2012 Stock Tacoma Driveline Vibration

I just bought a new 2012 Tacoma Double Cab Long Bed Automatic from a dealer 150 miles from where I live. During the brief test drive, I thought I detected a minor shudder while accelerating from a stop after the 1-2 up shift, but did not think much about it and drove the truck home.


The next day, I used the truck to run errands around town and again noticed the shudder. Since the excitement of the deal had worn off, I began paying more attention to when it happens. Again, during normal driving, I noticed it after the 1-2 up shift. I found I could make the truck shudder while shifting the automatic transmission to 1 and accelerating up a hill putting the driveline under load. The truck would also shudder going up the hill in 2.


It feels like either a bad U-joint or a cylinder missing. There are no warning lights illuminated on the dash.


I took it to the local dealer, who found the drive shaft unconcentric 0.002” at the front and 0.015” at the rear. They replace the driveshaft. That did not solve the problem, so the truck is back at the dealer. Next, they are checking the yolk that comes out of the differential.


Has anyone else experienced this on a new Tacoma? What was the solution?


Thank you,
Jeff

 

you already posted this Jeff under technical

 

thats ATRAC kicking Yo..paging DavidK..j/k, it's not your ATRAC kicking in

could be axle wrap upon acceleration but you stated you feel after 2 nd gear? also next time you bring to the dealer have them check the carrier bearing. for example a worn carrier bearing will cause the DS to move quite a bit. but maybe the carrier bearing misaligned..worth mentioning to the dealer anyways.

what you are describing has been with my truck since day one, and i been through several different types of leaf springs ranging from the TSB leaf pack to 2 pairs of aftermarket leaf packs.

 

Different crowds?

-Jeff

 

It's there now, so I'll mention it to them.

Thank you,
Jeff

 

Exhaust, huh? I don't think I'll mention that to them.

-Jeff

 

Subscribing. Mine does exactly the same thing.

 

There's been a couple threads about this, slight pulsating real light in the pedal when you accelerate? Mine does this as well, lots of others have said the same, dealer has looked at axle wrap, leaf springs, etc to no avail, test drove a new one the other day, noticed the same thing, just think its a little quirk of the truck and not a mechanical issue. Let me know if you find something out, but 3 dealerships later, and some under a lift investigating myself and havent found anything.

 

No, it's not a pulsating in the pedal, it's more like a vibe I can feel in the steering wheel, only at certain RPMs... usually between 1st and 2nd. It does feel like something in the driveline. Not too bad unless I push it hard, but my feeling is that a brand new vehicle, truck or otherwise, should not have this.

 

you didnt feel it when you test drove the truck?

it is brandnew. i would haunt that dealership until they found it. my 06 was Lexus smooth until i lifted it..now it vibes a tiny bit. only i feel it. my friends and wife are clueless. make them find it.

maybe drive another 2012 truck off the lot for comparison?

 

Penion angle.I bet you have the four leaf rear springs.When you excelerate the rear springs flex changing the penion angle to keep from haveing vibrations but with the extra leaf it is not flexing enough.They all do this shuddering in reverse or at least every one I have had does.Read the complaints of the shudder after a lift was put on.Same thing only with you Toyota did it so they need to find a solution.Maybe in a few thousand miles the springs will lose some of their new stiffness and get better.

 

Honestly I think you are going to find this is not a fixable problem. Lots and lots of documented instances on this if you search. Several people claim to have fixed this through a one piece driveshaft or flipping the the carrier bearing. I have the same thing you describe on my 2011 and so does my father with his identical 2011 to mine. Before you get frustrated I would drive another truck like yours and see if it does the same thing. Once you see it is normal, you can start ranting about how "I paid $30k+ and this is bs." My recommendation is just get used to it. If you can't get used to it just be glad you got a vehicle with fantastic resale value.

 

If and when they do fix it it will be wedged shims between the axle housing and springs to change the penion angle.Ford went through this also and that was their fix and it worked.

 

I also have noticed this vibration, but now that I've hit 1100 miles, I seem to notice it less. I'm not sure if I'm just getting used to it, it's breaking in a bit, or I've just learned to drive so that I get it less. When I originally posted about this in another thread, Fink replied "Slow and steady wins the race in this one", and truer words could not be spoken. A nice, even pressure on the accelerator, and I seldom get the vibration. I think I was gunning it too much when I first got it -- so much more power than my old truck. Only time I really notice it is during a sudden stop at a red light.

 

sub'd. haven't noticed on mine, ill have to pay attention.

 

Read this from f150 online.I purchased a 2011 F150 XLT 4X4 Super Crew in early January, since then I have had it into the dealership many times to correct an annoying shudder that can be seen (looking at the steering wheel) and felt as the truck accelerates. The shudder happens around 5 kph or 3 mph and then quickly disappears as you accelerate.
This is extremely annoying in stop and go traffic and is more readily felt if driving up hill. The dealer tried shims in the differential, Installed a new rear drive shaft, U joints and the last attempt was a complete rear end all to no avail.
If anyone else has experienced this or know what it might be I would be grateful for your input.

F150s are nice trucks but with some of the same issues.If someone is looking for perfectly smooth drivetrain a truck is not a good choice.They set high with sharp driveline angles which make those u-joints want to buckle causing the shudder.If it set low to the ground like a car it will not do this.Have a machine build a driveshaft replacing the u-joints with the double cardan joints and that will probabally fix it but down the road those cardan joints wear out fast.

 

Aloha all,

Mine does it too, I can only feel it at slow speeds, however mine is like 30 inch's off of the ground so i though it was lift related

only have about 70 miles on my truck

 

from a dead stop i have the same shutter when i accelerate. no matter how soft i touch the pedal, its there right as i begin to accelerate. it's probably not the leaf springs because i replaced mine with OME Dakar leaf packs. my truck is brand new and has done it since it rolled off the dealers lot and continues now that i have nearly 10k miles on it. i'll mention it the next time i have it in for service and see what they say here in Salt Lake City.

 

My whole truck vibrates like a sex toy through the pedal, steering wheel, seat, etc.

-Jeff

 

This sounds like mine. I am surprised that any manufacturer selling vehicles in North America - let alone Toyota - would consider this amount of vibration, "normal."

-Jeff