2009 Toyota Tacoma Powertrain & Transmission Problems

The contact owns a 2009 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while pulling into the driveway, the transmission suddenly disengaged causing the vehicle to stall. The contact turned off the vehicle and noticed that transmission fluid was leaking underneath the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed to a certified mechanic who diagnosed that the transmission line had rusted through causing the transmission failure. The transmission line was replaced; however, the forward gears remained inoperable. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under recall for the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 65,000.

AFTER COMING TO A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT OR STOP SIGN, IT FEELS LIKE A "THUD" UNDER THE VEHICLE AND/OR GETTING HIT FROM BEHIND. I NOTICED THIS ON A RARE OCCASION STARTING ABOUT A YEAR AGO, BUT IT SEEMS TO NOW HAPPEN MORE OFTEN THAN NOT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BRAKES DID NOT WORK. THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOORBOARD MOMENTARILY AND THEN STARTED WORKING AGAIN. IN ADDITION, THE SERVICE ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TECHNICIAN CLEANED THE BRAKES AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO BRAKE FAILURE. ON ANOTHER OCCASION, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHIFTED FROM REGULAR GEAR INTO FOUR WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS OWN. ALSO, THE TRACTION CONTROL INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO JOEL CONFER TOYOTA (814-237-5713, LOCATED AT 120 CLINTON AVE, STATE COLLEGE, PA 16803) WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADDED TRANSMISSION FLUID AND REMOVED A METAL PIECE THAT BROKE OFF THE FUEL TANK COVER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURES. AND CONTACT WAS TOLD UNINTENDED ACCERLATION TEMPLATE WAS THE PROBLEM, HAPPEN FOR 4 DAYS. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,899. *BF 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

DRIVESHAFT AND UNIVERSAL JOINT PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS ISSUED A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT - ZH2" FOR THIS PROBLEM, BUT IT SHOULD BE A FULL RECALL, AS THE CONDITION CAN LEAD TO SUDDEN DRIVESHAFT FAILURE, LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL, AND DEATH. THE PROBLEM APPEARS TO ALSO EXTEND TO THE CENTER BEARING AND POSSIBLY THE DRIVESHAFT ITSELF, AS I TOOK MY TRUCK IN FOR SERVICE UNDER WARRANTY, AND STILL HAVE VIBRATION ISSUES EVEN AFTER THE WARRANTIED PARTS (AND CENTER SUPPORT BEARING AT SIGNIFICANT EXTRA COST) WERE REPLACED. THIS VIBRATION BEGINS AROUND 40 MPH AND INCREASES THROUGH 60 MPH. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND MAY SUSTAIN A SUDDEN DRIVESHAFT FAILURE FROM IMPROPER REMEDIATION OF THIS ISSUE UNDER THE ZH2 CAMPAIGN.

REAR WHEEL BEARINGS GRINDING WHILE DRIVING.

AFTER GOING IN REVERSE THEN STOPPING AND PLACING THE VEHICLE IN DRIVE, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP, I WOULD ACCELERATE BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOTHING BUT REV UP AND THEN IT WILL FINALLY ENGAGE.

BOUGHT A 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA NEW. WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO MAKE A TURN, THEN ACCELERATE THE ENGINE REVS UP TO 3,000 RPMS AND THE TRANSMISSIONS TAKES SEVERAL SECONDS TO ENGAGE INTO GEAR. THIS IS A DEFINITE HAZARD WHEN IT COMES TO ON COMING TRAFFIC. *TR

AS SOON AS I CAME TO A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION, WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, I NOTICED AND FELT A THUMP COMING FROM UNDERNEATH AND TOWARDS THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. IT DOES NOT DO IT EVERY TIME BUT THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ALREADY... UPDATED 09/30/15*BF UPDATED 11/01/2017*CN

I CAME TO A RED TRAFFIC LIGHT AND I HIT THE BRAKES BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN SO GRABBED THE STEERING WHEEL AND PUSHED DOWN ON THE BRAKE PETAL BUT THE CAR STILL WOULD NOT STOP SO PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN NEUTRAL AND THE CAR FINALLY STOPPED BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE THE TACK WAS UP TO 4000, WHEN THE LIGHT CHANGED TO GREEN I PUT THE CAR INTO DRIVE AND THE CAR JERKED FORWARD AND AFTER ABOUT 4 SECONDS THE TACK DROPPED BACK TO 2000 RPM. *TR

WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE, UPON REACHING 35 TO 40 MILES PER HOUR THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE FOR ABOUT TWO TO THREE SECONDS. AFTER DOING RESEARCH ON THE COMPUTER AND AFTER HAVING THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AT THE DEALER, I WAS TOLD THAT I NEEDED A NEW TRANSMISSION. APPARENTLY THERE IS A TORQUE CONVERTER LOCKUP PROBLEM. I WAS TOLD THAT THE TSB DOES NOT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE BECAUSE IT IS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA IS DELIBERATELY TRYING TO FIND A WAY TO NOT HAVE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. IF THIS IS HAPPENING IN OTHER VEHICLES THERE IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE VEHICLES MILEAGE IS WHEN THE PROBLEM OCCURS. TOYOTA WILL GENERALLY STAND BY THE PRODUCTS THEY SELL AND THESE ARE THE VEHICLES MY FAMILY HAS EVER PURCHASED. HOWEVER, WE WILL DEFINITELY NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM TOYOTA AGAIN. *TR

AT FREEWAY SPEEDS GRINDING NOISE FROM DRIVELINE UPON DECELERATION. IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS GOING TO BREAK/LOCKUP. DEALERSHIP HAD THE TRUCK FOR 2 WEEKS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEY OPENED A SERVICE TICKET WITH TOYOTA AND EVENTUALLY A FIELD SERVICE TECH CAME TO DIAGNOSE THE TRUCK. HE DIDN'T ACKNOWLEDGE IT STATING "NO ABNORMAL NOISE HEARD DURING OPERATION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. NO FURTHER REPAIRS AUTHORIZED". I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE AND THEY TOLD ME "WE STAND BEHIND OUR TECHS". TCC WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO SPEAK WITH THE FIELD SERVICE TECH?!? I EXPRESSED MY FEAR OF AN ACCIDENT TO TCC TO NO AVAIL. WHY WOULD THE DEALER BE SO CONCERNED ABOUT MY TRUCK BUT TOYOTA BLEW IT OFF? I AM VERY DISPLEASED WITH TOYOTA. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FOOT REST NEXT TO THE CLUTCH SNAPPED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE PIECE THAT CAME OFF, FELL BEHIND THE HER FOOT, CAUSING A DISRUPTION IN OPERATING THE VEHICLE PROPERLY. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THEY COULD PROVIDE NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 19,200. UPDATED 07/17/12*LJ

MANUAL TRANSMISSION CLUTCH DIFFICULT ENGAGING. SLIPPING FEELING IN FORWARD GEARS AND REVERSE. THE CENTER SECTION OF THE CLUTCH DISK HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE FRICTION MATERIAL SECTION OF THE CLUTCH DISK. DEFECTIVE CLUTCH. *TR

CLUTCH SLIPS GOING UP HILL. YOU HAVE TO DOWNSHIFT WHEN GOING UP HILL. *TR

2009 TOYOTA TACOMA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPAGE WHILE TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM LOW SPEED. THIS OCCURS AFTER SLOWING DOWN TO BETWEEN 5 AND 10 MPH. WHEN YOU TRY TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE REVS UP BETWEEN 500 AND 2000 RPM BUT THE VEHICLE DOES NOT ACCELERATE. I REPORTED THIS SHORTLY AFTER I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WAS A KNOWN ISSUE AND ALL THE TACOMA TRANSMISSIONS DID THIS AND IT WAS NORMAL. THE ISSUE STILL OCCURS AND I HAVE ASKED THE DEALER IF TOYOTA HAS A FIX FOR IT EVERY TIME I TAKE THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND I AM TOLD THERE IS NO FIX AND THE TRANSMISSION IS WORKING CORRECTLY EVEN THOUGH THE SERVICE ADVISOR SAID HE GET NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FROM OTHER TACOMA OWNER. THIS COULD BE A SERIOUS PROBLEM IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND I AM UNABLE TO ACCELERATE TO AVOID AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. *TR

I HAVE A 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA AND WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED FOR EXAMPLE AT A RED LIGHT THE VEHICLE RPM WILL INCREASE AND THE VEHICLE WILL THEN LURCH FORWARD. FORTUNATELY MY FOOT IN ON THE BRAKE. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAS A WHINING NOISE FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE THAT HAS BEEN IDENTIFIED BY TOYOTA REGIONAL REPS AS A WHINING NOISE FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AT 50 TO 70 MPH. TAKEN BACK 3 TIMES TO DEALER THEY SAY ITS NORMAL BUT I KNOW IT IS NOT. THESE MAY BE 2 SEPARATE ISSUES BUT IT IS CLEAR THAT TOYOTA MAKES IT DIFFICULT FOR IT'S CUSTOMERS TO GET WARRANTY REPAIRS AND IN ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM. TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED FOR ITS LACK OF CUSTOMER SERVICE IN FIXING ITS VEHICLES UNTIL PEOPLE GET INJURED. *KB

'09 TOYOTA TACOMA. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY AT SLOWER SPEEDS. DROPS INTO FIRST GEAR AND LURCHES WHEN TURNING A CORNER. TRUCK TRANSMISSION FEELS OUT OF CONTROL AT APEX OF TURN IN AN INTERSECTION. NOT SAFE FOR FOOT TRAFFIC OR OTHER VEHICLES IN THE INTERSECTION. DEALERSHIP SAYS TRANSMISSION IS OK. MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM ON EDMONDS.COM FORUM. TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM. *TR

2009 TOYOTA TACOMA GAS PEDAL STUCK ON FREEWAY ON OUR 16 YEAR OLD SON. WE HAD TAUGHT HIM FROM SEEING TOYOTA ON THE NEWS TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND GET TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, WHICH HE DID SUCCESSFULLY. THE TRUCK WAS TOWED TO THOUSAND OAKS TOYOTA, THEY STATED NOTHING WAS WRONG AND ASKED FOR MY SON TO "DRIVE IT WITH A TECHNICIAN AND TRY TO REPLICATE THE PROBLEM". WE SOLD IT BACK TO THEM, LOST $8500 DOLLARS, THE DEALER WAS UNHELPFUL AND OTHER IMHO RUDE AND TOYOTA CORPORATE 800 NUMBER DIDN'T ANSWER AFTER 5 ATTEMPTS AND 3 HOURS ON THE PHONE. WE ARE EXTREMELY UPSET ABOUT THIS. *TR

TRUCK WAS PURCHASED NEW IN MAY 2009 (TACOMA SR5, 4X4, ACCESS CAB, 4L, V6, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, TOWING PACKAGE). WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE ENGINE WILL REV UP TO 5000 RPM. MY FOOT IS ON THE BRAKE WHEN THIS HAPPENS, AND I AM NOT SLAMMING ON THE BRAKE. WHEN I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL, THE REVVING STOPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES IN TWO DAYS, NOT EVERY TIME I STOP. THE TRUCK HAS 3900 MILES ON IT. AFTER THE THIRD TIME, I DROVE DIRECTLY TO THE DEALER. THEY DID A "SYSTEM HEALTH CHECK" AND THE TEST CAME BACK OK. THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE CONDITION IN THE TIME THEY HAD THE VEHICLE. I LEFT THE VEHICLE THERE FOR A TECHNICIAN TO DRIVE TO SEE IF HE/SHE CAN REPLICATE THE CONDITION. *TR

FROM A COMPLETE STOP I TURNED RIGHT AND ACCELERATED. THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO SHIFT CAUSING THE TRUCK TO NEARLY STOP. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THAT PAUSE, THE TRANSMISSION FOUND A GEAR AND THE TRUCK ACCELERATED FORWARD. MY BRAKES STOPPED THE TRUCK AND I DROVE IT TO MY DEALER. THIS HAS ONLY HAPPENED ONCE SO FAR. I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT. THE TOYOTA NATIONAL HOTLINE GAVE ME A CLAIM NUMBER AND CALLED MY DEALER TO MAKE SURE THEY LOOK AT MY PROBLEM. WORD ON THE STREET IS THAT TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS COMPUTER PROBLEM AND IS WORKING ON A "FIX". I JUST HOPE IT DOES NOT TAKE AS LONG AS THE ACCELERATOR PROBLEM TO FIX. *TR