Issues with my brand new 07 Taco

I just bought my first Toyota Tacoma (double cab, TRD Sport, 4X4) two Fridays ago. This is also my first Toyota. I’ve always owned Ford pickups and always wanted a Toyota. I traded off my 01 F150 SuperCrew Lariat 4X4 for this Tacoma. There are many things I really like about this truck so far (Quiet ride, tight steering, engine performs very well, looks are spectacular, much better gas mileage) but I’m a little discouraged by how many outstanding unresolved issues there are with them considering this is it’s third model year. I’ve done most of my own auto maintenance for all of my cars for the last 20 years or so, so I have a pretty keen ear and eye for what’s normal or not. Issues I’ve noticed with my new Tacoma as of yet: Slight shudder/vibration when breaking or accelerating at about 20mph, noisy exhaust tick, drive shaft makes clunking noise when shifting from reverse to drive, when AC is on the truck tends to lunge forward when the compressor kicks in. These are all issues I’m having and that I’ve found on this site mentioned more than one time. I’ve only found a Toyota technical service bulletin on one of these issues (Exhaust tick - EG021-06). Is anyone else aware of any other dealer service resolutions for any of these issues? I have a feeling that the shudder and the drive shaft clunk are results of the same issue. I’m taking it in for service on Thursday. I just want to love my new truck and not hear ticking and feeling shudders/vibrations.

 

I've noticed that my truck shudders sometimes when I'm braking around the same speed that you are talking about. It doesn't do it all the time on my truck. Whats weird about it is, I bought my truck with almost 18 miles on it and I've noticed it from the get go!
This is my first truck ever, so I was thinking it might be me just having to get use to driving a truck or something bigger than a car. Who knows.
I haven't noticed the clunking or ticking noise.. as of yet.. and I hope I don't.
Keep me posted on what they say it may or maynot be. Hopefully they can help us all. Good Luck!

 

I didn't notice it on the test drive because I was so exited to be buying a new truck but noticed it on the way home after the purchase. Well if it's doing it on yours and it's two wheel drive then that elimenates the transfer case. I think it is the drive shaft or carrier bearing. I can live with the tick if there is no fix and knowing it is normal but this shudder is annoying. I just found this quote on another forum that might be helpful.

"I may have the correct answer to yours and a couple other correspondents on the driveline shutter at or around the 1-2 shift. It is without a doubt the splined slip-yoke located directly behind the driveshaft carrier bearing. These components are located halfway down the two part drive line. The spline is hanging up or binding.
This splined component's job is to allow the driveline to shorten or lengthen as required by the wheelbase as the vehicle takes off or is stopping. All rear wheel drive vehicles have a splined slip joint either at their transmission or somewhere down the drive line after a carrier bearing. If this power transmitting spline does not move freely it will hang up. Usually, it with be felt on take away immediately from a stop sign or at the 1-2 shiftpoint.
As on the Tacoma, these external splined slip-joints joints are sealed by a lip seal or as in the newer Tacoma, with a rubber boot. Older Tacomas had a grease fitting on this spline shaft to keep it moving freely. The new Tacomas appear to be sealed for life.
After a few discussions with my local dealer it was time to take some affirmative action. I informed them that this problem was gradually getting worse and I strongly suspected the drive line slip-joint. I told them that unless they replaced the whole complete driveline, I would not be happy. I reminded them that this was a much cheaper solution than replacing the transmission, transfer case, and or the whole truck! They agreed. I inspected this slip joint before its removal and found that there was excessive clearance on the spline fit. I could move both male and female components 1/16" independently. This is not a good machining practice on driveline components. The resilient rubber mounting did not seem to be firm enough either. The two driveshafts, universals, carrier bearing, and splined slip-yoke are all one assembly and are replaced as a balance unit with a flange mount on either end!
Two days ago the whole driveline was replaced. I'm happy to report that the shifting and whole operation of the driveline/transmission are as smooth as silk! The spline fit has no excessive clearance and the rubber in the carrier bearing mount is stiffer (This keeps driveline vibration inline at take away under high torque load situations.).
I hope this information helps to solve your problem.
Good Luck."

The guy sounds like he knows what he is talking about. But what do I know.

 

well I find that crazy for a brand new vehicle. It shouldn't be doing that at all.. I sometimes find the shuddering annoying, but other times I don't really pay it that much attention.
When I go in for the first oil change I'm going to say something about it, to see what they say..

 

Recall issue?

 

No, not even a technical service bulletin but if you google Tacoma vibration, Tacoma shudder, Tacoma driveline, it's all over the internet.

 

Since everyone is having the same issue.. must be a character flaw in the truck. Who knows.. it really doesnt' even agrivate me at all.. Like today I drove it several times and it didn't do it all day... Who knows

 

Mine does the exact same thing...'07 prerunner V6 double cab, 2WD automatic. Mine had 32 miles on it when I bought it and it has done it from the beginning. It now has 2,500 miles with no change. While I have not noticed the ticking sound, it does "clunk" when going in or out of drive. I will point it out to the dealer in a couple of months when I take it in

 

Is everyone that is having this problem driving a automatic?

 

Mine is an automatic and it had 280 miles on it when I bought it. I noticed these issues on my way home from the dealer after the purchase. I think this issue is probably there whether you have an automatic or standard but not as noticeable with a standard because of the down shifts when breaking. I think it has to do with the two piece drive shaft (somewhere in the driveline). I think the double and access cab models have them. My plan is to drop it off at the dealership in the morning with my list of complaints. I'm a bit skeptical at this point. My past experience with dealership service tells me they will try to tell me that it is all normal. I won't settle for that though, I paid almost $30K for this truck less than two weeks ago and they need to make it right.

 

I’ve experienced vibration originating from my engine compartment on start-up 3 times since November 06, including yesterday. I just spoke to Toyota about it and was told there are no TSB’s on it and was given an appointment to bring it in to scan for problem codes, should any exist. I’m taking it in tomorrow but believe it’s a waste of time. I’m afraid they’d experiment with my truck and mess with an otherwise good thing.

I also mentioned that the truck lunges forward while I’m in a stationary position (eg: traffic light) while in gear and foot on brake pedal. The last time it occurred, I thought the UPS truck behind my Taco, nudged me. When I got out of the Taco, there was about 2 feet of space between the two vehicles.

Though worrisome, I wonder if it’s worth pursuing if Toyota themselves don’t know WTF is going on. I’ll keep you’ll posted after my 8am appointment tomorrow.

 

I have the lunge too and noticed it only happens with the AC on and when the compressor kicks in. It felt like someone was shoving me from behind. The normal press of the break doesn't hold it. You have to squeeze down harder to not go forward.

 

Mine does the "lunge" thing too, but just often enough to be a PIA. For a split second I think it is about to take off and have even laid on the brake harder . It's just a momentary thing though.

 

My taco is an automatic.

 

…. “my truck was just fine till the dealer touched it”……. So, I took the truck and ran/drove like hell!

I took my rig in to Toyota this morning. Shop foreman says lets test drive it and show me what you mean. I told him its intermittent hence cannot be simulated on demand. He suggested I leave it behind and they will look into it during the next leap year , should time permit. He was a nice guy but didn’t know what to do or look for.

I discussed all the noise about vibration I’ve read on various posts on the “internet's ” . He assured me he is yet to encounter a Tacoma with such a problem and assured me there is no Toyota TSB on this problem including the lunging problem. So, I decided to take my truck and ran/drove like hell, because I do not want them to touch my truck if they didn't know what to look for. I'll live with it for now.

Has anyone looked into or heard of secret warranties? Phil Edmonston, author of LemonAid Guide seems to dig them up from somewhere. I wonder if Toyota has any such TSB’s we are not aware of.

Check out this link for some interesting information;http://www.gadgetonline.com/Vibration.htm

 

I've experienced the lunge as well... always feels like the person behind you bumped into you. It lunged so hard one time I was picking up the phone to call the police when I realized what had really happened.

I've noticed that in the morning, if I get on it a little bit, it feels like it wants to hesitate going from 1st to 2nd gear. Is this the same vibration that you all are talking about? I've only got 15k miles, so it doesn't seem normal... but it did the same thing on my 03 taco...

 

Toyota called me with feed back on the “lunge” issue. They acknowledge it exists based on the drivers breaking style. Apparently, upon breaking the propeller shaft extends forward as the front end tips down. When the weight transfer shifts back to the rear, the propeller shaft must revert back to the original position (position before braking occurred).

Periodically, it does not revert back smoothly hence the lunge. They suggest having your dealer lube the prop shaft to eliminate the lunge. I will observe this operation next week and will have further details for those interested and may be even some pictures.

 

What is the propeller shaft. Is that the same thing as the drive shaft? If so, all these things could be related (vibration, clunk, lunge). I'm pretty certain the extending forward and backwards all happens in the splined slip-joint that is just behind the carrier bearing. It allows for the flex in the shaft. If thats the case, all the syptoms point to the driveline. That would make that guy I quoted in my earlier post correct. Hey, if just greasing something fixes everything, I'm very happy with that. Bring it on!! FYI..things didn't pan out and I wasn't able to get to the dealership Thursday. Maybe Monday.