Concerning vibrations and a hard to find plug.

Hello Tacoma World,

I recently purchased my first Tacoma! A 2009 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab 4x4, V6 engine with an automatic transmission and 220,000 miles on it. I do not have a rear differential lock but I do have and option to turn off traction control so I believe this is a limited slip differential. Its the base model with the SR5 trim. No TRD Off Road or Sport.

Here is my problem...

When accelerating slowly, keeping the RPMs between 1000 and 1200, I get vibrations that seem to make the whole truck shake when I go from 20mph to 25mph and 40mph and 45mph. This is only when I have it in Drive. If I keep it in 4th or 3rd the RPMs stay above 1200 and there is no vibrations.

Here are my thoughts.

I am thinking it is in the transmission but I do not know what the actual cause would be. The automatic fluid has been check multiple times recently because I just bought the truck. Because it has a check plug on this transmission my thought is that when it was last checked the fluid level became low and there is not enough fluid in the transmission. This would be easy to fix if I knew which one of the many plug looking bolts was the fill port for the automatic transmission fluid (the hard to find plug).

Second thought is a pressure issue. When the engine is operating at lower RPMs there is not enough pressure in the systems to make the fluids reach parts and its causing friction somewhere. I am not sure where to begin to look if this is the case. Does this transmission have a fluid filter? In the manual I have (haynes) it doesn't mention one... This isn't transmission related but would a bad fuel filter be the cause maybe?

Third thought after cruising the forums, U-joints. This seemed to be a problem with other Tacoma models but not specifically with my engine and transmission. This one doesn't make sense to me because my issue seems to be related more to rotational speeds rather than all acceleration speeds. If I accelerate quickly through the trouble zones (keeping the RPMs above 1200) the vibrations don't occur.


Any thoughts on what it could be??

Thank you in advance,

A newbie Tacoma owner.


Main question summaries:
1. Do I have a transmission issue, pressure issue, u-joint, or something entirely different?
2. Where is the fill plug for the automatic transmission fluid?

 

Start with U joints. Even if they don't feel ''loose,'' a dry one bind will cause vibrations at certain frequencies. Been there, done that with several different brands of trucks.

At that mileage they have to be at the end of their life span if they have not been replaced.

I'd also check the carrier bearing on the rear drive shaft.

 

Could possibly be a failing torque converter but check drive line and carrier bearing as mentioned above. Research here for all the plugs on the trans https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-drain-refill-automatic-transmission.63851/unread


www.tacomaworld.com/threads/diy-full-flush-for-automatic-transmission.68462/

 

Thanks for the thoughts!

I replaced the u joints. All of the ones I pulled out were good. I put new ones in and the problem still persists. I had the tires balanced and checked alignment. No problems there. I'm thinking it is a out of balance driveshaft. If its not that then I'll look into the torque converter.

Thanks again,

ijskiak

 

Check that your trans actually has the correct amount of fluid in it. There is a procedure. I believe someone else may have posted it as the drain n fill thread link. I wouldn't do a drain n fill, just check that you have the correct level, but you may need to add fluid if it's low. Use Valvoline Max Life Dex/Merc as it is the cheapest and most readily available option. You can get the gallon jug at wal mart for $17. Any questions on this, don't hesitate to ask. @gearcruncher may have some insight on this issue as well.

 

Good to know, Ill do that before I take the drive shaft out again to take to a shop to check balance.

 

I will post up my vibration check off sheet .
Maybe he can go down the list and eliminate known issues

Lets look at some Vibration diagnostics . Anytime someone asks a vibration question , I copy and paste this .
I believe there are at minimum at least 12 different vibration issues assosiated with the Tacoma and all the vibrations / shudders get mixed into the same pot leaving members scratching their heads .
Have you greased your driveline ?http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/tec...rks-total.html
Do you know how to grease your driveline properly http://aftermarket.federalmogul.com/...%20FAQ%27s.pdf
Have you checked your carrier bearing https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/how-to-replacing-carrier-bearing.260283/
Does the truck vibrate in park or neutral and does the vibration change with accelerator pedal ? This is a misfire test for your engine
Does the truck vibrate while holding the brakes and hitting the gas - Automatic ? This is also a misfire test for your engine under load
Does the truck vibrate in neutral at a stand still ?or coasting in neutral ?
Does the truck vibrate in 4x4 ?
Does the truck " Only vibrate " from 1st to 2nd gear ? https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/vibration-when-accelerating-from-stop-anyone-fixed-it.300155/
Does the truck only vibrate in 2 wheel drive ?https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...differential-bearing-vibration-thread.152173/
Does the truck vibrate with the serpentine belt removed ?
Does the truck vibrate cold or hot ?
Does the truck vibrate if you select neutral and coast to a slow roll without using the brakes ? What happens when you turn the truck of in Neutral at highway speed ? Can you still feel the vibration ?
Does the truck clunk over bumps ?https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/tacoma-loose-bed-design-flaw-explanation.388873/
Does the truck vibrate as you are braking ? When was your last brake job ? Consider the front rotors may be warped or the rear drums are out of round .
Does the truck vibrate with weight in the truck or empty ?
Does the truck vibrate while upshifting ? Have you checked your trans fluid ?
Does the truck vibrate while downshifting ? Have you checked your trans fluid ?
When was your last transmission fluid service ?
Is the vibration caused by your torque converter ? Tapping the brake pedal at highway speeds will release the torque converter clutch . You are not actually hitting the brakes ,but manipulating the brake switch . If the vibration goes away you can expect a misfire or a converter clutch issue .
Read here for more information regarding automatic transmission diagnostics
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...th-pics-for-second-gen-4-liter-trucks.289913/
Now that you have a lift kit installed the truck vibrates . Did you cancel your drive line angles ?
Have you looked at the condition of your tires ? Toyota says to rotate every 5000 miles .Tacoma tires must be road forced balanced using the Haweka adapter on the tire machine tsu00296.pdf
When was the last time you rotated your tires ? Are you using LUG centric aftermarket wheels ? have you considered " HUB centric rings " http://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&key...vptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_7ybe1f1pby_e
Have the balance weights fallen off the tires ?
A good vibration technician can tell immediately if your vibration is caused by the rotating speed of your wheels or by the rotating speed of your driveshaft .
If you go through this list carefully , you should be able to narrow down where the problem is .
The proper and only way to test for bad universal joints is with the driveshaft removed . You cant tell if the universal joints are seized or tight spots with the driveshaft on the truck . You may see play in the universal joints , but you wont be able to properly check the u-joints without removing the driveshaft .All it takes to create a vibration is one seized universal cup and there are 4 cups within each joint .
With this said , you cant tell if that cup is seized with the driveshaft connected .
Removing the driveshaft and manipulate each universal joint by hand from side to side feeling for tight spots as you go is the only way to check for bad u joints
If you beleive its bad motor mounts or transmission mounts , grab a big pry bar and pry at the mounts to see if the rubber is torn or weak .

CANCEL DRIVELINE ANGLES http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2nd...tion-free.html

 

Did you ever fix the problem? I am having the same between 25MPH and 35MPH. I have a 2009 TRD sport.

 

In case you didn't get your answer to the tranny fill port location it's on the passenger side. Start at the rear of the tranny pan, look up and a few inches towards the rear of the truck. The bolt is stamped WS on my 2014.

 

Thanks for the help on locating the transmission fill plug! I found it! Its in a tricky spot.

As for the vibration I have not found a fix yet. I did some more research and I found an article saying some of the 2009 tacoma's came off the factory line with this problem. Based on what I feel and the diagnostic vibration check list above I believe it is a driveshaft issue.

I took my truck to a driveline shop and had the driveshaft balanced. It was off slightly they said. After the re-balance the vibrations were reduced slightly but still present. The transmission shop looked at my transmission and gave it a fluid change, they said everything appeared to be in working order. This doesn't rule out a failing Torque Converter... But until that actually presents its self as a problem I'm not worried about driving it anymore.

For now the fix is to not drive it in the zone where it vibrates!

In the future I am going to try

• Altering driveline angles to try and find the trucks sweet spot that fixes the vibration.
• Replacing Rear engine mounts
• Replacing Leaf Springs
• and anything else I can find to try....

But for now I don't see it as a threatening issue.

Thank you for all your help Tacoma World!

Ijskiak