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Toyota Tacoma: Problems & Solutions

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Comments

  • loston34loston34 Member Posts: 1
    Recently my 99 Tacoma has been having troubble starting. It sounds to me to be a starter problem but i thought i would ask and see what everyone else thought. (before i spent $ 237 on a new starter) When i go to start it I hear a click. Some times it will catch and start other times it wont start for a while. Also i am not sure what size engine it has could anyone point out where to find that info? THANKS !!
  • msibillemsibille Member Posts: 275
    I'm assuming that you checked battery voltage.
    Should not be below 12VDC.
    Generator voltage when running should be between 13.5 and 15 V.

    Now, check all connections, particularly grounds.

    Check all connections to the starter, generator, and battery.
    Check engine to chasis ground.
    Check starter to chasis ground if it exists.

    Grounds are the most common and least expensive prblms to fix.
  • justin19justin19 Member Posts: 4
    I have a 1996 toyota tacoma with a 2.7 standard. I have just been told by a certified toyota mechanic that my igniter is bad. My truck will run normal for days or weeks and then out of nowhere it will start to die while you are driving it or when you are at a stop sign. (it has no preference when it dies either at rpm or in or out of gear). It has now progressively gotten worse. it used to always start right back up but now you must crank on it for a while. My mechanic told me that the person who owned it before me (jerry rigged) a ground wire from the negative battery post to the drivers side fender (which you can plainly see). This in turn he says fried my igniter. I found one at a junk yard but haven't got it in the mail yet. when I do I will give you an update to see if it worked. I got it for 50 bucks but a new one will set you back 410 dollars good luck!
  • justin19justin19 Member Posts: 4
    I forgot to mention that my check engine light is on . I have had it checked and first it come up to be the first oxygen sensor but was told by my mechanic that it wouldn't make it die. si i didn't replace it. Then i had it cleared and it came back on now it said I had the oxygen sensor bad, cataladic converter bad, and crank senser bad. But the guy I bought it off of said he replaced it twice and it kept coming back on so he told me not to replace it again. Any help would be greatly recieved.
  • keks1keks1 Member Posts: 7
    Thanks for all the information. The reason why I took my truck in is because it randomly kept popping out or fourth gear. My maintenance light never came on when that kept happening, but it did when my odometer read 5,000 m exaclty. As for the transmission thing, i'm scheduled to bring my truck back to the service dept. next week. They need to open up the trans. Has this type of problem happened to anyone you knew? Mahalo for your advice and time.
  • keks1keks1 Member Posts: 7
    How is this comment suppose to help? Maybe the owners manual might not always have the answers to problems that other people have encountered. Have you always looked to the manual for your answers and never asked any questions?
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    " How is this comment suppose to help? "

    Go back and read the original author's post. They never even opened the owner's manual AT ALL. I understand having questions after reading the manual, but look their first......sheesh.....
  • msibillemsibille Member Posts: 275
    If you don't get proper ignition, a number of other errors could come up.
    I'd make the first change, clear the codes, then see what comes up.
  • msibillemsibille Member Posts: 275
    The maintenance light will not be triggered by a malfunction. It is turned on by a counter in the ECM. It is only a reminder that scheduled maint is due. (I have heard that on some pricey vehicles, there are some special features which monitor oil cleanliness and will trigger the maint light based on that, but that is not the case here, nor in the majority of systems.)

    OTOH, the check engine light or MIL (malfunction indicator light) will come on if the computer determines that there is an error, and stores that code. Some intermittent errors are stored in a separate memory and if they do not recurr within so many start/stop cycles, they are cleared without generating a MIL indication. (A flashing MIL is bad news and you should make every effort to shut down immediately.) In any event, if a malfunction is detected by the system, it will possibly light the MIL, but not the maint light.

    Once the appropriate maint has been performed, simply turn the lamp off using the procedure in the manual.
  • gotmilk9579gotmilk9579 Member Posts: 1
    I would probably check out e-bay for some good deals..Just make sure you know what your looking for and that you don't purchase the wrong thing.
  • micron929rrmicron929rr Member Posts: 1
    I am having the exact same problem...did you get this fixed yet??? Just wondering what exactly the problem is so I can take a look at it

    thans man!!
  • bigfrogbigfrog Member Posts: 27
    You got a bad valve guide/head seen it many times
  • keks1keks1 Member Posts: 7
    Right on Msibille! Thanks for your info./advice....It's a big help. :)
  • justin19justin19 Member Posts: 4
    I just replaced the igniter and took it for a test drive. It ran good until I shut it off to get gas and after that I had to crank on it for about ten seconds and it didn't start so I turned the key back and then tried it again this time it fired right up, but on the way home it tried to die twice. The hard starting seems to be a crank sensor problem. Even though the previous owner said he replaced it twice I am still taking it in to the toyota dealer Monday and having it scoped again since the Check Engine light is back on. Im going to also put a new toyota crank sensor and oxygen sensor even though the mechanic said a bad o2 sensor wouldn;t cause the truck to stall out. The trucks only geting around 18 mile to the gallon on the highway right now and with the price of gas I can justify the money. If anyone has any sugestions on what I should do write back other wise I will write back after I get it out of the shop. I hope I didn't buy a :lemon:
  • msibillemsibille Member Posts: 275
    A lot of the parts houses will plug their OBDII reader into your truck for no charge and tell you the code output. They can also reset it in case you want to see if it recurrs.
    You might stop by one of them today or tomorrow and see what the reader says before you go to the dealer.

    good luck
  • dshadedshade Member Posts: 2
    Eric,

    I am having the same problem with the truck shaking and it's driving me crazy. I had my wheels balanced twice and also had them balanced to the exact gram. I have BF Goodrich tires and was thinking of getting Michellins? I have a felling this is going to be more than the tire problem. Mine starts at 60-65 mph? Keep me posted on what you hear or if any one knows something please reply.

    Thanks,
    Derek<
  • jimmerjimmer Member Posts: 9
    I've got a temp fix right now. Apparently toyota is working on a remedy. My dealer cut out some pieces from an old bumper and mounted it between the bumper mounts and the frame. It's much better but not perfect!!
  • seaweedsteveseaweedsteve Member Posts: 1
    I have the same problem and from what I've learned, I say: "Don't replace your igniter, take the vapor lock more seriously !"
    I also know other people who have the same problem. Our small town Toyota dealer here knows nothing about it, but I talked a Toyota service manager in Tucson and they see a lot of this problem. As I had figured, it is a vapor lock issue and is due to a design flaw in this engine.

    What is apparently happening is that normally your fuel stays pressurized and there is not a heat problem because pressurized fuel will not boil. But in this case it is losing pressure due to a leak or a faulty pressure regulator. It only causes trouble when your engine is hot and it's hot outside, because otherwise the fuel lines don't heat up too much. It does not show up when you start your car right up at the store because there has not been time for the pressure to drop.

    The dealer said that specific leak diagnoses is tricky, but they often just start at the pressure regulator and work back to the pump, replacing parts until it is fixed. In stubborn systems, they will work around the leak by insulating the lines wherever they are near heat so that the pressure loss is not a problem.

    So far, I have not had a chance to fix my truck. Now that I know what it is, I just turn my ignition on and off a couple times, giving the system a chance to equalize out again. Usually, when I go to start, if no joy then off, wait a minute, on, but no crank then off a half minute, and so on, for four to five rounds. By then it seems to clear out and have gas again. Try it. Sometimes I try giving it gas, because I know that tells something to the computer (signals flooding, see owners manual) but I'm not sure if that helps.

    Eventually I intend to put a fuel pressure guage on the system and test the pressure reg etc. There are procedures for testing the fuel system. For most folks it might be easier to just go ahead and replace that regulator without even testing, if you want.

    I really doubt this is caused by the igniter. Buy a pressure reg instead and let us know.

    Steve
  • df4gcdf4gc Member Posts: 1
    Good grief, you guys throw all kinds of stuff onto these cars. Have you attached a fuel pressure gauge to see what the rail pressure is when the thing acts up ??? Maybe the pressure is not up to parr and the engine can't fire. How about taking the vehicle to someone who knows what they are doing, like a skilled mechanic. Of course you would have to pay for service,,,darn, eh
  • 129129 Member Posts: 1
    I have a 2005 4x4 Sport that does the exact same thing. Did you ever fine out what the problem was, or the fix?
  • wparker1wparker1 Member Posts: 13
    My Leer cap does have skirts that cover the bed rails. This is the QX100 cap which is brand new. Toyota has now opened an investigation into the leaks around the tailgate. Looks like they forgot to put in some weather stripping back there. Beautiful cap and runs very quietly. Also helps to hold the backend down some. :D
  • wparker1wparker1 Member Posts: 13
    I am asking again if anyone has installed cat back dual exhausts on one of these trucks and what was the outcome. I have 2005 double cab and want to put duals on it but want to hear from someone who has installed them first. :D
  • barkbeetlebarkbeetle Member Posts: 9
    Hello all,

    I have up-hill ascent control (HAC) installed on my truck and the other day I was on a steep driveway waiting to pull into traffic... When I let off the brake, my 2005 tacoma rolled back a few feet when a very loud clicking noise sounded, slip indicator light lit up and brake warning light with buzzer screamed. My question is... is this working properly? My concern is I continued to roll backwards until I re-applied the brake and the loud clicking noise. When I read the manual... it implies that the HAC is to keep your truck from rolling backwards.

    Has anyone else experienced this or know if this is normal?

    Thanks in advance for your replies,

    Christy
  • jreimerjreimer Member Posts: 1
    Here is one better, or worse. I picked up (pickup - get it?) my brand new 2005 Access Cab Tacoma (2WD V6 Auto) on August 29 (last night). Five (5) miles on the odometer, and my very first highway drive in it, from the dealer to home, the steering wheel started shaking at 60-65 MPH! With a total of 40 miles on it now, it seems to come and go, and is not exactly dependent upon road surface nor speed. Sometimes it's there, sometimes not. I thought I would give it a week or so to scuff in the tires before taking it back. BRAND NEW!
  • justin19justin19 Member Posts: 4
    Ok well I just got it back from the mechanic. I had drove the truck about 200 miles since the last stall out but since the check engine light was on and I already had an apointment I went ahead and took it anyway. The only code that came up was the cadaledic converter. Since it was in the shop I had them replace the fuel filter since the labor was free becuase of the scope job but I havent drove it over a mile since I picked it up. The real test will be tommorow night when I drive about 125 miles home from my current job sight. The mechanic at the dealership swears up and down that I fixed the stalling by replacing the igniter. But he said that my hard starting is due to the advanced auto fuel pump i recently put on. He said the will act up and they just are not as good as a toyota pump. He told me the best way to tell if it is a fuel pump is next time it doesn't start right up stop cranking and then have someone go back and smack the gas tank right when you start cranking again. He said that if it fires right up then its the pump if not then it might be something else. As for the current pressure he said it was good but he also said that after market pumps nearly always test good but usually only act up when starting. As for lossing pressure and insalating the lines I have had someone tell me that before. They told me that were the line runs over or beside the engine is usually the spot that makes them act up. What do you recommend using to insulate the lines I guess I will try that Friday and see if it helps regardless of how it runs on the way home. Thanks for the advise on the fuel issues everyone!
  • mattd00dmattd00d Member Posts: 1
    I got a 2x4 V6 Access Cab Tacoma and love it, but everytime I start up the car and crank the wheel it makes a wierd sound like it is injecting something into power steering, and it only happens when I start up. Anyone else hear this? Also, is the wind noise normal at high speeds? Sounds like whistling in the privacy window ( hope my truck doesn't leak much haha) Also, Where the gray dash meets the black top ( below Fog Lights button) it seems to have sagged a bit apart ( do they use glue here?) Going to take it in for the alarm and get them to fix this.

    So far so good though I guess. I've been using 91 Octane and it seems no different, the engine seems to vibrate a little bit on idle but that is usually normal

    Any one else experience this junk?
  • eddabloweddablow Member Posts: 9
    Reply to 1477. 2005 Access Cab v6 4x4 I have the same problem. It started when new. The truck now has 7000 miles on it. So far the dealer has balanced the tires replaced one rim, replaced all the the tires, Dunlop to Firesstone, re balanced the tires, Each time made a little better but it still comes and goes. The last time the tried to to tell me the problem was one tire pressure was to high. I hope you have better luck than I have.
  • njjessnjjess Member Posts: 1
    Hi, I need some help. The rotor underneath the distributor cap is rusted. My chilton's and TT97 manual simply says to change it. The problem is,...which screws? The tiny inside ones, or the whole dang thing. (the little ones say"Do not remove.") Any help would be appreciated. NJ Jessie
  • aztechianaztechian Member Posts: 31
    I remember seeing this mentioned in the Tacoma 2005+ forum. IIRC, some people got a replacement set of tires to solve this. Try doing a search on that forum...
  • trd4x4boytrd4x4boy Member Posts: 22
    I have a 2005 V6 Access Cab as well...I currently have all the door panels off to replace my sound system...behind the back panel where the jumper seats are, there is a vent that I presume vents the cab when parked...I have decided to cover mine up because this is the source of the "whistling" noise that others are hearing...it is a great deal quieter when i have it covered around town...just a little fyi...
  • atomicangelatomicangel Member Posts: 2
    Hello all, i have been observing this odd, not so much of a problem but more of an unusual (at least imo) behavior - when i am about to shift from 4th to 5th, the rpms stay where they were while i was in 4th, even tho i let go of gas pedal completely. They remail there for about 3-5 seconds then fall back to idle. All this while clutch is fully depressed. It doesnt happen between other gears. Feels almost like throttle cable is sticking, but why only between 4th and 5th going up? Anyone else had this problem? I wander maybe its something minor or insignificant before i spend a whole day at the dealers' waiting my turn to ask them. :confuse:

    Otherwise im lovin this truck :)
    05 tacoma reg cab 4x4 5spd man.
  • joni3joni3 Member Posts: 5
    Hi,
    I have a 2005 4x4 Access Cab. The symptoms that you have described are very similar to what I have been experiencing. The wind noise is very irritating. I notice it at speeds of about 80 MPH but it also does it on very windy days when I am driving at about 60 MPH. That is a good way of describing the weird sound when you start up. I haven't taken my truck back to the dealer for these problems I was just wanting to see if anyone else was having similar problems.
  • badnessbadness Member Posts: 242
    yes that works well I think your onto something,but I must say alot of peeps will think twice before they let the horse's take off since gas cost so much too fill up truck now....
    but its still a good test for anyone.
  • theguytheguy Member Posts: 16
    Hi i have an 05 trd fully loaded taco the v6 4.0 litre engine. I love my truck but it has been far from perfect. I have had toyota pay to repaint the rear guards because of paint chiping. My current problem however is every time i get in or out of the truck it squeks really baddly i can even just put a little weight on it and it sqeaks. Just wondering if anyone else is having the same problem or if anyone knows a quick fix for it. I am calling toyota this weeken to see if they can take a look at it. Just wondering if anyone else has the same problem.
  • vis1torvis1tor Member Posts: 3
    Will everyone that has a 2005 dbl cab automatic V6 TRD 4x4 with towing pkg please tell me your best highway miles per gallon? I have tried all octanes, installed a K&N filter, and even driven an entire tank on the highway without shifting into passing gear, but have only gotten at most 18.1 MPG. Dealer has checked it out twice and says nothing is wrong. What happened to the 22MPG the sticker promised or the 21MPG estimated by www.fueleconomy.gov????

    Am I alone, or is this mileage normal? Thanks!
  • vis1torvis1tor Member Posts: 3
    If it started after you took it off road, you have dirt in the leaf springs. You can try to pressure wash it out, or can do a quick fix by spraying WD-40 over all sections of the leaf springs. It fixed mine within a couple of miles. After 3 months though, it is starting to come back. Time for another spray.
  • dockeendockeen Member Posts: 68
    I have only had my truck for a few weeks, and Katrina has impacted gas availability in our area, so I find myself filling up when when I get down to 3/4 of a tank just to be safe.

    Let me get a few more miles and a few more days past Katrina, and I will give you my first numbers.

    Wayne
  • theguytheguy Member Posts: 16
    As for the mpg thats why its called estimated people i get 22 to 21 with 87 octane and i have trd v6 loaded double cab. Now the second post the sqeaking coming from my truck is bad springs i just got off with toyota and they told me there was a campaine for them so if you think spraying wd40 every three months is your fix i dont think so. Not trying to be an [non-permissible content removed] just telling you my problem that i have with my truck and there pretrty much the same with all toyos 2005. I f you have anymore ?? feel free to repost or email me.
  • KCRamKCRam Member Posts: 3,516
    Stop by the MPG: Toyota Tacoma Real World Numbers discussion.

    kcram - Pickups Host
  • msibillemsibille Member Posts: 275
    While I'm sure those vents do allow air to move out to equalize pressure as the interior heats in the sun, most likely (I have a DC, so I haven't seen the AccessCab) this is part of the basic cabin ventilation system. All motor vehicles for the last 20 or 30 years have had "flow thru ventilation" or some other moniker, that is essentially intended to provide ventilation of the cabin while you are driving.
    So, blocking that vent will certainly interupt the planned flow of air. Whether that's a problem for air quality in your vehicle or not, I can't say. Just thought I should mention why it's there.

    It does bring up some questions, though. Do you notice the whistling only at illegal (high) speeds? If so, do you notice any change in volume or pitch if you switch the A/C fan from off to high? Do you notice any difference if the recirculation is used or not? If you only notice it with the recirculation switch on when at high speeds, perhaps you might have better results by switching the recirc off during high speed driving. (Fresh air circulation is the preferred setting under normal conditions. The recirc is intended to assist in quickly cooling or drying the air in the cabin, or, as I most often use it, to avoid bringing in excessive amounts of noxious fumes or dust. I often switch to recirc when I drive thru a cloud of dust, diesel exhaust, or someone cutting tall grass since I have bad grass allergies.)

    Good luck.
  • dgene1dgene1 Member Posts: 5
    I picked up my new 2005 Tacoma Double Cab Longbed 4X4 one week ago and have had the same problem. Tires have been balanced, they all needed it, and the problem continues. I will go back to the dealer after Labor Day. I have 245/75/16 Dunlops OEM tires. If your BF Goodrich tires are doing the same then it can't be the tires??? Any thoughts?
  • dgene1dgene1 Member Posts: 5
    Also, I read on another site that an owner removed his front skid plate and this corrected the problem.
  • vis1torvis1tor Member Posts: 3
    ok, so what type of CAMPAIGN are they describing? Not trying to be an [non-permissible content removed] either, but that's pretty vague.
  • wparker1wparker1 Member Posts: 13
    I recently picked up my new double cab shortbed prerunner and it has the 245/75/16 Dunlops on it as well. I've had it back twice for tire balancing and it still has a little shake between 65-70 on the interstate. I'm putting new ProComp wheels on tomorrow and hope that will help. They are much lighter and use an 8 inch rim vice the current 7 inch. I'll let you know if this cures the problem. :(

    My question to everyone is: "Has anyone put a dual cat back exhaust system on one of these trucks and what was the overall effect?"" :blush:
  • eric_n_dfweric_n_dfw Member Posts: 6
    '05 DoubleCab PreRunner 2WD with TRD OffRoad #2

    Picked it up on 8/28 and noticed vibration through the steering wheel at about 60MPH. it also pulled a bit to the right.

    Took it into Texas Toyota (Grapevine, TX) for service (not where I bought it, but closer to home) on 9/1 with about 200 miles on it. They balanced all 4 tires and checked the alignment. It's driven fine since then.
  • bogie3bogie3 Member Posts: 5
    Can anyone tell me how to get into the air bag compartment to fix that rattle mentioned in several coversations. I recentley purchased my Tacoma used, and the owner must not have had the dealer take care of the problem.
  • bill70bill70 Member Posts: 1
    I just got a used 1999 Tacoma - 2WD regular cab non-prerunner - and noticed the back of the bed is leaning to the left. I took it to a couple tire places and body shops and 3 out of 4 thought I had a bad leaf spring. I have seen a few used leaf spring sets for sale on ebay by people who install new springs to beef up their suspension and sell the old ones that are still good. I need to find out which year tacomas I can take springs from to put into my 1999. I called the local Toyota parts man and he said July 1997 thru September 2000 Tacomas have the same leaf spring part number for the 2WD regular cab non-prerunner body styles. He also said the 2001 thru 2004 Tacoma springs have different part numbers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they are not interchangeable. Does anyone know if the rear leaf springs from 2001 thru 2004 Tacomas with 2WD regular cab non-prerunner body styles would fit my 1999 Tacoma with 2WD regular cab non-prerunner body style? Would ride height and stiffness, etc., be the same? Does anybody know who to ask to find out?
  • theguytheguy Member Posts: 16
    I was watching tv last night and boom i see major recal headline. So naturally i listen there were two major recalls on the news one for FORD wich was please bring your trucks in the mototors have a huge possibility of catching on fire lol . I was like wow crazzy than they said toyota has one also for power steering wich caused vibrations and steering problems. So call all your local dealers as soon as you can i think there another major call back. Mines going in today for the recall on noisy springs and the winshield housing came apart. So far im not surprised after all it is a new truck new design its to be expected as long as they fix it i dont mind working out the bugs.
  • equismithequismith Member Posts: 1
    None of them work and the fuses are all OK. Could it be the relay (clicker) or something else?

    New to the forum and this is my first post. Thank you!!
  • vtabbleyvtabbley Member Posts: 1
    There appears to be a common hot start problem with Toyota Tacoma trucks.
    I posted a message to this newsgroup almost a month ago and got several
    individuals to respond they had the same problem or to offer suggestions.
    A bright fellow who goes by samwise (and I believe it) came up with the
    solution.

    If your Tacoma has trouble starting with the engine hot (usually at the gas
    station or a quick stop) you need to disconnect the IAT (Intake Air
    Temperature) sensor. This sensor is located on the air filter box, and is
    not the large MAF(Mass Air Flow) sensor. The connector to the IAT sensor
    only has two wires.
    I found this on another site. Hope it works, I will be having my mechanic testing this one out. GOOD LUCK!!! :):) :shades:

    This will cause the check engine light to come one, but who cares. If you
    want, perhaps changing the sensor will fix the problem properly. I just
    disconnected it and my truck runs fine.

    Thanks again to Samwise for the solution. I spent well over a thousand
    dollars at the Toyota dealer and they did nothing at all except charge me.
    I hope this solution works for you if you are experiencing he same problem.
    It's people like Samwise who make the newsgroups work!
This discussion has been closed.