crazy_horse3030

I got a 1998 Tacoma with the 2.7, and it has been nothing but problems. Let me explain:

When I got it, starter went out. I didn't think much of that, for I know starters don't last forever.

Few months later the harmonic balancer came loose and that caused a 400 dollar dent in my wallet.

Several months after that, o2 sensor bugged out. Once again, I didn't think to much of it. 02 sensors have a operating life as well.

Lets mosey on about a year when this jewel had the clutch to wear out. I got a new clutch put in. I know clutches go out, but at 90,000 I found that kind of ridiculous.

Not 3 days after the clutch repair, the slave cylinder went out. (Son of a...)

Get that repaired, and not 6 months after that I started having shifting problems. After about another 6 months I completely lost 2nd and 4th.

Got a new transmission (which was cheaper than a rebuild). I thought a lot of this one, this one really chapped my behind.

And now to present day, where she is sitting in a shop with a bunch of guys trying to figure out why I can't get over several hundred RPMS without shaking, shutter, and losing power. Its been with Toyota 2 days and they are still having problem finding what the deal is.

I understand we all have lemons....but I got a ton of friends with newer toyotas that stay in the shop more than on the road.

I will salute the older Toyotas, mostly the 22r trucks. Other than that, they have lost my respect.

Oh yeah, before a bunch of folks start yelling at me for blasphemy because I spoke bad on a toyota website, it is just my opinion. Actually I would love to hear folks change my mind by giving me success stories.

Now I will end my venting session.

Thanks folks!

Albert.G

hahaah...my buddie just bought a 1999 sr5 2.7 tacoma ...and its been nothing but a big pill of ....bought it from the dealer...and it was perfect condish...look underneath and theres holes in his frame tons of them...so hes givin it back...a law suit might be on someone...but yeah...the newer' trucks arnt even called a toyota

BajaRunner

Definetly sounds like you got a lemon there.

I know quite a few people who have Toyotas, and I don't think I've heard of anyone having the problems you've had back to back. Of course, your truck is 10 years old. 95% of the time, a 10 year old Toyota will be much more dependable than other makes.

Was this your first Toyota? I'm only 25, and I have had 2 4runners, my dad has had an 82 P/U, 89 Land Cruiser and 03 Tundra. My mom has had an 84 Tercel, 91 Camry and a 98 Camry, none of which has had even close to the problems you've had!

One amazing story is my dad's buddy had an 84 p/u with over 400,000 miles. He still sold it for $4500.

But, I understand where you're coming from....sorta

waskillywabbit

iTrader: (-1)

While I empathize with your situation, there is a lot of ambiguity in your post and selective information concerning the vehicle history.

10 year old vehicles all have issues unless habitually and proactively maintained.

Sounds like you are not the OO and that a lot of maintenance has not been done to your vehicle at the proper time and/or the PO abused it.

You should have replaced the clutch, MC and slave when you did the tranny, as proactive maintenance as they are integrally related.

Among my friends and family that have vehicle issues are the ones who either do little or no proactive maintenance on their vehicle and only do anything to it as a reaction to something neglected that breaks. Ignorance and indifference, plain and simple.

Good luck with getting your truck back up to snuff.

AppleJack

Even if you CARFAX'd it, there could have been issues long be fore you bough it that didn't get reported. The same thing happen to me with my ol' '81 after I replaced darn near everything (engine, tranny rebuilt, brakes, new f/r diffs, and front stub shafts, on and on) I was left feeling as you do. After about 2 years of ownership, I was approached by guy who recognized the license plate but no the truck (new paint, lift, tires). I told him my story and he informed me that the PO's daughter got it stuck in a pond, halfway up the doors, for 2 weeks!!! No wonder...perhaps yours had an extended bath too. Even Toyota's wont take much of that.

pkt1213

iTrader: (1)

That sucks. I've owned 4 Toyotas and never had that many problems.

The only thing I ever did on all of them was change the timing belt on the 4runner and I think I put tires on them. Never a clutch or slave cyl or tranny all with between 130-180k miles and who knows maybe the stock clutch.

Actaully one of my Paseo's needed a new half shaft but I think that was due to doughnuts in a snowy parking lot back in college.

Sorry you bought a lemon. The PO must have beat the out of it.

crazy_horse3030

I appreciate ya'lls comments.

SC4runner, thanks for the success stories on your trucks.

Wabbit, I also like to say, I am not the orignal owner. Maintaince is something i take very very seriously. I am almost obsessive compulsive when it comes to maintaince. If you want an itemized list on the things I cover and how often I cover them, I will readily present them.

Applejack, it is very well likely that my truck was run to death before I got it, and it may have had an extended bath as well!

To all, I may drive the truck a little rough myself around town, every once and a while spinning a tire.... But I rarely rarely take the truck off road. I have changed every fluid in the truck more often than required, and tried to maintain and grease everything that needed it. Like I stated above, preventative maintaince is a pet peeve of mine. Folks who don't do it aggrivate me.

But I do appreciate your comments. I hope everyone keeps sending me success stories on how their trucks run good. I need a little inspiration as bad as I feel right now about my truck.

Chrisnxl185

ya i agree you bought a truck the the previous beat the sh** out of.

crazy_horse3030

pkt1213 - thanks for your comments as well.

oh yeah, your signature killed me when I read it.

If it has tits or tires it will give you problems!

Haha.

J-Ball

Bummer, hate to hear Toyota woes. I can relate to a point. I have 1995.5 Tacoma that I bought new, maintained fairly regularly and absolutly beat the holy hell out of it. It has over 200,000 on the od and still runs as good as it did when I drove it off the lot. (other than the front end which in now in need of a complete rebuild b/c I havn't maintained it very well) And when I mean beat the hell out of it that is an understatement. I've bent the frame 3 times pulling trailers that way literaly 3 times more than my truck. I use a tractor to straighten in out! I've sunk it in a creeks and rivers, wheeled it from Moab to Engineers Pass to the Pokono's. And on and on. Again, runs great, no oil leaks, dosn't burn oil, etc.

Now, with the great success of my Taco I bought a used 2000 4Runner with 140,000 miles on it. This thing has been a pain in my arse since day 1. I now know that the previous owner changed the engine oil like clockwork but pretty much neglected everything else. So, I'm having to do extra work to this thing to keep it going. One thing I learned when I got my degree from the School of Hard Knocks is you MUST change ALL fluids on a regular basis. If not your asking for trouble. Lemon? Any vehicle thats 10 years old and has tons of miles will need continual maintainence. Hopefully you can get your issues worked out and have a great running truck for another 10 years.

Good Luck

J...

chop_suey

my dad had a 97 tacoma 4x4 2.7 with about 230k when he got a newer tacoma 3.4, but the 97 never gave him any problems that i can remember, always been dependable even after hitting a deer on the interstate and hitting a sign and running through a ditch, it still ran and drove fine just, everything still worked, they are tough trucks, sux that you got a bad one tho.

icerunner

Crazyhorse,
I feel your pain man.... Trust me... with out a car payment YOU ARE STILL WAY AHEAD OF THE GAME (Financially).
If you were driving a new car, that 400.00 a month car payment, PLUS the added cost of insuring a new car would cost you about $6K a year on average. NOW COMES DEPRECIATION.... Actually it costs with depreciation about 10K per year to own a new car....

I Know you havent Spent 6K a year on your truck for repairs (mods NOT included)...? Even with all of the breakdowns and repair bills, you are still FAR ahead money wise from most people who NEED a new car every 2-3 years....BTW No question in my mind that the previous owner(s) beat the living snot out of the car....

I have had nothing but look luck with my toyotas...Owned a 93 camry V6 in college and the Head gasket went out at 165K (I now think it was a engine "Sludging" issue).. After the H.G. failure I put a new engine in the car for about $3K total..

NOW GET THIS..... and 20K Miles later I ran into the back of another car (ford F250) and the F250's hitch killed my camry.... $3 K down the drain and that Broke my heart. the car sat in my drive way for 1 year and then I finally Sold the car for 900.00 with the practically NEW engine and all.
I bought my 99' 4 runner at 60K miles and I paid $110.00 to the dealer to have a Master tech Inspect the car..Man did HE DO A GOOD JOB....I'm at 150K Now and NEVER a major issue...

NO QUESTION Previous owner abuse.....

CLin9383

Sorry to hear about your unfortunate run in with that yota. Here is my success story. I currently have a 96 Limited, I will list the parts I have changed since day 1 off the lot. Fluids I will leave off since those are standard intervals.
1. Recall HG and Rear Springs
2. Timing belt and waterpump at 120k
3. 2 sets of tires
4. 1 set of front brake pads at 110k
5. steering rack bushings at 135k
6. rusted front sway bar (due to living in winter weather for 10 years)
7. New battery at 100k

Thats it. Everything else is stock. This was my first Toyota and I am hooked. I almost got a grand cherokee but couldnt pull the trigger on it due to the reliability I had heard about Toyota. Good luck!

pdyebrasil

Well, I am on my first Toyota, and I come from a family that loves domestic cars, and I still do... but I love my 4Runner! In fact my family recently bought another 4Runner for my little sister because they liked mine so much.

Anyway, I owned an '86 Jeep Cherokee before this, and I was used to working on it quite a bit. I loved it, but it was a pain. I now have had my '98 4Runner for about a year, and it has had ZERO problems. The only thing I've had done is the timing belt and water pump, which were both preventative maintenance. I love it, now I can actually spend my money on mods instead of just fixing stuff!

Granted, you cannot compare an '86 to a '98, but I love my Toyota!

icerunner

Ditto on that for my Repairs
1) Spark plugs changed about every 35- 40K (Learned that the hard way)
2) Trans drain and fill every 10K ( 4 qts at a time)
3)Breaks at 98K
4) Oil changes every 7500 with Mobil 1 and M1 Filter
5) Flushed radiator twice
6) timing belt at 105K and I should have changed the water pump at that time... I didn't, see #7
7) I do have a small drip (2 to 3 drops from time to time) on my OEM water pump, as the original water pumps used paper gaskets and not the current metal gaskets... I am going to have that done soon and am waiting for 175 K and I also do the timing belt and other related stuff..
Thats pretty much it....


I'm freaking hooked as well ....FYI 4cyl engines do no last as long as 6cyl and 6 cyl no not last as long a s 8 CYL engines . Think about it 4 cyl engines have to Rev higher to get the car to move...and like wise 4 cyl engines don't last as long...

CJM

Sounds to me like someone abused the holy hell out of it before you even got it.

cackalak han

I'd like to know which newer Toyota's are spending more time in the shop than on the road. I know probably about 10 people (know very close) with newer Toyota's (2005+) and NONE has had any mechanical issues. Or ANY kind for that matter. Maybe they're sending all the lemons to your region?

BTW, go get yourself a Jeep and then tell us your woes. I've been there, done that.

ismoyota

if you reach in to a barrel of apples and get 1 thats rotten would you throw way the rest?

mkgarrison5

wow thats the issue i had with my jeeps at one time and vow never to own another one..bought a tacoma and its the best vehicle i have ever owned to date so far.. she has 105k on the clock

jdsdj98

Wow. Sounds like a really sour lemon to me.

My truck's specs/stats are in my signature. Bought it in '00 with 123k on it. It's still got the original clutch. I have YET to have a significant problem that isn't related to normal wear & tear (just brakes, belts, cat, struts/shocks, a single broken leaf spring, & a/c o-rings). I've been religious about oil changes every 3k, but not always about all other fluids. This truck is my daily driver, but also spends some time bouncing up & down forest roads during the summer here. Fairly mild compared to what some here are into, but it gets some good 4WD workouts from time to time.

I had to replace my t-case about a year ago, but that was due to my own neglect & abuse and was a very abnormal situation (Thanks H-Man!).

Your story is the exception and certainly not the rule. But I understand that one exception can be enough to change your view. Good luck, and even better luck next go-round.