Clutch sticking

I have a 2014 Tacoma (2TR/5-speed).
During cold weather (below freezing) I noticed that the engagement of the clutch follows the clutch pedal (some worse than others!), but once the cab warms, it's ok. Crown Toyota, my dealer has been great! Fluid flushed, new master cylinder. Crown did research and found this to be true in cold climates, the northern parts of the US maybe Canada too? (doesn't matter if 2TR/5-speed or 1GR/6-speed, or fluid issues/DOT3 or DOT4) No recall yet! What are my options? Lemon law buy back? I know this is a fluid issue and have been working with the dealership here in kansas. They verified this to be true. This is an issue that has been reported in the colder climates (North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and now Kansas) As stated earlier clutch only sticks when cold, when the cab warms the sticking goes away. I paid a great deal of $$$, I shouldn't have to accept something that works some of the time! Currently under warranty, so I've been exhausting my options there first. Then lodge a complaint with Toyota customer service.

I'd thought of looking into aftermarket fluids (instead of of Toyota's brand of brake fluid) and/or heavy-duty clutches (but those get expensive!) One of those should fix it. Bottom line is I shouldn't have to settle for something sub-standard!

 

Normal. Its just the fluid being more viscous in cold weather.

 

Does your trans have an accumulator like the 6MT Ay6 V6 trans?

 

I learned that it really really really difficult to get a new vehicle through the lemon law. The car has to have a major repair done 3 times with no success to get lemon lawed. Even then it's pretty unlikely.

 

I'd like to hear anyone that got a new vehicle through the lemon law.

 

Let your truck warm up before you drive it when it's really cold.

/thread

 

Seems to be a Tacoma thing. None of my 3 jeeps ever did this, my brother's Miata doesn't do it, my dad's wrangler doesn't do it, and my brother in law's trans am doesn't do it. I'm convinced that it's related to the plastic pedal and it's crappy plastic bushing, which also squeaks on hot days.

Annoying as hell, but the dealership never can seem to reproduce it when they have it, so I've learned to just let it warm up before driving. Or park in my heated garage at night.

 

What your talking about is a separate issue. There is a TSB for the squeaky clutch pedal. Its definitely cold fluid. I felt it in my 6 speed Tacoma when I had it. I can even feel it on the brake pedal in my auto Tacoma when it's cold.

I shouldn't say definitely. Could be possible that something on the plunger, like an o ring or something, is affected by the cold.

 

Could be fluid, but I'd think people would have been experiencing the sticky pedal for decades if that were the case. Fluids haven't changed that much.

I'm entirely too lazy to do any sort of real research, but my theory is that the plastic expands and contracts with the temperature (more than other materials) and causes both symptoms.

 

I noticed this the other day at -15 F. When I first started the truck, when I let off the clutch it came up slower than my foot. It is a little sluggish at first usually in the cold but not that bad. I gave it a pass though since that is ridiculously cold. Similarly when I opened the door that morning the switch that senses when the door opens took a solid 10 seconds to finally pop out. I think it might just be plastic and metal reacting to cold slightly differently.

 

My clutch pedal squeaked. I had to contort a little but liberally hosed the pivot area with some WD-40 and it's quiet now.