A few problems in a used taco I just bought

I bought an '09 v6 access cab with 17,000 miles on it, and a few things are bugging me.

1. when braking very lightly, the brake pedal vibrates. This is most noticeable in stop and go traffic when I'm creeping along and then brake.

2. when the truck is running and in park, there are a lot of vibrations or shudders. I feel them coming up through my seat, and they are not consistent.

3. a few of the quarter panels must have been re-painted. There are tiny bumps in the paint surface, looking like small chunks of dirt that were painted over. Other than cosmetic concerns, could this cause any future problems?

Thanks guys. I love the truck and am really excited about it, but these few problems are bothering me. I took my truck to the dealership because it is still under warranty, but they said I would have to pay for the daignostic tests if the issue is not covered under warranty! Thats crap if you ask me...

 

Did you happen to do a search to see if it had been in a accident? Don't usually paint a truck with 17k on it for no reason. It's ABS you should not ride the brakes. You might feel the ABS or even it down shifting.

 

The truck had a clean record and I didn't spend as much time as I should have viewing it. It was so new with a clean record, that I didnt expect anything. My only guess is that it was badly pinstriped from off roading and they decided to repaint it to help with the resale value.

about the brakes, the vibration does feel like ABS, but this happens when im crawling along at 5 mph and need to stop. I thought abs only kicked in when you hit the brakes hard?

 

Well it might have slightly warped disks or drums. That is probably what is causing it at that low speed. If you use the brakes properly from now on it might fix itself. If it is driving you nuts get them trued up. It's possible to fix them up just by not riding the brakes and there not warped to bad. I've done it on a different truck. If there really bad only machining them flat again will fix it. They will pulse really bad when there warped and any speed.

Get a large magnifying glass to see if the paint is over top of those bumps. It may just need a clay bar. They might have waxed over dirt.

Vibration. Ya got me.

 

The paint is definitely over the bumps. Ive seen it on a crappy repair job before, and the bumps look very similar. I did a lot of searching, and can't find info on it...

Thanks for your help

 

Specifically where is this bumpy paint?

There is "bumpy paint" along the rocker panels which is actually a chip-resistant coating.

 

no its definitely not the paint that you are talking about. It looks much different. The paint looks perfect with tiny imperfections (bumps) every few inches in some areas. it was definitely a poor job at the autobody shop, but im worried it may cause future problems. I will probably take it to a shop with a good rep and ask them...

 

+2 on warped discs, not sure how a drum would warp.

 

Can you give a picture of the paint?

 

sure, I'll get a pic as soon as I can. Im packing up for a fishing trip though, so I might not be able to upload it until the end of the weekend.

imagine tiny (about 1/8th the size) rice crispies stuck under the paint in a random fashion. I could probably pick it off with my finger nail, but I don't want to expose whats underneath.

 

do you know if warped discs is a warranty repair/replacement?

The truck is under full warranty for another year...

 

I would think discs are wear item, but others may have better experience with the dealer and warranty work.

 

i thought toyota had bumper to bumper for the 3yr 36k mi?

 

Not unless you have some magic extra cheese warranty. Those be wear items. The only way I got new drum shoes under warranty is because the axle seals leaked on them and the axle seals are part of drivetrain warranty.

 

I still wouldn't think a manufacturer's warranty would cover wear items unless you specifically paid extra for it, if they even offered such a thing. Now, if the truck was brand new and a week off the dealer lot then that'd be somethin different.

 

upon very careful inspection, I can find atleast one of these bumps on every panel except for the front drivers side. The front and rear left fenders do not attach well to the body, so the trim is coming undone. The front left of the hood isnt completely flush with the front left quarter panel, and the rear passenger door is not flush (only the top 2 ft) with the body.

I never looked closely because of the clean record and it only being 1 year old. The truck looks really sharp when you look at it normally. I can't imagine how this much damage could happen without the person wanting their insurance to cover it??!

sh1t. It shows that you have to be super careful with EVERY vehicle you buy.

 

In British Columbia, any accident over $2,000 is usually worth getting the insurance to pay for it. I hope it didnt have a major accident where it was cheaper for the guy to get his buddy to fix it.

 

Don't fret too much...first you have to look under the skin a little to see if it's more than just body panel stuff. Again, the truck could have had really bad paint damage from a lot of things that made a re-spray an good way to poof up the resale value.

I'd look at the frame all around to see if there was damage there...like obvious bent spots on the frame where something struck it. Also look for the engine compartment to be put back right with no loose wires or missing / damaged / scratched fasteners that would suggest things removed and replaced carelessly.

I think the easiest give-aways to an after-factory paint job are: the paint on the normally hidden sides of panels like inside jams and under the hood are not glossy from the factory and after-market over spray in those areas are glossy. Also, look for plastic inner fender fasteners that have damaged heads or are missing. Even well done it's almost impossible to duplicate factory unless done restoration-grade.

Pay close attention to the front suspension parts: do they look the same side to side? paper labels on parts on one side and not the other? newer looking on one side and not the other?

Finally: go to www.toyota.com and register as owner with that VIN. You'll see any repairs done at a Toyota dealership at least.

 

If I recall correctly, most of the "wear items" (bulbs, brakes, alignment) are covered for a short period of time, like 10k miles or 1 year.

 

Where did you buy the truck? I think the seller has a legal to disclose any accidents or major body work that has been done to the truck. Sounds like you might need to sue to get your money back.