2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

ON SUN. 10/11/14, I DROVE OUR TUNDRA ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT LOST POWER. THE ENGINE RACED AND RPMS INCREASED, BUT THE SPEED FELL AND NO ACCELERATION WAS POSSIBLE. ON A HILL, SPEED FELL TO ABOUT 15 MPH. I WAS ON MY WAY TO PICK UP MY HORSE AND TRAILER; IF I HAD BEEN TOWING THEM, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC ESPECIALLY GIVEN THE HIGHWAY SPEED TRAFFIC. IT WAS STILL DANGEROUS EVEN WITHOUT THE TRAILER. I TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHTS AND LIMPED OFF. "CHECK ENGINE" LIT UP. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP THE NEXT DAY, WHO SAID CHECK ENGINE CODE WAS "P2445" FOR "SECONDARY AIR INJECTION SYSTEM WATER INTRUSION" REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE AIR PUMP ASSEMBLY, AIR PUMP INLET, EMISSION VALVE SET, ETC. FOR $2600 BECAUSE WATER INVADED THE SYSTEM. THE SERVICE TECH SAID THAT THIS WAS NOT A KNOWN ISSUE, BUT MY INTERNET SEARCH SHOWED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A 12-PAGE 2011 TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN, STATING THAT "THE AIR PUMP ASSEMBLY INLET HAS BEEN UPDATED TO PREVENT WATER INTRUSION." TOYOTA HAS NEITHER RECALLED THE DEFECTIVE INLETS NOR NOTIFIED OWNERS. THE TSB SAYS ONLY TRUCKS UNDER THE 36,000/ 3 YEAR WARRANTY ARE COVERED. TUNDRAS ARE TOW VEHICLES AND IT IS FORESEEABLE HOW UNSAFE THIS IS. BECAUSE MY TRUCK WAS SOLD JUST OVER 3 YEARS AGO, THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP AT FIRST COULD NOT COVER IT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS, WHO REFERRED ME BACK TO THE LOCAL SERVICE MANAGER, WHO THEN REACHED SOUTHEAST REGIONAL TOYOTA OFFICE, WHICH FINALLY AGREED TO COVER THE REPAIR. WHEN THIS AIR PUMP INLET FAILS, IT ALLOWS WATER TO ENTER THE AIR INJECTION SYSTEM AND THE SYSTEM TO THEN FAIL IN THE DANGEROUS WAY THAT OCCURRED IN MY CASE, RESULTING IN A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THIS HAPPENING TO OTHERS AND THAT THE DEALERS SEEM UNAWARE OF THIS TSB AND THIS "KNOWN ISSUE." TSB LINK IS HERE: HTTP://WWW.AUTOSAFETY.ORG/SITES/DEFAULT/FILES/IMCE_STAFF_UPLOADS/T-SB-0160-11.PDF. *TR

DRIVING AND NOTICED A STRANGE SOUND COMING FROM MY TRUCK. I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION AND WAS TOLD THAT MY LEAF SPRING WAS CRACKED. IT ACTUALLY WAS 2 SPRINGS THAT WERE CRACKED. THERE IS NO RECALL ON MY CAR AT THIS TIME, BUT I HAVE SPOKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS WHO SAY THIS IS HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO HAPPEN AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE COVERING THIS. OF COURSE, WHEN I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEY WOULD NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE CHARGE WITHOUT CHARGING OVER A $100 FEE SINCE THE CAR WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. I AM LOOKING FOR SOME HELP INTO HOPING HAVING THIS COVERED BY THE MANUFACTURER DUE TO A FACTORY PROBLEM AND NOT A WEAR AND TEAR ISSUE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS THE VEHICLE DECELERATED TO 25 MPH AND DID NOT REGAIN ACCELERATION. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED WHICH LOCATED THE FAILURE AT THE SECONDARY AIR PUMP SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. UPDATED 9/4/14*CN

ON THEIR 5.7 LITER ENGINE KNOCKS WHEN YOU FIRST TAKE OFF. SOUNDS LIKE EXCESSIVE PISTON SLAP FROM THE MOTOR BEING BORED OUT TO BIG DURING PRODUCTION. I HAVE CONTACTED A TOYOTA DEALER AND TOYOTA THEMSELVES AND WAS TOLD THIS IS NORMAL. WITH THIS EXCESSIVE CLEARANCE IT WILL CAUSE THE ENGINE TO HAVE A SHORTENED LIFE. THE WAY TO FIX IT IS TO REBUILD IT OR REPLACE THE MOTOR. *JS

BOUGHT A CERTIFIED TOYOTA TUNDRA EQUIPPED WITH BF GOODRICH ALL TERRAIN T/A-BAJA CHAMPION TIRES--LT285/55R20-3PLY-RADIAL-HAD TO REPLACE A TIRE DUE TO A CRACK ON THE TREAD WHICH WAS CAUSING VIBRATION-UPON INSPECTION OF OTHER TIRES WE NOTICED CRACKS ON THE TIRES--VERY CONCERNED WITH OUR SAFETY-WE HAVE 1800 MILES ON THE TRUCK WHICH WE HAVE ONLY DRIVEN IT 8000 MILES SINCE WE BOUGHT IT WITH 10000 MILES WE DON'T ABUSE OUR TRUCK --WE ARE VERY CAREFUL AS WE ARE SENIOR DRIVERS- ARE WE AT RISK OF TIRE FAILURE RISKING OUR LIVES? *JB

THIS SAFETY COMPLAINT RELATES TO THE "TILT LATCH MECHANISMS" OF A 2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA'S STEERING WHEEL, THE SET OF MECHANISMS USED TO RELEASE/SAFELY SECURE THE STEERING WHEEL IN PLACE. THERE WERE AT LEAST TWO PARTS AMONG THE LATCHING MECHANISMS, ONE BEING PLASTIC & THE OTHER BEING A METAL ALLOY, BROKE OFF AND INTO PIECES. IT WAS FORTUNATE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS FOUND WHEN I WENT TO LOWER THE STEERING WHEEL WHILE CLEANING MY VEHICLE. HAD THE PIECES SHATTERED AND FALLEN OFF WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION, A FATAL ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN RESULTED FROM LOSS OF STEERING WHEEL CONTROL. AT THE TIME OF THE FINDING, THE VEHICLE HAD 37118 MILES. SUCH SAFETY MECHANISMS OUGHT TO BE DESIGNED WITH SPECIFICATIONS SO THAT THEY WOULD LAST MORE THAN TWO OR THREE TIMES OF USE. I RECALL, AT LEAST ONCE, SEEING THE STEERING WHEEL DROPPED WITH THE LATCH LEVER HANGING DOWN HALF WAY WITHOUT ANYONE TOUCHING IT WITHIN THE FIRST 25000 MILES.BUT MY ASSUMPTION WAS THAT A TECHNICIAN MIGHT HAVE ADJUSTED THE STEERING WHEEL AND DIDN'T LATCH IT BACK PROPERLY. THE TECHNICIAN WHO WAS WORKING ON MY REPAIR HAD TOLD ME THAT MY VEHICLE WOULD BE THE SECOND VEHICLE HE HAD WORKED ON FOR THE SAME ISSUE. AND THROUGH ONLINE RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THAT WHILE THERE ARE NOT A HIGH VOLUME OF COMPLAINT OF THE SAME ISSUE, THERE ARE OWNERS REPORTING THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. AS THE TOYOTA DEALER HAD TOLD ME, THEIR TOYOTA REGIONAL SERVICE AND PARTS MANAGER HAD DECIDED TO COVER FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE ENTIRE STEERING COLUMN AND EXPECTING ME TO PAY FOR THE LABOR COST. SHARING THE REPAIRING COST IS NOT AS MUCH OF A CONCERN AS THE MAJOR CONCERN OF SAFETY. AS I HAD MENTIONED ABOVE, THE OUTCOME FROM THE FAILURE OF LATCHING MECHANISM IS UNLIMITED, AND THE COST OF SUCH INCIDENT(S) COULD BE FATAL ACCIDENT AND/OR WOULD BE MANY TIMES THE COST OF REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, THIS SERIOUS MATTER SHOULD BE THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. *TR

TRUCK'S COMPUTER IS READING AN INCORRECT PERCEIVED ALCOHOL DENSITY. TRUCK HAS A FLEX FUEL ENGINE AND THE COMPUTER IS TELLING THE ENGINE THAT THERE IS ETHANOL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM WHILE THERE IS NOT. I HAVE NEVER RUN ETHANOL IN THE TRUCK YET THE COMPUTER IS READING THAT THERE IS A 30-50% ALCOHOL DENSITY IN THE FUEL. THE PROBLEMS THAT HAVE RESULTED FROM THIS ARE MISSING WHILE UNDER POWER AND POWER LOSS WHILE DRIVING. HAVE HAD MY TRUCK TO MULTIPLE DEALERS OVER 5 TIMES NOW. THE DEALERS HAVE CONTINUED TO RE-FLASH MY TRUCK'S ECU ONLY TO HAVE THE PROBLEM TO COME BACK BECAUSE THE ECU IS A LEARNING ECU. TOYOTA HAS RELEASED A FIX FOR 2012 AND 2013 MODELS BUT NOT FOR THE 2011 MODELS WHICH IS LEAVING ME STRANDED. I PULL A BOAT FREQUENTLY AND THE LOSS IN POWER HAS SIGNIFICANT NEGATIVE EFFECTS ON TOWING. THIS PROBLEM ALSO CAUSES THE ENGINE TO RUN LEAN RESULTING IN POORER FUEL MILEAGE AND INCREASED COSTS FOR ME. I'VE TALKED WITH PEOPLE AT TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THERE ARE NO PLANS TO RELEASE A FIX FOR THE 2011'S AND THAT THERE IS BASICALLY NOTHING THAT I CAN DO. SO NOW I'M STUCK WITH A TRUCK THAT IS READING THE FUEL WRONG AND CAUSING THE TRUCK TO RUN LEAN WHICH IS SURELY GRADUALLY DAMAGING THE ENGINE WHICH I'M SURE WILL RESULT IN LOTS OF REPAIRS AFTER THE TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 1 MPH, HE NOTICED A GRINDING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING HOWEVER, THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE ANTI-SLIP HAD ACTIVATED, CAUSED THE THROTTLE TO DISENGAGE AND THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE, WHICH HE STATED WAS A CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ON A LATER DATE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 75 MPH IN INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE BRAKES ENGAGED INDEPENDENTLY AND CAUSED HIM TO CRASH INTO A DITCH. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INJURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY APPLYING THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE A FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD FURTHER ASSESS THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,600.

BOUGHT TRUCK NEW WITH 99 MILES SHOWING,TESTDRIVE PULLED HARD TO RIGHT ,EXTREMELY HARD BROUGHT BACK TO DEALERSHIP 3 DAYS LATER TO PERFORM ITS FIRST ALIGNMENT,THEY DID SEVERAL THAT DAY , MORE THAN 16 ALIGNMENT AT THAT DEALERSHIP TRUCK STILL TRACKS RIGHT,EVERY DIP IN ROAD ,ANY BUMP ,TRUCK VEERS RIGHT, JULY 2012 I HAD LEMON LAW PROCEEDING ,THE MAN CAME OUT AND DIDN'T DRIVE ,JUST SAT IN PASS SEAT, DEALERSHIP HAD THE TRUCK OVERNIGHT ONCE IN JUNE2012 AND ONCE IN JULY 2012 BEFORE TO FIX ISSUE, WHICH DID GET BETTER, THEN WAS DENIED CAUSE IT IS UNDER WARRANTY, TRUCK HAD OIL CHANGE AROUND NOV2012 AND I COMPLAINED AGAIN ,ABOUT FRONT END DOG TRACKING ,THEY SAID ITS NORMAL AND NO FIX NEEDED ,BUT THE TRUCK WAS FIXED FROM DOG TRACKING BUT NOT PUT IN WRITING, STILL VEERS RIGHT,NOW THIS TRUCK HAS HAD PROBLEMS LIKE MAJOR VIBRATION, REPLACED DRIVESHAFT AT 2500 MILES,DEALERSHIP REPLACED WHEELS TWICE TRYING TO FIGURE WHERE ITS COMING FROM, WHILE BRAKING IT PULLED HARD TO RIGHT AND HAD TO FIGHT STEERING WHEEL ,NOW THIS IS FROM THE START IT COULD LITERALLY TAKE THE CAR OUT ON THE SIDE OF YOU,WITH A CROWN OR NO CROWN THE PULLING RIGHT IS EXCESSIVE,AND WAS ABOUT 80 % WORST BUT I WANT IT FIXED CORRECTLY,CAN ANYONE HELP ME GET THIS TRUCK TO ROLL STRAIGHT,IM AT 21,900 MILES ,YES I HAVE PAPER WORK . *TR