First post, first time Toyota buyer

Warning, this ended up being a little long winded....

Hello from Georgia, I am a 50 year old first time Toyota buyer. I have been lurking on TacomaWorld for a few months, absorbing all of the 3rd Gen information that I could.

The Good:
Last Friday evening (10/14), I purchased a 2017 Tacoma Limited 4x4 in Barcelona Red from a somewhat local dealership (~50 miles away). It is a Texas built truck with a build date of 9/2016. The buying experience was great and I love the truck. I like the way it rides. I really like the Barcelona Red color. I love the amenities. It is everything that I thought that it would be. I am not an "off-roader" and will probably never make any major modifications to the truck (remember, I am 50 years old). This truck will live a very easy life.

The not so good #1:
Monday afternoon (10/17), I left work like I always do and merged onto I-20 East. I set the cruise control on 78 MPH and sat back with a grin on my face and looked forward to the ride home. About a mile after getting on the interstate, I started up a hill and the truck downshifted. I crested the hill onto level ground and the transmission never up shifted. For about 8 miles, I traveled down I-20 on cruise control, on mostly level ground in what I later determined was 4th gear. As I was approaching my exit, I tapped the brakes and knocked it off of cruise. It continued to decel in 4th gear as if I was "compression braking". I slipped the shifter into "sport mode" and the dash indicated 6th gear, which I knew was not correct. I pulled the shifter back, the dash indicated 5th gear, but the engine RPM's never changed. I pulled the shifter back again; the dash indicated 4th gear, but the engine RPM's never changed. About half way down the exit ramp, I pulled the shifter back again, the dash indicated 3rd gear, and the engine RPM's increased as expected. This is how I concluded that it was "stuck" in 4th gear (no RPM change until indicated 3rd). After stopping at the bottom of the ramp, I put the shifter back in "D" and drove straight to the dealership (~50 miles one way) to get them to look at it. Of course, the transmission shifted fine the rest of the way and the dealership "could not duplicate the problem". They verified the latest computer code/tsb/etc, opened a ticket with Toyota Engineering and sent me on my way.

The not so good #2:
This morning (10/19), on my way to work, I noticed that the passenger side BSM light was not working. I intentionally passed cars and let others pass me to verify this was amiss. This afternoon, leaving work, I repeated the process and sure enough, the passenger side would not indicate a car. The driver’s side worked perfectly on both occasions. Again, I drove straight to the dealership (~50 miles one way), playing with BSM the whole way. The dealer test drove my truck while I went inside to get a drink and they came back about 15 minutes later to say that it is working fine. We went for a test drive together and sure enough, it was working as expected. I was sent on my way again with "could not duplicate the problem". The Service Manager insured me that they didn't change anything and "it just works". Before I left, I talked with my salesman and the general manager of the dealership about my concerns with a 5 day old new vehicle and two unrelated service trips of about 200 miles total. Needless to say, I was "slightly" frustrated when I left the dealership.

So my truck now sits with ~500 miles on it, and about half of that is back and forth to the dealership to hear "cannot duplicate the issue" on two separate occasions. I have opened a case with Toyota Corporate to discuss "general reliability concerns from a first time buyer" and was assured a "case manager" would call me back within two days. As I sit here typing, my frustrations have mostly subsided. UPS just delivered my AVS window vents, door sill protectors, and trailer ball mount. My door sill vinyl inserts from rrentrop should be here tomorrow. So I am still like a kid in the candy store, but there is also a lingering "itch" in the back of my head, wondering "what will it be next".

Thoughts, suggestions, opinions???

Thanks for listening.

 

You can always have it serviced at another dealership.

Did you request the ATF level be checked?

 

The electrical circuits are breaking in. JK haha

I would be frustrated too.

There was other users that posted some issues about the BMS too. Hopefully they can direct you to a solution. Try searching for the thread.

About the transmission getting stuck, people with manual transmissions had trouble shifting off the gear. The other 90% just complain about it shifting too much. So I'm not sure. Something you may want to do is record the issue on video and show them. Obviously try to have someone else record it.

Otherwise, congratulations and I hope you get these two issue squared away and hopefully enjoy your new Toyota!

 

Congrats on the truck and welcome to TW.
Now someone correct me if I am wrong, and I am sure they will, but when you slip the shifter over to ¨S mode¨, the gear indicated on the dash is the highest gear you selected for it to go into, not the gear it is in. Bascially it is just a limiter, so if you pull it over and it shows 6th, that means you are going to let the trans shift up to 6th. If you select 3rd, that means it will not go past 3rd. Am I right here, or did I just screw this whole thing up??

Either way, you may need to get the tranny fluid checked.

 

Do you have a camera to record the incidents? Or at least a passenger who can do it? This way you can have video of such when it won't reproduce for the dealer. Definitely get the tranny fluid checked, mine acted similar until it was topped off.

 

I think the OP understands the S mode. He just tried it when he got off the highway. I wouldn't drop it to 3rd gear if I was going +60mph.

 

Snap - that's a real thing. I did that once.

The computer starts to learn how you drive, and you two are still "getting acquainted."

 

Agree with the camera. You have a $42,000 truck. Either find another dealership, or make sure you record it, and take it to the tech.

 

Yea, I went back and re-read what he was saying. I now understand what he meant, by figuring out it was stuck in 4th. I was just to quick to type and my brain didn´t catch up.

 

You should have been expecting these kind of issues.

 

Congrats on the truck and welcome from a fellow new guy.

Keep us posted on how the issues progress. I'm at just over 500 miles myself. No issues yet.

 

I am still trying to figure out the shit about being 50 dude you make it sound like you should be not looking where you going driving 20 in a30 mph zone . Don t tell me you got the truck just to go to BINGO AT THE SENOR CENTER ! And also welcome

 

Welcome to Tacoma World

 

Someone likes Clive Cussler...

 

Wow...the "Sesame Street" gang joined the forum?

 

If I remember right when you throw it in S it should go straight to 4th. Not 6th unless you set it to 6th. Its also meant to be used for towing so you keep it in 4th (according to owners manual)

But he was just coasting, so I wonder if maybe it was because no throttle.
Does definitely sound like an issue.
Wonder if maybe the 2017 is still affected by the 2016 auto issue, that the TSB that's offered for 2016 isn't issued from factory for 2017.

 

50 isn't really that old...Plenty of 50 year olds that can use technology and what not lol.
And bingo? lol most 50 year olds are still working.

 

Very strong possibility. Also need to have fluid checked by proper procedure.
Also sounds like a different dealer may have to be an option.

 

From the Manual

I wonder if the cruise control idea is causing a glitch since it says for the first 1000miles not to drive for extended periods.
This is all the info it gives on 'break in' so doesn't really say what is considered extended periods.
Just brainstorming here of possible reasons.

Maybe see if it happens again?

 

yep.
My dealer that I'm getting mine from said they will check the transmission fluid before turning it over to me.
Said they are aware that it was a common issue for the 2016, it was supposed to be corrected for the 2017 but that they are still checking anyways.