After 4 months my thoughts on tacoma

Owned my 2010 Tacoma for 4 months now. It's decent vehicle but nowhere near what my 4Runner was. The only complaints I have are below. Curious to hear others thoughts.

1. Unless you're driving in a straight line it's almost impossible to see the dashboard. As I drive around a bend on a freeway I have no idea how fast I'm going or what the engine rpm is. My second dashboard complaint is even in daylight it needs to be lit.

2. It's been a brutally cold winter here but this vehicle takes forever to warm up. The 4Runner usually had some heat within 1/2 mile. This vehicle takes at least 6 miles to get something resembling heat to come out of the vents. Everything is fine, had the dealer check it. By far the worst vehicle I've owned when it comes to heat in the winter.

3. The outside/inside switch on the heat/ac is goofy. If there is one thing I hate it's breathing diesel fumes or smelling a gas leak from someone in front of me. Times like this I turn the outside air off. The goofy switch resets to outside after about 2 minutes.

Minor complaints but complaints just the same.

 

1, you should be able to feel the vehicles rpm and speed to not even look at the gauges. Hear and feel.

2. Turbo or bigger tires will heat that motor up real quick. My tacoma heats up pretty fast . Less than a mile

3 you should take that to let the dealer take a look at it.

 

I've had mine for about a month now, and I have to disagree about the heat. I never noticed the problem with the gauges, because I don't generally take my eyes off the road when I'm taking a corner, but back to the point...I would take your truck to another Toyota dealership if there are any within a decent range from where you live because it shouldn't take six miles to warm up. I usually start mine, let it idle for 30-45 seconds then drive it away. I generally don't rev above 2k rpms before shifting when it's below the bottom of the temp gauge, and in about 2-3 miles I get heat enough to take the chill out and by six miles I'm usually near halfway to operating temperature.

 

What year was your 4runner?

 

I only have to drive two miles to work and my truck has heat about halfway there. I'm thinking you need to have your heat checked out. Even my '89 pickup has heat after a mile or so.

 

My 4Runner was a 2001, it must have had every option there was. It was the best vehicle I ever owned.

When I went to buy something newer I couldn't believe the price of a new 4Runner so bought the Tacoma. I'm quite happy with the Tacoma other than the few complaints I noted.

I'm going to take it to another dealer and see what they tell me about the heat. I didn't think it should take that long to get heat out of it.

 

Toyota seems to have listened to these criticisms, all of those are taken care of on my '12.

 

1) What?

2) Let it warm up for a bit before you drive it.

3) Press the button, HOLD it for a few seconds, recirc will stay on forever. It's in the manual.

 

take a path to work that involves a big hill, I've found that when in the torque range that puppy heats up easily, don't even have to push it that hard

That being said I'm spoiled with the remote start I had put in

 

What are you talking about the gauges are lit during the daytime, and even so never had a problem looking at them, they are almost the same design as the previous 4runner generation. You have one of if not the most reliable trucks on the market (1st gen was the golden child) minor climate control issues/creature comforts should be the last of your complaints/critisims.

 

1. I have no problems with this. Though I don't see a reason to look at my gauges while rounding a bend.

2. Let the truck warm up. Your just decreasing the life of your engine by putting a load on the engine before everything has proper lubrication and at least some temp. Rule of thumb for me is 100 degrees Fahrenheit good to go. But, I still take it easy (under 2000rpm's and light throttle) till she reaches full temp. Sorry for the dissertation but I feel very strongly about this.

3. Not the best design.

 

The heat and recalculation are my only concerns. -45 here some nights and it takes about 35 min to heat up. Or it doesn't heat up at all on my morning commute

Circulation.... Well I'm allergic to diesel fumes so having it on recirculate would be nice, but there's a reason mine shuts off when defrost is on. Physics just won't allow it to clear my windshield

 

Cold winter here, it does take a while for mine to heat up as well, not sure exactly how long though. I just wear my down jacket and call it good. If my son is riding with me I run out and start it a few minutes early to help warm the cabin.

I've also noticed an the coldest days (Actual temps 5 or below, real feel temps as low as -10) when I sit down in my passenger seat I hear a loud creak from under the truck, haven't been able to figure out the sound because it won't do it any other way where i'm in a position to see or hear more directly. I only weigh 180 lbs but it sure does make me feel fat.

 

The heat and ventilation systym in these trucks is lackluster. If you live in a below freezing climate, you know what I'm talking about. Not Cali winters. The rear windows fog consistently and it does take much too long in my opinion to get in cab heat on a freezing day.

 

you my friend have mustered the Toyota Fan Boy army...

 

This is news to me, I must have hit that button 5 times this morning. Thanks!

 

Have any of you in cold climates blocked off the radiator? This would help the engine out. Since 2005 it has been known these engines run cool and starve to heat themselves so I have no idea why anyone would still have an issue with this. Get an oil pan heater and block off the radiator. /issue.

I also have no idea why people in cold climates would be driving their car with the heat turned on before the truck is warmed up. I don't live in a cold climate but I sure as hell know turning the heater on while driving before the truck is warmed up is the least effective way to get heat.

This is common sense stuff people.

 

Da fuq? I don't even understand this one...

 

When it's -30 up here sometimes for weeks straight, I'll take what I can get. A little heat is better than none, especially when my windshield is frozen on the inside.

 

Are you saying at -30 you have no block/pan heater, don't warm up your truck, and do not block off the radiator then expect heat from the engine when you are 6 miles away?

Let me guess you are also running synthetic oil?