2013 Tacoma locked up...

My Tacoma just locked up at a stop sign.
It’s new to me by 6 months. I’ve had it checked out by 3 mechanics, 1 a pre purchase inspection plus work that needed to be done, 2 airbags and ECGS bearing installed, 3 the 60k maintenance. Everyone says it’s great. I’ve always felt a bit of a lock up at certain times. When I put it into gear it’ll feel like it’s just not going anywhere. It’s clearly in gear but won’t go for a bit. Then it goes fine and I don’t worry about it. Thought maybe brakes?
Then today it locked up when I was just about fully stopped at a stop sign. Warmed up. Running fine. I felt it stop hard. It would turn on and off and shift into gear and move a tiny bit forward like it was trying but would not go. Finally I tried reverse and made it out of the road. After that I was able to go forward and it drove home fine.

They did some brake work for the 60k a couple weeks ago but just adjustments I think. But there was a cyclical scrapey sound and sometimes a squeal afterwards. Intermittent. Again, maybe brakes?

Anyone have a similar experience? I’ve seen posts about this when starting from cold. This was not that.

 

Jack up the rear axle and see if it'll spin/what's binding. Only one way to find out, and it's not here lmao.

 

Are you driving around on the street in 4WD?

 

Drum brakes are binding. Maybe some debris inside the drum or corrosion.

 

I’m betting broken parking brake cable

 

I wish I could. It’s fine now. Next time I guess. I put it in neutral and I couldn’t push it.

 

Nope. I can feel it when it’s in 4WD. (meaning I know when I'm in 4wd and I'm not)

 

I think they just inspected that for the 60k but I’ll bring it back. The squeal/scraping is new.

 

Could that be intermittent though?

 

Depending on lifts/routing sometimes it gets bound up when the suspension cycles. I'd suspect if it was seized/rusted in place it would be an all the time problem.

 

Mine was. Passenger side cable was broken (replaced both)

 

No lifts or special routing as far as I know. There’s a leveling kit on the front and I have airbags on the rear. The leveling kit makes the front higher than the back ironically so I use the airbags to level. Slight lift from that context.

 

Good info. I’ll have it checked.

 

Past brakes/brake cables I wonder if there is chunks in the diffs.

 

That sounds terrifying. Just had the diff fluid changed out for the 60k. Seems like they would’ve seen a problem there.

 

Depends on your mechanic, depends on if the oil has been changed before to get the glitter out, one doesn't open the diff to see inside it to change the fluid. Best to get your eyes on things by DIY.

It benefits the mechanic to overlook certain things so that the job is bigger and they get more money... some mechanics/shops are shitty like that..

 

I wish I was DIY that deep. Opening the diff is way beyond me. I hope my mechanic is on the up and up. None are as thorough or attentive as I'd like, that's for sure.

 

Draining and filling the rear diff is beyond easy. It would cost you $20 in gear oil max and take 15 minutes.

 

For sure I could pull a fluid change. I thought the idea was to get my eyes on the inside. I really hope it’s not diff related either way.

 

Jack up the rear end, take wheel off and take the drum off. I'll bet there is a bunch of debris in there. Clean it out and it should be good. I was reading a thread this morning on this very topic. I'll see if I can find it and edit this post with the link.

Edit.... found it. https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/rear-passenger-side-wheel-locked-up.543378/