Truck Sliding around

I just picked up a 2025 TRD Sport a couple weeks ago, and yesterday we had an unexpected spring snowstorm in Maine. I was driving on the highway, and there wasn’t any snow sticking to the road yet and I was maybe going 55. Out of nowhere, the truck shot me into the passing lane as I fishtailed trying to regain control. Luckily, I managed to get it back on track, but I gripped the wheel for dear life the rest of the way home.

I’ve been driving Tacoma’s for years—owned a 2005, 2015, 2021, and now this one—but none of the others have ever done anything like this. We get some pretty gnarly snowstorms here, and I’m experienced driving in bad weather, but this scared the shit out of me. Could this have been caused by all the driving assist features on the truck? Anyone else have this happen? It literally felt like the truck did this.

 

Happened to me in my 2016. In 2wd,
70mph down the interstate. Roads 'looked' completely dry. One section had some rain come through earlier but the road still looked dry.

I was in the left lane to pass and when I stepped on the gas the back end slid out. I fishtailed sideways, 4 times at 70mph. The last fishtail was sending us straight to the ditch.

Somehow it corrected before the ditch and we drove away. (After I checked my shorts).

I blame it on the shitty stock G.Y. Wranglers and no weight in the back.

 

check your tire pressure, alot of these trucks came with extremely over inflated tire pressure...
Also you sure you didnt cross or get close to a lane & maybe the lane assist is what you were feeling?
that can scare the bejesus out of you if youre not expecting it...

 

Sounds like exactly like what happened to me. Terrifying, I'll definitely be adding some weight now just in case.

 

All I can think is the line of snow that was being blown off to the side the truck though was a line and just overcorrected violently. I was right in between the lines

They all say 36psi currently. Is there a recommend pressure I should put them to?

 

I had my family with, too.
Very scary.
Thought we were going to roll that thing.

 

Man that's sucks! Thankfully I was alone, but if I had gone in the ditch to my left it would have been bad, very steep. 100% would have rolled a brand new truck. Lol

 

Theres a sticker in the drivers door sill that will tell you the recommended cold tire pressure.

 

Thank you, I'll check that out.

 

Black ice; slickernowlshit.

 

What tires do you have? Did your Sport have "lane assist" turned on?

 

You are driving in snow..........

 

The lane assist was on, I've never had lane assist before. I'm not 100% sure on the tires, I'll have to look.

 

IIRC doesn't Sport's come with either General or Michelin depending on the build date? New ones on the lot at my dealer look to be General. Either way, both are a street oriented tire, so not exactly the greatest in the snow/ice. Combined with speed and black ice causes this. I'm sure someone will fight me on this.

I ditched the street tires on my SR5 after one snow, it was that bad. Although with black ice nothing besides maybe studded can help.

 

My bet is you hit black ice.

Tires and bed weight may or may not have helped.

 

It reads like you were just in some combination of caught off guard and driving too fast for conditions. Black ice and even water can make it tricky but that awareness is still a driver's job. The high torque the Tacoma has is not different than other pickups out there.

If anything stands out with the 4th gen and 51 years of driving pickup trucks in the north is it the safety systems do a good job of keeping the rig in control.

 

Could be, really the only thing that makes sense. As I was not speeding and there was no snow sticking to the road. Everyone around me was whizzing by

 

One thing I did not mention, is the truck was in Sport mode from when I picked it up. Not sure if this is relevant, should I swap it to Normal?

 

It should be in normal each time you start it.