Anyone else's T4R hate the heat?

vondy21

New member
I've had a few instances this summer where I get almost no response from my gas peddle. Seems to coincide with the high temps we have had here in Dallas lately.

First time I noticed this was after my truck had been sitting all day in the parking lot at work. I have to dart across traffic sometimes to make a left turn out of our lot. Every now and then a car comes flying around the corner so I need to punch the gas to get out of the way. When the temps were in the 108 range my truck would just not respond. The RPMs would very slowly climb and it would be what seems like a solid 2 seconds before any speed would start to build.

This also happens after commuting through stop and go traffic through downtown. I'm usually very light on the pedal to conserve MPG since I commute in real city traffic. Sometimes you have to put the pedal down though and when I do, nothing. It's very scary and dangerous.

Note that I don't slam the peddle right down to the floor, I start buy giving it more gas and it doesn't respond so eventually I'm at the floor.

I have no problems in the morning when it's in the 80's or even lower 90's. Truck moves along just fine. Seems to have something to do with the triple digit weather.

My 3rd gen Taco used to do this all the time no matter the weather, one reason I got rid of the thing.

Just curious if this happens to anyone else.
 
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I've had a few instances this summer where I get almost no response from my gas peddle. Seems to coincide with the high temps we have had here in Dallas lately.

First time I noticed this was after my truck had been sitting all day in the parking lot at work. I have to dart across traffic sometimes to make a left turn out of our lot. Every now and then a car comes flying around the corner so I need to punch the gas to get out of the way. When the temps were in the 108 range my truck would just not respond. The RPMs would very slowly climb and it would be what seems like a solid 2 seconds before any speed would start to build.

This also happens after commuting through stop and go traffic through downtown. I'm usually very light on the pedal to conserve MPG since I commute in real city traffic. Sometimes you have to put the pedal down though and when I do, nothing. It's very scary and dangerous.

Note that I don't slam the peddle right down to the floor, I start buy giving it more gas and it doesn't respond so eventually I'm at the floor.

I have no problems in the morning when it's in the 80's or even lower 90's. Truck moves along just fine. Seems to have something to do with the triple digit weather.

My 3rd gen Taco used to do this all the time no matter the weather, one reason I got rid of the thing.

Just curious if this happens to anyone else.

Done a lot of highway driving through TX and LA recently (even through Waco on its 114 record day) and had no issues. Are you letting your 4R "warm up" properly before moving out into traffic?
 
It’s basic physics and has little to do with the T4R. Hot are has less oxygen per volume than cold air, it’s less dense... so there’s less O2 to burn. Ever notice how good it runs on a cold morning?


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Seems to not matter if she is warmed up or not since it happens about a minute after starting from sitting 8 hours in the sun or if it's been driving through downtown traffic for half an hour.

Yeah, she runs great on the cooler mornings.

Highway driving probably would not be a problem. It's all about starting from a stop. I'm sure it's a lot hotter in the engine bay idling through downtown traffic on a 110 degree day with the AC blasting. Still seems odd to me how incredibly unresponsive it is when this happens.
 
Yes, and its more noticeable on than any other car I've owned. It's most noticeable immediately after parking with a hot engine on a 90+ degree day or creeping along in traffic. When trying to accelerate, it feels almost like heatsoak for a minute or so, or until at a higher speed.

I was airing up my front tires up after driving on the beach (maybe 3 miles) with the engine still running, and the amount of heat spilling out was insane. Zero chance there's something wrong or harmful going on, but if that hot air enters the intake, could explain the temporary loss of power. In fact, I just realized this is the first vehicle I've owned that doesn't have a secondary electric pusher fan in front of the radiator.
 
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If you were interested you could get a Scangauge and read the air intake temperature in real time.

I used to have a temp. probe in my engine bay that I could read on my dash, interstate travel lowered the temps quite a bit, but they would spike as soon as I got off the offramp, and stay maxed out through town at red lights.

This was when I had my hood scoop opened up as well. Would have been worse with it closed like a normal hood.
 
Good to know it's not just me. Guess there's not much to do about it besides staying in when it's hot.
 
I have brought this up in the past. http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-gen-t4rs/220317-hot-weather-anyone-else-notice.html I have a feeling a lot of people do not have the extreme heat (over 105) that we do. It also seems to be worse over 105 and under certain humidity conditions. It feels like you are taking off on a hill with a small trailer attached. Not pretty when you need to get out of the way quick.

Yes, I think it is also highly dependent on the driving conditions as well. 105 and coasting around town is no problem, it's when you get into the concrete jungle that the life is sucked out of it.

I'm not talking simply a lack of power, it's almost completely unresponsive. It made me wonder if the computer was telling the engine to slow down. Almost as if the traction control was kicking in and cutting power except there would have been no reason for it to do so.
 
As high as 122 here these last few weeks and hotter on the pavement i'm sure and no problems......maybe your MAF sensor needs a clean to help in hot conditions? Water temp looks normal when it acts up?
 
Turbo ‘s also run stronger in the cold. I notice differences between Phoenix, 1300 ft and Prescott at 5400ft!!!!
 
As high as 122 here these last few weeks and hotter on the pavement i'm sure and no problems......maybe your MAF sensor needs a clean to help in hot conditions? Water temp looks normal when it acts up?

Water temp is fine. I would doubt the MAF needs cleaning, I only have around 13K on the truck.
 
I live in Miami and I do not notice anything different with it. It is hot in Miami, but never gets to that 100+ temperature. Low 90's at the most.
 
Yes, I pulled out in traffic and my 4runner barley got out of it's own way. Kinda scary if your not expecting it.
 
Just a thought....check that the intake is tight along the tract and no airleaks. It sounds like a Lean Bog....or go for a warranty check.
 
I live in Miami and I do not notice anything different with it. It is hot in Miami, but never gets to that 100+ temperature. Low 90's at the most.

But your humidity never drops below 95%!

Yes, the stock engine can become a dog above 100F, I saw that plenty living in Oklahoma area. One summer I was there saw 100+ consecutive days with temps over 100F. I've also had issues with diminished power above 85F and 1500FT.
 
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Just use 91 or 93 octane and it'll allow more timing at high temps (vs 87 which will retard timing at high temps to prevent detonation).

Been 98-118 w/ humidity here for weeks and zero power issues in Cali.
 

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