Intro---3rd Time Toyota Truck Owner

[ColoradoBoo]

My first post here. My first Toyota Truck was a new 2005 Taco Access Cab TRD 4x4 (my Silver Bullet). We used her to pull our small 24-foot camper around Colorado about 10-years....put 100,000 miles on her....no major issues. Traded her in for a one-year old 2014 Toyota Tundra 5.7L V-8 in 2015 because we bought a larger, 32-foot camper. She's been great but we down-sized our big camper for a smaller 23-footer a few years ago and have been mulling around, also, downsizing from the Tundra (13 mpg) to the Taco (24 mpg).
Visited our Toyota dealer this week and ordered this:
2026 Toyota Tacoma Limited iForce Max Hybrid (Bronze Oxide) with Towing Tech Package and hard tri-fold tonneau cover.

I've done all maintenance on our vehicles for years, now, and also some other things. (CV axle replacement, swapping out other parts, etc.)

While not my first truck or my first hybrid, I do have questions for current owners about the turbo. (Have to admit, not happy Toyota no longer sells trucks without a turbo.)

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[franx]

Welcome and congrats.

I am on my 5th Toyota truck in the past 35yrs. Most recent truck is my 2025 Tacoma Limited Hybrid

 

[ColoradoBoo]

Thanks, Franx!!

I'm glad to see the truck using 0W-20 and not 0W-16 or 0W-08 with that hot turbo.

-Have you noticed the need to replace the air filter more often?
-Have you noticed the oil getting dirty much faster?

I've been reading over the maintenance and owner's manuals and noticed it says to replace the spark plugs every 40,000 miles. It, also, doesn't say anything about lubing the zerk fittings so I assume this truck doesn't have them? (My Tundra has 5 i have to keep lubed up.)

 

[franx]

I only have about 8K miles now so only 1 oil change at 5K. Next is up at 10.

 

[ColoradoBoo]

You have the limited, Frank! I have questions....

-Did you remove that ridiculous air dam underneath the front bumper?

-The Limited has the heated and ventilated seats....just how cool do they get when using ventilated?

-How do you like the AVS? (Adaptive Variable Suspension) Since I tow our camper trailer, I'm wondering if the AVS can auto-level the truck when I 'm hooked up. (If not, I can add Firestone air bags in the rear like I did my old Tundra.)

-At 8,000 miles, have you already replaced the engine air filter? Does it get pretty dirty quick??

 

[GSPHerder]

Welcome, and congrats!

 

[franx]

You have the limited, Frank! I have questions....

-Did you remove that ridiculous air dam underneath the front bumper?

-The Limited has the heated and ventilated seats....just how cool do they get when using ventilated?

-How do you like the AVS? (Adaptive Variable Suspension) Since I tow our camper trailer, I'm wondering if the AVS can auto-level the truck when I 'm hooked up. (If not, I can add Firestone air bags in the rear like I did my old Tundra.)

-At 8,000 miles, have you already replaced the engine air filter? Does it get pretty dirty quick??

I didnt remove the front air dam yet and have been thinking about it.

I am impressed by the vented seats compared to some other cars. The airflow seems pretty decent.

As far as I know the AVS- is based on your drive mode and is automatic and based and the road and how you drive. I keep mine in "Normal mode" 99% of the time, I have tried the other modes but usually keep it in normal. I dont tow so I cant speak on how it works when towing something.

Only 1 servicing so far in January of this year at 5K mile, I am not sure if they changed out the engine air filter at that service. I drive 100% on the road so no off road dirt to worry about. I will check at the next 10K servicing how it looks. Toyota recommends 1st oil change at 10K, but I wanted it done at 5K and again at 10K. Its not getting alot of miles since its a 3rd vehicle in the house so I may end up just getting a yearly oil change because I never do more than 5-7K per year on the truck. Typically thats how most of my cars are treated since not 1 gets a ton of miles on them and are spread across 3 vehicles and 1 motorcycle.

I had a couple issues so far, back in December I had the battery die on me and the truck was only parked in the garage for 2 weeks of no driving and it left my truck dead. Was not happy it died 9months into ownership. I jumped it and worked fine for a few weeks before I took it in for service and had it replaced under warranty. There has been some know issues with bad batteries from what I was reading in the forums. I keep a battery jump starter in the car just in case it ever dies again.

My other issue and its across all of Toyotas is the Infotainment system my phone doesnt disconnect after hanging up my call sometimes, the Infotainment thinks its still connected and wont allow me to make another call without disconnecting bluetooth and reconnecting. Its annoying and happened on Android Auto also, only more frequently. Its across many cars in the Toyotas and not limited to the Tacos.

These are my only 2 complaints with the truck, otherwise I love it. My only upgrades have been minor- dash cam front and back, ceramic coating, screen protector for Infotainment, center console protective cover.

Enjoy the truck, its a huge upgrade from my 2019 Taco sport. Which by the way was a great truck too and I did really well on my trade in to get this one.

 

[IDontWorkForTheWaterCo]

Welcome.

 

[ColoradoBoo]

I didnt remove the front air dam yet and have been thinking about it.

I am impressed by the vented seats compared to some other cars. The airflow seems pretty decent.

As far as I know the AVS- is based on your drive mode and is automatic and based and the road and how you drive. I keep mine in "Normal mode" 99% of the time, I have tried the other modes but usually keep it in normal. I dont tow so I cant speak on how it works when towing something.

Only 1 servicing so far in January of this year at 5K mile, I am not sure if they changed out the engine air filter at that service. I drive 100% on the road so no off road dirt to worry about. I will check at the next 10K servicing how it looks. Toyota recommends 1st oil change at 10K, but I wanted it done at 5K and again at 10K. Its not getting alot of miles since its a 3rd vehicle in the house so I may end up just getting a yearly oil change because I never do more than 5-7K per year on the truck. Typically thats how most of my cars are treated since not 1 gets a ton of miles on them and are spread across 3 vehicles and 1 motorcycle.

I had a couple issues so far, back in December I had the battery die on me and the truck was only parked in the garage for 2 weeks of no driving and it left my truck dead. Was not happy it died 9months into ownership. I jumped it and worked fine for a few weeks before I took it in for service and had it replaced under warranty. There has been some know issues with bad batteries from what I was reading in the forums. I keep a battery jump starter in the car just in case it ever dies again.

My other issue and its across all of Toyotas is the Infotainment system my phone doesnt disconnect after hanging up my call sometimes, the Infotainment thinks its still connected and wont allow me to make another call without disconnecting bluetooth and reconnecting. Its annoying and happened on Android Auto also, only more frequently. Its across many cars in the Toyotas and not limited to the Tacos.

These are my only 2 complaints with the truck, otherwise I love it. My only upgrades have been minor- dash cam front and back, ceramic coating, screen protector for Infotainment, center console protective cover.

Enjoy the truck, its a huge upgrade from my 2019 Taco sport. Which by the way was a great truck too and I did really well on my trade in to get this one.

Thanks for the info! I'm a believer in break-in oil changes so will do it in my garage around 500 miles....then check it at 3,000 miles and see how dirty the oil is looking...and change it out if it's looking dark. I've never used one of those quick-oil change valves, like Fumoto, but will consider putting one on if I do go with every 3,000 miles since it'll be 4-times a year as opposed to my normal twice a year schedule in the other cars. (I think I'm getting the metal engine shield but that looks pretty easy to remove/replace as opposed to the ridiculous one on my Tundra TRD)

Do you have the hybrid? Toyota Hybrids are known to drain the 12-volt battery within a week or two if the vehicle isn't driven....even with plug-ins. Hybrids have no alternator so use the DC to DC convertor to charge the 12-volt battery but it'll only do it while driving and the actual rate of charge isn't all that strong so I have a Battery Tender I'll hook up to our hybrids in the garage if they are sitting for a while. Even when parked,, lots of things still run which drains on the 12-volt.

Nice to hear the old Toyota Infotainment systems, still, has issues....my 2014 Tundra's has had more bugs than a bee hive. (I've found just totally removing my phone and then re-installing helps solve the issues.) I've nicknamed it the Toyota Info-pain-ment System. Oh, my Tundra will, often, just reboot itself, too.

I'm watching Tocama mods videos on YouTube...there's one guy who post his 40 mods but, to be honest, most look like I'll be doing them!

 

[IDontWorkForTheWaterCo]

Thanks for the info! I'm a believer in break-in oil changes so will do it in my garage around 500 miles....then check it at 3,000 miles and see how dirty the oil is looking...and change it out if it's looking dark. I've never used one of those quick-oil change valves, like Fumoto, but will consider putting one on if I do go with every 3,000 miles since it'll be 4-times a year as opposed to my normal twice a year schedule in the other cars. (I think I'm getting the metal engine shield but that looks pretty easy to remove/replace as opposed to the ridiculous one on my Tundra TRD)

Do you have the hybrid? Toyota Hybrids are known to drain the 12-volt battery within a week or two if the vehicle isn't driven....even with plug-ins. Hybrids have no alternator so use the DC to DC convertor to charge the 12-volt battery but it'll only do it while driving and the actual rate of charge isn't all that strong so I have a Battery Tender I'll hook up to our hybrids in the garage if they are sitting for a while. Even when parked,, lots of things still run which drains on the 12-volt.

Nice to hear the old Toyota Infotainment systems, still, has issues....my 2014 Tundra's has had more bugs than a bee hive. (I've found just totally removing my phone and then re-installing helps solve the issues.) I've nicknamed it the Toyota Info-pain-ment System. Oh, my Tundra will, often, just reboot itself, too.

I'm watching Tocama mods videos on YouTube...there's one guy who post his 40 mods but, to be honest, most look like I'll be doing them!

I did my break in oil change at just over 1000 miles. I'm at 3500 miles on that change and the oil has barely darkened, from nearly clear to a very light honey color. I think driving habits play a part in that too. My rig doesn't idle or short trip much at all.

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