• July 29: The van had been driving perfectly fine up until this point. I was leaving the grocery store parking lot. As I turn from the parking lot onto the street, the van would not accelerate, was shuddering and hesitating despite applying the gas. It finally popped then began driving normally. No issues the rest of the day or the following days.
• August 3: Started the van in our driveway. The RPM needle was jumping around and the vehicle began shuddering. Husband applied the gas, it shuddered a bit then sounded normal. We waited a few minutes before pulling out of the drive. The van drove normally for several days
• August 5: I took the van in to Toyota of Irving for a tire repair. I mentioned the above incidents to the service manager, who said it could be due to bad gas or the recent extreme heat.
• August 12: We started the van up to leave a restaurant. It again began shuddering and the RPM needle jumping. After waiting a few seconds, it leveled off and drove normally for at least the next week and a half.
• August 23: Started van in grocery store parking lot. Started the shaking and RPM again. Waited a few seconds and drove out. The van again would not accelerate. It finally jerked hard then started driving normally.
• August 31: Started van to leave work. It shook a bit and the RPM needle jumped. Waited a few seconds for it to settle down. The van drove normally for about 2 weeks.
• September 15: Husband drove the van all day running errands. It drove normally. He filled up the gas tank (Gulf gas station), then continued his errands. About a half hour later, while he was at a stop sign, a notification appeared that the “Traction Control System has been turned off†and the check engine light came on. He tried to move through the stop sign, but the van would barely go. He applied the gas, but no results. He was able to turn onto a side street and had to have it towed to Toyota of Irving. The Service Advisor stated the issue was due to bad gas and indicated the van needed to be flushed and the fuel injection system cleaned. Paid $725 for these repairs.
• September 17: Started van in driveway. Shuddering and RPM needle jumping again. Drove normally.
• September 21: Same as above.
• September 25: Drove the van all day with no issues. Filled up with Valero Plus gas. As we pulled out of the gas station and sitting at the light, the Traction Control message and check engine light again appeared. The van would barely go to get us through the traffic light and into a nearby parking lot. Once we parked, the screen displayed the following message: A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected.
We discovered that the van would drive fine in reverse but would not go forward without struggling. Called Toyota SOS and had the van towed to Toyota of Irving.
Notes: Van special ordered through Toyota of Rockwall in August 2019. Received in October 2019. Have always taken to Toyota of Irving for service and maintenance. Have always used name-brand gas. Zero issues until August of this year. Timeline dates based on text messages sent to husband and my sisters when incidents occurred due to fear of being stranded.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
click to see larger images
• July 29: The van had been driving perfectly fine up until this point. I was leaving the grocery store parking lot. As I turn from the parking lot onto the street, the van would not accelerate, was shuddering and hesitating despite applying the gas. It finally popped then began driving normally. No issues the rest of the day or the following days.
• August 3: Started the van in our driveway. The RPM needle was jumping around and the vehicle began shuddering. Husband applied the gas, it shuddered a bit then sounded normal. We waited a few minutes before pulling out of the drive. The van drove normally for several days
• August 5: I took the van in to Toyota of Irving for a tire repair. I mentioned the above incidents to the service manager, who said it could be due to bad gas or the recent extreme heat.
• August 12: We started the van up to leave a restaurant. It again began shuddering and the RPM needle jumping. After waiting a few seconds, it leveled off and drove normally for at least the next week and a half.
• August 23: Started van in grocery store parking lot. Started the shaking and RPM again. Waited a few seconds and drove out. The van again would not accelerate. It finally jerked hard then started driving normally.
• August 31: Started van to leave work. It shook a bit and the RPM needle jumped. Waited a few seconds for it to settle down. The van drove normally for about 2 weeks.
• September 15: Husband drove the van all day running errands. It drove normally. He filled up the gas tank (Gulf gas station), then continued his errands. About a half hour later, while he was at a stop sign, a notification appeared that the “Traction Control System has been turned off†and the check engine light came on. He tried to move through the stop sign, but the van would barely go. He applied the gas, but no results. He was able to turn onto a side street and had to have it towed to Toyota of Irving. The Service Advisor stated the issue was due to bad gas and indicated the van needed to be flushed and the fuel injection system cleaned. Paid $725 for these repairs.
• September 17: Started van in driveway. Shuddering and RPM needle jumping again. Drove normally.
• September 21: Same as above.
• September 25: Drove the van all day with no issues. Filled up with Valero Plus gas. As we pulled out of the gas station and sitting at the light, the Traction Control message and check engine light again appeared. The van would barely go to get us through the traffic light and into a nearby parking lot. Once we parked, the screen displayed the following message: A malfunction in the electronic control of the engine, throttle, or automatic transmission has been detected.
We discovered that the van would drive fine in reverse but would not go forward without struggling. Called Toyota SOS and had the van towed to Toyota of Irving.
Notes: Van special ordered through Toyota of Rockwall in August 2019. Received in October 2019. Have always taken to Toyota of Irving for service and maintenance. Have always used name-brand gas. Zero issues until August of this year. Timeline dates based on text messages sent to husband and my sisters when incidents occurred due to fear of being stranded.
- Mary M., Irving, US