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Slight clunk/thud when I get off brake and gas it.

28K views 52 replies 26 participants last post by  MelFeliFJ 
#1 ·
I've got about 900 miles on the cruiser...She is a blast to drive and so much fun off road...i've only tried one super easy trail because I am very new to off-roading.

So lately I've noticed a weird clunk/thud when i get off the brake and gas it from a red light. I feels like either the car is shifting really hard into gear or that it was in the wrong gear and is doing a very quick downshift to get to the correct gear.

I tried searching for this issue in this forum but didn't come up with anything similar.

I know it's not the brake vibration/pedal pulse that the vehicle makes when braking...I also know it's not the sudden surge that sometimes occurs when the vehicle is at a complete stop. I experience both those things and stop worrying about it after reading similar posts in this forum.

But this clunk/thud I feel when I get off the brake and on the gas from a red light is worrying me...and it's new...just started happening two days go.

Anyone have an idea as to what's going on?

Thanks!
 
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#2 ·
Forgot to add that I'm not giving it a lot of gas after the light turns green...I've barely started to let the car roll and I'll hear the clunk/thud.

It seems to happen almost immediately after I take my foot off the brake and the vehicle starts to roll.
 
#6 · (Edited)
There's also some play in the slip yoke that causes binding as well. The harder I step on the brake coming to a stop, the worse the problem is when stepping on the gas. I consider this normal.

DEWFPO
 
#9 ·
Mine is an MT, and I don't hear any clunk so for.
But I used to have the same problem on my Infiniti G35 Coupe. Whenever I downshift to accelerate or get off from a dead stop, I heard a clunk from the rear. Then I found out it was a rear axle problem. There was even a TSB for the G35 Coupe, it stated that the Wheel bearings were not tightened/torqued properly.

Is it from the front or from the rear? Do you hear clicking sound when backing up on an incline? It could be the bearings or just some normal noise. Best way to find out is take it back to the dealer and have them take a look at it.
 
#10 ·
No, I have it too in my SE TRD AT. It's felt specifically in the pedal. Kind of like a slight metalic click in the pedal, like something is busted in there. It doesn't happen every time though. I drove a manual, and didn't notice it at all. As long as it's normal, I'm ok with it ;)
 
#11 ·
make sure if you have recently used your tire jack or stuck something in one of those area, might be something rollin in there:bandit:


been here before. and spent lots of money just to find out it was something rolling around
 
#12 ·
I'll tell you exactly what it is (mine's done it since it was new).

These beefy brake caliper pistons tend to "stick" just a bit and release fully once the rotor barely begins to move. That's why, the harder you brake, the harder the clunk tends to be.

I don't know if the shoes tend to be a little sticky, or it's the nature of the heavy dual piston caliper.

PS: If your slip yoke clunks EVER...you better lube it pretty good.
 
#42 ·
I agree 100%. Mine has also done this from new. I just go easy on the stopping and no clunky.
 
#14 ·
I have had this on mine since new. I havn't paid much attention to it but it does seem to be continuous & uniformed in when & how it happens. It doesn't seem to get any louder.
I have dismissed this as a "operating as normal" condition. I will pay more attention to it & repost my .2 here.
 
#15 ·
i don't think the clunk is a result of brake pistons sticking...my last car had some massive oem brembo 4 pots up front and i never felt them stick...

the feeling i get through the brake pedal feels more like a tranny thud/clunk than a brake piston unsticking...although this is purely my opinion.
 
#17 ·
Same thing here. Feels like the electronic tranny forgets to shift back into 1rst sometimes and instead of shifting while the tranny is spinning, it clunks into gear at a complete stop. I don't think this should be good for the long term on a tranny but what do I know? All I can say about that is that the "electronically controlled transmision" on this truck scares me a bit. Why did they need to put complicated electronics? They were doing just fine as is. As far as the surge, I've felt that also, I have a feeling it's from the a/c compressor cycling on and off.
 
#18 ·
I notice something like this when I brake heard, then let off the brake the car kinda shakes forward, almost like someone hit me from behind very very lightly. It's only when I press the brakes down hard, then wait for a bit, then let off of them.
 
#19 ·
Its the rear drive shaft or propeller shaft (toyota calls it). mine started doing it so I crawled under and started looking around and tugging on the drive line looking for something loose. I saw that toyota had grease fittings on the parts where there should be (not to common anymore) so I decided to give them a few shots of grease. Now its more quiet than when it was new.
 
#22 ·
I don't think you need grease with only 900 miles on the clock (you need that @ the 10K service). This forum is great for advice and there's a lot of knowledgeable people here but before I would dismiss any noise as normal I would let the dealer check it out. You said before it wasn't doing this and that it you just started to hear this so let them check it out under warranty unless you can live with it. To be honest after 1 year I've never been back to my dealer for anything (I'm not the trusting type) but touch up paint. BTW, I too have the auto trans with 11K and never heard any noise like you describe.
 
#25 ·
There is an issue with the "lurching" when the A/C/ compressor kicks OFF Savage (Hondas and many other cars have this issues...sometimes it feels as though you get tapped from behind).

This is different. It's likes something's sticking then breaking free under moderate torque. Could be the slip yolk...next thing I'm gonna do is climb underneath with a grease gun. i still feel it's brake related...maybe one dual cylinder releases before the other...
 
#34 ·
So the A\C Compressor only kicks off when I stop the car and go...? That's kinda odd...:roller:
 
#28 ·
to me it feels like either the car is going back into 1st from 2nd (shouldn't the tranny already be in first?) or the tranny is shifting into 1st from some other gear (or perhaps neutral)...

i was going to take it to the dealer but it seems a few others also experience the same thing...but then again there are those whose vehicles do not have this issue...i'm hoping the clunk/thud is within the accepted tolerance range for normal operation.


i'm surprised that the tranny behaves in this manner...the last AT i owned was an 98 honda accord V6 and i don't recall having a similar issue until the tanny was about to check out...i eventually had to have the tranny rebuilt but i really beat on that car (my first car and i was young...blah blah blah...i'm sure some of you know how that story goes)...

anyway if i remember correctly the honda tranny was great...really smooth and solid shifts...i think the tranny was also a 5 speed AT...

the toyota tranny on the cruiser shifts good and solid...but i do think it could use some improvement/refinement...this is my first toyota and i've always heard great things about toyota quality...i wonder how the tacoma and tundra AT's feel...my guess is that the smoothest toyota (non-lexus) tranny is probably on the camry or perhaps one of the larger suv's...

my girl has an 00 tacoma v6 with ~120,000 miles on it...although the truck runs rough and isn't smooth overall feels solid...perhaps the toyota quality everyone refers to is not just about ultimate smoothness (that's what lexus if for i suppose) but rather is in regards to a vehicle that can run for a long time.
 
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