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Tacoma BS Thread

151K views 834 replies 56 participants last post by  hotajax 
#1 ·
Starting a BS thread for us 2nd Gen guys and gals...in case you didn't figure it out from the thread title.:D

I'll sticky this soon but want to give you a chance to see it before moving it up there.

I know Dark Taco was going to change his oil today, anyone do anything interesting?
 
#620 ·
Glad you're okay. In your shoes, I'd be happy to have mine fixed. My truck is still serving me well for more than a decade. Before this time next year, I'll be passing 200k miles. I bet mine's probably worth $12k still. Now the question of what you're going to do for headlight bulbs...
 
#621 ·
And when did I mention doing time in a body shop? Thinking of someone else maybe? Mine was back in '87 and it was just driving the cars (delivery and pickup including former CHP mustangs) and pulling off the masking after done in the oven.
 
#626 ·
Yep. Comprehensive pretty much covers everything but collisions with another vehicle.

Truck is still in the shop...

It was suppose to be done Friday and I was going to tow my boat to the lake and try out my new outboard, but they ended up having to replace parts they hadn't anticipated, so they have a couple extra days worth of painting to do...it should be done Tuesday now, but not holding my breath.
 
#628 ·
Help

I am new to the Taco forum so I hope I'm doing this right but I have a question I hope someone can and will answer for me.
Yesterday when I started my 2015 Tacoma 4x4 I saw what looked like the 4wd signal on the display
except it was flashing red and below the usual place where the green one is. When I put it in 4wd the usual green one came on as it should and the red flashing one was still there.
I am about 1&1/2 hours from a dealer so I called the service dept. in hopes they could tell me what it is but no joy there.
I have to drive it to go to work even this weekend so I hope it's not earth shattering or Taco breaking.
 
#629 ·
I am new to the Taco forum so I hope I'm doing this right but I have a question I hope someone can and will answer for me.
Yesterday when I started my 2015 Tacoma 4x4 I saw what looked like the 4wd signal on the display
except it was flashing red and below the usual place where the green one is. When I put it in 4wd the usual green one came on as it should and the red flashing one was still there.
I am about 1&1/2 hours from a dealer so I called the service dept. in hopes they could tell me what it is but no joy there.
I have to drive it to go to work even this weekend so I hope it's not earth shattering or Taco breaking.
First of all, Welcome to TN!!

You have not broken anything. I use 4hi and 4lo all the time but I'm having a bit of trouble visualizing this for some reason. We like pics around here. Any way you could post a couple? The blinking means some function has not completed its task. Try backing out of everything and then reengage 4hi and 4lo, slooooooowly! If yoou have a manual you have to push the clutch thru the floor, and in any event pay attention to the part on the switch to push in and turn.
 
#630 ·
Thanks for the reply, I will try to get a couple of pics and post them. As far as visualizing, Imagine putting the rig is 4H and seeing the green 4wd signal lighting up in the consol. now visualize the axact same 4wd light right below the green one only this one is flashing red.
Will go and try to get pics or a gif if I can load one.
 
#634 ·
08TRDOFFROAD, where are you at on getting the poor quality repairs rectified? I too have a horror story along those lines. In another life I was into concours cars and had one particular roadster I loved. It was intentionally keyed by vandals to the extent of requiring a full repaint. The preferred shop at that time was coincidentally owned by a guy I went to school with and we were good friends. He had developed a reputation for perfection on high end vehicles, so off I go....

Thinking that I would at least get a job equal or better that some guy off the street (silly me) my car sat there for months with nothing being done. So I up the calls to inquire the status and finally one day I'm told its done and ready to pick up.....

It was the worst paint job I had ever seen. Runs, swirl marks like crazy, and some stupid shop kid took a freeking Scotchbrite pad to the driver's side glass to remove a bit of over-spray and the pad completely sanded the glass to ruin.

The fixes to the paint imperfections kept making things worse and worse, with new problems and dings showing up every time I went back to the shop; and my disposition followed in parallel.

The car was never the same after that. I had originally planned to keep it forever and could now hardly wait to sell the thing. The day I sold it was taking a monkey off my back.
 
#635 ·
I really haven't gotten anywhere. It was back with the shop for a week, they ordered and painted new flares for a second time, and the flares still don't match. Owner of the shop flat out admitted he has no idea how to match the OEM finish on the flares. Hood still has numerous issues with paint and does not line-up with the grill. Only issues that were actually addressed were the headlights being swapped out for the warranty enhancement set, and they repaired the ac that quit working two days after I picked it up the first time. Still can't get the shop to verify 100% that they filled the transmission and level checked the fluid level appropriately and when I mentioned it, the owner popped the hood and began looking for a dip stick, which further reduces my confidence it was done correctly. So I will be out $200 to have the dealership flush and fill it correctly.

I made a call to my insurance about a week ago and they put me in touch with the guy that is in charge of quality control and handling stuff like this with their shop network. He indicated they would have to paint all the flares so they would match and correct the other issues and that I would hear from him or the shop to make arrangements. Haven't heard a peep back.

I am pretty much in the same boat as you. This whole ordeal has turned my truck from a vehicle I planned to keep forever and pass down to my son, to a nightmare I can't stand looking at and can't wait to unload as soon as I can financially afford to replace it.
 
#636 ·
Well that really sucks! We had a nightmare with our '05 HL with a clunking sound on bumps. The damn repair manager at the body should couldn't hear it. Too many years working with loud equipment. And the replaced wheel in certain light conditions (like cloudy days) obviously didn't match. Now we have a '10 HL. :D
 
#637 ·
I just don't get why so many shops get away with such poor work? Is it because most customers are pretty much satisfied with "kinda straight" and the shiny new paint overshadows the other poor work that has occurred or what. I would really like to hear honest comments from someone who has been in the business that is willing to be forthright.
 
#638 ·
Not in the business, but I have been on the receiving end a few times. Relatively minor, but still...

Having your vehicle in the shop is a PITA. Dropping it off is a PITA, doing without it is a PITA, and going back to retrieve it is a PITA. Bad enough if you're local, considerably worse if you live an hour or more from the shop. When you finally go to pick it up, the last thing you want to do is have them keep it longer to fix some minor screwup of theirs. So you point out their mistake, let them know how disappointed you are with their handiwork, grind your teeth and head for home in your not-quite-perfect truck.

Of course if it's really bad, you leave it there and try again another day. But if it's something you can live with.... you live with it.
 
#639 ·
Have had a ticking sound equal to one tick per tire revolution that occurs after driving awhile when everything gets hot. Thought maybe I bent a heat shield when I rotated the tires last, but I can't find anything amiss. Wife standing outside both sides as I drive by says it's driver's side (I know it's in the front). I pulled the brake pads out and everything yesterday with no change. When I turn right at slower speeds, it goes away. Turning hard right at 65 can make it hum/squeal. Definitely metal on metal. I think that means it has to be something brake related (riding the brake makes no diff in sound), but damn if it isn't hard to find! Jacking the truck up, it makes no sound rotating the tire or rotor. Grrrrr. I think next weekend, I'll have her drive it by me and confirm myself that it's driver's side.
 
#643 ·
Well, it won't happen until the highlander is paid off. Even then, they're outside my price range. $30k max for me (and even that is too high). Prices are just ridiculous.

My 4wd instructor friend said he likes them (Toyota has paid for his company to teach classes in them). The only downside would probably be the constant downshifting on my drive home. I can usually keep it in 5th gear with the torque converter unlocked, but frequently have to slap shift it to get it back to 5th from 4th. 15 minutes of 65mph gaining 2k ft in elevation the whole time.
 
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#644 ·
...The only downside would probably be the constant downshifting on my drive home. I can usually keep it in 5th gear with the torque converter unlocked, but frequently have to slap shift it to get it back to 5th from 4th. 15 minutes of 65mph gaining 2k ft in elevation the whole time.
That is why there are 6 speeds :D


Oh, and you are correct about the price. I don't know why any sane person would pay that for a pickup. But then again, cars are mostly sold on monthly payments. Very few ask what something costs anymore, sadly it all about the payments...
 
#645 ·
It's all relative. Prices for well-equipped full-size domestic trucks can make your eyes bug out and your jaw drop. Seems like the only way to find something 'reasonably priced' is to shop the bargain bin, or look into used stuff. I've reached a point where I'm beginning to appreciate creature comforts. With 11 years on the Tacoma, I've been window-shopping online lately. Not as an interested buyer but just to learn a little in case that day comes. Everything I might like, and many things I don't particularly like, are just plain ridiculously priced. Or maybe I'm just getting old....
 
#646 ·
This is me too. Been window shopping just in case the day comes when there is catastrophic failure and I have to make a quick purchase. We have a '15 highlander that needs paid off first. It was bad enough in terms of price for something nicely equipped. But gee whiz these new trucks are ridiculously priced. I must stick with a DC LB 4x4. I'm hoping to pass this one along to my 11 yr old.
 
#655 ·
Changed coolant in the '05 today.... thanks to the long-absent Geoff (Dante's Taco) for his excellent write-up in the stickies. Only had 82K miles but right at 11 years so I guess it was time. Everything went OK, and yes the driver's side drain is a bit hard to reach.
 
#656 ·
Changed the radiator support bushings today. Cured the Taco lean. These are the two forward-most body mount bushings near the radiator ...get this, only 16k on my '14 and these bushings are already shot...is this the next item like the front differential side bearing on 4WDs that so many trucks are going to have problems with??

Used the Energy Supension kit that was developed for the Tacoma. For a long time I wondered what caused the bro lean on our trucks and was not totally satisfied with the stock explanations. After all the front left coil spring has a different part number and was made to help compensate for lean. I first read of this issue on TW which has now become a major thread over there. Curiously, my bushings look brand new on the outside, as would be expected, but like so many others they are both torn on the inside...its late so I have to decide whether to install the remainder of the kit tomorrow...
 
#657 ·
Started on the body mounts this am and quickly discovered that special clips, designed to break, are used on the storage bins to secure them in place. The storage bins have to be removed to access the hole cover for the rear body mount bolts....I absolutely hate doing anything half way so I decided to stop and order the clips before proceeding...

Got to test drive the truck with the new polyurethane radiator support bushings up front alone and I have to say that just those two significantly increases the feel and reduced body roll. A very worthwhile undertaking for just those two alone, and they are the easiest to do. Still a bit in shock as to the condition of the OEM bushings...
 
#658 ·
...well decided to stop work in general for now on replacing the cab mount bushings after pulling the bottom halves of two and inspecting. They look brand new, as they should. So I put them back on and torqued them and am now scratching my head.:confused: How can the core support bushings be trashed, as it appears is also the case on other trucks, and the cab mounts be in such good shape??
 
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