• Welcome to Tacoma3G.com, a free resource for 2016-2023 Toyota Tacoma owners!

    Tacoma3G is a beginner-friendly 3rd Generation Toyota Tacoma (2016-2023 model-years) forum. We are a community of people who are focused on good information and good vibes. T3G is the passion-project of a USMC/Toyota technician.

Random rough idle while stationary.

ckellyme3

1️⃣ Getting Started...
Hey guys

New member here, first post. Please excuse me if this is in the wrong area, but I believe this is the right spot. I have a 23 TRD off road. It sometimes idles very unevenly/ rough while parked or stopped (red light, stop sign, etc). Sometimes its a smooth normal idle, but then it just decides to get rough. Happens everyday randomly no matter what I am doing. The problem seems to get worse if I am stopped on an incline. I've had two separate dealerships take a look and they have absolutely no idea. Second dealer claimed they couldn't replicate the issue, but I was able to within 30 seconds of starting the truck and then had the manager sit with me.

He basically said, "this isn't an issue, must be sensors turning on and off". There's no way that's it as it doesn't do it all the time or with any regularity. There is no check engine light and the "health check" comes up fine. I get the vibe that if the computer doesn't tell the dealership what's wrong, they don't actually know how to fix anything, but that's just my read on the situation.

Any ideas?
 
Turn the AC off and see if it still does it, and put it in neutral or park and see if it still does it. Could just be different things kicking on and off. Pretty normal behavior for one of these fully stock. Tons of things going on with this engine and the Atkinson cycle doing Atkinson things.
 
Upvote 0
Turn the AC off and see if it still does it, and put it in neutral or park and see if it still does it. Could just be different things kicking on and off. Pretty normal behavior for one of these fully stock. Tons of things going on with this engine and the Atkinson cycle doing Atkinson things.
It does it regardless of AC being on or off, we actually tried that at dealer. Totally stock. This is basically what dealer said. I've never had a vehicle idle this poorly at random, I'd be shocked if its normal. Like the truck literally shakes. If you're outside you can see it shaking, then it stops and is completely "normal" i.e no shaking, harmonious smooth idle. Maybe if it did this all the time, I could see it being "normal". I don't see it though.
 
Upvote 0
Yeah.. these trucks are pretty unrefined in fully stock form. A tune and some tweaking definitely helps smooth things out. Was pretty unimpressed with mine when I first got it too. For how popular these trucks are I really expect them to be a built a bit better. It's great now, but it made me work for it.

Try jumping in a few other trucks at the dealer if you can and see if they have the same behavior.
 
Upvote 0
Yeah.. these trucks are pretty unrefined in fully stock form. A tune and some tweaking definitely helps smooth things out. Was pretty unimpressed with mine when I first got it too. For how popular these trucks are I really expect them to be a built a bit better. It's great now, but it made me work for it.

Try jumping in a few other trucks at the dealer if you can and see if they have the same behavior.
Yeah I am actually pretty taken aback with just how bad toyota cheaped out on these. Drum brakes?! Wired android auto. No heated (and CLOTH seats). No locking gas door. Didn't even come with floor mats! It goes on and on lol. I won't be tuning or tweaking. Was kinda hoping someone would have a cause/ solution. It's too random and harsh not to be an issue.

Definitely having alot of buyers remorse. This will most likely be my last toyota. I'm not into the off roading deal. Only got the "off road" for resale value for selling. Which honestly may be soon.
 
Upvote 0
You said you have a '23
Did you buy it new or used?
If used how many miles were on it, how many miles does it have now?
If new how many miles and how may miles now?

Who does the maintenance on the vehicle, you or different shops or always same shop?
 
Upvote 0
You said you have a '23
Did you buy it new or used?
If used how many miles were on it, how many miles does it have now?
If new how many miles and how may miles now?

Who does the maintenance on the vehicle, you or different shops or always same shop?
I bought used with 5k miles. Currently has 11k miles. Always have it maintained by dealers local to me. Only took in twice. First for 10k service where they did oil change and they had no clue, so I recently took it to another local dealership and they were also just as clueless.

Definitely seems like a mechanics excuse to not mechanic. "Computer says no issue, so there can't possibly be an issue"

I asked at first dealer to test drive a similar tacoma to see if indeed they all run like shit, and that one did not. At least for the 10 mins I drove it.
 
Upvote 0
Yeah I am actually pretty taken aback with just how bad toyota cheaped out on these. Drum brakes?! Wired android auto. No heated (and CLOTH seats). No locking gas door. Didn't even come with floor mats! It goes on and on lol. I won't be tuning or tweaking. Was kinda hoping someone would have a cause/ solution. It's too random and harsh not to be an issue.

Definitely having alot of buyers remorse. This will most likely be my last toyota. I'm not into the off roading deal. Only got the "off road" for resale value for selling. Which honestly may be soon.
Sounds like you are unhappy.
 
Upvote 0
10K is changes are not a good idea unless you drive A LOT every day and never have a drive shorter than 50 miles.
Stay with 5K.... trust me on that.
The issue.... someone traded it in very early, Why?
Either it had a problem, or they just did not like it, ........ both happen.

It's most likely an electrical problem,...but this is not always the case.... these are "drive by wire" vehicles,........
gas pedal is connected to a switch that tells the computer how much fuel to deliver.
The idle is set by the ECM (engine control module) even the alternator output is a set voltage by the ECM.
If it is a VVT issue it may be a solenoid / connector / sensor or even a mechanical part These engines have VVT (valve variable timing).

You need a GOOD mechanic that is certified by Toyota. What state do you live in?
This could be a connection - device - a programming issue or even a wire / intermediate problem.

Does engine temperature make a difference in the problem?
Does this happen in gear and in neutral?

Mechanics experience matter, just because it's a dealership does not mean your quarterback (dealer mechanic) is an all-star.......
 
Upvote 0
Problem reported. rough idle,.. and slow acceleration
1st image - is plug in data reader note the numbers
2nd image - bad spark plug carbon build up
3rd image - data reader note the numbers

Experience matters when "reading the code / data reader"


causes - dirty fuel? bad injector? .................. a good mechanic used the data reader to locate the problem
The repair was to clean the fuel system and replace the injector,,,,,,,,, told client to run better gas like a "Top-Tier" fuel that has proper detergents.

Owner said he chased cheap gas prices at stations and neglected the vehicle by stretching service schedule.


1730158569055.webp

1730158604746.webp


1730158672118.webp
 
Upvote 0
Sounds like you are unhappy.
Definitely wouldn't have bought it if I knew then what I know now. For now I'd just like to get the idle fixed. I mean, it's an almost brand new toyota. I've read nothing but how bomb proof and awesome these things are. Hasn't exactly been my experience.

If anyone has ideas about the idle, or has had the issue themselves and know what to do to fix, I'd really appreciate it.
 
Upvote 0
10K is changes are not a good idea unless you drive A LOT every day and never have a drive shorter than 50 miles.
Stay with 5K.... trust me on that.
The issue.... someone traded it in very early, Why?
Either it had a problem, or they just did not like it, ........ both happen.

It's most likely an electrical problem,...but this is not always the case.... these are "drive by wire" vehicles,........
gas pedal is connected to a switch that tells the computer how much fuel to deliver.
The idle is set by the ECM (engine control module) even the alternator output is a set voltage by the ECM.
If it is a VVT issue it may be a solenoid / connector / sensor or even a mechanical part These engines have VVT (valve variable timing).

You need a GOOD mechanic that is certified by Toyota. What state do you live in?
This could be a connection - device - a programming issue or even a wire / intermediate problem.

Does engine temperature make a difference in the problem?
Does this happen in gear and in neutral?

Mechanics experience matter, just because it's a dealership does not mean your quarterback (dealer mechanic) is an all-star.......
There may have been some confusion. I took oil change in at 10k miles for oil change. That was a 5k oil change. I stick to maintenance schedules on all my vehicles religiously. Engine temp doesn't make a difference. It will do it while cold and when up to temp and in between. It will do it in park or in gear while not moving.

Trust me I found out the hard way that just because they work at a dealership means absolutely jack shit.

The 10k service/ oil change was done by Sloan toyota in Malvern PA. See Google review for how that went. The problem was happening before this mishap so that isn't the issue.

Sloane Toyota of Malvern https://g.co/kgs/zbQzeDX

Anyway after finding out that they can't do proper oil changes I now take my car to a dealership in conshohocken PA. If anyone recommends an actual toyota mechanic that could look into this I'd appreciate it. Preferably in the philly region.

I'm not sure why the truck was sold so new. I asked the dealer and he said it was a woman's truck and she wanted the 24. Carfax is clean and truck was CPO. Super clean and unmodded. Seems plausible but who really knows, dealers aren't exactly known for their honesty. And for the first month or two after me buying and driving it, it didn't do this.
 
Upvote 0
Back
Top