2004 Toyota Tacoma

MY 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS AN INTERMITTENT PROBLEM WITH A LOSS OF POWER, I.E. WHEN I STEP ON THE ACCELERATOR, IT FAILS TO RESPOND FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME. IT IS A PROBLEM WHEN PULLING OUT INTO TRAFFIC, AS THE LOSS OF POWER HAS LED TO SEVERAL NEAR COLLISIONS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER TWICE TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM, WITHOUT A CLEAR CAUSE, ACCORDING TO THE DEALER. RESEARCH THROUGH AN INDEPENDENT SERVICE SHOP POINTS TO A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR. RESEARCH ON TOYOTA TACOMA FORUMS ONLINE ALSO SEEM TO SUPPORT THIS. THE ONLY VIABLE FIX SEEMS TO BE TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE THROTTLE BODY, SINCE THE SENSORS ARE NOT AVAILABLE SEPARATELY. THIS COST IS OVER $1200, AS OPPOSED TO A $70 SENSOR. THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT, AND CAN HAPPEN MANY TIMES A DAY, OR BE ABSENT FOR WEEKS AT A TIME. THREE TIMES IT HAS RESULTED IN A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, WITH A TPS FAULT RECORDED (THE TPS AND APPS ARE READ AS A UNIT BY THE ECU). THE PROBLEM HAS NOT YET BEEN ADEQUATELY ADDRESSED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT HAS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE VEHICLE WAS PRE-OWNED AND PURCHASED IN APRIL 2009. WHILE DRIVING BETWEEN 25 AND 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING WITHOUT PLACING PRESSURE ON THE GAS PEDAL. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED ON FIVE OCCASIONS. THE FAILURE IS RELATED TO THE VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE AND MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED AT 74,000 MILES.

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4WD. I PURCHASE IT NEW. THE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT TERRIBLY AND THE MUFFLER SYSTEM HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND ROT FLAKING OFF OF THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TACOMA ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. I LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT TOYOTA MAY RECALL THIS YEAR AND MODEL FOR FRAME ROT. I AM FACING A $500+ BILL TO REPLACE THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 COMPLETELY STOCK TOYOTA TACOMA THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD WITH 36000 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING COLUMN UPPER SHAFT AT THE SLIP JOINT BELOW THE TILT BALL JOINT HAS BECOME LOOSE. THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING NOW CAUSING CONTROL OF THE TRUCK TO BECOME LESS AND LESS PRECISE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT ON MANY DIFFERENT TOYOTA TACOMA FORUMS. PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER STEERING SHAFTS BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES USUALLY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL AND REDESIGN A MUCH STURDIER PART THAT KEEPS THE STEERING PLAY AT ORIGINAL SPECS FOR CONTROL AND SAFETY. *TR

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA X-TRA CAB, 4CYL. WITH A/T DEVELOPED POWER STEERING LEAK AT 51K. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BAD SEALS IN THE RACK AND PINION. WHEN I REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION, I DISCOVERED THAT A PINCH BOLT IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD RUBBED A HOLE IN THE METAL POWER STEERING FEED LINE GOING TO THE RACK AND PINION. THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE USE OF MY '04 TOYOTA TRUCK FOR 5 MONTHS. *TR

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER RECEIVING A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT FRAME RUST, WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE REQUESTED INSPECTION. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE FRAME HAS SOFT SPOTS AND THAT TOYOTA RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE FRAME. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. HOWEVER, WE QUESTION THIS KIND OF INVASIVE REPAIR. WE WANT TOYOTA TO BUY THE TRUCK BACK GIVEN THE NATURE OF THIS SAFETY DEFECT. TOYOTA HAS A DEFINED HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE FRAMES IN THE TACOMA: THEY BOUGHT BACK MANY 1995-2000 TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON. SINCE THE 2001-2004 TACOMAS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT -- A VERY SERIOUS ONE -- TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND PROPERLY COMPENSATE OWNERS LIKE US BY BUYING THEM BACK. WE REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO REQUIRE TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER BY RECALLING ALL AFFECTED TACOMAS SO THESE VEHICLES CAN BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE INJURY AND DEATH RESULTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER. *TR PETER SPANGENBERG

1) POWER STEERING FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK FROM AREA OF RACK AND PINION. 2) TOYOTA DEALER MIS-DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS LEAKING SEALS IN RACK AND PINION. 3) LEAK OCCURRED IN METAL POWER STEERING LINE (ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO STEERING GEAR) , WHERE FRICTION FROM PINCH BOLT IN STEERING GEAR HAS WORN A HOLE IN METAL POWER STEERING LINE. 4) THIS CAUSES ALL FLUID TO LEAK FROM POWER STEERING SYSTEM. 5) 2004 TACOMA SR-5 XTRA CAB, 2.4 LITRE 4CYL./AUTO TRANS, 51K. *TR