Future Tacoma Improvements

Over Thanksgiving, I had a conversation with a neighbor who recently purchased a GM Canyon. His response to my question about his purchase decision was rather interesting. He said he would have purchased a Tacoma if it had a better braking system (I am sure he was referring to the drum brakes!), better transmission (sluggish as he terms it) and better seating. I find his response interesting because I delayed my Taco purchase till next year (2018 model) for the same reasons he shared. I am a Toyota loyalist and will not consider any other option. So, I thought I would create a list for anyone who may have suggestions about factory improvements that can be made for this model. Perhaps someone at Toyota HQ might read this and incorporate some of our suggestions. Here are a few;

1. Rear Disc Brakes (this subject has probably been discussed numerous times!)
2. Light in glove box
3. Led lights along the bed rails
4. A transmission that doesn't require bi-polar medication
5. Transmission dipstick!

 

Better organized center console. Put the parking brake back on the floor. Also, change out the grill on the TRD models.

 

Diesel

 

Change the 5th (especially 5th) and 6th gear ratios on the Automatic Transmission.
Fix the valve body in the transmission.
Fix the rear end howling
Fix the encoders for the dual climate control

Other than that.... Great Truck.

 

The rear drum brakes have been discussed in a video with seat belt mike (as he is referred to here) and a few threads. For what the Taco is used for, there is no need to the disks in the rear.

Also there is already a thread kicking this "what improvements" stuff around. And for the record, there are some of us that would prefer they went back to less electronics and more old school mechanical tried and proven stuff.

 

Toyota engineers explained precisely why they intentionally used drum brakes for this truck in a couple video reviews on the new Tacoma floating around on YouTube. This was a conscious decision on their part so I doubt it'll change. I believe it partly had to do with off-road usage, dirt and grime, etc IIRC.

As for other improvements to fix "issues.". Look at the 2nd gen 10 year production span and all the problems they never fixed (some of which carry over to 3rd gen). I don't think Toyota is really listening to rants/suggestions on the internet. It took 5 to 7 years for them to correct the rusting frame issue - and it took over a decade before a lawsuit finally settled the matter (just in 2016).

I love my Taco. And my last three vehicles have been Toyotas. So I'm not bashing them. But my point is I don't think they are listening.

 

The rear end on mine (both first and replacement differentials) howl and it annoys me but I've never thought that my truck didn't stop well. I could care less if it has discs or drums on the back as long as they work and in my opinion they work fine.

 

A driver side grab handle on the A Pillar would be a nice start!

 

1. Factory Option for Spray in Bed Liner
2. Better headlights, my corolla has WAY better headlights, no idea why.
3. Power seats, seriously its 2016...
4. 5 Cyl Diesel option
5. Fix the front nose, why is the nose 12" out front of the radiator. The front nose is unnecessarily extended for god knows why.
6. Rear locker that can be used in any drive configuration, 4LO is also unnecessarily complicated to get into. Should just be Shift to N, rotate to 4Lo, done.
7. drivers side handle on A pillar.

 

thats the age ole misconception. Toyota doesn't stand behind their product. People think they do, but they are pretty stubborn when it comes to recalls/TSBs/etc

They do make a great product. And believe it is flawless, and therefor wont remedy it quickly. People confuse this with "standing behind their product"

Honestly, GM and Ford do a great job of fixing issues. They recall things quickly, therefor people think their product is junk because of all of the recalls. but in reality its them standing behind their product.

 

curious... with a composite bed why would you need a sray in bed liner?

 

1. The brakes are fine both on and off-road. Rear drums do not mean that they are obsolete.
2/3. I see no need for a light in the glove box, and the cargo light on the double cabs are adequate for loading and unloading at night.
4. Definetely agree on the transmission. However, after 12k miles driving my truck, I've learned to adaprt my driving style to it. The 5th gear need to be a bit closer to 4th gear ratio.
5. 100% on having a transmission dipstick!

I would add power front seats, driver side grab handle, passenger side floor mat keeps. Other than that, it's been a great truck.

 

Bec

First week of ownership, the first item I loaded into the bed was a steel shelving unit that I was moving to my garage, while sliding it in, it clipped the wheel well and gashed a huge chunk out of the composite bed. Me being new to Tacomas thought it was a plastic bed liner only to discover that it was the actual bed. Nothing would have happened to a steel bed except some paint scrape, so alas to strengthen the composite bed Line-X or other is needed.

 

Toyota went cheap on the drum brakes....not because it costs much more for disc these days (there was a time when it did) but to cut design and adaptation costs.

According to Toyota's logic....I should never take an FJ, 4Runner, Land Cruiser, Tundra, GX460, LX570, etc offroad.

That said....the rear drums function just fine and do not bother me at all.

But I call horseshit on Toyota's reason.

 

I agree. From personal experience though, I would rather field repair drum brakes than disc.

 

anyone who has had to replace shoes on a drum braking system would question why they are still used. Unnecessarily complicated and have nearly been phased out in the rest of the market.

it doesn't significantly decrease offroading capability.. but it definitely increases frustration for anyone that might keep their truck past 100,000 miles. I'm with the dude before that says it was just another corner cut by Toyota.

 

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2015/08/2016-toyota-tacoma-still-rear-drum-brakes-heres-video/

for those that don't want to go to the site and see the video, here is the copied text

That screeching noise you’re hearing around the 20-second mark in the video below? That’s the 2016 Toyota Tacoma’s front brakes screaming through sand as the Tacoma digs itself out of a self-inflicted pit using its clever crawl control.

We asked Tacoma Chief Engineer Mike Sweers last week why the new Tacoma didn’t have discs in the back (unlike the new Tundra) and he pointed specifically to that piercing wail — and that most owners don’t need them anyhow.

“Towing is No. 22 on the reasons why Tacoma buyers are looking for a new truck. Discs are great when it comes to ventilating heat from heavy towing, but we’re not hearing that need from Tacoma owners,” Sweers said.

Fair enough.


Sweers pointed further to heat retention, cost and that gawd-awful sound as reasons why engineers kept the drum brakes on the rear of the Tacoma.

 

Drum brakes in general are actually less complicated and easier to fit e-brakes with. Many manufacturers still use drum brakes, not just toyota.

 

Exactly what I was pointing at. Toyota made a technical decision based on their engineering ideals. Whether people wanted disc or not wasn't their concern in this instance - I don't believe anyhow.

 

I can agree on the e-brake point. It is easier to fit. However, on my Ranger I've had to tighten the adjustment screw a dozen times since shoe replacement just to get the e-brake bite point correct

I can usually get the truck to stop on an incline for about 2 months before needing to readjust again..

Oh, and I have to point the nose of the car downslope, otherwise it will roll no matter how hard I mash the ebrake pedal.. apparently this is common with drum brakes.