Buzzy Vibration at certain RPM's..read before buying!

I did, but I was getting the feeling that they thought it was in my head. Of course, the vibration while sitting idle didn't happen when the sales manager sat in the truck. The sales manager and I took the truck out and he raced it around like a crazy man for about a block. I am sick, waited all this time to have this happen. But, I will not buy the truck and end up like the OP, fighting with Toyota to get it repaired.. I have located a similar truck at another dealership that I may go and drive.

 

This seems to be an indication of a harmonic vibration issue, or in the worst case of the sustained vibration, direct excitation at the offending part's natural frequency. If the vibration is coming from an external part, i.e. exhaust pipe, the vibration can be disrupted by changing the mass, or in theory, the stiffness. Vibration intensity can be reduced by dampening. Comments that adding weights resulted in a reduction intensity of the vibrations seem to support this. Stiffness can be changed by temporarily removing or adding braces in the case of an exhaust pipe issue.
I am just an observer here, but I would like to see video of the exhaust pipe while driving the truck at the offending condition. If the pipe is stiff, the vibrations may not be visible to the naked eye. Attaching a stiff wire with a small flag of some sort may provide an indicator. I know this is a stretch. I know you guys are frustrated.
If Toyota is testing this, and it appears they have, they probably have a pretty good idea of the source at least. To be optimistic, it is possible the problem is well understood and have a solution. It may be that they are setting up the manufacturing of parts and logistics for a recall. There is of course the pessimistic possibilities, but we won't get into that.

 

I believe it is fixable. While trouble shooting with busticator, we have found several hardmounted point for brake lines and wiring harness on the firewall. Specifically 3-4 mounts. I removed the brackets and some of the vibration went away.. It used to vibrate from 1900-2300rpm, so every downshift to climb a hill would put the engine at 1900rpm and I would cringe and try to stay out of that range. This last drive I only had a vibration at 2000-2100 and it was surprisingly more enjoyable. So there is obviously something else mounted.. It could be the heat shield still.

If anyone wants to try this, open your engine bay. Look at the top of the fire wall and you will see several hard lines that run along it from left to right. Busticator found out that if you tap those with a wrench, you can feel them resonate in the wheel and accelerator. The top one is hard mounted by two shiny steel brackets. I remove the brackets for testing. I also removed a similar bracket that supports the wire harness up top. 5 10mm nuts to remove to try this out.

Once we find the issues we still have to find a way to re-mount it and isolate it.

I think this just comes down to the engine being noisier than others and anything near it will resonate. Therefore we have several things hardmounted to the firewall that need to be isolated. Gotta keep looking though!

busticator's tapping method is the key to this i think..

 

As someone who has spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get Toyota to help, I get the frustration also. I can't imagine having a vibration-free truck you enjoyed driving for several thousand miles and then one day this pops up. I know this has been said repeatedly, but I don’t think it can be said enough.

The Most Effective Thing You Can Do. Report it to Toyota corporate directly at http://www.toyota.com/support/#!/app/ask. Just 5 minutes of your time to write an email. What drives Toyota most is the volume of direct complaints they receive. Don’t rely on your service department or sales people to relay the information. If you’re a prospective owner who is worried about buying because of this issue, let Toyota know through the link. If you’re an owner afflicted with this problem, describe it in detail. Tell them you know many others have this issue from online research. Ask for a case number and request it remain open until Toyota resolves the matter. Your own voice—and words—are far more effective. If it’s causing numbness, consider reporting at https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/.

You're on the right path and better off waiting. I also think you’ll have a hard time finding another rig that doesn’t have this problem. I’ve only driven a few last October that didn’t. Since then, every one I’ve driven—be it a Sport, Off-Road, or Limited—has it to varying degrees. I admit it: I’ve been out there looking at other options while also driving other Tacoma trucks with a fervent hope I find one that doesn’t have it. I want to love it that much after owning a 2nd Gen. But I’ve stopped driving other '16s looking for that unicorn. I've also decided not to pull the trigger on something else because I think this 3rd Gen. has that much potential once this is fixed.

Also, know that reporting here makes a difference. During a recent dealership visit, I saw a potential owner looking at a Tacoma. He and the salesman had the hood popped open and were going over the hood assembly points with a fine-tooth comb. Word travels (e.g., the massive hood vibration thread) .

Nice work @busticator and @Danielnc06.

 

I don't own a '16 yet but I watch this thread very carefully. I appreciate the time, efforts, and the frustrations the OP and many others spent "fixing" the problems for Toyota.

Question: Can someone put the truck on the LIFT and run it to those RPMs (2100-2300)? Will you feel the vibrations?

 

It only occurs under load.. I dont think the wheel spinning will be enough load or be that safe.. A dyno would be ideal if anyone has access

 

I've emailed Toyota again. I say we just hammer away at these emails to Toyota and our local dealership. Flood them with these so they have to respond.

 

Done.

 

Got a canned response from Mr. Cook. Did not acknowledge or even refer to the vibration issue. But my "email has been documented at our National Headquarters". Well at least my email has a link to this thread.

 

Sent my email in as well along with a link to some of these threads,
including this one.

 

Done!!

 

Sorry guys, work is busy so I'm out of loop most of the time, just checked in while eating lunch.

I have an appointment Saturday at a local dealership to go over the issue & show them the observations so far. It sounds like they want to repeat what we have done, which is great. I'll hopefully try what @Danielnc06 mentioned prior to that - haven't had a chance yet.

But yes, I made my wife sit in the truck for 10 minutes Sunday while I went to town on places I thought were suspect. Surprisingly, some of the heat shields I thought for sure would be real problems did not have much direct impact in the steering/gas pedal. I had found the brake lines to have a similar buzz-like decay to impulses like the heat shields, and sure enough, it also seems to couple very well to the steering/gas pedal. Go figure.

 

Wow, I just finished reading the 32 pages on the 2016 Tacoma vibration problem, I was thinking of buying a new Tacoma soon since my old 2006 TRD OR has 159K, no way, now that I have seen this, I am better off with what I got for now. I don't need those kind of problems along with a 41K bill!!!! Sorry all you guys are going thru this with so little response from dealerships/corporate/etc. Enough time has elapsed there should be a fix by now. This is absurd.

 

I'm calling my salesman tomorrow and getting my deposit back, can't take a gamble spending $40,000 and having a vibration that Toyota says is normal.

wee

 

Well, I just got my response from Toyota 'Legal'. What a joke! Here it is:

"Thank you for contacting Toyota's Customer Experience Center in regards to the above-referenced incident. You stated, while driving the 2016 Toyota Tacoma, you experience a buzz and vibration on the steering wheel, which causes your fingers to become numb.

In response to your concerns, Toyota Motor Sales USA, Inc (TMS) had one of our Field Technical Specialist (FTS) conduct and inspection of the vehicle. On January 13, 2016 the vehicle was inspected at Findlay Flagstaff Toyota. Based on the inspection of the vehicle, we found no manufacturing or design defect with the steering wheel or steering of the vehicle (my emphasis).

The inspection revealed that there were no abnormal conditions found with the operation of the steering wheel or steering system (again, my emphasis). The vehicle was test driven and the Field Technical Specialist observed the steering performance was consistent with other Tacoma models (my emphasis, again).

We do appreciate the opportunity to address your concerns.

Sincerely,

Legal Claims Administrator"

What an effing joke....as the buzzy vibration is caused by something else and I never complained that the steering wheel and/or steering was defective at all...legal mumbo jumbo that I will respond to with the appropriate legal language, ripping them for not addressing my issue in their response. Just a CYA letter, for them; however, this is not going to be dropped. I have no doubt that the 'steering performance' is acceptable, it is the buzzy vibration that is not..

And the quest goes further to either fix it, or dump it....

 

Wow...

 

There you go girls and boys, from the horse's mouth, its official, ITS NORMAL. Wow.

 

Disappointing response to put it nicely. I recently test drove a different Toyota model that had a very similar (but mild) vibration. They will have to figure this out sooner or later. People unlucky enough to get the bum cars won't be repeat customers.

 

Sounds like the value of my 2015 Tacoma just went through the roof. I'll market it as a ''pre-vibration'' model.

 

Thnx for the smile!!! Glad to have forum members like you.....