2018 Toyota Tacoma Power Train

2018 2WD Tacoma. Auto transmission. Ever since new and even today, when traveling 30-40 MPH and slowing to anywhere from 10-25 MPH, and then trying to accelerate, the engine and/or transmission stumbles/hesitates for at least a full second, and then the engine races higher and a hard transmission downshift occurs jerking your head and body back and sending the vehicle into a fast acceleration.

2018 TACOMA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SHUDDERS, HESITATES AND MISSES AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 35-60 MPH. THIS HAPPENS CONSTANTLY. SLIGHT PEDAL AND LOW RPM'S IN 5TH AND 6TH GEAR IS WHEN IT'S MOST NOTICEABLE. ON OCCASION, THERE IS A MORE SERIOUS MISS, WHICH FEELS AS IF YOU HAVE TURNED THE IGNITION OFF AT 50MPH AND THEN RIGHT BACK ON. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN FREQUENTLY, 4 OR 5 TIMES IN THE 20,000 MILES I'VE DRIVEN IT. THE SHUDDER HAS BEEN LOOKED AT BY TOYOTA ON 3 OCCASIONS, AND HAS BEE SHRUGGED OFF AS A "TYPICAL CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE". TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA MADE AN APPOINTMENT FOR ME TO SEE THE SERVICE MANAGER WHO RODE WITH ME AND FELT THE SHUDDER AND MISSING. HE HAD ME TEST DRIVE A 2019 V6 AUTOMATIC OFF ROAD AND IT ALSO HAD THE SHUDDER AND MISSING IN THE SAME RANGE. THE FINAL OUTCOME WAS THAT IT IS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE AND THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. THE FUEL PUMP RECALL WAS DONE. THE POWER TRAIN WAS RE-FLASHED. NO CHANGE IN THE CONDITION. IT IS VERY UNNERVING AND DISAPPOINTING THAT THEY CONSIDER THIS CONDITION ACCEPTABLE.

IN AUGUST 2018, I PURCHASED NEW, A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5, 4 DOOR, 2 WHEEL DRIVE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE TRANSMISSION JERKS/DELAYS/STAGGERS AT SPEEDS OF MID-30'S, MID-40'S, AND AROUND 65 MPH. THIS STARTED AROUND 8000 MILES. OCCURS WITH OR WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL ON. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER FOR 8 ASSESSMENTS OR REPAIRS FOR THIS ISSUE. RECENTLY, THE TRANSMISSION DID NOT CHANGE GEARS UNTIL 4000 RPMS WHILE I WAS PULLING A SMALL UTILITY TRAILER. WE HAD TO TRAVEL AT LESS THAN SAFE HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNTIL PULLING OVER. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT. THE PROBLEM IS CONSTANT AND REPRODUCIBLE. THE SERVICE MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP CLAIMS THIS HAPPENS IN SOME, BUT NOT ALL 2018 TACOMAS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE.

MY TRANSMISSION ISN'T WORKING PROPERLY. IT DOESN'T SHIFT WHEN IT SHOULD OR IT DOWNSHIFTS WHEN IT SHOULDN'T. WHEN I AM USING CRUISE CONTROL IT'S STAYS IN LOW GEARS WAY TO LONG AND REEVES THE ENGINE VERY HIGH. ONCE I TAKE IT OFF CRUISE CONTROL IT GETS BETTER BUT STILL ISN'T RIGHT. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2018.

THE CLUTCH FOR THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION STAYS AT THE FLOOR WHEN DEPRESSED IN COLD WEATHER. BELOW 20 DEGREES F. IT BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. I HAVE TO WAIT FOR ALL TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE TRYING TO PULL OUT ONTO A LARGE ROAD AS I DON'T KNOW WHEN OR IF THE CLUTCH WILL ENGAGE. THE DEALER WON'T TOUCH IT AS THEY DO NOT HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THE ISSUE.

FEELS VERY UNDER POWERED FOR A V6 ENGINE. THE PICK UP SEEMS DETERIORATING AFTER FEW MONTHS OF APPLYING TRANSMISSION PROGRAMMING UPGRADE. DOESNT FEEL CONFIDENT TO PASS OR MERGE TO A BUSY HIGHWAY.

WHEN SITTING ON A HILL, WHEN YOU MOVE FROM THE BRAKE TO THE GAS THE TRANSMISSIN (AUTOMATIC) APPEARS TO GO IN NEUTRAL AND THE TRUCK WILL ROLL BACKWARDS A WAYS BEFORE THE TRANSMISSION ENGAGES AGAIN. I TOLD A SERVICE TECH AT DEALERSHIP ABOUT IT AND HE SAID THEY ALL DO IT AND THERE IS NO FIX. HE ASKED ME IF I HAD IT IN THE MOUNTAINS YET AND I TOLD HIM NO AND HE SMILED AT ME SO NOW I AM SCARED TO GO INTO THE MOUNTAINS. THIS COULD BE A PROBLEM IN HEAVY TRAFFIC OR VERY DANGEROUS IN AN OFF ROAD SITUATION. THE TECH SAID THEY HAVE HAD 4 OTHERS IN THIS WEEK FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. THEY GIVE ME AN APPT. FOR NEXT WEEK SO THEY CAN PUT MY TRUCK ON THE LIST.

WHEN BRAKING, STARTING TO COME TO A STOP AND WHEN THE TRUCK DOWN SHIFTS JUST BEFORE 1ST, THERE IS A VIBRATION BEFORE IT FULLY STOPS.

WHEN DRIVING THE CAR WHEN THE ENGINE IS COMPLETELY COLD AND SHIFTING MAINLY FROM 2ND AND UP, THE TRANSMISSION HESITATES WHEN GOING INTO GEAR. ONCE THE TRUCK IS WARMED UP TO NORMAL OPERATING TEMPS, IT DOESN'T DO IT ANYMORE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2018 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, THE GEAR SHIFTER KNOB BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO STEWART TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 3400 I-145, CORSICANA, TX 75110, (903) 874-6556) AND REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145.

BOUGHT TRUCK BRAND NEW. WITHIN A COUPLES OF WEEKS NOTICED RANDOM SHUDDERING VIBRATION WHEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE NOT AROUND 35-45 MPH. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA. THEY STATED THEY COULD NOT IMITATE THE ISSUE. SHUDDERING IS WORSE AND CONSISTENT AROUND 35-50 MPH. CURRENTLY AROUND 2000 MILES ON ODOMETER. SCHEDULED ANOTHER APPT WITH TOYOTA THIS WEEK.