20 MPH Vibration Problems on 07 Tacoma Auto V6 Access Cad TRD

I bought the truck on 3/28/07 from Classic Toyota in Mentor, OH on 3/28/07. Almost immediately I noticed a shudder/vibtration when driving at 20 mph or any time I deaccerated through that speed. It doesn't happen in neutral, happens in 4WD, and happens regadless of what gear I use.

I took it back to the dealer once and they claimed it's normal. I took it back again this weekend (1200 miles) and will give them another chance to fix. It seems to be getting worse with mileage.

Any open to any suggestions you have. I did point out to the dealer what I've read on this and other forums (carrier bearing mislaignment, spline joint, etc.).

I feel this is either a design defect or a manufacturing defect. I'm concerned enough about the impact of this problem on the long term value of the truck and can't accept it as is. Note that I only bought a new truck as my 97 Tacoma (V6, Access Cab, 4x4) had severe frame rot. Toyota did take ownership on that with providing an OK trade-in value and some owner loyolty cash. However, I'm starting to wonder if their quality reputation has exceeded reality. How the dealer handles this second visit will be telling.

 

Welcome to TW!

I am sorry to hear about your problem, but there are some other members on here that are experiencing the same thing. It seems to be prevelant in the V6 Automatics. If you do a search, you will find many threads with reference to similar problems. I am going to start a poll for this and lets see if we can't figure out the problem...

 

If it happens at a set speed and not a set RPM then it's an issue that's somewhere between the front diff and the wheels and not the driveshaft.

I'd lean towards improperly balanced tires or tires with a flat spot on them.

 

I'm guessing you mean you notice it when you decelerate through the lower-20 MPH range.

I get the same thing, it's the AT downshifting in my vehicle. As it gives the slight shudder, I can see the tach blip upwards, as the tranny drops into a lower range. You might check and see if that is what's going on with yours.

Personally, I like an AT that downshifts, if I'm braking.

 

I have a '07 V6 PreRunner and it does it at exactly 22 to 20 MPH when braking, so it has nothing to do with 4wd (as a several of my friends have noted in their Tacos too). Like you said, it will not do it when you are in neutral, only when in in gear, so it makes it a transmission "quirk" that is part of the V6/5 speed transmission package.

ALL makes of vehicles have their particular quirks and this just happens to be the Taco's V6/5 speed transmission quirk.

 

Thanks for the responses so far. Lesson #1 for me - proofread my postings before hitting the "enter" key. My lack of typing skills were apparent on the thread start - sorry!

This might just be a downshift or transmission quirk. I have noticed the same problem when accelerating from a stop to 20. It's worse when you give the truck just enough gas to keep at 20 mph (less vibration when you start to coast, more vibration when you give it just a hint of gas to stay at 20 mph). It's hard to imagine Toyota designing a truck to vibrate like this at 20 mph but maybe the had to get that 5-speed auto in there regardless....

A poll to see how many people have the same issue would be very interesting. I did drive 2 other trucks on a dealer lot with the same features - one had the problem (but more subtle) and one didn't.

If I didn't need the truck to last many years I'd let this go and hope for the best. However, I think this is one of those things that's a sign of problems to come - possibly post-warranty. Our 97 Subaru Outback with 186,000 miles is smoother (car to truck comparison, I know, but fair I think).

 

I do have a poll of the defects on the 2nd Gen Tacomas going. We are trying to get some good numbers to go to Toyota with. Make sure you put your issues there as well.

Here is the link:
Issues and Defects!!!

 

Hello Adkins,
My rebuttal to anyone who thinks or states this is normal is: "so the trucks that don't exhibit these vibrations have a problem".

That is precisely what they are saying when they tell you it's normal.

 

May have made progress with the 20 MPH issue (?). Today the dealer removed the driveshaft and had me drive the truck in 4WD (basically FWD) over my lunch hour. The vibration at 20 mph was completely gone!!! Without me asking they indicated that they will replace the entire drive shaft. I was too dumbfounded (and had to get back to work) so I didn't press them on the details (yet).

I'll get the truck back in a few days and am hopeful this will be the cure (I know I saw some posts indicating it was and some indicating it wasn't). Keep you posted...

 

id say most of the new tacaoms have the same concern mine does it there are no TSBs or SSMs available yet (im a tech i have access to this info) id say this is a design characteristic of the vehical until toyota posts a fix for it remember you are driving a truck not a BMW

 

evile,
No disrespect whatsoever. But.....if every single Tacoma exhibited this vibration then it would clearly be a design characteristic....but they don't. Some are smooth as silk, some vibrate badly. We are very clearly talking about a technical defect issue here and if there is one thing I cannot tolerate it is the automotive industry assuming most if not all of us are ignorant.

 

if adkins gets his truck back with a new drive shaft and the concern is gone then we may have found the cause. what im intrested in is hearing from some one who has had a toyota engineer look at their truck, we have a ford engineer come to our shop about every other week for stuff like this.

for those having the problem what type of tacoma are you drving and the build date. mines a 2wd double cab TRD off road build date 10/05 and i do not have the problem. this concern could be only in trucks built within a certain time frame

 

my taco does downshift when braking, it is a weird feeling cause it jerks a bit....i am not used to it yet but i'm getting used of it down shifting when braking.

 

taker1 i notice mine does it too wonder if its a factory design to use more engine braking, i also notice it shifts out of OD when i let off the gas and can feel some engine braking took a bit to get used to it but now i dont notice it

 

evile, i agree, that is exactly what seems to be happening...i notice mine when i am going down a hill a bit more than anytime!!

 

Picked up the truck after the dealer put on the new drive shaft. The good news - the vibration at 20 mph is not as strong. The bad news - it's still there - maybe half of what it was.

Do I know for sure that they really put on a new driveshaft and if so, not one that's as balanced and aligned as possible? No, but I'm 90% sure it's new and aligned OK (based on what I could see and how the truck feels).

At this point I have two options - continue to try to get this issue resolved, or let it go for now and see what happens in the next few months. I'm going to let it go for now and put another few thousand miles on the truck and see what happens.

Key thing I think I learned - the vibration is from something behind the transmission.

If anyone has anymore insights into this, I'm all ears...

 

It would be GREAT if we all could understand exactly the level of vibration that everyone is experiencing. In a forum-post environment, its difficult to do...

It's known that the AT does downshift, and that downshifting will give some vibration. The DEGREE of vibration is the issue.

The degree of vibration I experience is not significant enough (IME) that a passenger would notice or remark on it. I can't even consistently discriminate it from rough spots in pavement, etc. sometimes...I have to make an effort to detect it.

Adkins, was your original vibration severe enough that a passenger would notice it, and ask about it (if you say your wife would, then we know it's pretty severe )? How about now, since the dealer had it?

The fact that you test drove two other Tacoma's from your dealer's stock, and found the vibration less severe in one, and absent in the other, would suggest your vehicle's vibration is beyond typical operating characteristics.

There is a label on my driveshaft, complete with serial number, that warns it's matched set, and if any part is changed, the whole set needs to be rematched (I don't have the exact language memorized), so at some point, Toyota obviously identified some issues that required particular consideration of driveshaft balance.

 

I just got a brand new 07 tacoma, dbl cab, 4x4,trd sport,v6 5spd auto, so far in the whole 750 miles i feel no vibration, i do feel the downshift but like stated you get used to it. nice rig, i really like the ride.

 

My '07 Taco now has 1,700 miles on it and the ~20 MPH transmission deceleration vibration is either decreasing or I am really getting use to it. In fact I had to concentrate when slowing down to even feel it yesterday.

 

Hi All,
Owned my truck for 4 weeks, it's been in my garage 1 week, dealer 3 weeks. So far Toyota's answer for the vibration... "Normal". See my above post rebuttal stating that the trucks that don't vibrate must have a problem then, so that means according to our poll that there are 20 unlucky owners according to Toyota...yes?, no?

On my engine ticking and I do mean TICKING, it is LOUD!! They want to disassemble the engine and attempt a repair. According to my dealer he is not 100% certain they can remedy the ticking. "Some do it and some dont'" according to the dealer "we'll give it our best shot at getting it quieter"

No thanks. Arbitration first, if that fails we serve them. Shame on you Toyota, all I wanted was a smooth quiet reliable truck.