2005 Toyota Tacoma

1) 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA "LURCH" WHILE SLOWING OR STOPPED. I HAVE NOTICED IT WITH OR WITHOUT A/C OR DEFROST ON. GENERALLY, I COME TO A COMPLETE STOP, AND A FEW SECONDS LATER, IT FEELS AS THOUGH THE VEHICLE LURCHES FORWARD SLIGHTLY. 2) WHILE IT HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT, IT IS SOMEWHAT DISCONCERTING. 3) NO REPAIRS OR REPLACEMENT PARTS HAVE BEEN EFFECTED. I'VE GUESSED IT IS A TRANSMISSION DOWNSHIFT, AND THE RESULTING INCREASED TORQUE AT THE REAR WHEELS RESULTS IN THE LURCH. THE MORE FIRMLY THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED, THE LESS NOTICEABLE THE PROBLEM. *JB

THIS IS A FOLLOW UP TO A PREVIOUS COMPLAINT REGARDING DIFFICULTY SHIFTING PARTICULARLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND. AFTER SENDING THREE CERTIFIED LETTERS TO TOYOTA (THE LAST SENT TO THE PRESIDENT'S OFFICE) I FINALLY, MORE THAN 6 MONTHS LATER, RECEIVED A WRITTEN RESPONSE. PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE REASONS I CITED FOR MY FAILED MEDIATION ATTEMPT (IN PARTICULAR BEING GIVEN BAD ADVICE, WHICH, AT THE TIME, I NAIVELY ACCEPTED, BY THE TOYOTA FACTORY TRAINED SPECIALIST ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE MEDIATION) I WAS GRANTED A SECOND ATTEMPT AT MEDIATION. THE TRANSMISSION CONTINUES TO BEHAVE IN THE FASHION I PREVIOUSLY MENTIONED. I SIMPLY CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY IT IS "NORMAL" FOR THE GEARS TO INTERMITTENTLY CLASH (AND THE COLDER IT IS, GRIND) WHEN SHIFTING. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING 5 SPEEDS FOR MORE THAN 2 DECADES. *JB

I WAS LOADING A MOTORCYCLE INTO THE BACK OF MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA AND THE TAILGATE COLLAPSED. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER PUT ANY WEIGHT ON THE TAILGATE OF THE TRUCK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT SOUNDS LIKE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. THERE IS NO MENTION FROM TOYOTA IN THE OWNERS MANUAL OR ANY ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS THAT THE TAILGATE IS INCAPABLE OF HANDLING A LOAD. THE WEIGHT RATING FOR THE CARGO BOX IS LISTED AT 1000 POUNDS BUT THERE IS NOTHING ON THE TAILGATE. I HAVE OWNED A FORD RANGER AND A CHEVY S-10 IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM LOADING A BIKE IN THE BED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE COLLAPSED TAILGATE AVAILABLE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY FATAL IN THE BIKE HAD FALLEN ON ONE OF THE MEN LOADING THE BIKE. TOYOTA WON'T ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND IS BLAMING THIS ON THE CONSUMERS. *JB

WIND NOISE - I EXPERIENCED THE SAME INTOLERABLE WIND NOISE IN THE VEHICLE AS OTHERS. IT WAS MOST APPARENT AT FREEWAY SPEEDS IN A CROSS WIND. THE DEALER SAID THERE WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE WAY THE WINDSHIELD WAS SEALED AND REPLACED IT BUT TO NO AVAIL. AFTER SEVERAL VISITS THEY CALLED IN A FACTORY TECHNICIAN WHO QUICKLY IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS AN IMPROPER FITTING FRONT PASSENGER DOOR AND SEAL. DRIVING AT FREEWAY SPEED HE APPLIED LIGHT OUTWARD PRESSURE TO THE UPPER PORTION OF THE DOOR FRAME AND THE NOISE WOULD OCCUR. EXAMINING THE EXTERIOR FIT OF THE DOOR THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY A 3/16" MISMATCH TO THE REAR DOOR THAT ALSO INDICATED AN IMPROPER FIT. THIS PROBLEM WAS INCREDIBLY ANNOYING AND TOOK APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS TO RESOLVE. SINCE, I HAVE HAD AN OCCASIONAL WHISTLE BUT NOT THE PERSISTENT SOUND AS BEFORE. *NM

WIND NOISE IN CAB OF MY 2005 TACOMA EXTRA CAB. THIS IS A EXTREMELY INTOLERABLE NOISE THAT DESTROYS ANY POSSIBILITY OF HAVING A ENJOYABLE DRIVING EXPERIENCE IN THIS VEHICLE. CONDITION WAS; PRESENT WHEN DELIVERED, TOLD TODAY AFTER COMPLAINING FROM DAY ONE THAT THE CONDITION IS ONE CAUSED BY ENGINEERING DEFECT AND TOYOTA HAS NO FIX FOR IT. I KNOW THIS IS PRESENT IN ALL TACOMAS OF THIS MODEL, 2005-2007 AS I HAVE DRIVEN ANOTHER NEW TRUCK EXACTLY LIKE MINE WITH THE SAME CONDITION. DEALER IS NO HELP WHATSOEVER. TALKED WITH ANOTHER OWNER 10/30/06 WITH SAME PROBLEM. THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP YOU MIGHT BE. CHARLES *NM

I RECENTLY OPENED A CORPORATE CASE AGAINST THE TOYOTA OF STUART DEALERSHIP. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT THAT I HAVE HAD WITH THEM, BUT THIS IS THE MOST RECENT. ON JULY 26, 2006, I NOTICED SOME GREASE ALL INSIDE THE RIM OF MY TIRE. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I TALKED TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT TO TRY AND EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD, WE KNOW WHAT IT IS, WE WILL ORDER THE REAR SEALS AND CALL YOU WHEN THEY COME IN. NO ONE LOOKED AT MY VEHICLE!!! I WAS TOLD TO LEAVE AND I WOULD GET A PHONE CALL. ON JULY 27, 2006 AT 10:30 AM WHILE IN A LEFT HAND TURN, I APPLIED THE BRAKE LIGHTLY AT A SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE TRUCK VERY QUICKLY SPUN AROUND AND BACKWARDS INTO A GUARD RAIL. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE TRUCK BACK TO THEM. THEY ASSURED ME THAT BECAUSE OF THE GREASE ON THE WHEEL AND BEING MADE TO THINK THAT IT WAS SAFE TO DRIVE, THAT THE DEALERSHIP WOULD TAKE CARE OF THE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. THIS HAPPENED, FORTUNATELY ON A ROAD WITH MINIMAL TRAFFIC, NOT ON I-95. I OFTEN THINK ABOUT WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. I COULD HAVE SERIOUSLY INJURED MYSELF, OR SOMEONE ELSE. I COULD HAVE HAD MY 5 YEAR OLD IN MY VEHICLE GOING TO CAMP. ANYTHING SERIOUS COULD HAVE HAPPENED. FORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT. AFTER BRINGING THE TRUCK IN AND MANY PHONE CALLS AND TRIPS TO THE DEALERSHIP, I WAS TOLD AFTER TWO WEEKS, BY THE MANAGER OF THE DEALERSHIP THAT I NEEDED TO CALL MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS WAS SO MY INSURANCE WOULD PAY FOR THE DAMAGES. THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG. I COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN WORSE! IF THEY WOULD HAVE CHECKED MY VEHICLE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEEMED UNFIT TO DRIVE. I AM NOT A MECHANIC. NOW THE DEALERSHIP WANTS MY $500.00 DEDUCTIBLE PAYMENT. YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I MUST SAY, I AM VERY SORRY THAT I BOUGHT A TOYOTA VEHICLE. IF I HAD TO DO OVER AGAIN, I WOULD NOT DO SO. THIS IS A TERRIBLE WAY TO TREAT A CUSTOMER. *JB

2005 TOYOTA TACOMA (6 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION) HAS EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE TRANSMISSION NOISE AND CLUTCH JUDDER WHEN STARTING IN FIRST GEAR SINCE THE DAY OF PURCHASE. THE TRANSMISSION HAS BEEN, AT TIMES, EXCESSIVELY DIFFICULT TO SHIFT AND THE JUDDER HAS BEEN, ON RARE OCCASIONS, EVIDENT IN SECOND GEAR. BOTH PROBLEMS HAVE BEEN INTERMITTENT SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS DELIVERED. ON THE MORNING OF JULY 28TH, THE JUDDER PROBLEM WAS PARTICULARLY BAD AND WAS EVIDENT WITH EVERY START IN FIRST GEAR AND SOMETIMES IN SECOND GEAR. IT BECAME MORE VIOLENT WITH EACH START AND AT ONE POINT, AFTER THE CLUTCH PEDAL WAS FULLY RELEASED, THERE WAS A SUDDEN SLIP OF THE CLUTCH DISC FOLLOWED BY SUDDEN FRICTION. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF TRACTION OF THE DRIVE WHEELS AND SUBSEQUENT TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. CONTROL WAS REGAINED RELATIVELY QUICKLY BY DEPRESSING THE CLUTCH PEDAL TO REMOVE DRIVE POWER FROM THE WHEELS AND A CATASTROPHIC EVENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. TOYOTA HAS ATTEMPTED REPAIR OF THIS JUDDER PROBLEM THREE TIMES INCLUDING A COMPLETE CLUTCH ASSEMBLY REPLACEMENT AT 6,500 MILES, BUT NOW CLAIMS THAT THE VEHICLE OPERATES NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED TO A DEALER SHORTLY AFTER THE INCIDENT DESCRIBED ABOVE AND THE SHOP FOREMAN SAID AGAIN, THE VEHICLE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY. HE ALSO CLAIMED THAT PER TOYOTA'S DIRECTIVE, HE IS NOT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNLESS HE HAS PRIOR APPROVAL FROM TOYOTA TO DO SO. *JB

2005 TOYOTA TACOMA TAILGATE IS DANGEROUSLY WEAK, AND IS UNABLE TO SUPPORT WHAT MOST CONSIDER NORMAL WEIGHT FOR A TRUCK TAILGATE. ALTHOUGH SUBSTANDARD DESIGN MAY BE CONSIDERED "BUYER BEWARE", TRUCK BUYERS EXPECT A TAILGATE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF NORMAL TRUCK USE ACTIVITIES. TOYOTA PROVIDES NO WARNING OR CAUTION ANYWHERE THAT THE TAILGATE IS OF INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO PERFORM NORMAL 1/2-TON TRUCK DUTIES, AND TYPICALLY (PER INTERNET FORUM THREADS) TELLS THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT IT IS THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY USE THE TAILGATE FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN HIDING THE INSIDE OF THE BED. SINCE TOYOTA HAS PRODUCED A SUBSTANDARD DESIGNED PART, THEY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED A VISUAL WARNING ON THE PART TO ALERT CUSTOMERS TO THE DANGER THEIR PRODUCT IMPOSES IF USED IN A TRADITIONAL MANNER. SINCE THEY DID NOT DO SO, THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE TO PROVIDE A REDESIGNED PART TO THEIR CUSTOMERS OR FULL RESTITUTION FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE VEHICLES. A GOOGLE OR SIMILAR INTERNET SEARCH ON "TACOMA TAILGATE FORUM" WILL SUBSTANTIATE MY STATEMENTS BEYOND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE TAILGATE BENDING. *NM