Home Forums Gear Hunting Trucks and Four-Wheel Drives 30K Tacoma Maintenance - Help!

My '03 Toyota Taco has 30k on it, I bought it new and have only changed oil and rotated tires. The manual lists all sorts of things to check, change, etc., some of which could add up to some serious coin.

Question - what do I really need to change or do to this truck at this point to keep in humming? I own a farm but don't tow or mud with it, only use it for a grocery getter, etc. Is there a "real-world" maintenance schedule somewhere to go by?

Thanks for the help.

-Eric

Grease the front suspension ( new ones might not have any grease fittings on front end), front and rear drive shafts and U- joints every 5K. You should be rotating your tires every 5K at least. Check your owners manual. The drive shafts and U- joints take different grease as I remember. The rest of the stuff can be stretched out. When you take it to the shop, they only look at it. ( inspect as they call it).

My 89 had 250k on it. I changed the oil every 3K, rotated the tires and greased it, that's it on a rountine basis. I have a 2004 now

The "new ones" meaning Tacomas, or newer Tacomas? I've got 150K on my '97 Tacoma. I grease the front and rear drivelines at every oil change, with red grease. I change the oil every 4K with Mobil 10W30. I've never seen any place to grease the suspension. I also clean/re-oil my K&N airfilter about twice a year, depending on where I drive. When the factory plugs died at about 100K, I tried Bosch Platinum +4 plugs and love them.

The truck has a 1.5" Rancho lift which is plenty for 31x10.5 tires, and was actually installed only after the factory springs started to droop a little. I would NOT recommend Rancho brand however, because their shocks (struts in the front) tend to leak every few years, and while lifetime warrantied are a PITA to replace in the front unless you've got cool shop tools.

After trouble with factory exhaust manifolds (I'm the only one I've heard of having such problems) I finally tried a header out of despiration. After very poor service from Downey, I called NWOR and ordered their header. My mileage went up 7+mph, with a power increase I could actually feel. I wholeheartedly recommend this header to any 4cyl Taco owner.

I'm keeping this pickup 'til death, so I take care of it and don't get carried away with either accessories or driving style. I'd like a real truck someday, but the little Taco is doing fine for now.

222

I have had great luck going with Mobil One synthetic in Toys. I usually go 8,000 miles on changes and the T100 had 176000 on it when sold, engine was perfect. Now doing the same in both 4runners. I never followed the factory schedule due to high cost. Just do as the guys mentioned above and you are great.

I've got a '94 toy truck (year before the taco came out) w/ 130k on it, and have done mostly owner maintenance, I leave the timing belt changes to the dealer and just had the timing belt changed again at 125k, and also sprung for a new water pump for piece of mind.

I'd just change the air filter; tranny, transfer case and diff lubes in addition to engine oil, grease the driveline, new coolant and give the rig a once over visual.

Shoot, 30k it's not even broke in yet <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

The only reason I go 4K on the oil is because of the trend towards Barbi car sized filters. For what they cost, I think they should be twice the size, and hold twice the crud before needing replacement. My oil is starting to look pretty dirty at 4K so I assume the filter is full. I've thought about just changing the filter at 4, and going another 4, but keep chickening out. Considering I change my own oil, I'm still neck in neck for expense with the Jiffy Lube customers, and I'm using better oil and filter. In my mind, a build-up of sludge and who knows what else isn't worth pushing to oil too far.

222

Thanks guys for all the great info.

-Eric

Eric,

I have a friend that is a Yota mechanic, and he has told me to do the 30,000 and 60,000 manufacuturers suggested maintenance. He said in his shop Toyota looks for those items, and if an engine is blown or something, they usually no questions asked repalce it, as long as the 30K, and 60K were done.

Hudge