Tacoma Vibrates at low speeds

I'm new to this site, and I couldn't figure out how to reply to an already posted question. I want to get my experience out on the form in hopes it will help someone else out.


I bought a 2009 Toyota Tacoma TRD Pre-Runner 2WD in 2009 (Brand New). By 2013, and at around 100K miles, the truck started vibrating at low speeds when I would accelerate from a red light or in heavy freeway traffic. It started gradually then got worse. In 2014, I took my car to a mechanic where he diagnosed the problem to be the center bearing. He said the u joints look fine. It's the center bearing. He replaced it, but I still had the vibration. To make a long story short, between 2014 and 2017, I had taken my truck to various mechanics who would either tell me it was my alignment, shocks/struts, tires, u joints, center bearing, drive shaft is out of alignment, or transmission (this is including Toyota's mechanic services). None of the mechanics could find or fix the problem. I now had thrown roughly $2500.00 dollars at trying to fix the vibration.


October 2017, I finally came to terms I needed to buy a new car because my only form of transportation was now not trustworthy. I felt my truck was still in very good shape, but the vibration was getting pretty bad (started bouncing real bad in the front until i would let go the accelerator then accelerate again). A month after I bought my new car, my sister, who also has a Tacoma ('07 4x4) and does not have the problem I had, received a recall later from Toyota stating the exact issue I was experiencing saying it was a propeller shaft problem on Tacoma trucks between 2005 - 2011. I took it back to the same Toyota auto service, got the same mechanic rep that told me it was my transmission, and showed him the letter. He pulled my VIN # up in his system, and there it was. My truck was approved to have the work done that the recall stated in its letter.


After leaving my truck with Toyota Auto Service for four days (including the weekend) they ended up replacing the propeller Shaft Universal Joints (that's the entire drive shaft rod and its u joints). My truck now drives great. If I had received that notice one month sooner, I would not have a car payment right now (I ended up buying a 2018 Camry Hybrid). :-D All those years spent worrying about my truck are gone. My truck now runs like a champ!


Here's the cool thing, the recall also comes with a reimbursement. I'll be sending all my paper work to Toyota tomorrow. I'll try and comment back on my experience with Toyota's reimbursement department to let you know how that went.


I hope this story finds you well, to that person out there Googling their problem over and over like I did. Good luck!!

 

Welcome to TW! So you never got the recall letter that you sister got?? Glad you got it figured out. Hopefully Toyota will reimburse you for some of those expenses.

 

Welcome to TW!!

 

Welcome!

Glad it all worked out.

 

And Welcome To TW!

 

What are you getting real world MPG on the Camry hybrid? Do you have the Hybrid LE or the XLE? Currently looking at these...

 

Howdy