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Toyota Tacoma: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    on the " they almost always resort to crime".
    How often is "almost" and what kinds of crime would they be committing, Mr. Agent Man.
  • tsmith16tsmith16 Member Posts: 16
    My 01 dbl cab has the same rattle. I don't think the dealer can fix it. I think its just a bad design. I am disappointed in the truck after hearing so much about Toyota quality. But compared to the 97 Ford Ranger I traded in a rattle is nothing. The Ranger's power windows chattered, brakes squealed, roof leaked, front end was misaligned from factory, three bad intake gaskets, strong gas vapors around truck, intermitant wipers sometimes didn't work, the windshield would fog over for no reason, and the cab would pop when the body flexed.
  • smgillessmgilles Member Posts: 252
    If you do what I said to do in the previous posts your rattle will no longer exist. Cost is less than $5 and it takes less than 5 minutes. If you can't find it I will re-post it. DO NOT let the dealer tear apart your dash.
  • plutoniousplutonious Member Posts: 799
    tbunder's words:

    "ps. have either one of your brothers ever tried applying for a state special agent job or a federal job like fbi or cia? maybe dea? without a degree, they're flat out of luck bud. you can be a general in the military, but unless you have at least a BA, you can't even apply for the fbi, or a state level special agent for that matter. kudos to them, but they're lifers unless they get an education. who wants to be a patrol officer their whole life?"

    Boy, are you clueless. So you can't be a Special Agent without a degree? Let's see...Border Patrol Agents, INS Criminal Investigators, INS Deportation Officers, Customs Special Agents and Federal Air Marshalls are just a few federal officer corps positions that come to mind that DO NOT require a bachelor's degree.

    Funny you should brag about your writing abilities and the fact you've taken foreign language classes. Obviously, "mexican spanish" or even "american english" wasn't included in your curriculum!
  • allknowingallknowing Member Posts: 866
    You don't get much respect in life by attempting to demean others for faults that are actually inherent to your own nature either.
  • tbundertbunder Member Posts: 580
    yep, you can have those jobs- out of high school. tell me though, just what type of jurisdiction do those bring with them? you may be able to get free tickets to the kentucky derby. those are all low paying crappy easy entry jobs. again, i ask, can one get into the fbi without at least a bachelors degree? dea? cia? secret service? state special agent job? again, ill say nope, you sure can't. state trooper, maybe if you're lucky. but here in iowa, you basically don't have prayer with a degree.

    allknowing- what and who did i demean? and tell me what my "inherent faults" are? lifting too much? probably. loving my daughter too much? big time.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    So how about it? Explain to me please why if I got fired, I'd almost certainly become a criminal?
  • plutoniousplutonious Member Posts: 799
    For starters, you can't just slide into those jobs after high school. They require some type of significant work experience (3 years minimum), honorable military service, or a combination of school and work. Furthermore, the jobs I mentioned with the exception of Border Patrol Agent are either journeyman GS (General Service) grades 12 or 13, the same as your beloved FBI, DEA and Secret Service. So you should hardly call them "low paying crappy easy entry jobs." And you should also be made aware of the fact that the majority of people employed with the aforementioned agencies do have degrees, and many are also bilingual. How's that for exceeding the minimum qualifications?

    Do you even know what jurisdiction means? To answer your question, INS officers work under USC (United States Code) Title 8, Aliens and Nationality. Customs works under Title 19, Customs and Tariffs. DEA works under Title 21, Food and Drugs. What this means is that these agencies' jurisdictions include those statutes of law found under their respective titles. But that's not all. Many agencies have what is called "cross designation." That means an employee of one agency can be designated to also enfore the laws of another agency. For example, a Border Patrol Agent's jurisdiction also includes working under certain Title 19 and 21 statutes because they often encounter drugs incidental to their duties enforcing statutes in Title 8. Then again, I'm sure you knew all that because you have a Criminal Justice degree, right?

    Just curious...what are you doing with your Criminal Justice degree from Simpson that is so glamourous?
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    with his assumptions like that most of laid off hightech workers are now criminals and that his CJ degree from night school will last forever, tbunder might want to ask for his money back.
  • allknowingallknowing Member Posts: 866
    I was referring to this comment that you made "scorpio, how old are you 20? seems your immaturity is beaming".
    Hopefully you were just kidding around. The other traits that you mentioned are much more admirable.
  • tbungertbunger Member Posts: 1
    OK I Give up!!! I'm really a meter maid and I admit that Toyota makes better trucks.
  • tbundertbunder Member Posts: 580
    i wonder how many fbi agents DO NOT have a degree? border patrol? they're begging for help. air marshalls? same. no experience required. the ads are all over the internet. dea? degree probably not required, but not a chance in hell basically unless you have a degree. some of these agencies that mean squat like a law degree to boot!

    scorpio- your job depends on a machine. mine depends on society. iow- people like you who work a trade that is flooded and will eventually get laid off, feel the STRAIN, (know what that is?) and resort to crime. i dont have the numbers, check the fbi's uniform crime reports if you want to find out just how many people resort to crime after a lay off. are you saying it's non existent? i assume you're smarter than that?
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    You are speaking in big generalities "almost all people resort to crime after layoff". Not almost all. Its the same as saying "Almost all black people commit crimes". Given that you've had criminology classes, you know that its not true.
  • plutoniousplutonious Member Posts: 799
    tbundy, you should consider getting out of law enforcement or what other civil service occupation you're into. I think it's eating away at you and you're getting too senile and frustrated...

    As for crimes...it is true that in times of economic hardship, crime rates do indeed increase, but to suggest somebody in particular is going to turn into a criminal because he was laid off is silly. Whatever happened to "innocent until proven guilty?" I hope I don't take heat for this, but if one looks at the numbers, black people cause a disproportionately large amount of crime. But as scorpio pointed out, stating "Almost all black people cause crimes" would be asanine.

    You can't take a tiny sample out of a group and apply your findings to the entire group. That would be like me labeling everybody in Iowa a "tbunder" simply because I've "met" you, and I'm sure your fellow Iowans would hate that.
  • tbundertbunder Member Posts: 580
    wouldn't it be interesting to meet?

    guys if i came off as saying "all people who get laid off commit crimes" im sorry. what i meant was that a lot of them do. and right now, at least around the midwest, a lot of computer jobs are being eliminated. scorpio, i hope you don't get laid off. but shti happens.

    im not singling out the computer trade either. but it sure is taking a beating.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Finally tbunder admits a mistake.
    That's fine, then. We'll see what happens. Our company has been going uphill gaining market share in our industry, so we arent too worried, we got through the last year without having layoffs and other problems.
    I just hope you realize that cj degree is not an answer to everything. Things can change....and so can the society. It would be quite a shock to learn that your trade is obsolete 15 years from now, and you can't retire yet, and have to start from scratch. So hope you have a backup plan.
  • tbundertbunder Member Posts: 580
    the law enforcement career obsolete? are you saying we may have a utopia---HERE? as much as i'd love that, i honestly do not think that is going to happen. if anything, the le trade will get stronger. i mean, with all these terrorism threats and the security we now require, it's only getting stronger by the day. am i proud of that, hell no. but it's the real world and this is what it requires.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    I'm not going to go into the terrorism discussion.
    Lets just say that law enforcement is due for an overhaul. There are too many problems with the whole structure of it, and especially how it is implemented.
  • plutoniousplutonious Member Posts: 799
    The American criminal justice system was founded several hundred years ago by people who fled Europe to escape persecution from tyrannical governments. As such, the constitution and criminal justice system these people drafted were designed to protect citizens from the GOVERNMENT. But today, it's our fellow CITIZENS that are the criminals and creating the crimes. Basically, the system was designed to protect citizens from the government, not the citizens from eachother. This is the root cause of our criminal justice system problem.

    Believe it or not, our criminal justice system has strong ties to the English system. Even many of our terms descended from English words. For example, "sheriff" was derived from "the shire of the reeve." "Jail" came from the old English word "gaol." Just some interesting trivia...
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    As interesting as some of these diversions get, let's keep it closer to pickups here OK?


    Thanks!




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  • cjwalcjwal Member Posts: 3
    is this not supposed to be about toyotas?
  • cjwalcjwal Member Posts: 3
    this is supposed to be a pickup help line, why dont you all swap emails and communicate directly to each other so we don't have to be exposed to all the ignorance. LOSERS, get a life and lets get back to the topic.
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    Back to the topic please


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    Just a reminder that every Thursday you can join the Subaru Crew for a chat session from 6-7pm PT/9-10pm ET. Stop in to talk about Subaru or just to say hello! Either way, I hope to see you there!


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  • njpaguynjpaguy Member Posts: 55
    My 67 year old father, in need of a knee replacement, is also in need of a new set of wheels. Because of his knee, he can't quite pry himself in and out of his '82 VW Rabbit Turbo Diesel Pickup truck anymore. And now, after only 236,000 miles(!!!), the engine is getting a little tired. So me (his son) and my kids (his grandkids) decide it's time to get Pop-Pop a new truck. After doing the manufacturer's websites, we stop here to get the real story on the trucks. Ford Ranger - venom! Dodge Dakota - you can feel the anger and hate! Toyota Tacoma - other than a few wet taillight lenses and a couple drippy firewalls, most of the posts are devoted to the (pointless)discussion on proper grammar and terrorism. Well...obviously MOST of you simply put gas in your Tacomas and drive them, leaving a lot more time to pursue other interests. Unfortunately some choose rather useless ways to occupy their time. But thanks anyway! Going to order a '02 S-Runner tomorrow!
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    For getting carried away with these conversations. It's always an adventure (sometimes unpleasant) when talking to tbunder.
  • tbundertbunder Member Posts: 580
    hehe ;o)
  • dmullinsdmullins Member Posts: 30
    I just got my new 02' Tacoma xtra cab 2wd. I'm very pleased so far. The question I have is if there is supposed to be a removable insert that goes into the drink holder in the floor console. I know my 00' Impala has this and it makes it very easy for cleaning. Thanks in advance.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Nahh.....not in 2002s. My Xtracab 4x4 doesn't have it.
  • truckdude1truckdude1 Member Posts: 88
    We are interested in purchasing a 2002 Basic 4x2 cab with only Automatic and air conditioning for our Son. We haven't driven one yet, but can any of you give your thoughts about the power of the 142 H.P. engine and the ride? How well does the automatic work paired with the 4 cylinder and air conditioning? Thanks- Truckdude1 (wife)
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    With a 4-banger you really ought to get a manual tranny to get the most out of it. As far as ride goes: it's a truck, so don't expect it to ride like a car or an SUV. It's not rough (but you really have got to testdrive it to see for yourself). I have a TRD 4x4, and even though TRDs have stiffer suspension, it's really nice for me.
  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    Scorpio, I would get better power from a 4cl 5 speed than a 4cl auto? I plan to buy a 2000 regular cab 4cl speed 4x4 this week. I'm kind of new to Toyota Tacomas.
    Do you know what the mpg is on that motor?

    Thanks, Jon
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    Manual tranny beats auto any day of the week (in my opinion, unless you are heavy into rockcrawling). You have control over the shift points, which can be a great plus if you need that little extra power. As an example: My 3.4L V6 has the hp peak at 3500 rpms. For normal day-to-day driving, I usually shift at 2.5K rpms on average. When I want to give it a kick, I rev up to 3500 rpms and past it to 3750. I don't keep the engine revved up too long, but it's long enough (in 3rd gear) that from 3K rpms to 3500rpms, I get 10-15mph extra speed. With manual tranny I can drive in 3rd gear at 65-70mph at about 3.75K rpms, right around the peak of the power curve.
    In general, with a 4-banger, you want manual tranny. You get more power that way......as an example: my old 4.3L V6 Blazer S10 would redline at 5500 rpms, but it always shifted at 3000 rpms, I'm betting it never got to the peak of the power curve, so you could enjoy all that power only at 4th speed.
    mpg on the 4-banger makes me jealous. I get 260 miles per 15 gallons in the city, IF I drive light-footed. I think 4-bangers get 350+....22-24mpg at least. You might want to check the www.tacomaterritory.com site, 4-banger owners can tell you precisely. I've seen those 4-bangers in action offroad, they are pretty sweet (although the biggest advantage they have going for them is short wheelbase in the reg cab configuration. You really don't want an extended cab.....500 lbs of extra weight can hurt your performance pretty bad with the 4-banger)
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    I had a 2.7L 5-speed ext. cab Tacoma and was pleased with the power. It wasn't axle-twisting or anything, but good acceleration and it could tow quite well. I averaged 22mpg and it didn't seem to matter city/highway or how fast I was driving for the most part. Just a steady 22mpg. A regular cab should be even better, but gearing is one concern. I had pretty tall gears which added to my mpg on the highway, but 5th gear was strictly overdrive. Would top out nice though. If you're doing alot of highway driving, you may want higher gears, doing alot of towing or needing additional acceleration would point toward lower gears. I think you still get a gearing option between models.
  • mtngalmtngal Member Posts: 1,911
    I have a 2000 ext. cab, 4x2, 4 banger with a 5 speed and I get a pretty constant 28 mpg. My commute is mostly highway but involves an elevation loss and gain of over 5,800 feet. The 5 speed helps a great deal getting up that big hill - I can downshift to 4th and easily keep it at 70 mph, where many cars can't. My guess is that an auto would have problems deciding on a gear, since I have such elevation gains. Since this Tacoreplaced a Nissan auto that I burned out 2 trannys in a year in, I think the 5 speed manual is the only way to go. Now if I can just get the seats sorted out (will be researching this weekend, but gotta get the exhaust manifold replaced on the Wrangler first).
  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    Scorp,Sebring, and MtnGal, Thank you all for the info. I was looking for a Tacoma single cab with the V6 but found 0. I guess that 4banger 5speed woth the 2.7 150 horses should work. Any Ideas to increase horse power or torque? I may be pulling 2 jet ski's this summer.
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    We just covered the hp increase there.
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    The reason you can't find a reg. cab 4X4 V6 is because they haven't built one since '96. First two years the Tacoma was out they had them but not anymore. Not sure why, it was quite a quick truck. You shouldn't have any trouble pulling jet-ski's. You may want to get lower gears if you can. 4:10 used to be available, not sure if they are anymore though. I pulled a 16" tandem axle trailer with a Kubota 2400 and a 6' blade which was over the 3500# limit. It did the job, steep hills were slow going, but that's alot of weight especially with the high gears and oversized tires mine had.
  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    Scorp, where is that link to the tacom prerunner forum?
  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    Does anybody know what variable valve timing is? Scorp or Sebring you guys know?
  • sc0rpi0sc0rpi0 Member Posts: 897
    ask on www.tacomaterritory.com
    Its a 4x4 club, but there are prerunner guys there, and overall you can get an answer for just about any Tacoma question including "Whats that clicking noise?"
  • plutoniousplutonious Member Posts: 799
    Here's everything you need to know about variable valve timing:


    http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_school/engine/vvt_1.htm

  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    Scorp,thanks for the link, I'll try them .
  • beachbratbeachbrat Member Posts: 23
    That was quite technical, but informative literature on VVT. Thanks.
  • devoredevore Member Posts: 39
    Hey folks,

    I've got a '95 Tacoma, and have had a problem with a sticking gas pedal for about the last three years. Neither my favored mechanic nor the Toyota dealer has been able to determine or fix the problem.

    Specifically, when you step on the gas from a full stop, the gas pedal will "resist" as if it's stuck down until you put enough pressure on it, and then it will "unstick" and the pedal travels freely.

    If I then let off the gas completely, and then press it again, if I'm going slowly, I'll feel the "stick" again, though it won't be as bad as from a full stop.

    After reaching normal driving speeds (> 20MPH) I don't notice the sticking problem at all.

    The problem with the sticking is that because you have to apply greater pressure to "unstick" it, the end result is that I'm always lurching violently off the line when starting from a full stop. I think this puts strain on the transmission. Also, with the "sticking" it's impossible to "just give it a little gas" to make the truck roll forward.

    My uneducated analysis of the problem is that it may have something to do with vacuum pressure in the fuel system, or something. I think this because my mechanic was unable to find anything physcially "sticky" about the pedal or it's linkage. On top of that, the "sticking" seems to get worse the closer I am to making a full stop.

    Is there some kind of "back pressure" on the pedal that might cause this? Does anyone have _any_ ideas at all what this might be? Like I said, the Toyota dealer and my mechanic have inspected the pedal itself and have lubricated the linkage.

    Thanks!
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Has anyone taken the air intake off and checked the throttle plate? If not, you need a new mechanic. That is a common problem on vehicles, and Toyotas seem to be quite intolerable of it. Basically the throttle plate is sticking closed, and it takes a little extra pressure to get it unstuck. Then if flings open. My Camry did that about every 50K miles, just take the intake hose off, spray some throttle body cleaner in there, maybe even take a toothbrush to it. You'll be amazed.
  • chiweihochiweiho Member Posts: 51
    Sorry guys, been out.

    the rattle does exist when it was cold and in the mornings, dealer replace the whole cover at no cost.

    long story short, it took three days, mechanic sucks, proved him wrong, got manuals and TRD air filter at cost, and it does not rattle anymore.
  • koko164koko164 Member Posts: 29
    I'm in the process of buying a Tacoma 4x4 Xtracab V6 Auto.

    I was able to drive one with TRD and was told by the saleman that it is a little stiffer.
    Is there a noticable difference in ride stiffness between the TRD package vrs. no TRD package?
  • albinoxalbinox Member Posts: 5
    Unfortunately, some salesmen are idiots, even Toyota salesmen. Got a similar line of hogwash from mine. I wish they'd take the time to properly learn their product line before making up stuff to appease their prospective customers...

    Anyways, the TRD suspension is considerably SOFTER than the standard by virtue of the springs. Although the TRD runs Bilstein shocks (usually associated with stiffer, peformance oriented ride), my thought is that it's strictly to counter to extra movement of the softer suspension. Next time you're at the Toyota lot push down on the rear bumper of the two trucks- it's dramatically different.

    The idea behind the TRD off-road suspension is to provide a softer ride on rugged roads. My personal preference after owning one for 6 months is that I'd probably prefer the tighter std suspension based on handling, load bearing, and maybe even ride quality. Bummer.
  • allknowingallknowing Member Posts: 866
    I don't know what that last guy is talking about but I can tell you that he‘s completely incorrect. The TRD isn't designed to provide a softer ride on rugged roads. It's quite the opposite. The TRD package has a stiffer ride with the less bounce off road plus better cornering on the road due to less body lean. The stiffer ride of the TRD is annoying to some, however, so you probably should drive both before you buy. My own preference is the TRD and I don’t mind the rougher ride at all.
  • woody72woody72 Member Posts: 73
    I have a '00 4Runner with a 2.7 and since most have a V6 I thought I'd jump in here as the 2.7 is fairly common with the Tacoma. Has anyone replaced their fuel filter on this year? I did it once and it was a royal [non-permissible content removed] to access. I actually needed my wife's smaller forearm to access one of the bolts. There has to be a trick I'm missing. (I did remove the battery which helped a lot). The only one I could see was to disconnect the left front brake line for more room, then you would have to bleed the system. Any tips for next time?
This discussion has been closed.