am currently in the process of becoming a certified Toyota Technician, so there's a database of information we get to use, all official Toyota stuff. I found a TSB about the Tacoma's 5 speed's clutch having "difficulty engaging" And it is void if the vehicle even moves...

 

Have you checked your database for the TSB number mentioned in this thread ?
It's weird how this TSB document is non-existent in the usual places.

 

I hope someone can find the tsb my stearlership wants 1200 for my clutch job and I would love to throw that tsb in there face I've got 35000 and it's only doing it in fourth also.

 

I don't think that tsb applys to me because my clutch engages And it seems like it only slips in 4th gear around 50. But I sure as hell will show it to them and see what they say

 

Wrong, the slipping clutch will be more evident in higher gears, because more torque, on the clutch, happens in higher gears. Read older posts, everyone with this problem experiences it first in the higher gears.

The engine applies more torque to the clutch in higher gears, but applies more torque to the drive wheels in lower gears.

 

I'm at 23,000 and I have issues getting into 2nd gear. I have had this happen in 3rd and 4th to me in the morning while engine as cold. Dealer time it seems.

 

Update: Clutch is still slipping but is *much* less noticable, I procrastinated taking it to the dealer and now it's in the 40s and it only slips slightly during shifting. Hoping it gets colder so I can just take it in.