2005 Toyota Tacoma

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA X-RUNNER. I HAVE TIRES THAT ARE SPLITTING ACROSS THE TREAD. IT SEEM THAT EVERY MODEL OF THIS TRUCK IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AND NO RECALL IS BEING DONE. HTTP://WWW.CUSTOMTACOS.COM/FORUM/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?T=46086&PAGE=17&HIGHLIGHT=TIRE I DO NOT FEEL SAFE WITH MY TIRES SPLITTING. AND NO ONE SEEMS TO BE TRYING TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. MY AUTO IS ONLY 8 MONTHS OLD, AND I DON'T WANT TO REPLACE 5 $260 A TIRE OUT OF MY OWN POCKET. *NM

POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD 29 MAR 06 05/06 TACOMA SUSPENSION DESIGN-DESIGN FLAW AND POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. THIS IS NOT A QUESTION BUT A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I AND OTHER PREVIOUS AND CURRENT TACOMA OR TRUCK OWNERS CONSIDER A DESIGN FLAW AND POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD. I'M HIGHLY DISAPPOINTED WITH THE FRONT END METAL SUSPENSION KNUCKLE THAT SITS A 1/2 INCH AWAY FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE TIRE. THIS IS ON THE 05 TACOMA CREW CAB 4X4 SHORTBED W/TRD, TOW PKG (OC)OPTIONS. -THIS CAUSES ISSUE THIS COULD CAUSE FLEXING OF THE TIRE DURING NORMAL ON-ROAD AND OFF-ROAD BUMPS CAUSING THE TIRE TO FLEX AND POSSIBLY RUB AGAINST THE SUSPENSION KNUCKLE. THIS SITUATION IS COMPOUNDED IF A TIRE RUNS A LITTLE LOW ON AIR PRESSURE AND COULD CAUSE A PREMATURE CUT TIRE OR BLOWOUT. ANOTHER UNRELATED ITEM--THE NEW 05/06 TACOMA REAR SUSPENSION BOTTOMS OUT TO EASY. DURING A RECENT HUNTING TRIP OCT 05 IN COLORADO. I HAD MY HUNTING GEAR DISTRIBUTED EVENLY IN THE CREW CAB AND THE SHORTBED (APPX 100PDS IN THE BACK SEAT, ONLY MYSELF 220PD IN DRIVER SEAT, AND APPX 400 PDS IN THE TRUCK BED. THE TRUCK BED HAD APPX 275 PDS BETWEEN THE WHEEL WELL AND TAILGATE AND OTHER 100-150 MAX IN FRONT OF BED EVENLY DESTROYED. THE TRUCK BOTTOMED OUT QUITE EASILY ON FAIRLY MINOR RUTS ON DIRT ROADS AND ON HIGHWAY DITCHES THAT WERE ONLY MINOR SLOPED AND SHOULD NOT HAVE CAUSE THE TRUCK TO BOTTOM OUT. THE TRUCK WAS NOT CLOSE TO THE 50% WEIGHT LIMIT AND THE REAR OF THE TRUCK STANDING STILL WAS NOT SAGGING MUCH AT ALL FROM THE WEIGHT. I WAS REALLY SHOCKED THAT IT SOUNDED LIKE THE TRUCK BOTTOMED OUT ON MINOR SLOW SPEED RUTS AND DURING HIGHWAY ROAD HUMPS OR DIPS. THIS NEVER HAPPENED WITH MY 95 OR 98 TACOMA UNLESS I HAD 75% PLUS OF THE BED CARRY LIMIT MET. I THINK YOU NEED TO BEEF UP OR RETEST/REDESIGN THE SPRINGS AND/OR SHOCKS TO MEET THE NEW TRUCKS WEIGHT AND LOAD CARRY CAPABILITIES BETTER. BILLY ARMOUR. *NM

WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, THERE IS AN INCONSISTENT AND UNPREDICTABLE MECHANICAL SENSATION THAT VARIED FROM A MILD YET DISTINCT ROUGH TRANSITION (CREATING THE PERCEPTION THAT I WAS FORCING THE GEARS) TO A DRAMATIC MECHANICAL SENSATION OF GEARS CHANGING (AT TIMES ACCOMPANIED WITH A CLICKING SOUND). I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE THE MASTER TECHNICIAN (MT) DRIVE THE TRUCK AND SEE IF HE WAS EXPERIENCING WHAT I WAS EXPERIENCING. HE SHARED THAT HE COULD FEEL THE GEARS AND SAID HE COULD REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION IF THE FACTORY TRAINED SPECIALIST (FTS) AGREED IT NEEDED REPLACING. FTS DROVE THE TRUCK WITH ME AND DID NOT FEEL THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING ABNORMAL ABOUT THE SHIFTING (VEHICLE OPERATES AS DESIGNED...). BECAUSE THE PRESENT SHIFTING SENSATION MAKES YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE FORCING OR GRINDING GEARS WHEN SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND, THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE GIVEN I CAN TEND TO BE MORE FOCUSED ON THE SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND THAN ON DRIVING AND IT IS UNCERTAIN WHETHER THE TRANSMISSION WILL POSSIBLY FAIL WHILE I AM DRIVING THE TRUCK. I HAVE OWNED AT LEAST 5 OR 6 FIVE-SPEED VEHICLES. I HAVE ALSO WORKED ON TRANSMISSIONS. IN ALL MY EXPERIENCE WITH 5-SPEEDS I HAVE OWNED, I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED A SHIFTING PROBLEM LIKE I AM PRESENTLY EXPERIENCING. THIS IS A BRAND NEW, SUPPOSEDLY, QUALITY TOYOTA VEHICLE AND IT UNQUESTIONABLY SEEMS THAT SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT WITH THE TRANSMISSION. I AM CURRENTLY IN ARBITRATION. *NM

2005 TACOMA PRERUNNER HAS A POP OR THUMP THAT OCCURS WHEN THERE IS AN ACCELERATION FOR A DEAD STOP AND THEN ALSO A THUMP WHEN THERE IS A DECELERATION. IT CAN BE FELT IN THE CAB AS THOUGH THERE IS A SPACE BETWEEN THE CAB MOUNTING BOLTS AND THE FRAME I.E., NOT TIGHT ENOUGH AND CAUSES THE CAB TO LIFT FORWARD AND UP WHEN STOPPING OR THE OPPOSITE WHEN ACCELERATING. HAVE TAKEN IT TO TOYOTA OF MANHATTAN BEACH, CA., THEY TIGHTENED THE BOLTS AND IT WAS BETTER BUT IS NOW BACK AS IT WAS IN BEFORE. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WAS SHIFTED FROM FOUR WHEEL DRIVE HIGH OR LOW, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ALWAYS SHIFT. THE FOUR WHEEL DRIVE LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE AUDIBLE ALARM STATING THE VEHICLE HAS NOT SHIFTED CAME ON. AN ADDITIONAL 5 ATTEMPTS WERE NEEDED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS MOVED. THE TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE MANUFACTURER DROVE THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THIS WAS NORMAL OPERATING CONDITIONS. ALSO, WHEN THE OUTSIDE TEMPERATURES WERE BELOW ZERO DEGREES THE KEYLESS ENTRY WOULD NOT UNLOCK THE VEHICLE. THE DEALERSHIP TESTED THE KEY FOB AND REPLACED THE BATTERY, BUT THIS DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. UPDATED 3/22/2006 - *NM

DURING RECENT COLD WINTER WEATHER, HAD COUPLE INCIDENTS WHERE BRAKES APPEARED TO NOT OPERATE CORRECTLY ON MODERATE ICE/SLUSHY ROAD CONDITION AND THIS CAUSED ON ONE OCCASION TO RUN THROUGH INTERSECTION DUE TO NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BEING FORTUNATE THAT NO OTHER TRAFFIC WAS PRESENT AT THE TIME. THIS ALL COMES AFTER A TRANSMISSION REPLACEMENT AT 6271 MILES AND REAR BRAKE WORK ON THE VEHICLE AT 6558 MILES. THIS TRUCK IS LIKE A LEMON. *NM

AFTER HAVING TRANSMISSION REPLACED ON THIS VEHICLE AT 6271 MILES, LESS THAN 2 WEEKS LATER AGAIN HEARD A CLINKING SOUND EMANATING FROM THE REAR TRANSMISSION WHEEL AREA. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO DEALER AND DURING TECHNICIAN TEST DRIVE WITH SPOUSE REAR END LOCKED UP. DEALER DISCOVERED ISSUE WAS BOLTS ON RIGHT REAR E-BRAKE CABLE INSIDE DRUM CAME OUT AND BRAKE SHOE WAS LOCKING UP REAR AND THEN MAKING IT HARD TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND BOLT WAS MAKING THE GRINDING NOISE AT LOWER 1ST GEAR. DEALER REMOVED AND CLEANED AXLES, INSTALLED NEW BOLTS ON E-BRAKE CABLE, REMOVED AND REPAIRED REAR BRAKE SHOES AND MACHINED BOTH REAR DRUMS. *NM

2005 TOYOTA TACOMA XTRA CAB 4X4. PASSENGER SIDE CARPET AREA WAS DISCOVERED WET AT AROUND 1379 MILES. TOOK TO DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED THAT HOSE CONNECTION ON THE EVAPORATOR BOX HAD CRACKED OFF WHERE THE DRAIN HOSE CONNECTS TO THE BOX. HAD TO ORDER AND REPLACE THE LOWER PART OF THE BOX, WHICH REQUIRED COMPLETE REMOVAL OF FRONT DASH. SUBSEQUENT PROBLEM WITH WINDSHIELD VENTS WAS REPAIRED AFTER RETURN AND DISCOVERY THAT VENT WAS NOT PROPERLY RECONNECTED WHEN FRONT DASH WAS REINSTALLED. *JB