Multiple problems with 02 Toyota Tacoma V6 272,000 miles.

Hello y'all,

Any help is appreciated.

OK, sometimes when I park, my key won't come out of the lock position until i shake the hell out of the shift stick or shift through the gears. Also, I notice when it does work, a noise is heard from the shift stick area when pressing and depressing the break. My left rear wheel also makes a loud squeak when depressing the breaks. Rear drum shoes are pretty damn new and should not need to be replaced. I am going to try to look at the wheel today if it doesn't rain. I work 6 days a week building new hover crafts for the Navy. Pretty worn out by Sunday.

Any ideas on what could be wrong?
I'm trying to keep it going. I really love this truck it has taken me everywhere and It was even my home for some time following Hurricane Katrina.

Any words of wisdom are greatly appreciated.

 

Did you grease between the backing plate and the brake shoes it sqeak if you dont

 

The noise is coming from the back drum breaks.

 

The key for my last 03 Tacoma used to stick time to time, but the problem was in the steering wheel locking mechanism. I'd have to wiggle the wheel back and forth while trying the key, in order to get it to release.

Do you know if your truck was originally an automatic and was later converted to manual? I ask, because on auto's the shifter is locked unless the brake pedal is depressed as a safety. IIRC, I think i could hear the lock at the shifter in my last truck when I pressed the pedal.

Even if it's originally a manual, it might be something like that?

 

I don't think it was a manual. I bought it with 50 miles on it from the dealership.

 

Sometimes i can hear the shift lock making noise every time i press the breaks when driving.

 

Wait, is it a manual or Auto? I thought from your first post ("shifting through gears") that it was a manual, but I think you're saying it's Auto, right?

If Auto, the clicking noise at the shifter is normal. Its just the safety pin so that you can't accidentally knock your truck in gear and run things over (since an auto is already engaged). I'm not sure how/why that would be stopping the key from coming out though.

When my key would get stuck (because of the steering wheel lock), I noticed it was always when parked on an angle (on the side of a road with a tall crown). I think it would put pressure on the steering and not allow it to move . I'd have to wiggle the wheel and keep trying till it finally freed up, then go park somewhere else.

Check your steering wheel next time it happens and see if it's locked up. Unlocking the key is supposed to free the steering lock mechanism but in my case the steering lock was too tight and was keeping the key from unlocking.

 

My key would sometimes get stuck because the shifter was worn and not fully going into park. There are bushings that wear out in the shifter. With 272k, you probably have a loose shifter and need bushings.

 

that makes sense.

 

It's an auto. Hopefully it's the bushing problem. If that's it i just need to figure out the noise coming from the rear left tire area when depressing the breaks

 

Check this out for shifter issues: https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/excessive-play-in-auto-transmission-shifter.428698/

And really just pull the cover/cup holder off the auto shifter and see what's going on. You should be able to figure it out pretty quickly.

 

Thanks y'all! I will let y'all know how i make out.

 

Just ordered the bushings online. Thanks to all of you. Hope you all have a great weekend!

 

Hope that's your issue. Does the squeak happen after you let off the brake pedal?

 

Yep it sure does. After these issues are fixed have to change universal joints and replace valve cover gasket.

 

I had a Prerunner that used to do that. I replaced the rear brakes and it went away. I Greased everything while I was back there. May just need grease

 

I will try it tomorrow if i have time. The bushings should come in Tuesday. I can't wait to get this back to somewhat normal. I hope the 300,000 mile club doesn't cost an arm and a leg to join.

 

It's just maintenance items. 272k is a lot of miles for parts. You'll be fine on major parts

 

I had a squeak at my rear brakes when releasing the pedal. I pulled the drums off and sprayed everything except the shoes down with brake cleaner. Now my squeak is gone.

 

Grease points on drum brakes this is a generic picture bit you get the idea you can see where the shoes make contanct with the backing plate these points need to be greased