2011 Toyota Tundra

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

HIGH IDLE -COLD START, TRUCK STARTS IN MORNING OR WHEN LEFT FOR A TIME AT 1600-1800 RPM IT SOUNDS LIKE ITS SCREAMING,,STAYS THERE FOR APPOX 3 MINUTES THEN GOES TO 1300 AND 1100 BUT DOES NOT DROP DOWN AFTER 5 MIN ,IF VEHICLES IS DRIVEN OR PUT IN GEAR ,DEPENDING ON HOW LONG UP WAIT THE TRUCK WILL PULL YOU ALONG BY ITSELF,THEN AFTER 1/4 OR HALF MILE IDLE COMES DOWN 750-800 RPM,TOYOTA SAYS ITS NORMAL CAN BE DRIVEN ,I SPECIFICALLY ASKED THE ASST SERVICE MANAGER,TO SHOW ME IN TOYOTA MANUAL WHAT THE COLD START IDLE SPEED IS TOYOTA SPEC ARE,HE WOULD RETRIEVE INFO AND DID NOT, TRUCK DID NOT HAVE THIS PROBLEM FROM THE START JUST ABOUT 3 MONTHS OLD ,BEEN TO DEALERSHIP 5 TIMES ,THEY SAY IT FINE AND NORMAL,NO CODES,ACCORDING TO INTERNET AND OTHER COMPLAINTS IT CAUSES PISTON SLAP AND ENGINE SOUNDS ABNORMAL. *TR

2011 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE AIR BAGS AND TRANSMISSION MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HER HUSBAND TURNED DOWN THE WRONG STREET, AND WHEN HE WENT TO TURN AROUND, HE PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE, AND STEPPED ON THE GAS, BUT THE VEHICLE WENT FORWARD OVER A FORTY FOOT EMBANKMENT AND RAN INTO A LARGE BOULDER AND A TREE. WHEN THE VEHICLE STOPPED IT WAS STILL IN REVERSE AND THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE MAIN ISSUE, WAS THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE, BUT THE TRUCK WENT FORWARD. ACCORDING TO EYE WITNESSES, IT APPEARED HER HUSBAND WAS HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TRANSMISSION.

I HAVE A 2011 TUNDRA SR5 WITH A LOUD CLICKING NOISE THAT HAS BEEN COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN NEAR THE SHIFT LEVER. WHILE IN PARK, THE BRAKE PEDAL MUST BE PRESSED IN ORDER TO SHIFT THE TRUCK INTO GEAR. WHEN I PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL, A LOUD CLICK CAN BE HEARD FROM THE COLUMN SHIFTER. THIS IS THE COLUMN SHIFT LOCKOUT SOLENOID AND IS NORMAL. HOWEVER, RECENTLY I CAN HEAR THE SOLENOID CLICKING ANYTIME I DEPRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL WHILE I'M IN GEAR. SOMETIMES IT IS A CLICK, TWO CLICKS AND SOMETIMES IT IS SERIES OF RAPID CLICKS. I HAVE TAKEN THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER TWICE. THE FIRST TIME I WAS TOLD THE CLICKING WAS NORMAL WHILE IN PARK AND THAT THEY COULD NOT DUPLICATE IT WHILE IN GEAR. THE SECOND TIME I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, THEY "BLEW OUT THE EXCESS GREASE" FROM THE SHIFT LOCK. THEIR BEST EXPLANATION IS THAT THE COLUMN SHIFT LOCK SOLENOID COMES FROM THE FACTORY AS A SEALED UNIT AND IS PACKED WITH GREASE. THE 'EXCESS' GREASE CAN KEEP THE LOCKING ARM FROM FULLY RETRACKING OR ENGAGING AND THE SOLENOID WILL CHATTER BECAUSE IT IS TRYING TO PUT IT INTO POSITION. *TR

I GOT STOPPED AND ISSUED A $187.00 VIOLATION BY THE POLICE IN CA AS MY TRUCK PARKING, (AMBER LIGHTS) WERE ON DURING DRIVING IN THE DAYTIME. THIS TRUCK IS WIRED SO THE AMBER (PARKING LIGHT LENS) ARE ON WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING SO TO THE POLICE IT IS THE SAME AS DRIVING WITH PARKING LIGHTS ON WHICH IS ILLEGAL UNDER CA VC 24800 AND MOST OTHER STATES. THIS MAKES MY VEHICLE ILLEGAL TO OPERATE AS WELL AS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS MOVING OR NOT (THE VERY REASON FOR PARKING LIGHTS). NO COUNTRY IN THE WORLD ALLOWS AMBER PARKING LENS TO BE USED AS DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT ALSO MAKES ME LIBEL TO GET STOPPED AND TICKETED EVERY TIME I DRIVE THIS VEHICLE IN THE DAYTIME. *JB