Just curious about a sound

Hello all,

I am enjoying my 2020 Taco completely stock 4X2 SR. Have a question (Cringing because I am naïve). When I first start up the engine and pull forward a few feet out of my driveway, I turn the wheel a little left to get out. I have felt a very small, subtle "bonk" (Not sure how else to describe it which seems to come from the right front). Not having any issues with steering or any warning lights. My previous car was a Mazda sedan: I bought it brand new, and it always made a noise when I first stepped on the brakes after start up, driving a few feet and stepping on the brake. That car was 14 years old, and always made a noise, never had a problem, and I figure it was just the brakes setting/engaging, so to speak, as I can't think of another way to describe it. Anyone have ideas on the Tacoma feel, I've felt? Sorry, hard to describe.

 

Hot brakes absorb moisture from the atmosphere when you park at night. This turns into corrosion/rust. So in the morning, you have to break that rust to get moving, sometimes its a clunk, sometimes its a squeal.

 

Welcome to TW

 

could also be your sway bar if you have one.

 

Forgive my ignorance: I don't know what a sway bar is. LOL

 

Thank you! I'll pay attention if it gets worse and go to the dealer, and say, WHAT IN THE HECK? PUT IT ON THE RACK! Lol

 

Except with the Tacoma, it makes the strange subtle bonk, and I am not applying the brake, just as I turn the wheel at about 1 MPH

 

When I first got my Taco, I sometimes heard a mild “bonk” when turning left just pulling out, I thought it came from the left rear. Haven’t noticed it though lately.
I attributed it to “truck.”

 

haha no problem. in the photo the green arrow is pointing to the sway bar. the red circle is around your end links that connect both ends to the truck's spindles. look for looseness or play on the end links. these can be clunky at low speed when not loaded right (called preload, static tension on the bar when at rest). bottom line is it's not anything dangerous if loose or moving. just take a look if you even have the bar.

 

Thank you! So nice to see kind responses without having to cringe while scrolling down. Lol. I appreciate your detailed reply

 

Check to make sure the u bolts are tightened on the rear axle on each side of differential/ aka pumpkin

 

Maybe the ABS self check...

 

Took it to the dealership today and had the mechanics look it over. They tried to re-create the "Knock" or "Bonk" and it wouldn't do it. They put it up on the rack with a through inspection to ensure everything is tight and fastened properly, and found no issues. Seems fine, and ironically, it didn't make that single "knock" feel at all when starting it and driving it several times after visiting the dealer mechanics. BTW, since I am a Star Wars geek, I have named my truck "The Tie-Fighter" after Storm Troopers, since it is white in color, with the tailgate "Tacoma" in black, black rear view mirrors, door handles, etc. LOL. Enjoying the base 4 cyl truck very much. It certainly has a lot more horizontal clearance than the old 4 cyl models and looks more like a 4X4 model. I'm less than thrilled about the stock rims, but with time and paying off the truck, I will get nicer looking rims.