Jivewalker
Member
New driveshaft ordered for me today under the tsb. Have 35000 miles on it and just started noticing the bump about three weeks ago. Hope it fixes it! Weird how it took so long to start happening.
Toyota issues "fix" for axle wrap / driveshaft clunky-thumpy
- Thread starter philsey
- Start date
Roadstar01
New member
Took my 2013 in for 20k service. Had a copy of TSB-0040-12. Tech was able to replicate the issue and ordered the part, shaft assembly, under warranty. I also have the shudder between 1st and 2nd. I wil have that addressed when I take it back for the shaft replacement.
swimmerdude1127
New member
For those who got the fix what exactly does this clunk sound and feel like?
1engineer
Moderator
When stopping, it feels like somebody tapped your rear bumper right before you come to a complete stop. Also when you are stopped and release the brake to move forward, you will get a slight "push" feeling. Its the yoke design. I had it done on the '11 with no issues. My '12 TE does not do it.
T4RT
New member
Add me to the list of people with this symptom. It is more prominent when driving in a hilly environment than on flat pavement.
cbreze
Member
Not sure if my '12 has it or not, but seems to me this has been going on for awhile with a lot of 4R's from what I've been reading. If a simple driveshaft replacement fixes it then what I don't understand is "Why The 'F" doesn't Toyota change it to the new driveshaft before it comes off the line at the factory?
I notice that sometimes I feel something when I slow down to enter my rather steep driveway. It could also be the tranny kicking it down to first, so not sure. Ive always driven sticks before so if what I'm feeling is the driveshaft then its def not bad enough to be concerned about yet, feels more like the tranny to me.
I notice that sometimes I feel something when I slow down to enter my rather steep driveway. It could also be the tranny kicking it down to first, so not sure. Ive always driven sticks before so if what I'm feeling is the driveshaft then its def not bad enough to be concerned about yet, feels more like the tranny to me.
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We purchased our 13' SR5 4X4 new, and have had this issue since shortly after purchase. After a year of ownership, I tried to have it taken care of at our local Toyota dealer during a service appointment and they advised they could not duplicate it. It's now been 2 years and it still does it, I will probably push harder at my next oil change... I don't know if this would lead to any long term issues, but we have the basic warranty and I don't want to find out once it's up that something that has occured since new is now going to cost me an arm and a leg.
I haven't noticed the decelleration issue, mine has always been that after sitting at a stop light for an extended period of time, when releasing the brake you hear/feel a loud "Thunk."
I haven't noticed the decelleration issue, mine has always been that after sitting at a stop light for an extended period of time, when releasing the brake you hear/feel a loud "Thunk."
flyinhawaiian01
New member
I too have the thump from the rear in my 4R, but having a truck with a detroit locker in the rear, the 4R's thump is nothing compared to my locking diff! When that "thumps", it feels and sounds like you got hit by a freight train! Hell, I even scared a lady who was pulled up next to me once at a light! She thought something exploded under my truck!
I have a question though, for those who had the thump but did not get it fixed, have you had any issues other than the thump? I'm more worried about the joint coming apart from wear, or damaging a carrier/thrust bearing in the diff over time from whatever is causing the joint to bind up and "pop".
I have a question though, for those who had the thump but did not get it fixed, have you had any issues other than the thump? I'm more worried about the joint coming apart from wear, or damaging a carrier/thrust bearing in the diff over time from whatever is causing the joint to bind up and "pop".
This is a common issue across many manufacturers and vehicle platforms. I had this condition (extremely bad) on my 2010 Tundra. It was caused by the "sealed" drive shaft slip joint not having any provision for lubrication. i.e. they put a rubber accordion boot over the joint and removed the zerk fitting so you couldn't grease it. The "bump" or noise is from the joint binding slightly, and then releasing as the drive shaft compresses or slides back together. I don't think you would see any long term effects or damage from this, although it probably does increase wear on tail shaft seals or pinion bearings slightly.
If it was bad enough, you might get lucky to have a tech cut the steel straps on the boot, remove it and grease the heck out of that joint, then just zip tie the boot back on... Even then, they wouldn't put that much grease in there because most won't actually pull the whole shaft apart and do it properly. They will just smear some around the splines and call it a day.
In the end, I took it to a friend's shop and they did that but they dropped the drive shaft, pulled it apart and PACKED the joint with almost a full tube of grease. It was perfectly fine after that... Never heard a peep out of it again.
1Engineer is right on the money describing how it feels. This was happenign to my '09 Tacoma TRD - really bad! When I brought into Toyota, it was too subtle for any tech to notice it. I should have waited, because it became worse as time went on.
It was noticeably worse when the air temperatures we're high. It was extremely prevalent when temps were above 85 or so.
I took my 4Runner in with this issue a month ago and the dealer never heard of it....then said it was normal. I even described the "like someone just hit me" feeling.
I just found this TSB here on T4R and it reads like it is quoting my complaint. This place rocks!
I called today, TSB in hand, and the service dude first told me he was aware of this problem for a long time and that the initial TSB was to add grease. This proved to be a non-fix and then this new TSB was issued. He told me this was also a temporary fix and the issue would return.
I have asked for them to do it anyway.
I am more than a wee bit miffed that they acted like they'd never heard of this issue on my first visit.
This is my first automatic. Not thrilled with this issue.
By the way he said it was common on the FJ's and Tundra's as well. My 6spd FJ does not have this issue with over 100K on it.
Has anyone had this fixed and seen it return?
I just found this TSB here on T4R and it reads like it is quoting my complaint. This place rocks!
I called today, TSB in hand, and the service dude first told me he was aware of this problem for a long time and that the initial TSB was to add grease. This proved to be a non-fix and then this new TSB was issued. He told me this was also a temporary fix and the issue would return.
I have asked for them to do it anyway.
I am more than a wee bit miffed that they acted like they'd never heard of this issue on my first visit.
This is my first automatic. Not thrilled with this issue.
By the way he said it was common on the FJ's and Tundra's as well. My 6spd FJ does not have this issue with over 100K on it.
Has anyone had this fixed and seen it return?
Boyds4Runner
New member
My first 4Runner (2004 SR5) did the same thing. I never took it in to the dealership but I got underneath with two different grease guns (one with the molly grease and the other the lithium) and pumped the corresponding grease into the zerk fittings. I pumped the one for the shaft until i started to see it just start to push the seal around the shaft.
Anyway, the simple fix of greasing it solved the problem for me all the way through to the 182K miles before I traded it in.
Try the easy fix yourself first. If it comes back take it in for the TSB fix but I don't think you will have to once it's greased enough.
Good Luck!
philsey
New member
Not an A/T issue.
Yes.
No.
TSB performed back here:
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/5th-g...p-driveshaft-clunky-thumpy-2.html#post1059418
No reoccurrence since. Altho I am insistant that the dealership lube the propshaft at each OC. Do they? Don't really know. But I make sure it's on the work order.
Thanks. Like I said, this is my first automatic and it does a bunch of stuff that I cannot say is "normal" or not for an auto. The impression I got from the dealer (before I found this TSB) was that this was "normal". The truck also feels like the trans slips when I first start and drive away, while turning slightly. Tech says, "that's normal" and that it is not slipping.
I get this occasionally on my 2010 Trail. However, I have approximately 71,000 miles. I do have an extended warranty but as other have said....dealers haven't done the repairs under the extended. Anyone have advice? I feel that if a TSB is issued that shows that Toyota recognizes this as a defective part. Why would an extended warranty not cover this? This doesn't seem any different than if bad cylinder heads were put into a thousand engines and TSB was issued to correct the flaw (replace the cylinder head).
I'll try lubing the zerk...just wondering if anyone has had success with getting this repaired under an extended warranty.
I'll try lubing the zerk...just wondering if anyone has had success with getting this repaired under an extended warranty.
philsey
New member
Well it becomes semantics... not "normal" IMO, because it's fixable ... and later models don't do it. "common"? you bet. "Annoying"? sure. It's also not technically broken, as it could probably do this forever with no harm.
I've read that many members who keep up the grease regimen don't have the prob.
Real question is; "will the dealer take enough trouble to go after Toyota for the TSB warranty fix"?
Mine will. It goes in tomorrow night for the fix on Monday. I hope it is "permanent".
I've dealt with this, it's far worse on Tundras (or at least it was on the 2010 I had). They eventually issued the same fix. R&R the drive shaft.
The entire problem was caused by lack of a zerk fitting on the slip joint where the shaft can expand and contract as the suspension settles or the axle wraps when accelerating. Don't know about now but then you had to physically cut the steel bands on the accordion boot to remove it and get to the splines to grease them, then zip tie the boot back in place. Some dealers would do it, some would say they did, and then didn't, some would flat out refuse.
I eventually ended up doing it myself and packing about 1/2 a tube of white lithium grease in there. It never did it again. As others have said, it's annoying, but I don't think you'll ever see any real damage from it. I suppose you might see a premature failure of the tailshaft seal or something like that but nothing to fret about.
