The last week I have experienced a decline in acceleration especially going uphill. It has gotten gradually worse to the point I can only get up to about 45mph on relatively small inclines, gearing down helps but not much. 5 days after the acceleration on incline issue began the check engine light came on while on the freeway, there was an immediate loss of acceleration as the light came on but this time it occurred on a level grade. There was also an immediate spike on the heat indicator. It jumped from about from the 50% (normal level) mark to 75% in less than the 2 minutes it took to exit the freeway but never went into the red. Once off the freeway the acceleration returned the heat went to normal but the Check Engine light remains on. The acceleration has remained normal through the day but when the car idles at lights the heat gauge jumps back to 75% in seconds, and goes back down when in motion. The fan belt is in place and the fan turning, there is no noticeable ping, thump or jerking motion associated with most overheating issues. A full oil and coolant change was conducted less than a month ago by professionals. Any thoughts on the probable causes?
RepairPal Certified shops can diagnose and repair your 1995 Toyota Tacoma. They provide transparent pricing with a minimum 12-month or 12,000-mile warranty on repairs and services.
Not sure what this might be, but the next step is to get the diagnostic codes read out and then have the proper diagnosis performed. If you get the codes and post them here we can give more info, but in the end you need to have this diagnosed to determine what is wrong, anything else is speculation.
Here are some shops in your area: http://repairpal.com/toyota-repair-in-north-salt-lake-utah
Hope you're enjoying the early winter snow in Utah, love the snow there!
