Thanks for the replies, gents! Please do keep them coming.
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If it were me, I'd take the driveshaft to a professional, have it corrected, and present the bill to the Service Manager and see what he does with it. If he pays me for it, then I win. If he doesn't, I've solved the problem at my expense, and I either press the issue or add the experience to my future buying criteria.
I have not taken it to a driveshaft place yet. I am giving Toyota every opportunity not to fumbledick this, but they're seeming incapable.
The backstory is that Toyota has had an intermittent issue with Tacoma low speed driveshaft vibration since at least 2008. Doesn't happen to all Tacomas, and Toyota (apparently) don't know why it happens to some of them. Their most recent TSB (0249-12) for the prob was recently deemed obsolete because the repairs didn't solve the problem. My point is, they know the problem is there, they simply don't know what to do about it.
I work at a domestic brand dealership.
Your next step is to look in your owners manual, get the 800 number for Toyota Customer Assistance and start a case on your truck/condition. I'm not familiar with the Toyota process, but I'd imagine this will get someone's attention. When making the call be prepared to be on the phone for half an hour, talking to someone that seems to be a compete idiot regarding anything automotive. (At least that's what you get at our call center, they are trained to act like they have never heard of anything like what you describe. The factory doesn't want call center people trying to "fix' or diagnose vehicles, their job is to gather information.
In my world when we can't resolve an issue, there will be a "Tech Line" case where my techs are dealing directly with the factory engineers. If the issue still can't be resolved, we get a field engineer in to assist with resolving the issue. Keep in mind this can be a process, and you may be asked to bring the truck in when the field engineer is available. I'd also think that you would be offered alternate transportation while your vehicle is being repaired.
Good advice in there, Bob. ToyotaCare essentially told me to pound sand. They are sorry and contrite and not going to do anything for the sad sack that just gave them $30K for a truck. The next escalation is arbitration, which I have filed for, and have a date of Jan 9, 2014.
I'd try another Toyota dealer
I understand that dealers vary widely in their competence. Since I got Corporate involved, I was sort of hoping to get my local dealer tuned up, but that has not worked. You are correct, I should give a neighboring dealer an opportunity.
If it's any consolation to you, I smashed my Nissan Frontier's tailpipe climbing up a rocky washed out road a few days ago and had to take it to the muffler shop. Still has a scratched bumper.
Man, that hurts. Have you looked into litigation with the owner of the dirt that damaged the truck?
The internet is aware of the problem, and there are a number of non-factory solutions with varying success rates. Rebalancing the drive line is one. Replacing it with a single-piece shaft is another. Shimming the carrier bearing is another. Shimming the axle perch (to decrease the pinion angle) is another. Shimming the t-case is another. These are in addition to the items on T-SB-0249-012, which include motor mount replacements and/or leaf spring replacements. So there's a lot of things I
could do. One of the things I don't want to do, yet, is take responsibility for Toyota's problem.
I kid, my friend.
