2009 Acceleration hesitation issue

Hi everyone:

New to the forum but hoping you can help me. I have a 2009 Tacoma SR5 with the V-6 and automatic trans with a momentary lack of acceleration issue.

From time to time when you press the accelerator lightly (lightly is key, runs fine when accelerating hard) after leaving a light (or other low rpm start) it is like the engine just stops accelerating. It is not that it floods, misfires, backfires or anything else. It is just that there is a lack of power and until you let off the pedal ever so slightly (and then press down again lightly or firmly) nothing happens. The motor does not stall by any means, just does not go anywhere.

Have not brought it into the dealer yet but I am hesitating as the only Toyota dealer within two hours (live in Upper Peninsula of MI) has a terrible reputation.

Can anybody give me some ideas here? Not against bringing it to the Toyota dealer, just want to have an idea of what could be occurring prior to bringing it in.

 

There is a TSB to fix this issue. Let me see if I can find it

 

X2

 

I've had the same problem since my truck was almost new. took it to the dealer a few times and they couldn't replicate the problem and told me to come back the next time it was happening......

 

Here it is

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd-gen-tacomas/59535-transmission-tsb.html

Had it done on mine and it fixed this issue

 

That's for a hesitstion in shifting between 1st and 2nd IIRC , I think the OP's issue may be different if there is no throttle response from a dead stop

 

How many miles are on the spark plugs? Maybe give the MAF sensor a blast of cleaner, too.

 

37,000 miles on plugs/engine.

Replaced air filter roughly 7,000 miles ago. No other maintenance.

To reiterate, runs perfectly down the road. Only issue is accelerating from say 25 mph on to 40 mph it will hesitate until the pedal is let off then pressed back down again.

 

K. I misunderstood your original explanation , I thought you meant from a stop

The Tranny TSB could very well solve your issue

I had it done on my '09

You are well outside of being covered for a TSB under warranty though

 

@accobra66: Did you ever get recall work done (gas pedal chop / brake override ECM logic)? That ECM flash also included the latest tranny code, making the TSB unnecessary.

Clean the MAF sensor and the throttle body butterfly valve. Make sure the valve rotates smoothly and isn't gunked up.

 

Good call

 

Yes, I had the pedal mod performed by the dealer.

 

Now I am wondering if what I am feeling is the transmission leaving itself in higher gear rather then downshifting? This would explain how it just feels spongy when I press the gas.

If I lift off ever so slightly it seems to be fine when I reapply the gas. Might the transmission be shifting so smoothly that I do not feel it down shift?

Just does not seem like any else is chiming in with the same issue as I describe it.

What were the symptoms of the transmission error?

 

The original tranny TSB was to fix an issue where at a rolling stop the truck would hold 1st with high revs before shifting into 2nd

 

Well that is definitely not the issue I am having. Thank you.

 

Have you checked the air filter?

 

Yes, new 7,000 miles ago.

 

I imagine you figured out the problem?? Can you share because mine is doing the same thing.

 

Hi everyone,

was this issue ever resolved? I’m having what I think is the exact same issue.

My truck would just stop accelerating for a split second or two then picks right back up, one time it happened three times simultaneously, kinda frustrating as I have brand new spark plugs, maf sensor and throttle body is clean, no vacuum leaks and no misfire codes.