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Toyota Tacoma: Problems & Solutions
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Comments
While you are at it, go to www.tacomaterritory.com and ask guys on message boards there. We got a lot fo people who know the mechanical side way better than me.
Its interesting that danno and nadon, each anagrams of the other, posted in sucession...
Is it a sign?
Ochizon. There is absolutely nothing wrong with a plain old Tacoma. My daughter drives the 98 that I am still paying for. As for the Buick I was just trying to compare what I felt was unexciting as opposed to exciting. No doubt somewhere in my extended family somebody is driving a Buick.
As far as bump goes: called axle wrap, happens to everyone. THere are things you can do to fix it (not completely), but it's normal.
The dipstick is located down below (and I mean down below) the driver's side of engine....almost a hazard to reach same. Just enough room for one hand to slip down alongside the intake manifold to even touch the top of dipstick. What a "human engineering" miscue....rel. the placement of this item that should be easily ck'd and periodically accomplished. :-(
Thanks Mike
I want to use the pick-up like a pick-up. I need a vehicle that can carry a load and be able to throw things in the back. I have heard that the beds are "somewhat tinny", dent easily, and not as well double lined as american pickups. Has this been a problem for folks that have a Tacoma? Can I keep from damaging the bed by using a good bedliner (rubber, metal)?
I have heard that seats don't fit "big" people well. I haven't been able to figure out whether big folks are tall, fat or both. I very much fit the fat case and am worried about how well I will fit. The only way to tell if you fit a vehicle is to spend hours driving it. I doubt that my dealer will allow me to do that, but I will try. If I don't fit well in the seat, are their other seats on the market that can be EASILY used in the Tacoma?
I am also a little worried about the TRD, and whether it makes the vehicle too firm or bouncy. What are your thoughts on the TRD. We live in Montana and our mountain roads are very rocky and eroded. I have to admit that I got interested in the Toyota pickup after watching threm traverse the roads in Afganastan. My kids have a cabin 10 miles North of Yellowstone Park at the end of a very steep,eroded, rocky road. The Tacoma's high ground clearance, skid-plates and 4X4 capability should help us get there.
Your thoughts will be greatly appreciated.
Ray
That said, I own a std cab manual tranny, 4 cyl 96 tacoma 2wd. Basically, the most teenie tiny pickup ever made.
I am 6'2", 311 lbs., and wear a size 56 coat.
I fit perfectly in this truck.
Sure, its not a Suburban or a Hummer, but for the clas of truck it is, it is comfortable, powerful, fast and reliable.
Some people say that the seats (mine is a bench seat) are SO uncomfortable that they just HAVE to be swapped out for minivan seats, but if that is that much of a concern, then just get the minivan and stop prtending that you're tough enough to even have use of a pickup (ok, that was a bit harsh, but it illustrates my point).
I cant comment on the other things in your post, but if I fit in this tiny thing, anyone can fit in the bigger ones.
The bed is also the lightest of any of the ones we have had in the past.
On the plus side, it has been relatively (but not totally) mechanically reliable. The 5 speed with the 4 cylinder engine has adequate power for our extreme commute - nothing extra, but adequate - and it gets good gas mileage. Most other vehicles that would give us the power to keep up freeway speeds on our commute would require a 6 cylinder, probably (we go from 6,000 feet to sea level). We have had a couple of maintenance issues that have been there one day and then disappeared - once the tranny was acting like the syncro rings were gone, and recently it was acting like the clutch was going, but both problems disappeared and have not yet returned. We did have a radiator problem that ended up being replaced under the extended warranty.
I very much want to get rid of this thing as soon as we can afford to. Unfortunately, it is depreciating faster than we can pay it off. I hate to put any money into replacing the seats at this point. By the way, my husband is 6' and heavy. I'm 5', and we both hate it!
I own a supercharged 2001 Ext-cab V6 4x4, TRD (off-road package).
1.)I will first say that yes the bed is very tinny and it doesn't take much to bend or put dents in it. So,I proceeded to get a Line-X spray in bedliner and I have not had a problem with the dents anymore. I have hauled everything from hay to firewood and the Line-X does a wonderful job.
2.)As far as the seats go (I have buckets), I don't think that they are uncomfortable at all. I just did a 6000 mile round trip to Yellowstone and back and spent upto 14 hours on the road at a time. Just take a LONG test drive. Tell the salesman you are concerned about the seats and want to get a good feel for them. Tell him you are very interested and if the seats work out you will probably buy. They will let you take it for a long spin!!!
3.)As far as the TRD suspension goes again you will have to test drive it. Drive both the TRD and non-TRD and traverse over all types of terrain and see how each handles. I basically got the TRD package because I wanted the rear locker. I have already swapped front and rear shocks and put new coilovers on. I wasn't all that impressed with how the TRD suspension rode, but I still thought it was a million times better than the non-TRD.
Anymore questions just ask.
Ray
Ray
-what exactly do you mean by this?
It isn't fair to compare it to my last '76 Chevy. That had carried a camper for 50,000 miles before I bought it, and then I used it to haul hay, grain, wood shavings, tack and a horse trailer. I don't think I added much to the collection of scratches and dents it already had, but it looked like what it was - a beat up old farm truck. I sold that one in very good working condition with 125,000 miles on it in '92.
Never had alignment done after purchased new. Brake pads changed at 50K miles. I just don't want to have the alignment done and somehow the problem continues.
As for brake causing vibration: rotors could be warped. Do an proper balance and alignment and see what happens.
Thanks Rick
1. 265hp vs stock 190.
2. All the chicks you want, if you win the races
Cons:
1. Cuts engine life (although, chances are, the blower will die first. I think I've read other peoples' stories on how they went on to 100K with a charger) if you don't use it properly.
2. Premium fuel all the way.
3. For a 1999, you WILL need bigger fuel injectors. Supra ones will do. If you don't get them, you will suffer pinging problems. Unfortunately for you, 2001s and 2002s have had that problem fixed, but not 99/00 ones.
4. If you have an automatic tranny, you may want (and probably will need to) to do an upgrade so that you don't burn it down. www.levelten.com
5. You should have thought of this earlier, when you were still under warranty, b/c Toyota would cover it under original drivetrain warranty. I don't know what warranty you'll get now.
Contrary to the common belief, if you drive calm, you will not suffer gas milage penalties. It's only when you rev it up and the charger kicks in, thats when you start seeing your gas level needle go down.
For more info on this, go to www.tacomaterritory.com and ask on the boards there, and read www.gadgetonline.com, under 4-runner section. That guy is an active member of the TTORA club, and knows what he's talking about.
I have taken all the recommended regular maintenance done at the dealer at every 15K interval but don't know if the dealer turned the rotors after they changed the brake pads (btw what do you mean by turning the rotors, resurfacing?)
Since I plan to bring it in for 75K maintenace in about a month, I'll request 4 wheel alignment and inspection on rotors for warping. I know the alignment is extra charge but guess worth the money. What do they do if the rotors are warped? The rotors were probably resurfaced when the brake pads were changed (don't they resurface them as default?), and my friend tells me they usually cannot be resurfaced more than once. So worst case scenario will be replacing two or maybe all four rotors...
I have an A/T transmission and have also had zero problems, it does not slip or hesitate for a second. When I put the S/C on I switced all fluids in the driveline to synthetic and put on the largest tranny cooler that would fit. I have a 100,000 mile warranty so if the tranny goes I will be receiving another one compliments of Toyota.
All I can say is that it is the best $1850 I have ever spent and I will never own another Toyota without one. Once your hear the whine of the S/C and you feel that kick in the pants you will be amazed. The only downfall I have noticed so far is that you need to run 92 octane. The best part is the looks on peoples' faces when you they can't get around you. In fact just the other night some guy in a New turbo Jetta (200hp. 6sp) was in a lane that ends. Instead of getting over he thought he would just go by me before the lane ended. Well the light turned green we took off and he ended up severly disappointed and gave me his best wave with his middle finger.
About the tires, the new Tacoma's come with Rugged trail BFG's not MT's. I swithced out the Rugged trail for some BFG AT/KOs, since I wasn't all that impressed with them.
I've never driven anything but front wheel drive vehicles and live in a rural area where I have to drive in snow. I have no plans to take the truck off-road, but am concerned about how a rear wheel drive handles in the snow. There a 2 steep hills that I have to negotiate in order to get to town.
Any advice?
Another time we took it up a steep dirt road that our Wrangler goes up with ease in 2WD. I was white knuckled the whole way because of the light back end slipping around.
Paint issue: nope. I have a 2002, and while I do have scratches, they are offroad scars. In fact, I was driving to Houston last weekend and got stuck behind a truck loaded with small gravel, that was flying all over the road. I got hit with gravel for maybe 5 seconds while another person was passing him. When I got home, I didn't see any damage.
Fender flares: known issue, take it to the dealer, they'll fix it.
Tbunder, come on man. Have you not been to the Ranger problems discussion is awhile. Believe it or not, it does exist. I know exactly what the guy is talking about. If you inspect the paint really well, all along the bottom, the finish is kind of rippled. Looks fine, and works awesome. The next best thing to having the entire length of the truck Line-X'd. Just back off dude.