A few bumps

Hi everyone,

I'm new to Tacoma World as I've just recently purchased my first (2012) Tacoma TRD v6 automatic. It has 137000km on it (approx 90,000miles).

I have only owned it for less than a month, but test drove a few to get a feel for them.

I'm fairly light on the gas pedal and it seems to favour a heavier foot when accelerating. I feel like I press the pedal in a third of the way and it's sucking more gas but the output isn't there. It does slowly come, but seems to lack responsiveness. Also, mainly when the transmission shifts from first to second, but sometimes in higher gears as well, there is a slight bump/jerk to the truck.

I brought it back to the dealership and let the mechanic drive it to see if he noticed it and he was heavier on the foot than I was including some heavy acceleration from stop to see if there were any issues. Driven the way he did, with heavy accretion, the truck knew what to do and accelerated beautifully! So I didn't question this bump/jerk anymore as he showed me it does what it should and at that point I hadn't studied the fact of a lighter foot seems to be where that thump occurs.

I still feel like it's a bit under powered SOME of the time for no reason. Like I feel I'm pushing on the throttle heavy with not a great amount of response.

Is there anything I should be concerned about with this bump I experience or sometimes slower/sluggish acceleration?

It was purchased through a Toyota dealership under there Toyota Certified Used Vehicle program.

Part 2 is another question I have. Yesterday I was driving across one of our hay fields, so light bumps were felt in the steering wheel (typical). But the odd bump felt like a solid knock on the steering wheel. I was only going about 30km/hr (20mph). So not fast at all, but I felt a few of these bumps which felt odd and different than the regular steering wheel vibration. What would cause this?

Are either of these issues worth investigating by a mechanic?

Thank-you for your time. I look forward to the replies.

 

Upgrade the fuel pump to get an external and changeable fuel filter in there. Yours is thoroughly saturated with debris.

Check the transmission fluid level, and add in fluid if necesary. Most likely actually. Those two things will have a nice and noticeable improvement.

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/if-you-havent-serviced-your-5-speed-auto-trans-yet.447659/

 

Also check and replace spark plugs if they haven'tbeen done.

 

Torspd, thank you so much for all of this. Not being very mechanically inclined, I have made an appointment at the dealership on Friday to have them take another look at it.

My hunch was already leaning towards low transmission fluid. I don't see any drops below the truck for a leak, but other reading suggests low fluid levels perhaps even from the get go.