Toyota Tundra Hit With Two More Quality Issues

Norseman · October 23, 2007

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/toyota-...quality-issues/

This just put a HUGE smile on my face Toyota, legendary reliability. Appears more infamous to me.

Last Tuesday the Toyota Tundra was kicked off the Consumer Reports "Recommended" list for achieving below average predicted reliability scores from its own owners. It appears, however, that the Tundra's week is about to get worse. With the help of Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, we're following two separate stories about Tundra quality issues that have surfaced recently. The first involves the Tundra's transmission, with at least ten owners at TundraSolutions.com reporting that their trannies experience rough shifts that make the truck feel like it's riding over rumble strips. The 'rumble strip' transmission issue has been acknowledged by Toyota North America and traced back to the torque converter not disengaging properly. Owners report having their transmissions replaced with new or remanufactured ones, though Toyota told Levine that going forward the automaker would only replace the torque converter itself. Toyota did not say, however, how many trucks are affected, just that the transmission problem is not a safety or design issue.

The second quality issue sprouted up this past weekend, also on TundraSolutions.com, and involves tailgates that have been failing or, in some cases, even falling off. The most common experience seems to be the tailgate itself forming cracks and the metal buckling when under load. One owner reported that his tailgate failed when loading an ATV into the bed for the very first time. The tailgate being such an integral part of owning a truck, members of TS have begun an online petition, which they hope will force Toyota to recognize the issue and do something about it. The petition has attracted 125 signatures so far. Levine from Pickuptruck.com has also asked Toyota about these potentially failing tailgates and is waiting for a response.

Yes, the Toyota Tundra has had a very rough week, but it's no more difficult than the time Tundra owners spend with trucks that don't work as advertised.

Wingnut · October 23, 2007

I could give two craps about either of those issues, as my transmission didn't just shudder, it ate itself right out of my truck by 10k miles...And GM has zero room to talk when it comes to tailgates giving out.

SilveradoLAX7 · October 23, 2007

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/toyota-...quality-issues/

This just put a HUGE smile on my face Toyota, legendary reliability. Appears more infamous to me.

Last Tuesday the Toyota Tundra was kicked off the Consumer Reports "Recommended" list for achieving below average predicted reliability scores from its own owners. It appears, however, that the Tundra's week is about to get worse. With the help of Mike Levine from Pickuptruck.com, we're following two separate stories about Tundra quality issues that have surfaced recently. The first involves the Tundra's transmission, with at least ten owners at TundraSolutions.com reporting that their trannies experience rough shifts that make the truck feel like it's riding over rumble strips. The 'rumble strip' transmission issue has been acknowledged by Toyota North America and traced back to the torque converter not disengaging properly. Owners report having their transmissions replaced with new or remanufactured ones, though Toyota told Levine that going forward the automaker would only replace the torque converter itself. Toyota did not say, however, how many trucks are affected, just that the transmission problem is not a safety or design issue.

The second quality issue sprouted up this past weekend, also on TundraSolutions.com, and involves tailgates that have been failing or, in some cases, even falling off. The most common experience seems to be the tailgate itself forming cracks and the metal buckling when under load. One owner reported that his tailgate failed when loading an ATV into the bed for the very first time. The tailgate being such an integral part of owning a truck, members of TS have begun an online petition, which they hope will force Toyota to recognize the issue and do something about it. The petition has attracted 125 signatures so far. Levine from Pickuptruck.com has also asked Toyota about these potentially failing tailgates and is waiting for a response.

Yes, the Toyota Tundra has had a very rough week, but it's no more difficult than the time Tundra owners spend with trucks that don't work as advertised.

In the pickuptruck.com article ( http://www.pickuptruck.com/html/news/toyot...ions/page1.html ) a Toyota spokesman said that it was "not a safety or design issue". I guess I'm missing something, if a part is designed to work, and it fails to do so, isn't that a design issue?

--Jay

silverad03 · October 23, 2007

I agree with Wingnut's sentiment. While it is nice to see hard proof that the Tundra isn't the perfect truck right out of the box like Toyota and many die-hard Toyota owners would like us to believe, it should be noted that some stuff like this can be expected with any all-new truck design - be it from any manufacturer. GM trucks aren't devoid of their issues - just scan through these forums any day. If the issues mentioned above are the only major issues the Tundra suffers from in the end, GM could take a lesson. GM has been building full-size trucks for decades and Toyota is relatively new to the full-size market.

I'm not a fan of the Tundra, and I think it's great that some Tundra problems are starting to come to light, but I think we should be careful about slinging mud at Toyota when the trucks we drive aren't pristine either.

Jay - the torque converter may not have been designed poorly, but it may have been manufactured poorly (possibly contracted to a third-party vendor). Not an uncommon scenario in mass production with multiple systems.

Norseman · October 23, 2007

No one said that other mfg.'s don't have their problems but Toyota in their own comercials say that Toyota owners don't have these type of problems. But, leave it up to some people here to come up with the GM has no room for talk..... Bla, Bla. I didn't see GM saying anything in that article. So what did that have to do with the price of tea in China???

silverad03 · October 23, 2007

No one said that other mfg.'s don't have their problems but Toyota in their own comercials say that Toyota owners don't have these type of problems. But, leave it up to some people here to come up with the GM has no room for talk..... Bla, Bla. I didn't see GM saying anything in that article. So what did that have to do with the price of tea in China???

Can you quote or link to specific examples where Toyota advertises in its commercials that Toyota owners don't have these type of problems? I haven't seen this, but I don't pay close attention to commercials.

As for bringing up GM: I can only speak for myself, but two things in your original post that misled me about your intent:

1) Your following quote, which appears to have a slant against Toyota in light of the article you referenced:

This just put a HUGE smile on my face Toyota, legendary reliability. Appears more infamous to me.

and,

2) You posted the above in a GM truck forum.

Not trying to attack your comments, just the way I read it, due to the way it was phrased.

67ChevyRedneck · October 23, 2007

I guess what the commercials mean when they say "It's the Truck that's changing it all" is that you have to change the engine, the transmission, the tailgate....

Norseman · October 23, 2007

Can you quote or link to specific examples where Toyota advertises in its commercials that Toyota owners don't have these type of problems?

Sure here ya go.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mH6nlZiVRV0

1) Your following quote, which appears to have a slant against Toyota in light of the article you referenced:

2) You posted the above in a GM truck forum.

answer:

1) Sure it was a jab at Toyota, but no where did I say that other auto co.'s don't have issues from time to time (only Toyota does that).

2) OK, and so?!?!?

C & A s Dad · October 23, 2007

I will have to agree with Norseman here. Although all mfgs have their issues and our trucks are not immune from this, the recent issues with "The Truck that is changing everything" also puts a smile on my face. Not because I like to see people spend their hard earned dollars and have issues with their purchase but because maybe, just maybe, the eyes of many of the motoring public, who will not even consider and American Badged vehicle, will possibly be opened. I will repeat what I have said many times. I have no issues with someone spending their money on a toyota or other similar vehicle if that is what they like and cannot live without. However, I do take offense to those who say "I bought a toyota because GM/Ford/Dodge all make inferior vehicles". This statement is heard far too often and the quality issues stated in this article are further proof that it could not be further from the truth.

I have instilled in me a burning desire to support American owned companies. I do not like the fact that some of them move their mfg plants to other countires but I still choose to support them.

Paul58 · October 23, 2007

This certainly puts a smile on my face! I was looking at Tundras and decided on the GMC instead! Confirms in my mind that I made the right choice!

shedberg · October 23, 2007

I guess what the commercials mean when they say "It's the Truck that's changing it all" is that you have to change the engine, the transmission, the tailgate....

Nytemare · October 23, 2007

Transmission problems hey....maybe its from people trying to mimic that commercial with the swinging I beams. Full throttle takeoffs and spinning tires with 10K lbs...Like f*** it can handle that.

October 24, 2007

I will have to agree with Norseman here. Although all mfgs have their issues and our trucks are not immune from this, the recent issues with "The Truck that is changing everything" also puts a smile on my face. Not because I like to see people spend their hard earned dollars and have issues with their purchase but because maybe, just maybe, the eyes of many of the motoring public, who will not even consider and American Badged vehicle, will possibly be opened. I will repeat what I have said many times. I have no issues with someone spending their money on a toyota or other similar vehicle if that is what they like and cannot live without. However, I do take offense to those who say "I bought a toyota because GM/Ford/Dodge all make inferior vehicles". This statement is heard far too often and the quality issues stated in this article are further proof that it could not be further from the truth.

I have instilled in me a burning desire to support American owned companies. I do not like the fact that some of them move their mfg plants to other countires but I still choose to support them.

I tend to agree. I don't think anyone is saying GM vehicles are devoid of problems. In fact, no vehicle is since they're imperfect products made by imperfect people. There seems to be a superiority complex and thought that Japanese vehicles are better than US vehicles. Could part of the equation be Japanese auto workers vs. US autoworkers regarding build quality?

omegafiler · October 24, 2007

I will have to agree with Norseman here. Although all mfgs have their issues and our trucks are not immune from this, the recent issues with "The Truck that is changing everything" also puts a smile on my face. Not because I like to see people spend their hard earned dollars and have issues with their purchase but because maybe, just maybe, the eyes of many of the motoring public, who will not even consider and American Badged vehicle, will possibly be opened. I will repeat what I have said many times. I have no issues with someone spending their money on a toyota or other similar vehicle if that is what they like and cannot live without. However, I do take offense to those who say "I bought a toyota because GM/Ford/Dodge all make inferior vehicles". This statement is heard far too often and the quality issues stated in this article are further proof that it could not be further from the truth.

I have instilled in me a burning desire to support American owned companies. I do not like the fact that some of them move their mfg plants to other countires but I still choose to support them.

I tend to agree. I don't think anyone is saying GM vehicles are devoid of problems. In fact, no vehicle is since they're imperfect products made by imperfect people. There seems to be a superiority complex and thought that Japanese vehicles are better than US vehicles. Could part of the equation be Japanese auto workers vs. US autoworkers regarding build quality?

Completely agree with both comments. I mean, if Consumer Reports (who automatically love anything with a Toyota badge) can realize Toyota isn't the definition of perfection, and stop assuming they are, perhaps the rest of the public will finally catch on as well. And perhaps even more folks will rethink their future vehicle purchase instead of going with the "default" Toyota option because that's what they've been told to do.