Toyota Tacoma 2005+

arcpass

i cant get into tundrasolutions its drivin me insane the site wont even come up arrr any canadians havin this prob or emericans

I haven't been able to access that site for the last two days. I don't know what's up with it.

steveh427

I see a lot of chatter about aftermarket speakers, amps, head units etc. When it comes time to purchase my DC shortbed TRD, is it worth spending the extra money on the JBL system or should I just opt for the standard sound system and do some upgrades???? Is the JBL upgrade worth it? I haven't heard many opinions on this forum.
If I choose the standard sound system, my budget would be about $500 for upgrades. In my other cars, I don't go crazy with my stereo systems, but I DO enjoy good sound.

Any good suggestions?

dkelly400

FWIW tundrasolutions has disappeared from any dns listing I can find (I run my own dns server). Maybe they forgot to renew their domain registration

zaxus

i may be getting old cause i think the stock stereo/cd is good, not great, but good.
more base at the factory settings than i prefer but at #50 it is more than loud enough for me.
q. for board, does the garage door opener come standard cause if it does i have not been able to figure out how to open. its the compartment area where the temp/direction(n/s/e/west) right. is this an option?
btw, looking forward to installing new air intake and cat back when they are available for the 05's. i dont think the performance chip will be needed..it's too tempting to go over 100 mph. tops at 100 right?
had all three mods on my 2002 ranger 4.0 and it really beefed up performance.
btw, getting just under 20mpg on first three tanks-trd offroad #2.
what i like best about truck so far is mileage (was getting 16mpg in the ranger) handling(had to slam the breaks on highway at 75 mph and swerve on to the loose shoulder of the road) it breaked beautifuly. good power- esp torque. squeals the tires nicely on dry pavement.
also, if you want to have some fun, go down to your local mini cooper dealer and testdrive one of the turbo's. acceleration is pretty good, once you get past turbo lag but get her up to 80 and slam on the breaks..its really unbelievable how controlled and quickly it comes to a halt. felt like i was in a lambo.

walters

At first I thought the standard stereo in my truck sounded really bad. But I discovered the bass was on plus 3, so I set it to 0. I still thought the bass sounded bad, so I lowered it to minus 3. Now it's growing on me, I'm actually starting to think it's a decent sounding unit.

aa00

Which speakers did you change out? I want to do the same as soon as possible. Improved the sound quite a bit? Thanks..........

aa00

My toyo tech told me that the new skid plate(first one had to be redesigned a bit he said) is out on the market again. Does anyone have this newer one installed yet on a silver offroad? How does it look and any noise or problems from it? I have a silver d/c offroad#2 with the chrome tubes and think this will blend well. Any thought? Thanks..........

deepred300

In order to get the configuration I want (DZ Radio in the midwest), I think my dealer can get it in the TRD Sport package. This is a change from the SR5 package.

The main difference that concerns me is the shocks. Both the off road and sport come with Bilstein shocks that are "off-road tuned" or "sport tuned". What does that mean and what is the difference? I can assume that the off road is a stiffer suspension.

My driving will be city roads and highway. So I'm looking for a smooth ride, not stiff. Any input on how changing to the sport tuned Bilstein's in the Sport package will perform?

Thanks,

John

kbshadow

I have the sport.

All my driving is around town or on the freeway.

This truck has as smooth a ride as any car I have ever driven.

kbshadow
Stockton Ca

impulsive

Okay, even though we never got your photos yet, I have taken the plunge and committed for next Thursday to having Classic Soft Trim in Atlanta install a Webasto electric sliding sunroof in my truck. The taupe (tan) leather was done today, fantastic upgrade !! I had also considered Automotive Concepts in Atlanta, I think they had a lifetime of the original owner warranty and I'm not sure what the warranty is on Soft Trim install, 3 years probably, anyone confirm ?

bjw1

I changed all of the speakers, with kenwoods and an amp, night and day between stock and my speakers, speakers were $99 a pair, so you get a good pair of speakers with install and and be under the $500 limit you mentioned, dash kits not available yet so I went with the amp for the speakers, amp was $199 I paid $700 for the speakers, amp and viper alarm sys and installation.

jskicet

Hey steve, I orderd my 2005 dbl 2x4 sportpackage short bed on Dec1. I just recieved it last wednesday. What took so long is I figured for 500. the JBL was worth waiting for, mainly because I wanted the steering wheel controls. I'm glad I waited. I like a good sound system as well. I have installed many aftermarket in my vehicles, but for once i thought I would try theirs. 280 watts why not. If your into rap be prepared to change the sub, for my taste everthing but.. it sounds great. the bass is a little quiet at low volumes too bad you can't adjust the gain on the amp for the sub, but this thing will go all the way to 60 without distorting which my sons tells me to turn it down. Hope this helps.

leob1

A Toyota mechanic told me today that running the 4.0L on premium would make it run "hotter." I don't agree with his opinion, but cannot back up myself. How would premium make an engine run hotter? I thought that regular would run hotter with a greater chance for pre-ignition than premium. Does anyone out there know anything about this?

jskicet

i have a sportmaster soft top for my 01dc that lifts up. Can you tell me if you've seen a soft top that lifts up for the 2005 short bed dc?

leob1

Took my truck in today in reference to the Toyota Service Bulletin B0004-05 pertaining to the famous leak. It was fixed. All they had to do was take off the wiper arms and plastic cowl cover, then apply a soapy solution over the cowl seams(which are 2 vertical seams close to the fenders, one on each side). While running the truck's blower motor on high, with the recirculation going and all the windows closed, any presence of bubbles indicated the leak. That happens because the cab becomes 'pressurized' in that condition. Anyways, they sealed the cowl seams with some Toyota recommended sealant and the problem was solved. If the leak persists, then the bulletin gives explicit details on locating the lower front cowl seams after removing the fenders and basically doing the same thing to fix the problem.

I am not sure if Toyota is sending out notices in reference to that yet. I am under the impression that Toyota is using sealant on the Tacoma seams at the factory to fix the problem, but thats my best guess. I have a copy of the service bulletin and everything was pretty simple from the sound of it. Apparently this problem has been around for a few years even in the older models.

bigandy

Golt them about a month ago and I'm glad I did. Very nice fit. Key to the installation is to get the plastic tubing forced tightly down between the seat back and the bottom. I actually pounded it in with a hammer and block of 1x material.

Good protection from the muddy feet of the dog after a trip to the dog park. Price of about $160 from toyotapart.com seems very reasonable and the overall quality is good.

rdsoxx

I installed the covers last night...Pain in the [non-permissible content removed]. The driver side is ok...the passenger side is a pain...had to bang it in with the back of a srewdriver. They are nice though...thick. Summer is coming and I'm sure I'll be sweatin on them. Look great though. I would recommend them.

coldfoot

Do you have to cut the liner to install this cover?

walters

Place is starting to look like a morgue. You people actually have lives or what? Must be nice. Thought I would post an update. I got over 21MPG on my first three tanks, then got 19.25 on the next and 20.7 yesterday. Not sure why the dip except more suburban driving, especially when I got the 19. I'm hoping to average 21, so we'll see.

I have discovered a new problem, a transmission leak. It's an auto trans and the rear seal where the driveshaft goes into the transmission has a drip of fluid hanging. So, now I have a few problems, a AC leak, the trans leak, and a vibration at about 22MPH (not too serious, but there). Also, I have come to realize that my overfenders and front bumper have orangepeeled paint to the point that is unacceptable. Do the rest of you have nice shiny paint on these items? I'll have to check out others at the dealer when I take it in, but mine are definitely on the dull side.

So, seems to be like I have more than my share of problems, though hopefully they are minor and will be corrected. Truck is still fast!

rsj

Hey Guys,

I am thinking about getting a 2005 Tacoma, acess cab, v-6, 4x4, with the off-rd package, and wondering what kind of gas milage to expect. Also would like to hear any pros or cons on this truck.

Thanks

Rj

rsj

Do you have a 4cyl. or 6cyl. , 2x4 or 4x4, single cab,acess, or,DC, and what date was your truck made?

walters

Sorry for the lack of info. There are several gas mileage threads both here and on tundrasolutions.com. I think I am getting a bit better than average, but then mine is not 4WD or a DC.

bjw1

Well for me I love my truck, I have a dbl cab v6 impulse redprerunner i get 18.5-18.88 mpg in city and 21.5 highway, had a 04 taco and its alot better qulaity than previous models, I dont have any problems, just went for my first oil change today and nothing to report to dealer, hope you enjoy your truck.

lomares

Hey Harry,
I got the Steps from Longo Toyota here in So Cal for about $350. I order them one day and they were ready for pickup the next. Easy to install and no problems so far.

-lomares

1sttacoma

tacoma05,

thanks for this. you said the white seems to have a HIGHER resale value? nice. i wasn't expecting this as i had heard the opposite. did you notice this just with your truck or with other white tacomas as well?

thanks,
b.

jfigueroa1

Good Day,
Another thing that I think it should be mention is the cruise control
you push on the level to energize and you get the green light well then when you set the cc you do not have a light to tell you that the cc is energize, also you have to turn the cc on every time you shut the eng.
fig.

phippini

Does the stock radio have inputs for a CD changer?

Thanks.

ftoften

Did you ever find out what was causing this noise? I had the dealer replace the ft sway bar bushings and links with negative results.

troutdoorsman

While washing my truck the other day, my girlfriend noticed that my rear bumper is off center. The space between the edge of the bed and the inside edge of where the bumper curls around at the sides is off by about an inch. Should I be concerned about this, or just let it go?

msibille

I'm guessing he didn't literally mean "run hotter" as in higher "engine temperature" as indicated on your temperature gage.

The higher the octane, the earlier the ignition timing can be, to some extent the leaner the fuel/air mixture, and the higher the compression can be without "detonation" or "knock". Since OBD II compliant engines are dynamically tuned (i.e. adjustments are made to the air/fuel ratio, timing, etc., "on the fly" based on sensors in the engine, including a "knock sensor"), the engine can be run on 87 octane, and if a higher octane fuel is used, it can retune itself to take advantage of the higher knock resistance. The air fuel mixture in the cylinder may in fact be slightly "hotter" as a result, but there should be no significant difference in coolant or oil temps.

Perhaps in trying to describe the fact that the engine would retune itself to the higher octane fuel with the goal to extract the most power from each air/fuel charge without knocking, the terms the mechanic used were vague enough to cause the confusion. (Or, unfortunately, similar terms were used when it was explained to him, and he misunderstood.)

KCRam

Regardless of the brand, any time my front or rear bumper has been offline, either vertically or horizontally, it's been because someone/something hit it. Check underneath to the bumper mounts on the chassis rails and see if anything is bent.

kcram - Pickups Host

jadamjr

I have a 2005 Toyota Double Cab, 4X4 with the TRD off road package. I had a toytec 3" basic lift kit with the differential drop installed about two months ago.

question 1: I have not noticed much different handling on curvy roads. Now with any lift kit you do have to drive a little lit slower to be safe, due to you raising the center of gravity of the truck.

question 2: With any lift kit I was advised you will lose about 10% on your mpg. so if your averaging 21mpg you can expect to get around 18mpg. I average anywhere from 16 to 18 mpg but I like to put the pedal on the floor. With some sane driving you'll get at least 315 per tank.

question 3: I spoke with an assistant manager who is in charge the warranty division. He advised me the only thing it may void is the suspension system since you have to take it apart to put the lift kit on.

question 4: see question one.

Go to www.toyteclifts.com for more information about a lift kit for your 05 Taco.

Joe

buffalonickel

St. Louis:
My Tacoma was equipped with Dunlops.
These are ho-hum tires, but I am going to drive them down before changing. From the looks of them, it won't take but a couple of years.

B

buffalonickel

Haven't heard of any others with this problem, but remember that you and I have some of the first to roll off the assembly line. Until they find the cause, everything they do is conjecture.

B

buffalonickel

The way the service manager explained premium octane to me was that with regular you have a faster burn. Higher octane has a longer, hotter burn cycle. My 94 had a spark-knock problem and burning high octane was part of the solution to fixing it.

B

larry10

My '97 T-100 came with Dunlops, after 91,000 miles(6 and a half years) i replaced them and would put nothing but Dunlops in their place! I do admit I don't do off roading, just street and highway driving.I've noticed some in here are disappointed with them, i hope
you don't have an alignment problem or something. By the way, most of that 91,000 miles was freeway driving (65-80 mph) if that matters.

pb2themax

Where's the sub located? And how big is it? I'm wondering where I can install a good compact sub enclosure. Thinking about the storage compartment under the rear driver side seat of my double cab. I don't like doing the usual 'truck box' behind the seat.

pb2themax

I just went through the first tank of gas, which was the gas that it came with from the dealer. I assume that they probably used low octane to save $. During this tank of gas, I noticed a little ticking sound from the engine during acceleration. But I just filled the tank up with some good 93 octane and the engine seems a lot smoother and I haven't noticed the ticking. Next time I drive it I'll roll down the window and give it a good listen. I don't like paying for 93 octane, but the engine seems to like it.

schoolie

jadamjr,

I bet the truck looks sweet! This is something I am looking at having installed on my '05 DC 4x4 TRD Off-Road #2.

My questions are:
1) Where did you have the lift installed?
2) How much did they charge / how long did it take?
3) Which kit did you install? TAC-03-05-DRPC ($189.99)or TAC-03-05-DRFT ($210.99)

thanx for the input. send pics if you can!

trdtommy

Hey Joe,

I was thinking about doing the toytec lift as well...I had a daystar 2.5" spacer lift on my '03...but this '05 is incredible and I want to lift it up a bit. Did you lift the back as well? I know that some of the lifts out there only lift the front with spacers, and the back your left with putting in shackles or more leafs for the springs. What did you do for yours, and what size tires are you running with that set-up of yours?
Any Pics?

tommy

volley

I have my truck in the shop for this same problem today. I can hear it over my exhaust so it is loud. Sometime is sounds like a creaking noise other times it a banging type noise. Sounds kinda like I'm pulling a trailer going over bumps. I found that the noise seems to be louder when I go over bumps that make the suspension give upwards instead of down (meaning speed bumps makes the noise louder than potholes). Does that make sense? Anyway, if I get some credible info from my dealer today I'll pass it along.

geogecko

Yes it does. In fact, I have an iPod2Car installed in place of a changer. (This is the base model radio, only one CD.)

The 6 disc in dash changer, I believe, also has another changer input on the back of the radio.

demoncleaner

No question the truck was designed for premium. Toyota changed the wording in specs to 'premium for best performance, but 87 ok' only month before the truck release. It was 'premium only' before that.You can't sell a truck in america saying 'gotta run premium'. So, yes, you can run 87, and thats what your dealer will put in it. the truck will adjust the timing accordingly. But there is a huge difference in the way the truck runs (at least for me). I have tried all octances in 5K. 87= rough sounding, constant ticking, less power, slightly worse mileage. On 93 the truck runs so smooth. But for day to day, I've settled on 89 or mixing half 87/93 (when I got time), runs fine, no ticking, runs good.

One other note, despite the high gas prices, here one way of looking at the higher cost of mid grade and premium. When 87 gas was $1.50, 89 was $1.60 cents more ,and 93 was $1.70.
Today 87 is $2.30, 89 is $2.40, and 93 is 2.50.
While overall cost has gone up, the cost of higher octance gas remained only 10 and 20 cents more. Percentage-wise higher octance gas is not much more these days than 87. Still sucks paying this much for any gas these days.

jskicet

Where did you find the ipod 2?

jskicet

It is behind the right rear seat. You lose all cargo space behind it except at the top which has just enough space to string up your cargo net. They did a nice job on the cosmetics of the sub. It just blends in with the inner trim panel. I have a 2001 double cab as well. You are very limited on what you can do. I found a company(subsolutions.com) that make custom subs for limited applications. The may have something that will fit under the seat. I know they do for other trucks. They sound pretty awesome for 7 inch drivers.

tacosupreme

I'll be very interested to hear what your dealer has to say about this.

I get a very loud "clanking" or metal banging sound from underneath when I hit any type of bump or hole with my '05 manual V6 taco. I don't believe it has anything to do with the suspension b/c it only occurs when I'm coasting (not pressing the gas pedal) with or without the clutch engaged. The truck sounds very solid (no noises) over bumps when my foot is on the gas. This leads me to believe its something in the drivetrain, specifically the driveshaft. I don't think it's normal

I'm gonna take it to the dealer soon. Anyone else have this noise?

volley

This issue is to be continued. The dealer just called and fed me some total BS about the cause of the noise being my new muffler hitting something underneath. I find this extremely hard to believe for a number of reasons. 1. The flowmaster is smaller than the stock muffler, 2. I have had the muffler for a week and a half but have had the noise for over 2 months! and 3. the noise seems pretty clearly to me to be coming from towards the front of the truck and 4. you can even hear the noise (at least the squeky springs noise even on low speed turns. Anyway, I need to go in there and see exactly what they are trying to say it is hitting.

On a side note, they SAY the new skid plate is in and will be installing it first thing in the morning. I'll be sure to post a pic of the new design.

searayguy

Is anyone getting soot (black substance) back by the exhaust on the bed and mud flad?

geogecko

Information here:
http://peripheralelectronics.com/ipod2car/index.shtml
Bought it here:
http://www.autosoundgear.com/tek9.asp?pg=products&specific=jqiokpo0

You need to select this following cable to go with it when you order it:
PXHTY1 and possibly the PXHTY2. It seems that they have changed the instructions since I ordered it.

geogecko

I installed the exhaust tip (by valor), and have noticed that every time I clean the truck, the end of the tip on the inside (and about half an inch on the bottom outside), is covered in a black film. I've got 4700 miles so far (no oil changes yet), and have been checking the oil level on a regular basis, and have found that it doesn't seem to be losing oil. I plan on changing it this coming weekend around 5000 miles.

Maybe it's breaking in, I don't know. My wife's TSX has a black film on the inside of her exhaust pipes as well, and hers is an '04.

I am not hard on the engine at all, only a couple of times so far, where I've had to press down on the gas to get up and go.