Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!
Toyota Tacoma: Problems & Solutions
This discussion has been closed.
Popular New Cars
Popular Used Sedans
Popular Used SUVs
Popular Used Pickup Trucks
Popular Used Hatchbacks
Popular Used Minivans
Popular Used Coupes
Popular Used Wagons
Comments
I'm sorry for the disaster that you experienced, but you can't assume that the skid plate will protect your vehicle from every possible hazard. Yours was a freak accident. At least that was the cause of the damage to the radiator. As for engine damage- hindsight is always 20-20, but the key to avoiding that would have been looking for damage and noticing the engine temp change, so as to not drive the vehicle so far without coolant. It would certainly not be a warranty issue though, no more than the screw thru my "steel belted" radial tire.
Good luck. I hope your experience with your Taco improves dramatically after this.
In my opinion, it's an improvement over the programming of most trannys. The Honda Ody (2002 at least) downshifts only if you touch the brake pedal under those conditions. I like this better. It more closely immitates what I used to do with my manual trans. Longer brake life for sure, and oddly enough, in some cases, higher fuel economy.
In fact, we live in (FLAT) south Louisiana where I get roughly 17mpg when driving exclusively in town, 22-23 on the highway. On a recent trip to northern Arkansas, we had 22 -23 mpg in mixed driving. So the short trip, stop and go (although it's really not "city" up there), had no negative effect on our overall mpg.
Pretty cool. :shades:
To see how to use it, Check this link, and on the left hand side of this page go to the "Clay Bar paint saving system"
http://www.mothers.com/reelworld/
Well, I went to the auto parts store and bought 2 bulbs and put it in the left socket and it still didn't work so I put it in the right socket and it didn't work. I am about to go nuts now. I took my volt/ohm meter and checked the socket and according to the meter everything was fine. I checked the right socket and everything was fine. I took the light bulb apart and looked at it, everything was fine but it didn't check for continuity. I sanded the wires coming out of the bulb and still no continuity. The filament still looks fine and their is no black in the bulb. I put the bulb back in the socket and nothing. So what I did now was kind of drastic but I didn't know what to do. I cut the wires going into the socket and wired in a bulb which was for my other car, the old push and turn type. I did that on the other side too. Now everything is working fine. I figure I will work on the problem this summer when the weather is warm and put things back to the original.
Does anyone have any thoughts of what the problem is.
Phil
(1) I've seen a few posts that tell the tale of a remedy for that now infamous rattle behind the passenger side air bag but have not actually heard what the remedy is...anybody have any idea what a remedy for this might be?
(2) There is a chirping type of noise coming from seemingly underneath the cab. Once I have reached
speed of about anywhere between 25mph to 50mph then let off the accelerator, it begins. If I am on the accelerator at about 2000rpm+ I do not hear it, only when letting off the accelerator, coasting from speeds mentioned above (while decelerating, no gas or brake) or on the accelerator at really low rpm (1000 to 1500 roughly). Any ideas of what should be checked?
Driveshaft or U-joint maybe?
Bri
Anything I should be looking at to have the dealer check before it expires?
Other than a shoulder belt that hates to retract (on the second one now) and front end alignment, (oh, and battery this week)... it's been pretty much flawless... except for the poor gas mileage. I've owned 8 Toyota pickups, but I doubt I'll ever buy another of their V6s.
mileage has gone down a bit. I've already replaced
one injector but its starting to run poorly again.
Any kind words of advice out there?
i am very disappointed in my 2005 Tacoma Access Cab with the TRD Package. i bought this truck expecting to be able to go off-road with little to no problems and the skid plate on the underside made me pretty happy b/c there are a lot of things on trails that can really mess ya up. i took it off road on a TRAIL (nothing harsh) ONE time and that one time something came up and punctured the radiator. the check engine light came on and i took it to a toyota place the next day not know it was the radiator and by that time everything was gone. i am having to replace the small block and heads on it...labor and all it almost $10K,insurance wont help and toyota said they cant do anything either. i am not sure exactly what the purpose of skid plate is if it isnt protecting the things that need protecting the most. this is my first toyota and probably my last.
What else would you buy then? What other brand do you feel could withstand what happenned to your truck? Sounds like something came straight through the grill through the radiator and in to the engine. Again I ask, what brand of truck can stand up to that?
PS.....How 'bout that Johnny Damon? My son burned his Johnny Damon jersey.
How long ago did you change plugs, wires, filter,etc.?
(and for that matter, what is "sea foam"?)
Lot's of possibilities w/ the few things you mention, but fundamental is air, fuel, and spark. Start w/ the easy stuff that affects any of those 3.
It seems to me that one of you brilliant engineering types out there could figure out some sort of mod to add a motor or something to crank down the spare tire. Fortunately it was daylight and I was able to see (somewhat) through the little hole to line up the handle and crank it down manually, but on a dark road at night it could be a real problem.
Any ideas??
I think manufacturers stopped building vehicles that the owners can change a flat on... or change the oil... or tune the engine... or change a light bulb... or remove a door panel... OR OR OR
Changed my battery the other day... had to jury rig the wiring for the alarm to do it. Amazing! :sick:
However, in all fairness, I think part of the problem that we complain about has to do with special tools and procedures -which can be resolved to some degree if you spend time and money. But if design was limited to using only the same techniques and assembly/disassembly methods, you would stifle improvement.
OTOH, I think if you look at the Taco in particular, commonly required maintenance items have been made easier -what mfg provides an easier oil and filter change arrangement than the 2005/2006 V6 Taco? Auto Trans fluid doesn't have to be changed for a l.o.n.g time. Air filter is a pc of cake. Flat tire- that's inconvenient. But how often do you get a flat compared to, say, 30 yrs ago? In 10 yrs of driving my previous vehicle, I changed flats twice. But I changed the oil and filter about 25 times. Air filter half a dozen times. Fuel filter 3 times.
All in all, vehicles require less servicing and less effort than in the horrendous 1970s. -By a large margin.
(I was changing my dad's plugs and points every 10k miles, oil&filter every 3k, air filter every 10k, trans fluid and screen every 30k. I don't have the time to do that now -thankfully I don't have to.)
It would be smart for them to offer a power down option for the spare I suppose. hmmm.... I suppose aftermarket was your point.
Does anybody else have this problem and what can I do about it?
AL.
2006 Tacoma V6 Auto.
If you pick a common, high grade aftermarket, you can find plenty of wrenches on the shelf.
I personally use Purolator and have one of those cast aluminum jobs that fits all the little ribs on the cap end of the filter case really snug. No crimping, rupture, etc.
That OEM filter, OTOH, is a bear, and it didn't really fit anything but my "last resort wrench" which is one of those jobs that fits a ratchet, has two sets of jaws that tighten as you torque it up. Put some nice dents in the orig. filter before it finally let go, but didn't rupture. (It's worthwhile having one of these "last resort wrenches". I never liked the idea of driving a large screwdriver thru the can to try to twist it off. If the can tears, you're rotatably fastened. However, if my last resort wrench punctures the can and it remains stuck, I can always duct tape the holes and drive it a couple of miles to the dealer, with my tail btwn my legs.)