2022 Tacoma Off Road- Transmission Shudder or something else?

New to Tacomas, since 2022. Had plenty of other Toyotas and have never experienced an issue like this. I bought a '22 TRD OR used, but Certified from a Toyota Dealer with around 19K in late '22. During the test drive I felt something, and I thought it was a shifting issue, and the salesman said it was the adaptive transmission learning my driving.

I then brought the truck to my new local Toyota dealer since I moved, and complained of the same issue, not quite being able to put my finger on it. This was in early 2023. Dealer said they could not duplicate my issue and said the vehicle has adaptive transmission learning and is learning my driving habits. Ok, I guess it may go away. This Toyota service visit was around 35K miles.

Fast forward to May 2025, @ 54K miles and I am feeling this issue more prominent. I take it in for the 2nd time. Service department finds nothing wrong and chalks it up to the adaptive transmission learning me again. Said they reset it for me.

Took it in again on July 3rd, 2025- 3rd time, with symptoms something is feeling like:

- The transmission shakes/shudders with no change in the RPMs from between 35/40-70/75 mph.
- It feels like I am going over speed ridges in the road when I am perfectly smooth asphalt.
- I changed my tires 1x thinking it was the God awful noisy Goodyear OE tires, and still the same. Also had the tires balanced 2X thinking it was this- but it was not.

Toyota service said, they could not replicate the issue and said it was the adaptive transmission learning. I went to the Service manager and asked for the shop foreman to take a ride with me. He did- had his computer hooked up and said there were things showing on his computer due to locking up/not locking up (torque converter). The foreman said he did see issues but could not determine the cause. So I left it there for 1 week. Came back and they said there is nothing they could do as they could not replicate it. Said adaptive transmission might be the cause.

I spoke to the service manager and asked what can be done as I did not want to be that guy that throws stuff I read online at him, but I feel like they left me with no choice and I started spewing transmission shudders all over online boards and forums, and the first step to take is a tranny drain and refill. I said that I am not a mechanic/tech, but this is what I read. He said he will do a trans drain and refill and if it doesn't solve the problem, I will have to get Toyota Corporate (in this case - SET) involved. The issue became more pronounced after this oil tranny drain and refill.

What gets me is this Service Manager made it sound like this is the first time he has heard of this issue- I call BS on this.

I have an appt with the SET Toyota rep this Friday. Not sure what to expect. Any advice?

 

That sounds frustrating. We had a shudder in our Toyota Sienna but it never got worse past a certain point and we traded it in at 210,000 miles. Not that this helps, but we could never get the dealer to acknowledge it - but in the end it worked out.

 

He saw the condition of the torque converter lockup state. Most likely your condition happens when the torque converter is fully locked and RPMs around 1200-1700. Usually it starts shuddering when applying the throttle.
The quick fix is to release the accelerator and reapply again.
Did they check your ECU calibration ID and confirm it is most recent for your year?
Make sure to be ready to replicate the issues. Request them to run Techstream and collect live data. Pay attention to torque converter lockup status, speed, rpms, accelerator, throttle and tranny shafts speed.
The issue is a software, but it could cause a mechanical wear that requires replacement of the converter.

 

I do not know what they checked regarding ECU calibration ID and if updated.

To replicate it- EASY- I just need to get in and start driving.

 

What report do I ask for, as in do I get a paper readout? The service manager indicated the SET Rep took the vehicle for a 60+ mile ride and he thinks he deemed it normal. I still don't have any report or update on what is going on.

I can't even fathom this being normal. The best way I described it to the service manager is if you are on a boat, going across a lake or ocean with small waves, you feel the waves hitting the boat and each waves tries to knock you off course, but you are still moving foward....well that is how it feels when the shakes/shudders kick in. Not sure if transmission or engine missing or what?

I am totally embarrassed for Toyota if they feel this is normal.

 

Change the trans fluid
Let us know how it is once you do that

 

Any updates?

 

I didn’t realize he said he did a drain and refill . Torque converter s do go bad which could be the issue for sure . I could have a defect

 

Yeah, which really sucks too, I noticed he said it was more noticeable after the fluid change too