2004 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

AFTER SHIFTING FROM SECOND GEAR TO THIRD GEAR, THE GAS PEDAL STOPPED WORKING COMPLETELY. SECONDS LATER IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY, AND AS IF NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. THIS HAS HAPPENED BEFORE, AND I HAVE IDENTIFIED THE PROBLEM AS A FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE BODY MOTOR/SENSOR. I WILL BE ASKING THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO FIX THE PART. *JB

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 WITH 3.4L ENGINE AND MANUAL TRANS. HAVING THROTTLE BODY ISSUES. THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSOR IS FAILING CAUSING THE TRUCK TO STALL FOR A SECOND AND THEN PICK BACK UP. TRUCK DOES NOT THROW A CHECK ENGINE CODE WHEN THIS OCCURS, SO DEALER HAS INFORMED ME ON DIFFERENT OCCASIONS THAT NOTHING IS WRONG. I WAS ALMOST RAN OVER THE OTHER DAY TRYING TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC WHEN THE THROTTLE BODY FAILED. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS IT IMMEDIATELY!!!!!!!! WHAT'S IT GOING TO TAKE, SOMEONE GETTING SERIOUSLY INJURED OR A HEALTHY LOW SUIT FOR TOYOTA TO TAKE ACTION? *JB

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 WITH A 3.4 LITER V6. I HAVE ALREADY FILED 1 COMPLAINT BUTT IN FRUSTRATION WILL TRY THIS AGAIN. THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODIES THAT COME ON 2003 AND 2004 TOYOTA TACOMAS ARE FLAWED AND NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE ACCELERATOR POSITION SENSORS ON THESE THROTTLE BODIES ARE GOING OUT, CAUSING THE ACCELERATOR TO BECOME USELESS UNLESS DEPRESSED GREATER THAN 60%. I HAVE ALL MOST BEEN IN 2 ACCIDENTS WHILE PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND HAVING THIS OCCUR. WHEN THE SENSOR FAILS THE THROTTLE VALVE CLOSES LEAVING THE PERSON DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ENOUGH ACCELERATION TO GET OUT OF THE WAY OF ON COMING TRAFFIC. IN VEHICLES WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION IT IS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS WHEN ON AN INCLINE (VERY DIFFICULT NOT TO ROLE BACKWARDS AND HIT SOMETHING BEHIND YOU). ALSO, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS CAME ON WHEN THIS HAS OCCURRED. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF LETTERS ON THE INTERNET FROM PEOPLE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. IS IT GOING TO TAKE SOMEONE GETTING KILLED OR A HEALTHY LAW SUIT TO MAKE TOYOTA TAKE ACTION? *NM

#1. 2004 TACOMA DBL CAB TRD: I'M ON MY 3RD SET OF ROTORS AND DRUMS AT JUST 40,000 MILES. EACH SET OF ROTORS WARPED AT JUST OVER 10,000 MILES CAUSING THE EXPECTED PULSING AND BOUNCING. I'M EXPECTING THE 3RD SET TO DO THE SAME. #2. SINCE ABOUT 10,000 MILES, I HAVE EXPERIENCED A "THUMPING" WITH A CORRESPONDING JOLT OF THE GEAR SHIFT UPON FINISHING A BREAKING CYCLE. THIS ALSO HAPPENS OCCASIONALLY WHEN RELEASING THE FOOT BRAKE. SOMETIMES IT IS QUITE LOUD AND VIOLENT. I AM AWARE THAT ALL THE LATE MODEL AUTOMATICS DO THIS. THE FACTORY HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM BECAUSE THEIR "FIX" WAS TO DRILL A HOLE IN THE TWO-PIECE DRIVE SHAFT TO "VENT" THE TRAPPED AIR. THIS VERY TEMPORARILY SOLVED THE PROBLEM. AGAIN TODAY, THE DEALER ACKNOWLEDGED THE "THUMP" AND TOLD ME THAT THIS IS "THE WAY THE TRUCK IS SUPPOSED TO OPERATE" AND THAT I SHOULD "CHANGE MY BRAKING HABITS". ON A 15 MINUTE TEST DRIVE IT PROBABLY DOESN'T SEEM TOO BAD. BUT I HAVE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE ALL THE TIME AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING (AND THIS WAS NOT HAPPENING WHEN I TEST DROVE THE VEHICLE BEFORE I PURCHASED IT). PERHAPS THIS IS NOT A "SAFETY" ISSUE, BUT IT IS INSULTING TO BE TOLD THAT THIS IS "NORMAL". THEY MUST THINK I'M AN IDIOT OR SOMETHING. JUST BECAUSE ALL THE LATE MODEL TACOMAS DO IT, DOES NOT MAKE IT RIGHT! IT'S SO ARROGANT FOR THEM TO EXPECT US TO LIVE WITH THIS DEFECT IN DESIGN. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS SAME PROBLEM IS RELATED TO THE SOMETIMES VIOLENT SHIFTS ESPECIALLY FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR. #3. THERE IS ALSO A VIBRATION THAT COMES UP THROUGH THE STEERING WHEEL AT ABOUT 40 MILES PER HOUR. IT IS THE FREQUENCY OF THE DRIVE SHAFT, NOT THE TIRES. I CAN ALWAYS TELL WHEN I'M AT 40 MPH WITHOUT EVEN LOOKING AT THE SPEEDOMETER. *JB

I WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD IN MY 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA WHEN I SAW MY TIRE GO ROLLING AHEAD OF MY VEHICLE, THE TRUCK LEANED OVER TO THE LEFT, SKIDDED SIDEWAYS AND THEN STOPPED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND MY TIRE WAS IN THE DITCH AND MY CHASSIS WAS ON THE GROUND ON THE LEFT SIDE. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK AND THEY SAID IT LOOKED LIKE MY BALL JOINTS JUST SEPARATED. I HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC AND HE SAID THE BALL JOINTS LOOKED LIKE THEY GAVE WAY AND THIS ALLOWED THE WHEEL TO FALL OFF. I HAVE MECHANICAL BREAKDOWN THROUGH MY INSURANCE COMPANY GIEICO AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO GET A LETTER FROM TOYOTA STATING IF IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY FROM OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN TALLAHASSEE, FLORIDA LEGACY AND SPOKE WITH A SERVICE MEMBER (ROBB) HE TOLD MY THAT THERE WASN'T A RECALL ON 2004 TOYOTA TACOMAS AND I WOULD HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE IT TOWED IN TO CHECK AND SEE IF IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY. THIS OCCURRED ON 12/13/05 AND AS OF 12/15/2005 THERE STILL WASN'T A DETERMINATION WHETHER OR NOT IT IS UNDER WARRANTY. MY CONCERN IS AFTER READING ABOUT A RECALL ON THE INTERNET STATING THAT THE BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE, THAT MY VEHICLE SHOULD BE A PART OF THE RECALL AND THE WHEEL FALLING OFF COULD BE A RESULT FROM A DEFECT. THE DEALERSHIP ISN'T ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE RECALL OR EVEN LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE IN THIS REGARDS. IF THEY DON'T WARRANTY THE BALL JOINTS, THEN MY MECHANIC WILL FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT I WILL KEEP ALL OF THE OLD PARTS IN CASE THEY NEED TO BE EXAMINED. *JB

DROVE VEHICLE DOWN A PAVED ROAD IN THE SNOW. TRANSMISSION LINKAGE FROZE UP IN DRIVE WHEN VEHICLE WAS PARKED. HAD TO DRIVE VEHICLE DIRECTLY TO DEALER. DEALER ONLY THAWED OUT THE LINKAGE. NOW EVERYTIME IT SNOWS, LINKAGE FREEZES UP. *NM

SMALL ROCK WAS HIT ON A DIRT ROAD. IT PUNCTURED THE GAS TAKE. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALER. GAS TANK WAS REPLACED. *NM

HAVE A 2004, TOYOTA TACOMA, V6, 4X4. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND EVERY NOW AND THEN IT IS LIKE I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS BUT I DIDN'T! IF I STEP ON IT, IT IS FINE. *JB THE PROBLEM: IS THROTTLE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODIES ON 03 AND 04 TACOMAS. THE ACCELERATOR PETAL POSITION SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAS A SHAFT ONTO WHICH THE LEVER FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE IS MOUNTED WITH SOME RETURN SPRINGS. THIS SHAFT ALSO TURNS THE POTENTIOMETER. THIS LEVER (A PLASTIC PIECE) LIMITS THE TRAVEL OF THE ASSEMBLY, SO THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RESISTANCES OF THE POTENTIOMETER ARE NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THE POTENTIOMETER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE POTENTIOMETER CAN ALSO TURN IN THE ASSEMBLY, LOOSING ITS REFERENCE TO THE ARM AND LEVER. THEN THE RANGE OF RESISTANCE THAT IS POSSIBLE CAN BE CHANGED. IF IT TURNS TOO FAR ONE WAY, THE HIGHER RESISTANCE WILL BE SUCH THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT VOLTAGE SENT TO THE ECU TO INDICATE THAT THE PEDAL HAS BEEN DEPRESSED. CONVERSELY, THERE IS A POINT AT THE OTHER END OF THE PETITIONER WHERE THE FULL VOLTAGE IS APPLIED AND THE ECU SEES THIS AS A FAILURE AND CLOSES THE THROTTLE BY RELEASING THE THROTTLE CONTROL MOTOR'S CLUTCH. NOTHING HAS BEEN TO DONE TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA OR DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC CAN NOT REPLICATED PROBLEM. SUGGESTED I REPLACE BRAND NEW THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS ABOUT $600. *NM

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THE FUEL LINE CAUGHT ON FIRE O. WHILE STOPPING AT A RED-LIGHT HE NOTICED THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM BETWEEN THE CAB AND BED OF THE PICKUP TRUCK. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE DEALERSHIP HAD THE VEHICLE FOR NINE WEEKS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED, AND IS READY TO BE PICKED UP. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS FROM THE FUEL LINE AND THE SEAL OF THE FUEL TANK.*AK

NOISE AND EXCESS PLAY IN STEERING WHEEL WHEN DRIVING OVER BUMPY SURFACES. FOUND UPPER STEERING SHAFT SLIP JOINT IMPROPERLY MACHINED /CRIMPED RESULTING IN ABNORMAL NOISE AND EXCESS PLAY WHEN DRIVING UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS. DEALER REPLACED UPPER STEERING SHAFT WITH AND IDENTICAL PART. THIS PART HAS NOT BEEN REDESIGNED AND WILL FAIL AGAIN. PART IS NOT AVAILABLE AS IT WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALER KEPT THE OLD PART. HAVE FOUND FROM OTHERS THROUGH THE INTERNET THAT THIS PLAY AND NOISE IS VERY COMMON BUT NO ONE KNEW THE CAUSE UNTIL RECENTLY. *NM