Toyota Tacoma 2005+

chilehead · February 2005

Sometimes there are little things that go unnoticed.

- The little rubber bumper on the center pillar that that keeps the seat-belt fastener from hitting bare plastic. (The plastic on our Maxima is all chipped up because it lacks this.)

- Vent louvers that close COMPLETELY. (This is one of the reasons we passed on the Frontier.

- A plastic wind/water guard between the front fender and the door frame. (You'll see it when you open the front doors and look near the hinges.)

This is not to say the faults are not big ones that Toyota needs to fix ASAP.

chilehead · February 2005

I saw that Motorweek gave the Frontier their "Drivers Choice Award." That said, as another owner of a Maxima, I think their quaility, especially on interior materials, has gone down in recent years.

We thought about the Ridgeline. The biggest drawback for us was the short bed. Yes, you can open up that panel in the cab and fold down the rear seat, but that means you now have a big hole in your cab. That's gonna get pretty cold in the winter time! And you can forget about that load of bulk material!

leob1 · February 2005

You did the right thing passing on that paint sealant stuff. Nothing works as safely and as well as good old wax! The more I hear about gimmicks like that the more I hate the dealer sales departments.

They are like predators and we as potential buyers are prey. We should turn the issue around and the more familiar we are with their games the greater chance that we can.

halcon · February 2005

Nice explanation canadiantaco. I have a DC TRD Sport Short bed that I got last month. I LOVE this truck!!!! This is the 4th toyota I've owned and all of them are terrific vehicles. I do not have any problem with my truck and I get 19 MPG so far. Some people are complaining too much without them even owning the 05 tacoma. I noticed that guys from the frontier forum are noticing some problems with their 05 trucks like ABLS and weird engine noise. Bottom line is any product will have some kind of a problem. Nothing is perfect.

gearhead1 · February 2005

It's good to see people like you posting, that have had no problems. There needs to be more. Don't be silent readers out there people. If you've got a 05 Taco with no problems, let us know. The paint and cabin leak is the most disturbing comment I've read form people. It make me want to wait till their QC catches up.

I'm going to give the Ridgeline a close look though. I'm hoping that precisly because this is Honda's first truck, Their QC will be very rigid as all eyes are watching. Their design can't afford to fail on a truck that ugly. Reliability must drive their sales. People ain't gonna buy it because it won the beauty contest.

cmitchell · February 2005

I got my Impulse Red '05 PreRunner Access Cab with the OC package a few weeks ago. I had the engine knocking at first but after 3 tanks of supreme gas the noise is GONE. I do have the glovebox swirl, which you barely notice but I probably will have it replaced. so far, I haven't had any of the other problems. I love this truck!! It runs super smooth and is really fun to drive! I am getting around 20-21 MPG, mostly highway commuting and some city driving. I test drove just about every truck out there and I am so stoked I went with the Tacoma!

fatport · February 2005

Has anyone towed some serious weight (4-6,000 lbs) with their Tacoma? I'm wondering how they handle the hills and cross winds. I'm debating between buying a V8 4Runner and a Tacoma. They have similar towing capacities. I think the Tacoma is the better tow vehicle, but the problems discussed here have me a little spooked about buying the truck. I have a 98 TRD 4x4, and I love it.

geogecko · February 2005

Good to see all the good postings out there recently.

I recently noticed there is a height adjustment on my garage door opener. Basically, you turn this screw to tell the garage door opener how much to pull up the door. Gave it about a 3/4 turn, and now my antenna is not hitting the door anymore!

Yes, I also noticed those plastic clips in the back to hold the seat belts. Nice touch, especially for someone that gets into the back compartment a lot.

I'm on my third tank of gas now, 2nd with 91 or higher octane, and have noticed that the engine ticking (while slight) seems to have gone away on mine as well.

Didn't realize the power of the Taco until a couple days ago. Some dude was going about 20 MPH down a 45, so once it was clear, I started to pass on the left. Stepped on the gas a little too hard, and spun the right rear wheel while doing about 25 MPH. Let up a little, and that V6 just lit up, and sounded sweet. I couldn't believe there was this much power from a V6 that has hauling this big DC SB Taco around.

My favorite feature? The most intelligently designed location for the oil filter. Who would have thought?

[Person that recently installed running boards]

How do they attach? How many bolts are required to mount them? Also, did you have help when mounting them, or did you do it by yourself? I'm still waiting for mine, hopefully, I'll get them this week.

halcon · February 2005

I recently installed the deezee tube step that i bought from toyota. It has 6 mounting bolts per side and it took me 45 minutes to install. Just remove the 6 plastic screws located in the side step mounting holes under the vehicle. I recommend using a torque wrench since it needed to be tightened to 14.4 ft-lbs as per instruction. Check out this site http://www.toyotapart.com/product.asp?pID=159870&cID=13 for the installation manual.

bigandy · February 2005

The 2005 Tacoma V6 isn't showing up in any parts catalogs at independent parts stores here in Northern California. Anyone care to share opinions on oil filters by brand? Also, anyone got a model number for something from Fram or Purolator that will work? My guess is it takes something that is already in use by Toyota on other engines, but this truck doesn't show up on any computers around here. Surprisingly, a lot of car parts websites have a choose-by-model form that stops at 2004. 2005 model year is only about 4 or 5 months on now, so I'm not sure what the problem is.

gearhead1 · February 2005

I just read a review on oil filters. After cutting into them, they said Fram was the absolute worst filter made. Best filters were the Wix, Hastings, Filtech. Bosh was also rated as OK. Mobil one was evaluated as also among the worst. Surprising since they charge $11.00 a piece for them.

canadiantaco · February 2005

were can i get the official toyota tacoma seat covers.... and were can i find some that say trd on them

larry10 · February 2005

Yeah I did it alone..as per instructions you partially screw in the middle bolt, then you just hook running board's middle bracket over bolt and tighten a bit, running board is held in place and you can install other 5 bolts...It's easy. BTW I think my truck looks better now also! You will be a happy camper. GL

larry10 · February 2005

http://toyotapart.com/default.asp

SEAT COVERS (Part Number: PT218-35052-01)

Category: 2005, Tacoma

2005 Tacoma w/ sport package. These seat covers have TRD embroidered instead of Tacoma.

$149.25

gymbo · February 2005

I recently purchased a 05 tacoma,dc,longbed,trd4 sport package,silver.Then I ran accross this forum and see the problems people are having and now I'm nervous.I have had the truck a little over two weeks,almost 300 miles.Does anyone know if the leak problem exist from day one or does it develop over time.How many have experienced the paint chip problem?I really want to like this truck,so far so good!

discussion · February 2005

My 05 Tacoma regular cab 4X2 at 800 miles develop a transmission leak between the crankshaft and the transmission. The dealer said the gasket was broken which was replaced two day later because the had to order the part from the manufacture. I now have over 2200 miles and never had a problem since then. I really love my truck.

gymbo · February 2005

wes240,you state your doors relock,do you have the optional alarm system?I only ask because my doors have never relocked on their own.Just wondering if they are supposed to.Thanks

larry10 · February 2005

I am sure they fixed leak problem before your truck hit lot. I have 2000 miles on mine, no leaking no paint chipping! Relax you bought a great truck...

halcon · February 2005

I have a DC, trd sport, silver, shortbed. I do not hear any odd noise yet from my truck and it does not have any leak so far and it rained here for 2 days, I even hosed down the truck for about ten minutes and so far so good. I'm almost certain that they addressed these problems already. Last six of my VIN is 045XXX just in case you want to cross reference the build date. The ride is almost as good as my wife's highlander. I even get very nice compliments from people that I don't even know.

mrvair · February 2005

I bought mine from Thompson Toyota in Pennsylvania (online). They sometimes sell them on Ebay. I paid $159.00 plus shipping.

geogecko · February 2005

Hmm...he must have added the installation information after I ordered, because I don't remember it being there before. He said the web site was only 2 weeks old. I'm sure he's going to be getting some good business.

The doors automatically lock if you unlock them, and don't open a door for about 30 seconds. Check the manual.

CanadianTaco. E-mail him if you haven't, he might be willing to ship to Canada... Seems like a nice guy.

Can't wait to get these running boards and my wiring harness for the iPod2Car. I just realized that the carpet in the console can be pulled out (it's a little panel with carpet on one side). There are at least 4 holes that are large enough to bring the DIN connector through, and then all you have to do is cut one small hole in the carpet part, and then run the cable along the center console, and behind the radio. That should be interesting.

mrvair · February 2005

I have an auto 2WD TRD Access Cab. I too am experiencing a "lug" down when decelerating. It's driving me crazy !! I'm wondering if there is a problem or if it's normal. I've never felt it in any other vehicle. Have you addressed the dealer with the problem ?

gnits · February 2005

My friend who works for Toyota said it was addressed last year in a TSB. The leak was traced to the cowl. Not much details unless you're familiar with the windshield/firewall cowl area. Just washed my truck and didn't have any noticeable dampness in the carpet. I took delivery first week of February and my build date is in early Dec.

I see small chips in the front bumper, but I have the TRD Sports with the color-keyed look. This is typical...

gnits · February 2005

If you're coasting(off the gas pedal), the transmission will downshift, thus, engine braking. These newer trannys are getting a lot more intelligent. Not your old turbo 350/400 anymore...

canadiantaco · February 2005

Yeah so can i get seat covers on sport seats.. like the official ones .... (but they hav to hav trd on them rite?)

huey · February 2005

I have the same truck you have and owned it for about the same amount of time, just that I've put 925miles into it in 2 weeks. Took it up to the mountain twice for snowboarding trips and everything is great about it. No leaks, no noise, no paint chips, just a great truck w/ plenty of power. I enjoy every driving moment.

Mine was built: 0105

p.s. A happy ride to the mountains makes you do bigger airs!

lngtonge18 · February 2005

I'm considering a base regular cab Tacoma and had some questions. Most seem to talk about either the V6 or the 4x4 models, so I'm not sure if anyone has a similar truck and can comment. I'd also be interested in anyone that attempted to cross shop with the Colorado.

First, I noticed the bench seat looks to be one piece rather then a split arrangement. Is this true? Can the angle of the seatback be adjusted?

How is the power of the four cylinder when teamed with the automatic? What about the gas mileage (particularly in the city)? Is the ride comfortable?

I hear that the bed is composite plastic. Is this the entire bed, or only the interior part? I assume people aren't talking about the bedliner itself right?

So has anyone compared to the four banger Colorado? I know, I know. It's a heresy, but the Colorado provides a relatively competent truck for 3-4k less. And I'm curious how others thought the noise, comfort, and performance compared. The interior of the Tacoma is unquestionably of higher quality and it offers a standard CD player but the Colorado's interior doesn't bother me. The Colorado does have a split bench on base models but it appears you can't adjust the seatback which may be a deal breaker. Anyway, any insight is appreciated.

wes240 · February 2005

gymbo, I have the regular standard alarm. As geogecko stated, if you unlock your doors with the keyless remote and do not open your doors within 30 seconds, the doors will relock. About 50% of the time I haven't started the truck within that 30 seconds and the doors relock. No big deal. I guess it could be if I would forget something in the house after I put the keys in the ignition without starting the truck - the truck would lock me out of it. In the mornings I'm usually a bit slow.

geogecko · February 2005

Yeah, and I've also noticed that it seems to notice if you are going uphill or not. It tends to wait to shift (upshift), if you are going uphill, versus on a flat road. It's a very nice feature, because vehicles usually get bogged down when going uphill in a high gear, only to have to keep alternating between say, 3rd and 4th gear... I love the power of this truck.

chiefman1 · February 2005

I have owned Toyota cars and trucks for over 40 years and I think that our 2005 Tacoma,DC, Auto,4x4 OffRoad, Silver Streak Mica is by far the best Toyota we have ever owned. We don't appear to have any of the problems as discussed on this site. This truck drives and rides like a dream and has the design and looks that draw attention like nothing I have ever driven.

My wife and I are retired and things get slow around here since NFL season is over, so the other evening we decided that we would study the glove box on our Tacoma to determine if we have a defective glove box. After 20 minutes with a flashlight and much analysis we have determined that we do not have a discolored glove box.

Years ago when I was young I owned several street rods so was used to people looking at my cars, but I swear I have never had anyone tell me that I had a nice looking glove box but now I am ready if the topic should come up on the Tacoma. Also, we have great looking cup holders with no scratches.

I am fanatical about the condition of my vehicles so will closely monitor this truck for chips but have none so far. Wax it about twice a week.

We love the 2005 Tacoma and are more than happy that we got more than our money's worth.

4runnerrip · February 2005

Hi Everyone,

(sorry for blasting the entire forum, this thread applies to Canadian availability)

My 1990 4Runner has finally died, RIP bud. So...

I've been looking to buy a 05 Dcab, 6-Speed Tacoma for a while now. The problem is that there are very few to be had in the Montreal-Ottawa-Toronto corridor. I even bulk-emailed 62 dealers stating exactly what I am looking for and that the dealer who replied with the best on-the-road price would have a sale by end of February. About 20 dealers replied and were eager to make a sale, although few (if any) actually had the vehicle I want in their possession (ir RED, DCab, 6Cyl, Dcab). One dealer said that the next shipment of Tacomas destined for Ontario had 76 to be delivered to dealers and no dealer really knew what to expect. 76 doesn't seem like much at all to me. So, I can understand Toyota supplying their prime customer (the US) first, but are there many potential Tacoma customers waiting and how long are ppl willing to wait?

I don't mind waiting though, the last thing I want is to try to haggle for a vehicle that is in short supply. Does anyone have some sort of inside info on when Toyota Canada will start shipping more units???

Thanks,

4RunnerRIP

Ottawa

pricklypete · February 2005

I have a Black '05 Acccess cab, 4x4, V6, 6spd. Well I have a little over 500 miles on my truck at the moment and have none of the reported problems.

The engine was a little "hoarser" when I took delivery (dealer put in 87 gas). Since then I have put 93 octane gas in and that in combination with just plain old break'n has smoothed out the engine quite a bit. I imagine it will even get smoother when I switch out the Dyno oil with Mobil 1.

The 6spd isn't going to compare to a Acura RSX 6spd, but it is more than adequate for a truck and infinitely better than a slush box IMHO.

Anyway, it has been raining around here (SC) and I have no leaks to report...no obnoxious cab/suspension noises...and no paint chips as of yet (I've even done some offroading and driving down gravel roads).

So far I am EXTREMELY satisfied with my purchase.

leob1 · February 2005

Yeah, I checked out the Frontier forum too and some people reported engine noise that sounded like "marbles." I would choose a windshield leak over a marble sound...and there may be more problems than just that. Regardless, stating problems publicly for either vehicle is good as long as people are HONEST.

leob1 · February 2005

FYI, The only oil filter I have found to fit the 4.0L 2005 TACO was a NAPA Gold. It's an excellent filter, metal endcaps (FRAM has cardboard) and good anti-drainback valve. NAPA can cross reference off of your stock Toyota filter number to get the right filter. I read BAD reviews on the Toyota filter, but it was for a different Toyota engine.

jackhammer · February 2005

I have a good contact at a dealer in Ontario with great prices, e-mail me for further info, jessupr@yahoo.com

jsmith5 · February 2005

canadiantaco wrote -

"but will your nissan be fixed for free in ten years when the engine sounds like a freight train and breaks down 3 times a year.... NOPE.... will the guys who have TOYOTA engines be laughing... think, you once thought a water leak was a big thing but now your spendin 3 gs a yeer to keep ure 10 thousand dollar truck road worthy...."

I believe the VQ engine in the Frontier has been rated VERY highly and would be a hard design to beat, even by the highly worshiped Toyota. If isolated only to motors, I would bet on the VQ.

Speaking of girly men trucks, my wife and I recently tested the Frontier and the Tacoma. My wife thought the Frontier was a man's truck and liked the Toyota better.

I will say I liked both trucks very much. The biggest difference being Toyota made their plastic interiors look nicer than Nissan's plastic interiors by using simple gimmicks like texturing and coloring.

I will wait to see if problems with the Nissan will be as numerous the problems with the Toyota before buying, which will take some time, like next year when some of the problems have been worked out?

What I will NOT do is let some strange auto manufacturer religion/worship figure into my decision.

None of them are that good!

halcon · February 2005

Do you think those guys from Motor Trend are girly men?

centralcal · February 2005

I think it is funny how much stock people are putting into "Truck of the Year". Last year the F150 won it, I bet not a single Toyota person would have cared. Now, the '04 F150 has loads of problems and reliability issues. I guess if this is what you want, that is what you get.

gymbo · February 2005

Just wanted to thank evryone for their replys to my first post.I find this to be interesting,I put a down payment on vehicle 01/22/05(it had not arrived on lot yet from port)I took delivery on 01/27/05 with 4 miles.The build date was 11/04 vin 019xxx,some of you seem to have a more recent build date with a comparable delivery date.Just curious,why mine took so long to get to the dealer?

chilehead · February 2005

"I guess it could be if I would forget something in the house after I put the keys in the ignition without starting the truck - the truck would lock me out of it."

Know what you mean about mornings :-) You probably would not have to worry about that though. Once you open the door, the 30 second thing is shut off. Also, like a lot of newer cars, it's difficult to lock yourself out because you can't lock the doors with the key in the ignition (after the door has been opened).

cyclotaco · February 2005

I bought a base regular cab Tacoma in November. I

bought it with the 5sp standard transmission, so I can't let you know how the automatic works, but the engine seems plenty powerful. At 75mph on the freeway it runs under 2500rpm in 5th, so I rarely use that gear. I mostly drive in the city, and I'm getting 23mpg with 87 octane gas.

The bench seat is one piece, and it only adjusts fore and aft. It is nonetheless comfortable, and since the steering wheel tilts, that compensates for that somewhat.

The entire bed is indeed plastic.

I did not test drive the Colorado, or any other truck for that matter. I think the truck is wonderful, but also note that the base model at $14.2K is not nearly as dear as the other models, and also, and this is the first car I've owned in ten years. That last one was a 1979 Volvo, and cars (or trucks) have come a long way in 26 model years!

My paint hasn't chipped, the bed hasn't cracked, the windshield hasn't leaked, the engine doesn't ping, the suspension doesn't creak, and the glove box looks nice. A center cap fell off the left front wheel, but my dealer replaced it. Other than the lack of intermittent wipers and the low availability of accessories, I have been quite satisfied.

Good luck on your search!

wes240 · February 2005

chilehead, yea I'm certainly not very awake in the mornings....

But I was talking about how my truck does not know that I opened my driver door, so the 30 sec thing is not shut off - a small defect that I will have the dealer take care of. I'm not sure if putting the keys in the ignition does turn it off, I bet it does. Or at least at that point it wouldn't allow the doors to be locked. Who knows. Hopefully I don't find out the hard way!

carglow · February 2005

Historically the 4 cylinder has been more reliable than the V6 and I'm sure it will be the case in the current generation also.

chilehead · February 2005

Doh! It's hard to remember that many posts back. Man, this forum is getting popular! Does the light come on when you open the door?

Re: [cyclotaco] 4 clylinder Colorado. Hopefully someone can comment on your exact question, but just in case: We drove the 5 cylinder Colorado, and I thought the 4 cylinder Tacoma seemed to have more zip, so I can't imagine the 4 clyinder Colorado would be all that great. Be sure to read through the Colorado/Canyon forum here!

stringbender · February 2005

I am curious which rear end gear ratio do you have?

edavis2005 · February 2005

Seminole,

Did you ever get a reply to this question that actually worked? I purchased the 2005 Double Cab and have the same concerns. The owners manual was not helpful.

Thanks

chilehead · February 2005

Re: rear-end. Not sure if that question was directed to me, so I hope I'm not stepping on someone...

Our 4 cyl. Man. 4x4 has 4.10. The 4x2 Man. has 3.31. The automatic splits the difference at 3.58. That could have a big impact on the "feel" of course.

I know that Chevy offers several options for the rear-end, and I'm not sure what the one we test drove had. Best bet is to find a dealer that handles Toyota and Chevy and drive one after the other! (long shot)

geogecko · February 2005

One improvement to add: Why does Toyota integrate the front license plate holder into the bumper the way it does, with two little indentions for letting two self tapping screws to chew up the paint job on the bumper.

Considering if you ever want to remove it (if moving to a state that doesn't require front plates), you are left with a not so good looking front bumper.

(Bet you can all tell I got my plates today, huh?)

jfigueroa1 · February 2005

I only have 90 miles in my 05 4dcab 4x2 a/t and I for the first time had to step on the gas pedal all the way down (I pulled in a road and did not notice a car coming)and I tell you, this taco haul *** acceleration was hard and fast shifting smooth, at first I was scared to see the car but after all I had a big *** smile in my face.

stringbender · February 2005

Thanks Chilehead , I was directing it towards cylotaco, but I think that you answered my question. He had mentioned that he were running 75 mph and had a rpm under 2500, so I guess that what you told me meant his truck was probably a 2wd with the 3.31 gears. If I end up trading in on a Tacoma I will probably end up with the same set up to get the highest mpg possible.

Has anybody towed something around 2 to 3k lb with this set up on this forum, if so how did it do?

Toyota Tacoma 2005+

Comments

Helpful Tools

Most popular vehicles