2004 Toyota Tacoma

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

PURCHASED NEW 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA ON 1/24/05. AT 1,577.8 MILES, RIGHT REAR BRAKE DRUM AND WHEEL COVERED WITH GEAR OIL. REPAIRED AT TOYOTA OF GREENFIELD, MA. 01302, PHONE 413-772-0231 2/17/05. BEGAN LEAKING AGAIN ON 2/21/05, AT 1844.6 MILES. RETURNED TO GREENFIELD ON 2/28/05 AT 2284 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER AGAIN ON 4/8/05 AT 67345.9 MILES BRAKE DRUM AND TIRE STILL COVERED WITH OIL. DEALER SAID KEEP DRIVING IT AND THE LEAK WILL GO AWAY. CONTACTED TOYOTA CONSUMER SERVICE ON 4/14/05 CASE #[XXX]. RECEIVED NO FOLLOW UP CORRESPONDENCE FORM FABIOLA. VEHICLE CONTINUED TO LEAK GEAR OIL AND HANDLE POORLY WHEN BRAKING. CONTACTED NEW DEALER(TOYOTA OF COLCHESTER, CT.) ON 5/27/05. VEHICLE REPAIRED ON 6/2/05 AT 8,188 MILES. CONTACTED DEALER AGAIN ON 6/29/05 AT 9085.1 MILES. VEHICLES WAS PICKED UP ON 7/11/05. TRIES ROTATED ON VEHICLE ON 9/26/05 AT 17,266.4 MILES. FOUND OIL ON BRAKE SHOES AND INSIDE OF BRAKE DRUM SEVERELY GLAZED. NEW CASE FILED ON 7/28/05 CASE # [XXX] WITH SALVADORE. I AM STILL DRIVING A VEHICLE WITH THE INTEGRITY OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS COMPROMISED. AND HAVE NOT RECEIVED A REASONABLE RESOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY. IS IT A COMMON PRACTICE FOR AN AUTO MAKER TO LET A CONSUMER KNOWINGLY DRIVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY I AM STILL PAYING ON A BRAND NEW VEHICLE THAT I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING. THE REGIONAL FIELD SERVICE TECHNICIAN, JOE LACEFIELD FROM TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY HAS BEEN UNAVAILABLE BY PHONE FOR THE LAST WEEK 1-973-464-0938. I WOULD LIKE MY MONEY RETURNED FOR THIS VEHICLE IN FULL. I FEEL THAT I HAVE BEEN MORE THAN PATIENT IN TRYING TO RESOLVE THIS MATTER WITH TOYOTA MOTOR COMPANY. V.I.N. # [XXX]. *JB UPDATED 07/18/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

ALARM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB PRERUNNER SR5 PICKUP. ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AT 5:30 AM SEP 18-05 AND COULD NOT DISENGAGE IT. LOUD ELECTRICAL CLICKING NOISES EMITTED FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE ASHTRAY THAT COULD BE HEARD FROM OVER 100 FEET AWAY, EVEN THROUGH WALLS INSIDE A HOUSE (CLICKING/POPPING NOISE) LIGHTS FLICKERING INSIDE TRUCK. LEFT TRUCK WITH TOYOTA IN SAVANNAH ALL DAY MONDAY. (THEY HAD TOLD ME WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR SHORTS OR FAULTS.) WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, AND NOTHING HAPPENED ALL DAY WHILE IT WAS THERE. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO THE TRUCK, AND PUSHED THE BUTTON TO DISENGAGE THE ALARM AND UNLOCK THE TRUCK, THE HORN BEEPED 4 TIMES (INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 2 TIMES) SO I WENT BACK IN AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE REASSURED ME IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, AND SAID SOMETIMES THESE THINGS HAPPEN, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE HORN BEEPS TWICE, OR 4 TIMES, THAT AGAIN, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE THE TRUCK BACK HOME TO CHARLESTON,SC AND 30 MINUTES AFTER I PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE ALARM WENT OFF ON IT'S OWN AGAIN, EVERY 6 MINUTES THE ALARM WENT OFF ON ITS OWN AGAIN SO I NEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AGAIN, IT WAS MAKING THE LOUD CLICKING ELECTRICAL SHORT NOISES AGAIN. CALLED TOYOTA HQ TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE DONE, AS THIS VEHICLE IS ALSO UNDER A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEIR HANDS ARE TIED UNLESS I HAVE THE RECALL LETTER FROM HQ IN HAND. AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS LEMON AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE WITH THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT PROBLEM ESPECIALLY, AND NOW WITH THIS POSSIBLE MAJOR ELECTRICAL FAULT, DON'T WANT THE TRUCK TO CATCH FIRE AND BURN UP.