AppleJack

Some people are saying that they are having more problems with the newer Taco's than they ever had with the older ones, some things are minor and some are not. My '99 4runner had a pulley that would squeal until it warmed up, but it had 129K on it when that started to happen. My '05 Taco is now doing the same and it's only got 37K. My 4runner's chassis was super quiet, even when flexing out on the trail. No squeaks or rattles on bumpy roads, and things like that were a testament to Toyota's build quality. It was just a super tight and solid rig. My new Taco seems a bit clunky up in the front when I push it hard in the rougher stuff. Some interior thing (haven't identified it yet) is clunking around now. My friend had an '05 and similar complaints. He thought, perhaps it's just because the "bugs" weren't worked out yet, so he bought an '07 and it's the same thing all over again. Don't get me wrong, I really like my truck, but I have been questioning the quality some. Is anyone else, or am I paranoid?

nix4x4

That honestly doesn't suprise me. Toyota was more interseted in adding new things to the 05+ Tacomas, such as the power outlet in the bed, giving it a meaner look, making it bigger, etc... And they didn't put a lot of time into build quality. Its the same across the board. My 02 Tundra feels firmer and drives better at 113k than the new ones do. Some are projecting the 2007 Camry to be the worst Camry ever built.

Belize Off Road Team

your not just paranoid. when i had my 03' Tundra Access Cab i had the same "fit & finish" complaints. when compared to my 91' 4Runner the only time the Tundra was quiter than my 4Runner was on the highway. i think is what it is, is that they try to HARD to make it LOOK nice rather than BE nice, you know? and the pulley on your 4Runner and now your Taco, is probably your Alternator, melt some candle wax over the pulley on the alternator and put the belt back on and you will never hear it again(so i'm told by people down here). The Tundra was the same off road, you could hear it creaking and groaning as it twisted. But on gravel roads, it RULED, it was soft, quite, smooth. and there was a mysterious rattle near the roofline where the hook to close the back half door was. i couldnt see it or figure out what it was.
Toyota recently slipped down from 1st in Quality to 5th! Toyota is slowly losing its touch, their best vehicles to date are the FJ40 and the 1978-1995 Pick-up and the 1980-1995 4runner. after 1995 it seems as though Toyota was no longer aiming to make its name in quality off road rigs, but more in Family vehicles.(sorry96+ owners). but its true. just look at the facts. the 4Runners/Taco's started to lose ground clearance AFTER 1996.
all the changes after 95 where made so the vehicles where more "Family/Soccor Mom" orientated. you knows it true. nothing is more rugged out of the Yota line up than the 1st and 2nd gen 4runners and 1st, 2nd and 3rd gen Pick-up's. The Hilux Surf and Hilux are the same thing. i mean, they had Lockers and LSD's and adjustable Suspension in the 2nd gen Surfs! you didnt get adjustabl suspension till 2003 in the 4runners, i dont think the Taco's ever got it.

stormin94

They just don't make em like they used to. Soon people will start to notice that when their new Tundras, and new Tacomas are broken down, and they only have 50,000 on the clock.

CyMoN

that what happens when you out source your plants and make the cars and trucks in other country's. cheaper labor means less quality vehicle's.
we move our car plants to Mexico and japan moves their plants to America. funny how that works.

AppleJack

Well I guess I'll see how it goes from here. I really want it to be a good truck. I bought it to take it down to Guatemala, but if I start having too many more issues, I think I sell it and buy some diesel double cab Toyota down there, they're really spendy down there though.

Belize Off Road Team

WHAT, they are the same price for a doubleCab Hilux w/ 3.0L Turbo D intercooled 4x4 as it is for a double cab Tacoma!!!!!!!!!!!! 70,000BELIZE!! for TOP O THE LINE Hilux. and the US dollar is worth double the Belize dollar, so arond $35k for a nice diesel hilux. the Taco's are nice, but they just wont be as rugged as the 80's or early 90's ones where. i haven't been in a new Hilux yet, i'm gonna try to soon but i can't imagine they would be any worse than the USA Yotas. maybe a bit better.

Vermejo

I think the title of this post should be re-worked as "Best quality Tacoma?" given the implications of "Poorest": all of them being bottom contenders.

Consumer Reports still Rates the Tacoma as "Tops" alongside the Honda Ridgeline. Really want to off-road a Ridgeline? CR holds Toyota in general as producing the most reliable vehicles on the market for more years than any other company. Toyota has admitted that quality has been a concern with the growth of the company. At least they are addressing the problem whereas domestic companies don't even think they have one. Time will be the only factor that proves our trucks are #1 again and again. I have a good feeling about this one.

This topic post at TTORA has shed blood among owners on both sides.

neoworm0

I've been feeling the quality has been slipping for some time. When I went to search for my last truck I specifically looked for a 1995 PU. Last year built and assembled in JAPAN. It'll probably be the last Toyota I buy. On this side of the pond anyway. They're just getting to big now. The company and the trucks.

infiltrator

i really hope toyota gets is crap together. i wish they made trucks with metal still rather than that fiberglass crap. i would rather pull out a dent than replace a whole quarter panel...

well when my 4runner does die someday, what do i do. should i buy another toyota? im not sure what to do.
maybe i will save up and go to bmw haha.
dreams.

pat161

Toyota is simply catering to what most Americans want. Look at the usual complaints before Toyota started making everything bigger and fancier. My 02 3rd gen works perfectly, yet I will admit compared to many vehicles it is very plain, especially interior wise. It lacks options, power and size, which is what most want now. I liked Toyota because they were different, not afraid to produce a more reliable less complicated vehicle. My 00 4Runner had no traction controls except abs and had a manual t-case, try to find those options on a Toyota now. I really tried to like the new Tacomas, FJ's and 4Runner when I wrecked my 00, but instead I got an 02 as I just can't warm up to the new Toyota look and feel. Going froma 93 p/u, then a 95.5 and 97 Tacoma, then an 00 and 02 Runner they all were very similar, then you climb in the new ones and feel like it is a different brand. The old ones aren't coming back, so I guess we all just have to deal with it. I hope time proves us wrong and the newer Toyotas hold up and last as well as the older ones.

nix4x4

I agree I think its ridiculous the way Toyota's mindset has changed over the last decade. They've built a name for thereselves and now they're just cashing in on it.

CoedNaked

You can tell with things like body mounts. On my truck (93 P/U) they have I believe it's 14 body mounts. When the 95.5 Tacoma's came out, they have 12body mounts. Also, have a look at the tailgate of my truck:

Note the metal latches holding this thing up, not whimpy cords.


Note that this thing is BOLTED in. Good luck stealing it.


Note that there is no plastic tailgate handle on mine (My truck was built in Japan and one of the last few years built in Japan for the Canadian market).

William

The only issue on my '06 so far was the weak springs, which is easy to take care of under the TSB (at least they acknowledge the problem). I didn't have my done, because I was planning on installing a lift with new springs anyway. Problem solved.

I did have unusual noises, but I fixed that too. All it took was hard mounting my High Lift jack, adding a bed mat to keep the stuff I keep in the bed from sliding around, and rearranging the tools and stuff that I keep in the storage areas under and behind the back seat (for those of you with noises, check under/behind the seat). Problem solved.

From what I could tell before I bought mine, the only midsize/compact truck that really even compares overall to the Tacoma with it's design and quality is the Nissan Frontier. But it has less aftermarket support, and my '91 Hardbody needed the rear differential and starter and transmission replaced in the first 85,000 miles, so I wouldn't buy another (although they may have been improved since).

Everything else in the same class is less capable off road, has more potential for major problems later on down the line, and in the case of the Canyon/Colorado, it has a smaller 4 door cab. And in the case of the Ranger, it is an old design with no full 4 door cab, which is also narrower.

So what other good options are there in a compact/midsize truck? Give me a Toyota over the others any day.

89macrunner

im hoping this isn't true

i want to get an x-runner in the next year or two...

shazaam

Nissan frontier is a surpisngly good alternative.

William

Yep, and I acknowledged that, although not with the same words.

But after all the problems my '91 had and the lack of aftermarket, Nissan left a bad impression on me. I'm sure the Frontier is very much improved, but I'll stick with my Tacoma.

alexe

i think some people just really cant except change.

X-AWDriver

I think you guys are overeacting and taking several published problems and just running with anything you can compare a previous Tacoma with. It's a new model and all new models have their issues but Toyota does need to tighten a few things up as of late.

William

I agree.

One example is when CoedNaked mentioned that the Tacoma has 2 fewer body mounts (12 versus 14). Maybe Toyota came out with stronger mounts and mount attachment points and the truck doesn't need those 2 mounts?

And with modern plastics that are superior to what was available years ago, is the fact that a plastic tailgate handle replaced the metal one a big deal? Mine seems plenty strong enough, and it won't corrode.

Okay, so what appears to be insulated stainless steel cables replaced steel tailgate supports, with no pivot point to corrode and bind (I see some rust at the pivot point in the pic). What's the big deal about that?

Why not complain about the things that are worth complaining about instead?