Toyota Tundra Design Flaw - $4000 Repair Needed

Toyota Tundra Design Flaw - $4000 Repair Needed
Some 2007 through 2010 Tundra owners are being asked to replace the main components of their truck's Air Injection System, with costs in excess of $4,000. Because of a design flaw, water can enter the truck's air injection system and destroy 2 small air induction pumps ($1100 each) as well as 2 emissions valves ($500 each). With labor, the total cost exceed $4,000.

Toyota is aware of this problem and has issued multiple TSB's. However, because this system is failing after the 3 year / 36k mile warranty ends, Toyota is not fixing this repair under warranty.

The air injection system is an emissions component designed to reduce cold-start emissions. It is not necessary for the core function of the truck, and is only needed for 1 or 2 minutes at vehicle start. Yet the failure of this system puts the Tundra into "limp mode," resulting in substantially less power until the check engine code is cleared.

While it's not clear HOW water is entering the air injection system, the number of owners with this problem suggests this is a design flaw. Toyota has issued a TSB for all 2007 Tundras, as well as many 2008 and 2010 models, which would seem to support this conclusion.

Many Tundra owners who are faced with this repair fail to understand why this system was designed so poorly as to ingest water, as well as the incredible cost of the two electric air pumps ($900-$1200 each, depending on dealer mark-up). What's more, Tundra owners wonder why failure of this non-essential system puts the truck into "limp mode."

Read the full details on TundraHeadquarters.com
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upwardsupwards - 4/26/2010 1:36:11 PM
+7 Boost
Chevy silver has a 5 year 100,000 mile warranty.


Agent009Agent009 - 4/26/2010 2:51:53 PM
+5 Boost
A good case where a longer warranty can benefit the consumer


uaw_laxuaw_lax - 4/26/2010 6:25:01 PM
+3 Boost
Badgewhore in this case the Toyoto motor did not make it to 500,000 miles and I have yetto see any other for that matter. Also emission is part of the powertrain FYI.


bfghemicudabfghemicuda - 4/26/2010 8:39:09 PM
+4 Boost
Toyota engines do not Easily go 300 to 500,000 miles. It takes maintenance just like anything else.


91z4me91z4me - 4/26/2010 8:45:03 PM
+2 Boost
As usual bfghemicuda brings a rational argument to the conversation.


fatandsassyfatandsassy - 4/26/2010 1:44:26 PM
+9 Boost
Please tell me why anyone is still buying these crapy reject vehicles/


PerformanceGuyPerformanceGuy - 4/26/2010 1:53:31 PM
+7 Boost
It is really shady of them not to fix this under warranty. It is sad to see a company behave the way they are.


tundrahqtundrahq - 4/26/2010 3:42:52 PM
+2 Boost
I wholeheartedly agree. I don't know what's worse - using outrageously expensive parts for a non-essential system, or forcing vehicle owners to complete the repairs because the engine computer treats this break-down like a major engine fault.


LACMANLACMAN - 4/26/2010 2:35:10 PM
+5 Boost
Where is Badgewhore?


91z4me91z4me - 4/26/2010 8:45:45 PM
+1 Boost
And below you...Lookout he's everywhere.


0to600to60 - 4/26/2010 2:41:22 PM
+5 Boost
having customers pay to fix this helps pay for the acceleration recall.


TehShibbsTehShibbs - 4/26/2010 3:27:37 PM
0 Boost
This is usually on owners' vehicles that do a lot of short trips. Repeated heating and cooling = bad for moisture.


tundrahqtundrahq - 4/26/2010 3:44:15 PM
+1 Boost
That's an interesting comment - I had that thought myself. Have you had experience with this first-hand? I'd be curious to know if you can point to another manufacturer that's had this problem and if that was ultimately determined to be the cause.

Not trying to argue or anything, just trying to figure it out.


uaw_laxuaw_lax - 4/26/2010 6:29:54 PM
+1 Boost
Ive heard of an injector problem with Chryslers before.


tundrahqtundrahq - 4/26/2010 8:54:36 PM
+1 Boost
uaw_lax - Thanks. I'll check it out.


freeagentfreeagent - 4/26/2010 3:30:44 PM
+4 Boost
if Toyota lets this stand then, for the first time, I now think this series of issues are doing serious long term damage to their reputation and prospects in the US. When will this drip, drip, drip finally stop? stop the bleeding


bfghemicudabfghemicuda - 4/27/2010 11:38:33 AM
+3 Boost
Again Badgewhore your loyality to Toyota is admireable but your reasoning is questionable.


ForeignerForeigner - 4/27/2010 12:59:57 PM
+1 Boost
I had this same problem on my Saab 9-3. The system isn't ingesting
water, but rather the check valves mentioned in the article become
plugged with carbon and begin to stick open after 50k miles or so.
This allows exhaust to flow back into the SAIS (secondary air
injection system) where the water in the exaust then recondenses. In
winter it usually freezes and cracks the pumps as well. Mine only has
one pump, but it was about $1,500 to fix. Hopefully that helps
someone. My dealer didn't understand it, so I had to explain where the
water came from, by I hear it's typical on the model and year I have.


ForeignerForeigner - 4/27/2010 1:00:38 PM
+1 Boost
*but


Type707Type707 - 4/28/2010 11:26:28 PM
+1 Boost
Toyota is just failing left and right. see when these foreign execs get all money hungry...it justs bites them back on their teabags


Tundra1Tundra1 - 5/18/2010 2:15:54 PM
+1 Boost
This has nothing and I mean nothing to do with the engine air intake,,, this is also not a part that gets modified, you guys that are saying that Tundra owners are moding these parts are clueless as to what parts you are talking about. Most Tundra owners did not even know these things were there till they started failing,,,,
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