Issue Update: Front Differential Broke (ADD) on TFL's 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4WD

ScottyTaco · Mar 6, 2024

What broke? The automatic disconnecting differential system (ADD) in the front differential.

The ADD disconnects the front axles and hub assemblies from the drive shaft at the differential when the vehicle is in 2-wheel drive mode, eliminating the need to disconnect them manually. It also engages the front axles to the differential when 4-wheel drive is selected by the driver.

FirstTimeTruckBuyer · Mar 7, 2024

Well, time to go back to locking hubs.

I’m sure the Toyota engineers will determine why that component failed, as I wouldn’t call what I saw in their video “extreme conditions”. Hopefully it was a one-off defect and not going to become a massive recall.

bking · Mar 7, 2024

FirstTimeTruckBuyer said:
Well, time to go back to locking hubs.

I’m sure the Toyota engineers will determine why that component failed, as I wouldn’t call what I saw in their video “extreme conditions”. Hopefully it was a one-off defect and not going to become a massive recall.

I think it was already a silent recall. Thousands of trucks on QC hold? They may have known about this problem before TFL broke theirs.

GL Rockwell · Mar 7, 2024

Any update on when the QC will be lifted to release the tacos ?

calicoo · Mar 7, 2024

TLDW; They spoke directly to Tacoma chief engineer Sheldon Brown and Toyota put more than 20 people looking into this issue. They will be replacing the ADD and TFL should have the truck back in a few days.

What's interesting is the ADD is actually designed to fail (as a safety feature) to disconnect in specific situations to avoid further damage, but obviously it should not have happened here and Toyota acknowledged that.

calicoo · Mar 7, 2024

I question that this would be the cause of the QC hold. We hadn't heard about this issue with the 24's before TFL made it very public and from the sound of it Toyota seems to be caught off guard despite the QC hold being well over a month now.

Either way we could see them issuing a safety recall to replace the ADD on all of the new builds.

kelsen · Mar 7, 2024

it’s great that the ADD prevented more damage from occurring, and yeah the part shouldn’t have failed that easily, but i’m also of the mind that the traction control had a part to play in this with quick acceleration and braking when the wheels started spinning on the climb

bking · Mar 7, 2024

kelsen said:
it’s great that the ADD prevented more damage from occurring, and yeah the part shouldn’t have failed that easily, but i’m also of the mind that the traction control had a part to play in this with quick acceleration and braking when the wheels started spinning on the climb

IF that's the case, will they fix the problem or just have the truck turn off tc in 4LO? Or even change the guidance to turn it off in those conditions.

kelsen · Mar 7, 2024

bking said:
IF that's the case, will they fix the problem or just have the truck turn off tc in 4LO? Or even change the guidance to turn it off in those conditions.

on rewatch and from what’s in the video, and on checking my own truck, traction control is off automatically in 4LO and can’t be turned on. so i am changing my mind, the ADD is probably weaker than it should be. not a great look, but i wonder how hard it is to replace?

PNWblue · Mar 7, 2024

This doesn't exactly give me a warm fuzzy feeling, while it's nice that it's a part designed to fail to prevent catastrophic damage it appears to have failed at or near maximum torque (you can hear the turbo spooling in the video), the amount of time it will take for a proper fix at the assembly line could be a year or more depending on supply chain and logistics. Also, this doesn't bode well for the hybrid models that will have a lot more power.

JimS · Mar 7, 2024

"Designed to fail in a good way." Also known as the weakest link in the drivetrain. Nice spin.

Tacohunter2024 · Mar 7, 2024

I've seen Terra in person a couple times, I really like it. I also want a hybrid, but seeing how they haven't even released prices...it would probably be August before I could reasonably expect my truck. I'm starting to lean towards just waiting for a 2025 Terra iForceMax Off-Road (with ADD issues resolved).

kelsen · Mar 7, 2024

Tacohunter2024 said:
I've seen Terra in person a couple times, I really like it. I also want a hybrid, but seeing how they haven't even released prices...it would probably be August before I could reasonably expect my truck. I'm starting to lean towards just waiting for a 2025 Terra iForceMax Off-Road (with ADD issues resolved).

I'm in the NO MARK UP TOYOTA facebook group, and a couple of the salespeople in there were saying that it's been kind of hinted at that the iForceMax Tacomas are gonna be lower production and could be even later in the year because of the Land Cruiser production ramping up with higher priority.

PNWblue · Mar 7, 2024

I guess for all of us with deposits on the Taco, do we take delivery and hope for the best or wait? I'm moving a lot closer to waiting or buying something else unless Toyota does a recall. Waiting for a production line fix means all the delivered ones will just have to wait when/if it breaks and for me I don't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere because of it.

Lando · Mar 7, 2024

Staying tuned. Would the OR have the same quality/ grade of this part as in the Sport? As in, it would not be any more heavy duty in the OR.

Issue Update: Front Differential Broke (ADD) on TFL's 2024 Tacoma TRD Off-Road 4WD

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