Are you still experiencing transmission issues?

No matter the vehicle your going find someone that thinks they got lemon. While my 93 v6 toyota pickup didn't set any performance records i still put up with it for 7 years. Toyota did a head gasket job for no charge after 6 years. Imo, they could of told me to go pound sand like gm told my brother on his 91 blazer after his gas tank rotted out after 5 years.

 

Toyota doesn't do those things anymore. They've become a greedy, conniving corporate thug that tells you to pound sand after they have your money. This is the Yelp page for Toyota Corporate, where you call to beg that Toyota does the right thing:

https://www.yelp.com/biz/toyota-customer-experience-center-torrance

Solid one star, and it's only that high because one star is the lowest Yelp rating you can give.

I wouldn't buy ANY Toyota NOT made in Japan at this point. There are many articles about how their quality has slipped, and it seems to be largely related to the vehicles they don't assemble in Japan. I'm pounding on the company because they used to have great products all around, and are now skating on that reputation while producing a lot of relative junk these days. With the work other automakers are putting in to retain happy customers and attract new ones, there is NO excuse for Toyota to consistently give people the middle finger. If their customers stick their heads in the sand and don't demand better, well, the 2030 5th gen Tacoma will have rear drum brakes and rusty frames too.

Just to be clear, had my truck not had all its issues and had Toyota resolved said issues in a civilized manner, I would have been the happiest customer around. I loved the Tacoma's looks, the cabin and electronics. I just wanted it to work right. Too much to ask?

I replaced the truck with a pre-owned '17 Audi A4 Allroad, still under factory warranty, and not only did I have just one minor warranty issue in 22k miles (vs almost two dozen visits to the various local Toyota dealers in the same time with my truck), but they took care of it with no fuss and even fixed stuff for free that wasn't their fault (I screwed up a $100 license plate bracket and they replaced it, and installed the new one for free, even though I told them it was my fault and I would pay for it). I get free fasteners and small accessories from the Audi dealer all the time. I never ask for it, but ironically, the small parts like bolts and plastic clips are actually often cheaper than the Toyota equivalents. Toyota nickel and dimed me for every damn thing and argued about every warranty repair.

/end of my rant.

 

That’s too bad you had a terrible experience but this kind of stuff happens all the time in every manufacturer. I had a similar experience with both GM and Ford. I can honestly say both Toyota and Nissan have been a stellar experience for me.
So much so I don’t even consider anything else.Hopefully some good look will come your way this time.

 

I had a 2018 TRD Sport and didn’t noticed much of anything some people complaint about. Now I have a 2020 TRD Sport and I can feel how they tuned the truck differently and the responsiveness is better. These 3.5L motors are great all around and I came from a 4.0L 4runner as well.

 

Just had drive completely stop working in a 2017 with 37k miles. The frustration!!!

 

I'd buy a 4runner and supercharge it. The 4.0L is a fantastic engine, but it's sluggish in the 4runner due to that old transmission design.

I drove a 2015 Tacoma (stick, 4.0 V6, about 40k miles) and it was a night and day difference in engine and transmission behavior from my 3.5L 6MT 2017. Smooth and torque-y on the low end. There's a reason the last 2nd gens go for as much as, or more, as a lightly used 3rd gen. Dealer wanted 28k for it, if I remember right.

The 3.5 liter isn't a bad engine, but it's a bad fit for a truck. It works great in Camry's where you've got a lighter car with a trans that lets the engine rev quickly to get it up to speed. In a truck paired with a bogus " pass the EPA fuel mileage test" transmission, it's a disappointment.

 

Its an engine designed to rev with a trans programming designed to lug...what could go wrong?

 

All i can say is toyota has been better than others when it came to servicing a known issue long pass their warranty period. Dealers were up front with me toyota can't give the store away as they use to, but its the same with most others. Thats what extended warranty contracts are for now if you choose to do so. Most important thing is to find a good dealer with a most knowledgeable service department. Anyone can read a TSB, but it basically comes down to the individual doing the job.

 

I have the gear hunting issue, but I also have a ton of weight added in armor, larger tires, etc. Definitely changed the way the truck drove. When it was stock it gear hunted on steeper inclines, but now with all of the extra weight it is exasperated. It will also hard down shift on occasion which is annoying as well. The ECT button has helped smooth out the shifting. I just hit it now if I expect to go over some hills. Does it make me hate the truck? Nope.

 

When I first bought my 2017 the shifting was annoying and bad. Took it to the dealer, complained etc. Truck shifts normal now for the past couple years. I know when they first came out 2016 2017 2018, the transmissions definitely had shifting issues. I'm not sure about the newer ones though. I'm guessing there was a software update for the transmission that fixed it i guess.

 

Hello.
First time reader and poster here.
I have a 2016 Tacoma 4wd base model. 62,000 miles and have recently been having these shifting issues. I called Toyota and i am over the 60,000 warranty limit so the guy said I am on my own and might need a new transmission. I have not taken it back to the dealer yet.

 

If you haven’t changed the trans fluid
Have it done

 

It could very well be true that Toyota vehicles built in Japan are better than those built in North America, but those days are long gone, and not only for Toyota (Honda's reliability is also nowhere near what it used to be.). Frankly, I think its better for all involved to have assembly plants in NA. I pretty much love my Mexico-built Tacoma but it ain't perfect.

 

Dealer said
Transmission line was leaking because it's rotting. 62,00 miles? I drive 60 miles to and from work on the highway. Also the steering line is rotting.

 

Did you ever rust proof those lines? Similar issue with the power steering rack lines on my tundra happened at 80k miles when i didn't do the lines. If you live in the rust belt bad stuff will happen if you don't prepare for it.

 

mine will spin tires if I step on the gas enough. I only have a 2.7L too.

 

I had a 2016 and now I am in a 2020. The 2020 programming and driving is much more enjoyable than the 2016 was.

 

I just got my 2020 OR on Friday. Sure the trans is learning, hunts a bit for gears, is a bit slow to respond and lingers in 4th/5th when it shouldn't, but it took me ~200kms to figure it out and for the most part make the trans do what I want with the skinny pedal. I haven't towed anything yet but won't be towing much more than atv anyway. I came from a VW GTI with DSG transmission that was amazing. .....amazing for that kind of car. Would never expect a similar experience. Super happy with my taco and it's transmission.

 

I personally don't think there are any issues with the 2020 auto. It is the first auto I've owned so maybe I just had low expectations to begin with, but once broken in it seems to shift reasonably 90 percent of the time. It's programmed to shift early and keep RPM's down to improve fuel economy. As soon as you understand what it's trying to do you can adjust your foot.

The truck now goes just fine and it shifts fine. As far as I can tell they have worked all of the gear hunting behaviour out of it. Everyone whining that it doesn't go fast enough or has trouble towing needs to quit playing cute with the accelerator and give it the foot. As mentioned elsewhere, this motor makes lots of power at the top end of the rpm range. Don't be afraid to stick it to the rug and run it through the gears.

This is the first truck I've ever owned and frankly I love it - pull the trigger on it, you won't regret it!

 

After you get by the first 5000 miles the tranny learns you and mine drives perfect for how I push the petal.