NHTSA Complaint #10515860 — 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA

MY COMPLAINT IS ON A 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA TRD OFFROAD DC 4.0 AT VEHICLE EXPERIENCING A BAD DRIVELINE VIBRATION WHEN ACCELERATING AND ESPECIALLY BREAKING. I FIRST EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM AROUND 2200 MILES WHILE DRIVING BACK FROM ANOTHER STATE. WHILE DRIVING OVER AT LEAST 40 MPH AND WHILE BRAKING NORMALLY TO A STOP BETWEEN 35 MPH AND 20 MPH A VIBRATION OCCURS FROM THE DRIVELINE. THE STEERING WHEEL DOESN'T VIBRATE BUT MY PEDALS START SHAKING AS WELL AS THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. THE VIBRATION WILL START SHALLOW AROUND 35 AND START TO GET REALLY AGGRESSIVE AROUND 28 MPH THEN IT WILL TAILOR OFF AROUND 20 MPH. THE VIBRATION ALSO OCCURS WHILE TAKING OFF FROM A STOP BETWEEN 1ST AND 2ND GEAR BUT WILL GO AWAY. I BROUGHT THIS ISSUE UP WITH MY TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT. THEY HAD MY VEHICLE FOR A TOTAL OF 6 DAYS FROM START TO FINISH. THEY PERFORMED TSB (T-SB-0249-12). THIS INVOLVES A SERIES OF STEPS. FIRST THEY TOOK THE DRIVE SHAFT OFF AND PUT THE VEHICLE IS 4WD HIGH AND DROVE IT. THE VEHICLE STILL VIBRATED. WITH THE VEHICLE BACK IN 2WD AND THE DRIVESHAFT REINSTALLED THE SECOND STEP WAS TO REPLACE THE REAR MOTOR MOUNTS WHICH THEY HAD TO ORDER NEXT DAY SINCE IT WAS NOT IN STOCK. THE PROBLEM STILL WAS THERE. THE THIRD STEP WAS TO REPLACE THE REAR LEAF SPRING ON EACH SIDE WHICH THEY HAD TO ORDER NEXT DAY SINCE IT WAS NOT IN STOCK. THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE NEXT STEP WAS TO REPLACE THE STEERING DAMPENERS WHICH THEY HAD TO ORDER NEXT DAY SINCE IT WAS NOT IN STOCK. AGAIN THIS DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA ADVISED THEM TO SWITCH OUT THE DRAFT SHAFT FROM A NEW TRUCK SIMILAR IN MODEL TO SEE IF IT WAS A DRIVE SHAFT ISSUE....STILL DIDN'T FIX IT. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION MOUNTS....NO SUCCESS. TOYOTA DISTRICT SERVICE DEPARTMENT TOLD MY SERVICE DEPARTMENT...."TOYOTA ADVISES CHARACTERISTIC OF TRUCK AND NO REPAIRS ARE NEEDED AT THIS TIME. RETURN TRUCK TO OWNER." *TR