2012 Stock Tacoma Driveline Vibration

please keep us updated

 

Dealership called me today and said they swapped all four wheels and tires from another new Tacoma and the vibration problem didn't go away. It took them three days to figure it out. Now they're looking at the driveline. I bet whatever it is they don't have it in stock and I'll be waiting another couple of days before they're finished. I was kinda hoping for this because I figured the shutter at half throttle from a dead stop would have been easily dismissed. At least now I beleive their looking in the right direction. Their technician told me that all these complaints I read about online are on older trucks and aknowledged that when this current generation was introduced the first few model years did in fact have driveline problems. Supposedly all this has been rectified. Well, apparently it's not. No mention of a TSB, but that doesn't surpreise me because my service representative is clueless. If they keep the truck a few more days the service department will have owned it longer than me.

 

My guess is they changed suppliers to lower cost and their QC department at both the supplier and Toyota dropped the ball on something. I live in Texas and I do get a laugh when I see the Toyota commercials advertising they make the best quality trucks right here in San Antonio Texas. I plan on making a trip to the dealership tomorrow to get my service paper work from them they said they would email me from the last Saturday. They did verbally claim a TSB is coming. I want to see it in writing.

 

Well now, being a TW member has paid off once again for me.

I've got the 2012 DCLB SR5 and I too have the shudder folks are mentioning here. Too me it feels like the truck is using too large a gear at low speed, and by that I mean stuck in traffic or taking off when the street light turns green. The truck shudders on acceleration or as I slowly idle at highway crawl speed at or near the shift points. It does this between low gear changes as well. I have an 85 Mustang as well that I used to drag race and the shudder feels almost the same when I try to excellerate in too high a gear or shift too soon which I used to do from time to time as I missed shifts, LOL

Has anyone identified the gearing as the issue or possible cause? I don't have the TRD package...but I do believe the CDN versions have the extra leaf springs right?

Cheers and I will be mentioning this to my dealer next time in for my 16k checkup.

 

The Tacoma Double Cab, specifically the 4x4 SB has a carrier bearing that is very sensitive to driveline deviations in the pinion angle. Multiple posters on this site have confirmed this and IMHO its an engineering/design flaw. To bad, so sad. I went with the Tom Wood 1 piece driveshaft and it helped tremendously.

 

Well I just got back from the dealership and picked up my service paper work for my own records. The paper work describes my problem in my own words but their is no confirmation on it from the dealer identifying any vibration nor does it state anything about Toyota working on a TSB. The service manager said I would NOT be notified when or if a TSB has been issued. He said upon every 5k mile service I would have to keep asking.

 

Typical

 

I had the same vibration exactly what every one here is describing. After I did the lift on my truck the vibration is gone. I also did an add a leaf so I had to drop my rear axle than tighten it all back up. I'm not sure if the change in driveshaft ange or adding the leaf and stiffening the back of the truck fixed it but all I know is the vibration is gone. Go figure.

 

I was wandering if the lift would improve or make it worse. I already have a suspension kit picked out and ready to go but, the only concern I have with that is the very first question I was asked by the service department was: where did you buy the truck?, have you altered the suspension in anyway? The service manager also said if I do alter the suspension in anyway before the TSB, if ever issued, is issued, then that will void the warranty and they are not liable.

 

I received a call from the dealership several weeks ago, but due to traveling I wasn't able to update everyone. The vibration at highway speeds was at the wheels. A technician was using the wrong chuck on the balance machine. I can honestly say the high speed vibrations are much better, but the vibrations from dead stop at 1/2 throttle are still there despite them inspecting the entire driveline. I'm waiting for my next oil change before I bring it up again. I need to start using the truck I purchased two months ago before I leave it at the shop for another two weeks.

 

Your kidding...right?

 

I just picked up my 2013 only 16 days ago and I have the vibrations as well. I have 1580 miles now and as it is annoying sometimes, after the first few hundred miles I got used to it. Mine only happens when I accelerate at a moderate-to-aggressive rate from a slow speed and the vibration occurs between 18-25 mph. After that it never shows up again. I also feel that the brakes are a little odd, I don't know how to describe it. I just don't like it, then again, I did trade in a BMW for this Tacoma, and the brakes were phenomenal.

 

I came from a mazdaspeed 6 brakes were great. This truck is a learning experience with kind of Shitty brakes. yes it is a truck and not a sports car.

As far as the vibration yes It is annoying. I am rolling a little over 10k miles. I am still getting the vibration but it seems less. Maybe getting used to it or the vibration has worn it enough not to vibrate. But it concerns me more for long term damage when my warranty is expired.

Good luck. Other then these issues and Getting used to it. It is a great truck and love the looks

 

Well I traded in my 2012 Tacoma with the vibration for a 2013 Jeep Rubicon. Ironically, the Jeep has the 4.10 gears and gets about the same if not slightly better gas mileage. Maybe I will pull the trigger on the next generation Tacoma.

 

might be close behind you...
Feeling vibrations when both accel & decel.
windshield seal is creeping up & out of the corner.
steering wheel is starting to chip?
& they f'd me on my 1st free oil change. ie didnt change filter.
(lesson learned there - do your own oil changes)
& my last tank of gas got me 17mpg. in a 2.7L...its bs.
imo - Toyota quality is going downhill.
my 07 DC TRD OR had none of these issues. none.

might consider the re-design in 2014-2015 when Toyota is forced to give us some MPG efficient trucks.
or...
buy a 06-07 DC TRD Sport with high miles for around 10-12k.
swap in the D4D kit from Diesel Toys for 20k. 32k total

 

How bad is your vibrations?

I have a 2012 DCLB, it has a noticeable hum/shake at 75mph. The rearview mirror becomes shaky and the reflection is slightly distorted. I didn't have this problem initially, noticed it after 1000 miles.

Also it gets worse if I give it throttle - letting off the gas makes it somewhat go away.

Stock everything, tires, etc.

 

Say what? You traded vehicles, certainly losing money (dealers don't work for free), over a slight vibration which didn't hinder the operation or function of the vehicle at all? I'd never even consider such a thing. I don't plan to replace my truck until I'm darn ready or it falls apart, not just because I "feel" a slight vibration. If anything breaks along the way, I'll have it fixed then. In the meantime (between now & repairs or replacement), I'll spend my good money elsewhere.

By the way, I think it's pretty ironic that a small SUV wouldn't get substantually better gas milage than a mid-size double-cab pickup truck with greater passenger space, cargo space, load capacity, towing capacity, and so on. With a max towing of 2000-lbs, I couldn't even pull my small boat or utility trailer behind the Jeep Wrangler/Rubicon.

 

mine is there and also around 40-45mph.
& when you decelerate.(brake)

Stewart wrote:
"Say what? You traded vehicles, certainly losing money (dealers don't work for free), over a slight vibration which didn't hinder the operation or function of the vehicle at all? I'd never even consider such a thing. I don't plan to replace my truck until I'm darn ready or it falls apart, not just because I "feel" a slight vibration. If anything breaks along the way, I'll have it fixed then. In the meantime (between now & repairs or replacement), I'll spend my good money elsewhere."

This is exactly why you should be upset...(unless you are leasing your truck)

If you came out of pocket $25-30k cash and your "new" truck shuddered like a mid 1990s piece of shit & your not mad...Id say your the exception there.
especially when the apparant problem existed in earlier 2nd gens & was supposedly fixed.
if you learn to live with the problem thats on you.
not me - my hard earned $$ is worth more to me than to "settle".

 

My truck doesn't have any unexpected shudders, vibrations, or whatever. However, it certainly doesn't ride like a luxury car (my previous BMW, for example). Of course, I don't expect to - it's a truck. Because of that, I do feel the road surface more, the heavier-duty driveline more, the bigger tires more, and so on. I've owned a lot of trucks (vans, pickups, suv's, etc) over the years (Ford, Chevy, etc) and, as far as I'm concerned, that's just par-for-the-course when it comes to truck ownership.

 

My Rubicon tows my 18' Empire Boat with the ETEC 115 just just fine. I can't knock the Tacoma. It's a cool truck. Toyota just had their stuff together when they built the gen 1's but slipped on the gen 2's. I have know doubt they will get it together on the gen 3's. We will have to see.