Purchased a 2017 4Runner new in May of 2017. This truck had a Southeast Toyota package with 20" wheels and all-terrain type tires. The first time driving on the highway I noticed the steering wheel and the front end shaking. Took the vehicle to the dealer and they balanced the tires and gave it back to me with the "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away but the shaking was still present. Returned back to dealer and this time they did a road force balance. And again I received "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away again and still felt the vibration and shaking. I returned back to the dealer and they told me the tires were out of round and they replaced all 4. This time the shaking seemed to be minimal so I accepted this as the best their equipment could do and didn't complain and thought I was being sensitive to the previous condition.
I rotated the replacement tires at the dealership @5k,10k and at 15k I asked the dealer to verify the balance was still ok as part of normal maintenance. The dealer said they were out of spec and they re-balanced them. The dealer balanced the tires and gave it back to me with the "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. Well now the shaking has returned as bad or worse than when I purchased the truck. Brought the truck back, they did a road force balance. And again I received "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away again and still felt the vibration and shaking.
Please comment if you have had the same experience or if you know what will resolve this.
Update from Jul 23, 2018 So the dealer found another "bad" tire. 5 tires were now bad on my new vehicle. By luck, there were some Toyota experts at the dealer while my vehicle was in for service. They all experienced the vibration and and shaking on my vehicle before and after the repair. Then the experts tested a new vehicle from from the dealer lot with the same wheel and tire package and they found that new vehicle has a higher level of vibration and shimmy than mine and they emailed me a document showing these results! Additionally, they sent me a 14 page service bulletin (SET-TSB-18-001) showing all the special requirement needed to balance their wheel and tires. So Toyota dealers are getting these vehicles from Southeast Toyota Distributors with "upgraded" equipment which adversely affects the ride quality and handling of the base vehicle.
These two companies are protecting each other and providing outrageous "fix" documents for their products that the average tire shop cannot and will not follow.
Think twice about the Southeast Toyota XP packages on your 4runner (275x55x20 wheels and Nitto Terra Grappler 2 tires) if you want a vehicle to drive without vibration, shaking or shimmying.
I still can't believe that Toyota will allow the distributors to modify their products in a way that is detrimental to the performance of their product while charging the customers thousands of dollars to do it.
Update from Aug 26, 2018 Update: Went through the arbitration process and "third party" sided with Toyota after Toyota specialists provided evidence that the vehicle shakes and vibrates. Toyota specialists agree that the tire and wheel package makes the vehicle shake but that is a "characteristic of the wheels and tires" furthermore, the "third party" judged that the shaking was not a safety issue and did not impede the use of the vehicle.
So, my advise...stay away from any 4runner with the XP package with 20" wheels and tires if you want a vehicle that doesn't shake at 50 mph or faster.
I have learned a very expensive and time consuming lesson with Toyota and the dealership. This entire Toyota experience has been a hassle from day one!
This car has 500 hours on it and it was in Toyota's shop for 300 hours total. Awful car, worse service.
Update from Aug 29, 2018 Since Toyota will not stand behind their product, neither will I. Just traded in the 4 runner. Absolutely the best decision I could have made. I will never buy another Toyota and I will never step foot into that dealership again!
What a relief to have that whole mess of a deal off my head. I highly recommend the same course for those of you caught in the trap.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Purchased a 2017 4Runner new in May of 2017. This truck had a Southeast Toyota package with 20" wheels and all-terrain type tires. The first time driving on the highway I noticed the steering wheel and the front end shaking. Took the vehicle to the dealer and they balanced the tires and gave it back to me with the "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away but the shaking was still present. Returned back to dealer and this time they did a road force balance. And again I received "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away again and still felt the vibration and shaking. I returned back to the dealer and they told me the tires were out of round and they replaced all 4. This time the shaking seemed to be minimal so I accepted this as the best their equipment could do and didn't complain and thought I was being sensitive to the previous condition.
I rotated the replacement tires at the dealership @5k,10k and at 15k I asked the dealer to verify the balance was still ok as part of normal maintenance. The dealer said they were out of spec and they re-balanced them. The dealer balanced the tires and gave it back to me with the "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. Well now the shaking has returned as bad or worse than when I purchased the truck. Brought the truck back, they did a road force balance. And again I received "you are all good now" confident acknowledgement. I drove away again and still felt the vibration and shaking.
Please comment if you have had the same experience or if you know what will resolve this.
Update from Jul 23, 2018 So the dealer found another "bad" tire. 5 tires were now bad on my new vehicle. By luck, there were some Toyota experts at the dealer while my vehicle was in for service. They all experienced the vibration and and shaking on my vehicle before and after the repair. Then the experts tested a new vehicle from from the dealer lot with the same wheel and tire package and they found that new vehicle has a higher level of vibration and shimmy than mine and they emailed me a document showing these results! Additionally, they sent me a 14 page service bulletin (SET-TSB-18-001) showing all the special requirement needed to balance their wheel and tires. So Toyota dealers are getting these vehicles from Southeast Toyota Distributors with "upgraded" equipment which adversely affects the ride quality and handling of the base vehicle.
These two companies are protecting each other and providing outrageous "fix" documents for their products that the average tire shop cannot and will not follow.
Think twice about the Southeast Toyota XP packages on your 4runner (275x55x20 wheels and Nitto Terra Grappler 2 tires) if you want a vehicle to drive without vibration, shaking or shimmying.
I still can't believe that Toyota will allow the distributors to modify their products in a way that is detrimental to the performance of their product while charging the customers thousands of dollars to do it.
Update from Aug 26, 2018 Update: Went through the arbitration process and "third party" sided with Toyota after Toyota specialists provided evidence that the vehicle shakes and vibrates. Toyota specialists agree that the tire and wheel package makes the vehicle shake but that is a "characteristic of the wheels and tires" furthermore, the "third party" judged that the shaking was not a safety issue and did not impede the use of the vehicle. So, my advise...stay away from any 4runner with the XP package with 20" wheels and tires if you want a vehicle that doesn't shake at 50 mph or faster. I have learned a very expensive and time consuming lesson with Toyota and the dealership. This entire Toyota experience has been a hassle from day one! This car has 500 hours on it and it was in Toyota's shop for 300 hours total. Awful car, worse service.
Update from Aug 29, 2018 Since Toyota will not stand behind their product, neither will I. Just traded in the 4 runner. Absolutely the best decision I could have made. I will never buy another Toyota and I will never step foot into that dealership again! What a relief to have that whole mess of a deal off my head. I highly recommend the same course for those of you caught in the trap.
- mech engr, Holly Springs, NC, US