general problems of the 2007 Toyota Tacoma - part 1

I was stopped at a drive through, finished my transaction vehicle was in park. I placed my right foot on the brake and moved the shift lever to drive. The vehicle immediately accelerated at full throttle. I was able to stop within 2 car lengths and no collision was incurred.

This truck has a manual transmission and the problem occurs while it is in gear. If the engine is loaded at 50% of full throttle or more (accelerating, going up hills, interstate speeds) in 4th or 5th gear, and you take your foot off the accelerator pedal, the ecm (computer) consistently holds the throttle open for 10 seconds. In any situation where you need to stop quickly (yellow lights, car turns in front of you, pedestrian) and you step on the brake, the engine fights the brakes and greatly increases (>doubles) stopping distance. In one instance the rear wheels repeatedly broke-free, and it was extremely difficult to keep the vehicle going straight. On snow or ice, I expect maintaining control to be impossible: I'll spin at the first application of the brakes. Toyota techs have examined the vehicle twice and confirm that it is the ecm holding the throttle open, supposedly ". . . Helping the rpms to stay up for a brief period of time to help when shifting" and to mitigate emissions. It's not supposed to hold the throttle open when in gear, but I was told the ecm doesn't know when the clutch is engaged or what gear it's in. On my vehicle the normal "shift cycle" happens correctly between all the gears and lasts ~1 second as long as you don't "load" the engine greater than ~50%, as described above. But if you do, the ecm holds throttle for 10 seconds while the truck is in gear, which is 880ft at 60mph! I have spoken to Toyota several times: brenton, (800) 331-4331, case #1610030909. Brenton, a supervisor, claims that this is intended by design and is safe and refuses to do anything. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. While attempting to reverse, the vehicle lunged forward without warning and crashed into a wall. A police report was not filed and no injuries were reported. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 140,000.

The frame is rusting out on my Tacoma that I purchased and Toyota says since they inspected it 9 month ago it no longer qualifies for frame replacement program. It had not been driven under any negative road corrosive conditions in this time, and this frame was I believe rusted when inspected and not discovered because it has rusted from the inside out. Now the power steering has gone out and I have been experiencing acceleration problems with it since purchasing it. I contacted Toyota about the frame rust and was told basically too bad so sad. They have told me they filed my complaint under file #1603091915 at their national headquarters. The frame metal is defective. The power steering has quit working at approximately 75000 miles, and the truck accelerates under its own power when shifting into 5th gear.

2007 Toyota Tacoma. Consumer writes in regards to potential floor mat interference with accelerator pedal recall notice. The consumer stated there are no dealers where she lives and no one is authorized to address the recall issue. The consumer was informed she could pay $400 to have the vehicle shipped to another island for service.

Tl-the contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving at 5 mph the brake was depressed while approaching a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The vehicle crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. Sg.

As you are driving the steering is stiff at various points while turning the wheel and requires some force to correct the steering. It is worse from a standing start. This problem has been traced to a bad steering intermediate shaft. Service bulletin number: t-sb-0057-12 or sb-0119-10 rev2. This problem also shows up as rattling noise, or steering being sloppy. I believe this a problem that will lead to injuries and loss of vehicle control. . Read more...

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact was entering a parking space at 5 mph when the brakes were applied and the vehicle abnormally accelerated into a building. The contact sustained minor injuries and was transported to the emergency room. The front end of the vehicle was severely damaged and the vehicle was towed to an auto body shop. The manufacturer was notified and informed the contact that they would send an investigator to further inspect the failure. In addition, the manufacturer filed a claim on behalf of the contact. The failure mileage was 85,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the frame snapped while driving 30 mph, causing the vehicle to become difficult to stop when braking. The contact also stated that the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact called the manufacturer regarding any recalls for the vehicle. The manufacturer advised the contact that the VIN was included in every recall listed for the year, make and model including NHTSA campaign id number: 09v388000 (vehicle speed control). The manufacturer informed the contact to set up an appointment with an authorized dealer to have the recall service performed on the vehicle. The failure mileage was 135,553.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving 5 mph and attempting a turn, the vehicle abnormally accelerated without warning and the contact crashed into a ditch. The vehicle was then inspected by a dealer and they advised him that an inspector would come and diagnose the failure. The conclusion from the inspection was that there were no mechanical errors. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 92,000.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that as the vehicle was shifted into drive, the vehicle abnormally accelerated and crashed. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to an independent repair shop where a third party engineer authorized by the manufacturer examined the vehicle. The engineer was unable to diagnose the failure. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign id number 09v388000 (vehicle speed control:accelerator pedal) prior to the crash. The vehicle was repaired for the body damages. The failure and current mileage was unknown. The VIN was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact was driving up an incline approximately 55-60 mph. The contact applied the brakes yet the vehicle would not respond. There was an abnormal increase in engine rpms and the vehicle independently accelerated. The contact shifted from fourth to third gear and the vehicle continued to accelerate. After numerous attempts, the vehicle eventually decelerated and came to a complete stop. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer where they were unable to locate a defect pertaining to the acceleration. The clutch was replaced on the vehicle. The failure mileage was unavailable.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. The contact was attempting to brake from unknown speeds while driving downhill when the vehicle abnormally accelerated. The vehicle proceeded downhill where the vehicle crashed and ended up on top of a boulder. The steering wheel was damaged due to the rear axle being struck when the vehicle went over the boulder. The contact sustained injuries to his head and shoulders. The vehicle was towed to a service center by the insurance company a for an inspection of the damages and failure. A police report was available. The manufacturer advised they were unable to find the failure within the vehicle. The failure and current mileages were 100,000.

Unexpected acceleration incident at approx 12:30 pm, Friday, 12 mary 2010 in virginia beach va. Road dry, traction good. Speed limit 35 but I had begun slowing (coasting) in anticipation of red light as I approached an intersection. When light changed to red began to brake and experienced rapid pulsing of the brake system (somewhat similar to operation of anti-lock brakes on icy roads) at about 2nd or 3rd pulse, engine rpm increased rapidly from approx 1200 rpm to 4000 rpm plus. Cut the ignition and brought vehicle to a safe stop. Interval to car ahead had opened as I slowed prior to braking so was able to stop without collision, but would have rear-ended car ahead if I had been an normal interval when this incident occurred.

Periodically the vehicle will attempt to accelerate I. E. The engine will rev up as if the accelerator pedal was being depressed when the brake was applied. This has occurred three or four times since I purchased the vehicle on 1/9/10. The majority of the time this has happened at low speeds like when I was in a parking lot but the most recent incident happened when I tried to make a sudden stop to avoid a puppy in the middle of the road. I was unable to stop in a safe period of time. If there had been another vehicle or person in front of me I would have been unable to avoid hitting them. If I continue to press firmly on the brake the acceleration will stop but the time it takes to stop is greatly increased.

I have a Toyota on recall for floor mats. I did not have the Toyota floor mats, not provided when purchased. On 2/12/10 40k maintenance was done on my vehicle I expressed concern about the accelerate / brake issue that Toyota was having said my vehicle was not on the recall list. I asked the adviser if the mechanic would please check the accelerator & brakes while performing the maintenance check, he stated he that it would be done with the inspection. Upon receiving my Toyota from the service adviser, I again asked if it had been done. He stated that my Toyota was in perfect condition. Prior to the accident, I did not notice any problem with either the accelerator or braking system. On the morning of 2/26/10 approximately 10:15 - 10:30 I was taking my child to school. I parked my Toyota in a car space and took her to class. I returned to my vehicle to drive home. I was wearing my seat belt. I stepped on the brake, started the truck, shifted to reverse and gentle tapped the accelerator. The truck accelerated out of control at least 53 ft backwards into a tree. I tried to stop the vehicle with the brakes but the didn't work. I remember glancing forward for a split second to make sure my foot was completely on the brake pedal and applying additional pressure turning back around and then the back of my truck hit the tree. Per police there was a 53 ft skid mark from one of my tires. Tires were still spinning per witnesses after car hit the tree. I turned off the truck. At that point the fire & ambulance arrived and shortly after that the police. Police report. I do not know the exact speed I was traveling. I do not know the exact mileage on the truck.

On or about February 6, 2010, a 2007 Toyota Tacoma was being driven in los angeles, CA when the driver lost control of the vehicle and crashed. Both the driver and passenger died from the injuries. Updated 04/05/10 according to the police report, the driver was traveling at an unsafe speed due to the wet road conditions. Updated ivoq 08/23/10.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. While driving 20 mph the vehicle accelerated out of control and hit a fence as she was driving 20 mph on a winding road. The contact sustained minor injuries. The front bumper was damaged. The police were not called. After the vehicle was driven home the Toyota dealer was notified. The dealer informed her to wait until she received a recall notice in the mail before bringing the vehicle in so they could check her accelerator pedal. The manager was very rude and advised her not to call the office again. The failure mileage was 47,000. Updated 3/30/10 updated 06/17/jb.

I was driving my 2007 Toyota Tacoma, which is a 4 cylinder standard shift model, and approaching a stop sign with the clutch depressed and my other foot on the brake when the engine went to maximum rpm. I shut the ignition off immediately and looked at the accelerator which was all the way up. I then restarted the vehicle and it ran normally. A subsequent visit to the place where this happened revealed a utility pole with 3 transformers on it. The static from these transformer was so intense that it drowned out the radio. This incident would appear to contribute to the theory that electromagnetic interference is a possible factor in the Toyota accelerator problem. No previous or subsequent problems have been experienced.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. While driving 10 mph the vehicle accelerated without intention. After repeated brake application the vehicle would not stop. Consequently she crashed into an embankment, and then into a tree. The front fender and sides of the vehicle were damaged badly. The police came but there was no report because no-one was injured. A tow truck came and towed the vehicle out of the ditch . The vehicle was driven home because it would cost too much to tow the vehicle to their home. The manufacturer has not been contacted. The failure mileage was 13,000.

On 1 Dec 2009 I was driving behind a lebanon riii district school bus at approximately 3pm on washington Ave in lebanon mo. I was driving my 2007 Toyota Tacoma at approximately 20-25 mph when the school bus began to slow to make a left turn. I was approximately 30 feet behind the bus and lifted my foot off the accelerator to coast my truck and then began to brake when the bus stopped to make its turn. When I applied the brakes the truck did not slow, instead it kept at about the same speed despite pressure on the brake pedal. At first I thought I had brake failure and pushed harder on the pedal and was practically standing on the pedal when I impacted the rear of the bus. The crash resulted in minor damage to the bus, but major damage to the Tacoma ($8k). There were no injured children on the bus, however, some parents took their child to a doctor for a check-up. Eye witnesses of the accident verified that I tried to stop the Tacoma and could not. Additionally, there was approximately 20 feet of fresh tire skid mark behind the truck which indicated the brakes worked as intended. The crash occurred after both vehicles had crossed a series of railroad tracks at a train crossing. I called Toyota later on in the day to report the accident and followed up by mailing a narrative description of the accident, police report and insurance adjuster's estimate of damages to the truck on 15 Dec 09. Toyota also send a representative to investigate the truck who inturn filed a report with Toyota hq. I received response from Toyota on 20 Jan 10 and their report said that they could not find any manufacturer defect with the Tacoma which could have caused the accident. I believe they are in error and believe there may be a software problem with the ecu or accelerator control module which may have been affected by radio signals or electron signals by the train crossing.

I had come to a complete stop at a red light. With my foot on the brake, my 2007 Toyota Tacoma started to accelerate. I freaked out, thinking that I may have accidentally pushed down on the accelerator pedal. I moved my foot over to the left a little, with no change. I then looked down to make sure that my foot was not on the accelerator pedal. Luckily, the light changed not long after this incident. It has never occurred again.

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota Tacoma. When the contact stopped at a stop sign, the vehicle surged forward and the rpms increased. The vehicle would not downshift and he had to slam on the brakes in order to stop the vehicle. The failure occurred twice in June of 2009. The dealer could not duplicate the failure or provide further assistance. The manufacturer opened a case regarding the issue. The current mileage was 34,071 and failure mileage was approximately 33,900.

When driving down hill and applying the brakes, the vehicle accelerates and the engine revs up. This can be repeated on a regular basis. Inquired about the problem with the dealer and was told it was normal.

Accelerator moving to wide open position and sticking. Intermittently occurs. Toyota motors sent recall notice for mats only and the mats aren't what caused the problem. I had and still have dealer installed mats in my vehicle. The notice for the mats was sent a couple of months ago and I have yet heard from Toyota but it appears that they are not including Tacoma's in the recall and my Tacoma did not accelerate on it own because of the mat. It moved without any outside force and it has also stuck in the wide open position when I have tried to pass another vehicle at a high rate of speed.

2007 Toyota Tacoma accelerated aggressively when approaching a left turn after slightly pressing the gas. It continued to accelerate after taking foot off the gas and applying brakes. Was unable to slow truck sufficiently to make it around the corner and struck a light pole. Truck was totaled. Injuries were fairly minor - shoulder/neck stiffness, scratches, bruises, etc. Incident occurred in torrance, California (torrance collision report). Reported to Toyota customer service - case #1001122516. I did not follow up on a complaint at the time because the Toyota accelerator problems were not published and I was unaware of how to escalate the issue.

I bought a new Toyota Tacoma in 2007. About a year ago, I noticed that the accelerator pedal would become hard to depress or would travel an inch or more before any result in acceleration. I took the vehicle to the Toyota dealer where I bought it. They informed me that there was nothing wrong with the vehicle. Since that time, it happens on a random basis but virtually every day. No incidents have occurred. However, sometimes, as a result of the accelerator pedal travel as it is depressed down, the engine will kick in, resulting in a surge forward. Additionally, when I am traveling along and have to let up on the accelerator pedal, when I press it down again, it does not respond until it is pushed down about an inch or so, making it difficult to maintain traveling speeds consistently.

At highway speeds, during upshift from 4th to 5th or downshift from 5th to 4th, with clutch pedal depressed, engine rpms do one of the following: 1)remain constant, and then increase for several seconds before starting to decrease, 2)remain constant for several seconds, and then decrease, 3)decrease very slowly (far to long to execute a "clean" shift). While 2) and 3) are more of an annoyance likely due to poor engine control software, 1) is a serious safety concern in that engine speed (and vehicle speed) continue to increase despite the clutch pedal being depressed. "goosing" the accelerator does not appear to have any effect--the engine rpms wait several seconds before falling. In addition to the safety issue, you also wind up with a lot of clutch slippage because you are letting the clutch out while the engine/transmission are still engaged at a high rpm.

The engine throttle controller on my 07 Toyota Tacoma does not release the throttle when the gas pedal is lifted. The engine continues to rev excessively. This is true at startup, between gear changes and when letting off the throttle to slow or stop. Also, of greater concern is that the engine surges when attempting to slow the vehicle. After letting off the gas the engine initially slows but then abruptly the engine rpms surge propelling the vehicle ahead. I complained about this condition to my Toyota dealer at the 5,000 and 10,000 mile services. Both times they alleged that the engine was performing satisfactorily. The service manager tried to suggest the gas pedal was being caught on the floor mat but the mechanic dismissed that cause. The mechanic further informed me that this complaint was not uncommon and that a fix could be made by purchasing an after-market chip to be installed in the engine controller. Toyota is totally in denial that the electronics are responsible for these engine revs and surges. The gas pedal fix is a farce.

I've noticed that my 2007 Toyota Tacoma extended cab will on occasion lurch forward while at a complete stop. It seems to happen when the air conditioner or defrost unit is activated. I assume it is the increase in engine speed when the compressor kicks in. To date I just have to push harder on the brake peddle. I hope it doesn't get any worse. When it happens as it does suddenly, it usually catches you off guard. If your reaction time isn't fast enough or you panic, you could lose control of the vehicle. When it happens, the vehicle will usually move about 6" ahead.

While sitting at a traffic light, I removed my foot from the brake to ease forward. The accelerator drew away from my foot and the vehicle lurched forward, causing me to hit the vehicle in front of me. My airbag deployed, burning me and breaking my left hand.

2007 Toyota Tacoma several times a surging forward even when foot on brake? or even accellerates for no reason? have taken it to dealership and have been told nothing is wrong? what are we to do?.

I was driving my 2007 Toyota Tacoma down a hill and without my foot on the accelerator the vehicle accelerated without notice. . . I lost control of the vehicle and ran into a concrete barrier. There is substantial damage to my vehicle and I was also injured. It happened about a month ago for the first time and I didn't think much of it or it was nothing serious.

Returning home from a short drive of about four miles, I brought the vehicle to a complete stop in front of the garage. All of a sudden without warning the accelerator revved very high. I pushed down hard on the brake but the vehicle still lurched forward hitting the garage door and side wall causing damage to the building and vehicle. I shut off the engine to kill the engine. The oem floor mats were in place and did not affect the pedal. No personal injuries - just a very shaken family.

Vehicle accelerated and hit a wall.