Need some Advice and to Vent a Little!!!!

Pardon me if this thread get's a long winded but I need some advice and also to vent a little about my experience with my Tacoma thus far.

When I was up at school (FSU WHOOT!) I was driving my civic, but after 180K, it was starting to get a little raggedy and all the heavy modifications to it were getting expensive to maintain with that many miles. So, I called my parents and explained to them that I was looking at about $3K plus to get everything fixed and have the car run "okay." So, they decided that it was time for me to get a new vehicle...and thus came along the 2008 Tacoma. I got a phone all one day from my mom at work and she said," You're father and I got you a truck. It's a 2008 Toyota Tacoma...just your basic model." Well, needless to say I was ecstatic!! (2008 Reg. Cab, 5spd Manual 5 lug). I was looking at the Tacomas but since I didn't have the credit to purchase a new vehicle, it was pretty much up to them to find me something. So I come home from school on the weekend and go pick up my new truck. I trade in my Honda, which they only gave my $2k for, but in the condition it was in that was MORE than acceptable. I get a 5 year payment plan and I'm only paying $240 a month which is amazing. So everybody is happy happy. I take the truck back up to school and have up there for about 11 months before I graduate. During that time, I moved my entire apartment twice including a 5 hour trip from Tallahassee to Sarasota when I moved back. Truck did absoutely fine with no problems for those 11 months.

So I come back to Sarasota and get my tint installed, put a system in, and paint my wheels. While I'm painting my wheels I notice that two of the wheels are slightly bent....so, I junk those and pick up a set of aftermarket wheels at 16x7.5 and pick up some new A/T's at 225/75/16. Get those mounted on with no problem at all. At this point I'm a very happy Tacoma owner.

Well, this is where the problem starts. I notice that my clutch pedal is starting to make a creaking noise but it wasn't that bad so I figured I'd give it a little bit to see if it got worse...4 weeks later it was creaking so loudly that I couldn't stand it. I take it into the dealer and they tell me I need to lube up the bushings on the pedal..so they do and it solves the problem fine. About a month and a half later I notice my transmission is making is an awful "chatter" noise at idle with the clutch pedal not compressed. Take it back to the dealer and they tell me it's nothing to worry about, it's a truck and the tranny's are louder than a sports car. A week later the chatter is so bad I can't take it anymore and take it back to the dealer..this time they tell me I need to replace my clutch. I say okay and leave it with them. They replace the pressure plate, clutch disc, and bearings..everything is running beautifully at this point. A few weeks later I notice that my air conditioning when on sometimes makes a squeaking sound coming from the motor..like the belt is wet or something. Take my truck back in..they tell me they can't reproduce sound and there's nothing they can do. So, I say alright and just think "I'll deal with it."

So, I'm driving around a few days ago and I notice that the clutch pedal is making the SAME noise now, not as loud but I'm assuming it will only get worse. AND the driver side window/door rattles like it's not shut all the way when it defintely is. AND then last night I climb in the bed to get some stuff out of it and I notice that my back right shock is making a creaking noise now as well. I can physically shake the truck from side to side and hear it. Well, needless to say at this point as of right now I am extremely pissed off. I guess I just don't understand what the hell to do. My truck only has 21k on it, never driven hard or offroad and very well taken care of yet this will be the 4th time within 6k miles that I'll be taking my truck BACK to the dealer to get it worked on again. This truck was brand new when I got it and if it's not fixed properly this time I need to know what my options are. The truck is being paid on but if I have to take it back to the dealer every month to get something looked at or fixed it's not worth it to me. I'm just wondering if anyone is having these kind of problems with their Tacoma at all. I love my truck and I'm about to lift it and put bigger tires on (30's or 31's) and I have so many more mods I'm just dying to do, but I don't understand why it's having all these problems. It's almost as if on the base models Toyota just says "F*ck it" and mass produces a very sloppy production vehicle compared to the TRD editions or the PreRunners.

What's a guy to do ?

 

If it makes you feel better, others including myself have squeaky,creaky clutches, and the leaf springs squeak. Mines an 09 Acc Cab TRD 4x4 I bought new in November. i havent had them check the clutch yet, but the friction pads they are having issues with and will replace those, ad regrease in between the leafs.
Sorry that you are having problems buddy.

 

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely LOVE my truck and I'm not planning on getting rid of it, I just don't understand why a new vehicle would have such problems. I understand that trucks are different from cars but I shouldn't have to make the dealer a second home...ever.

Any advice on what to say to them when I take my truck back down ? They've always been very nice to me and have fast service, but I'm thinking it might be time to get a little agressive here. I'm only 24 and they think I don't know sh*t about trucks...but I do.

 

21K is NOT a new truck. Model years don't mean jack when you have that many miles. They make noise and things do go wrong.

It's under warranty- so take it back and get it fixed until you are satisfied...Best of luck!!

 

the creeking in the rear I have too, just take some wd40 or any other lube like stuff and spray it on the rear leaf spring bushings and that will fix it, my clutch pedal creeks too which just needs to be lubed, Im not sure about your window tho, I have had mine creek but its only because I left it down a tad bit, as for the ac that sucks too man only time will tell whats wrong with it. I will c i if i can find the pics some guy posted for me as to where to spray the lube on the leaf springs

 

just the way it goes man... i did the shake test on a few TACOs in the lot and they squeak a little already! but i have to admit it didn't bother me...

 

That would be much appreciated. It's driving me nuts!

 

sorry but I have searched high and low but for some reason cant find it, its pretty straight forward though just look under your truck and spray some lube on the bushings where your leaf springs connect , there were about 3 or 4 spots on both sides of the truck I sprayed it on. I will keep looking to c if I can find it for you.

 

Those honestly aren't really big problems. The truck is fine. Your clutch is probably just squeaky. Grease up the bushings with some lithium grease. The transmission chatter when not in gear is probably just a noisy throw out bearing. About half the trucks I have owned have had some kind of chatter when not in gear. Squeaky shock? Lube it up.

I wouldn't be bummed. Just tackle each problem on your own with a little common sense. Dealers usually don't do well with noises anyway. Your tacoma is probably pretty quiet still. Think of the mechanic that drove it... Listens to air ratchets all day and probably has straight pipes on his ram. He's not going to hear it.

Remember how many pieces go into a vehicle and they all have to work together. Its going to make some noise.

 

apparently there is also a tsb on the squeaky suspension

TSB-SU012-07 - Rear suspension squeak

 

ROFL!!! So true!

 

i think your first clue should of been when you found two of the wheel slightly bent !!! Hello , did the tint guys do a little ferris buller parking garage test drive.? however it happened, if you got two bent rims, that sounds like you truck was dropped checked. let any of your college buddies borrow it ?????

 

My basic 07 5 lug has none of those problems but I do have a grinding noise everytime I turn on the A.C.Anyone else hear that.I got the "dealer says its normal" on that one.

 

First off, good luck with your issues. If your not satisfied with your product contact Toyota and keep visiting the dealership. I know it's a pain in the ass but being that you're a college student I'm assuming your alternate options are limited until you get out of school.

Second, I would find a new Toyota dealership that may be more inclined to help solve your issues.

 

i have the same issues... they aren't major problems, just minor pains in the butt..

the truck is healthy, and should be healthy for a long time. some noises here and there.. turn up the radio..

there is a TSB for the clutch, if you are still in warranty they will replace the whole clutch pedal assembly..
there is a TSB for the ac/heat fan, if you are still in warranty they will replace the whole unit..

 

I got an 09 little tacoma, but sometimes a cheap little truck is a cheap little truck. I once bought a brand new 92, back in 92, Nissan cheap ass truck. It didnt even have a radio, rear bumper, ac etc. At the time, I was working in a car repair shop, but the alternator would rattle loose every thousand miles, if you were driving over 60 mph you could not roll the windows all the way up because the wind pressure would suck them out past its groove, the tires went out of balance every 500 miles.

My new little tacoma is about a thousand times better than that truck, cost wise it was about 4k more than that truck, but its an auto, has ac, decent stereo, sliding rear window, composite bed, so no bed liner is needed, hell it even has a bumper. I got it at the end of July and now have 5100 miles.

But go find a new dealer, and point out the TSBs, or I could get a time machine, go back to 1992, when I was 24, and show you what a POS truck really is.

I hope they work out those issues, and you have many happy years with your tacoma.

 

If the vehicle has repetitive legitimate problems there may be a lemon law to literally force the dealer to buy it back. However if the "tint shop" messed with your ride that may be a whole 'nother scenario... Good luck