Toyota: Tundra News
#83
The Third Ball
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That is just hot.
#86
Senior Moderator
It looked like a first year auto body student Bondo'd the rear fender flares on i dont like it
#93
Just dial 1911
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Originally Posted by fsttyms1
It looked like a first year auto body student Bondo'd the rear fender flares on i dont like it
And I'm not a fan of flat paint jobs...Though it is suppose to be a work truck, so it makes sense...
Oh, and I like that brushed aluminum look. I'd take that over chrome any day...
#94
is this a Toyota diesel?
for being a 8 liter i'd hope it makes more than 300 hp.
Dodge's new Cummins is a 6.7 liter at 325 hp
Ford's stroker like 325 hp and 6.4 liter. (which that twin turbo i drove one for the fire dept we got to demo it. JOKE! Doesn't have any power. i know it's rated the close to the Dodge as far as power but that Dodge feels more alive than the TT Powerstroke.)
GMC 6.6 liter 365 hp ( i don't have any beefs with GMC just i heard their gonna end their contract soon with Iszsu making their diesels)
i'm personally waiting on the Titan HD diesel.
for being a 8 liter i'd hope it makes more than 300 hp.
Dodge's new Cummins is a 6.7 liter at 325 hp
Ford's stroker like 325 hp and 6.4 liter. (which that twin turbo i drove one for the fire dept we got to demo it. JOKE! Doesn't have any power. i know it's rated the close to the Dodge as far as power but that Dodge feels more alive than the TT Powerstroke.)
GMC 6.6 liter 365 hp ( i don't have any beefs with GMC just i heard their gonna end their contract soon with Iszsu making their diesels)
i'm personally waiting on the Titan HD diesel.
#95
luvs redheads!
I do not believe any diesel in a 1ton truck can be over 7.0L now. Hence why ford went from the 7.3L to a 6.0L and now to the 6.4L.
who cares now that diesel is more expensive now anyways for some unforsaken reason.
who cares now that diesel is more expensive now anyways for some unforsaken reason.
#96
It's not about the hp it about the torque.
#99
I need 2 more gears
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Originally Posted by swift22
I do not believe any diesel in a 1ton truck can be over 7.0L now. Hence why ford went from the 7.3L to a 6.0L and now to the 6.4L.
who cares now that diesel is more expensive now anyways for some unforsaken reason.
who cares now that diesel is more expensive now anyways for some unforsaken reason.
I disagree. Ford's old 7.3L powerstroke's are far superior to the 6.0L as far as reliability and potential for power. I think if Toyota does this they'll use a different powerplant. 8.0L and only 300HP and 600TQ is weak in comparison to the competition and I think Toyota will want to come out swinging hard trying to knock GM, Ford and most importantly Dodge who has the best diesel on the market with the Cummins. I'd count on a 2010-11 release date of a truck that looks very similair to this but with a 6.8-7.0L diesel pumping out close to 400hp and over 700TQ and a towing capacity in the 16-18k range. That and a plus $50k price of admission.
#100
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Originally Posted by joerockt
+1 Something about them dosent flow right.
And I'm not a fan of flat paint jobs...Though it is suppose to be a work truck, so it makes sense...
Oh, and I like that brushed aluminum look. I'd take that over chrome any day...
And I'm not a fan of flat paint jobs...Though it is suppose to be a work truck, so it makes sense...
Oh, and I like that brushed aluminum look. I'd take that over chrome any day...
#101
Suzuka Master
Already that my Crewmax is a handful to park can't imagine parallel parking with that dually
#102
Senior Moderator
Originally Posted by sbuswell
I disagree. Ford's old 7.3L powerstroke's are far superior to the 6.0L as far as reliability and potential for power. I think if Toyota does this they'll use a different powerplant. 8.0L and only 300HP and 600TQ is weak in comparison to the competition and I think Toyota will want to come out swinging hard trying to knock GM, Ford and most importantly Dodge who has the best diesel on the market with the Cummins. I'd count on a 2010-11 release date of a truck that looks very similair to this but with a 6.8-7.0L diesel pumping out close to 400hp and over 700TQ and a towing capacity in the 16-18k range. That and a plus $50k price of admission.
#104
luvs redheads!
Originally Posted by sbuswell
I disagree. Ford's old 7.3L powerstroke's are far superior to the 6.0L as far as reliability and potential for power. I think if Toyota does this they'll use a different powerplant. 8.0L and only 300HP and 600TQ is weak in comparison to the competition and I think Toyota will want to come out swinging hard trying to knock GM, Ford and most importantly Dodge who has the best diesel on the market with the Cummins. I'd count on a 2010-11 release date of a truck that looks very similair to this but with a 6.8-7.0L diesel pumping out close to 400hp and over 700TQ and a towing capacity in the 16-18k range. That and a plus $50k price of admission.
^^i said nothing of which motor was better
6.0L= junk and now the 6.4L is just disaster as well. My family will be very interested in this toyota diesel
#105
now y'all are talking GM Duramax vs Ford 7.3,Ford 6.0 and 6.4
it's like this i've driven all of those including also the Dodge 5.9 and new 6.7
dad has the old generation GM Duramax with a Banks Big Hoss Kit we haven't dynoed it but they told us at the shop he's putting down 475-500 hp and over 800 ft lbs of tq. it's been a good truck haven't had any issues with it.
7.3 Ford- we still got one old squad down at station with a 7.3 in it. in my opinion it's my favorite squad cause it's the most dependable.
6.0 Ford- HATE IT, HATE IT ,HATE IT. we got 2 squads with 6.0s in em. they got recalled every 3 months(seriously) had turbo issues with one of with em.
6.4 Ford- a local Ford dealer brought out a new 6.4 for us to demo for a grass truck. to me it felt sluggish.
Dodge 5.9 Cummins- not a bad diesel. not my favorite but the mods out there for it easily get it over 600 hp.
Dodge 6.7 Cummins- dealer brought one for us to demo (it was a 5500 chassis 4x4 for our grass truck) overall i'm really impressed with this.
plus from talking with chief he said probably our squads from here out will have Dodge 5500s under them from now on. only thing i'm trying to talk him into getting rid of the 6.0 Fords first and keep around the one last 7.3 Ford.
it's like this i've driven all of those including also the Dodge 5.9 and new 6.7
dad has the old generation GM Duramax with a Banks Big Hoss Kit we haven't dynoed it but they told us at the shop he's putting down 475-500 hp and over 800 ft lbs of tq. it's been a good truck haven't had any issues with it.
7.3 Ford- we still got one old squad down at station with a 7.3 in it. in my opinion it's my favorite squad cause it's the most dependable.
6.0 Ford- HATE IT, HATE IT ,HATE IT. we got 2 squads with 6.0s in em. they got recalled every 3 months(seriously) had turbo issues with one of with em.
6.4 Ford- a local Ford dealer brought out a new 6.4 for us to demo for a grass truck. to me it felt sluggish.
Dodge 5.9 Cummins- not a bad diesel. not my favorite but the mods out there for it easily get it over 600 hp.
Dodge 6.7 Cummins- dealer brought one for us to demo (it was a 5500 chassis 4x4 for our grass truck) overall i'm really impressed with this.
plus from talking with chief he said probably our squads from here out will have Dodge 5500s under them from now on. only thing i'm trying to talk him into getting rid of the 6.0 Fords first and keep around the one last 7.3 Ford.
#106
Senior Moderator
dang. HOTT. surprised they don't give a torque figure.
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/s...04-horsepower/
http://www.autoblog.com/2008/04/10/s...04-horsepower/
Supercharged TRD Tundra will make 504 horsepower
Posted Apr 10th 2008 4:28PM by Drew Phillips
High horsepower trucks have come and gone. The SVT Lightning and Ram SRT10 are but two examples, but we miss the GMC Syclone something fierce, as well. Toyota is readying its TRD supercharger for the Tundra, which should help sate those who hunger for extra horsepower in their truck. An employee of Toyota of El Monte, California and member of TundraSolutions.com revealed on his forum that TRD reps brought a Sequoia to his dealership equipped with the TRD supercharger mounted on the large SUV's 5.7-liter V8 – the same V8 in the Tundra. Not only did he say that TRD claimed a rating of 504 horsepower, an increase of 123 over the stock engine, but he also got the opportunity to ride shotgun while one of his fellow employees took it for a road test. He even brought back the above picture as proof. Visit the Tundra Solutions forum to see the details of the kit and read about the test drive.
Posted Apr 10th 2008 4:28PM by Drew Phillips
High horsepower trucks have come and gone. The SVT Lightning and Ram SRT10 are but two examples, but we miss the GMC Syclone something fierce, as well. Toyota is readying its TRD supercharger for the Tundra, which should help sate those who hunger for extra horsepower in their truck. An employee of Toyota of El Monte, California and member of TundraSolutions.com revealed on his forum that TRD reps brought a Sequoia to his dealership equipped with the TRD supercharger mounted on the large SUV's 5.7-liter V8 – the same V8 in the Tundra. Not only did he say that TRD claimed a rating of 504 horsepower, an increase of 123 over the stock engine, but he also got the opportunity to ride shotgun while one of his fellow employees took it for a road test. He even brought back the above picture as proof. Visit the Tundra Solutions forum to see the details of the kit and read about the test drive.
#107
2008 Toyota Tundra Supercharged by TRD Follow-Up Test and Video
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do...hotopanel..2.*
The Buffalo Meets Its Match
By Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
Date posted: 10-20-2008
When Homer Simpson was presented with a military-grade deep fryer that could flash-fry a buffalo in 40 seconds, he replied, "Forty seconds? But I want it now!" Even sad-sack Homer can teach us something, and this time it's that even if you overachieve beyond the wildest of expectations, universal acceptance can be elusive.
And so it is with the 2008 Toyota Tundra Supercharged by TRD. This one-off vehicle brings back the concept of the sport truck. Two parts supercar, one part pack mule, the sport truck tries to persuade us that the fortification of horsepower and cornering grip can make a silk purse out of what dynamically is a sow's rectum. So what you get is the best of both worlds, a silk purse that can haul a rainforest's worth of lumber and do burnouts 'til next Wednesday. If you're Homer Simpson, it's buffalo meat and an expedient browning.
Mother Toyota has yet to build a gloves-off sport truck in the vein of the defunct Dodge Ram SRT10 and Ford Lightning. Instead, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Toyota's official in-house provider of performance accessories, has tackled the task and the result is the 2008 Toyota Tundra SR5 Supercharged by TRD that you see here.
Burnouts
Pencil-pushing naysayers will remind you that speed and trucks cannot coexist, since pickups boast the sleekness of a parking garage, not to mention a similar curb weight. Adding insane amounts of horsepower to the equation is the vehicular analogy of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.
So TRD has smartly chosen the lightest Tundra possible in order to showcase its wares — a rear-wheel-drive regular cab with a short bed and none of the weight-adding frills of the higher-zoot Tundra Limited. Then it stuffed in a TRD-designed and -developed supercharger conversion. Based around the recently introduced four-lobe Eaton supercharger also found in the stonking Chevy Corvette ZR1, the system is a slick bolt-on affair that is 50-state legal.
Blowing 8.5 psi of boost pressure into the hungry cylinders ratchets horsepower from 381 to 504, while torque makes a similar leap from 401 pound-feet up to a towering 550 lb-ft. (TRD actually takes the trouble to have an outside supplier measure the results according to the SAE methodology.) These are numbers that are stout enough to contend with this Tundra's equally stout 5,182-pound curb weight. Fortunately, burnouts are immune to the effects of curb weight.
Actually designed for towing applications, the supercharger kit is available for all 2007-'09 Tundras and 2008-'09 Sequoias equipped with the 5.7-liter V8. This $5,875 kit is not simply a blower and belt, as the conversion includes everything — a liquid-to-air intercooler, revised intake, reflashed engine control unit, larger injectors and fuel pump. About 8-10 hours of installation are required, and when the work is completed by a Toyota dealer, the engine retains its Toyota factory-backed warranty. A performance dual exhaust adds $1,065.
Mass
This particular Tundra has been equipped with all the sport truck items from the TRD catalog, including lowering springs ($1,699), a beefy rear antiroll bar ($299) and colossal 22-inch wheels with 285/45R22 Toyo Proxes S/T rubber ($4,699 for the wheels and tires). It's all meant to reduce body roll and improve cornering grip, but let's be honest — a sport truck is a one-trick pony. And that trick is to signal the release of dead pterosaurs' pent-up frustration with clouds of acrid tire smoke.
At our test track, the 2008 Toyota Tundra dispatched 60 mph in 5.1 seconds (4.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and elbowed its way through the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 103.8 mph. This performance slices a half-second out of the performance of the erstwhile Dodge SRT10 Ram. You know, the one powered by a Viper V10 engine.
Though the Tundra's six-speed automatic transmission shifts up a few hundred rpm shy of the indicated redline, its closely spaced gear ratios and the engine's volcanic midrange torque combine to keep this truck powering irresistibly forward like a ballistic ekranoplan, that cross between a hovercraft and an airplane that was built as a mobile missile launcher by the Russians during the Cold War.
Few trucks — heck, very few cars — can hang with this supercharged weapon. Want to be over there? Wood the gas and bam, you're there. If it could be properly coupled, the power band could pinch-hit for the Hadron supercollider.
Keeping It on the Ground
TRD has also fitted this 2008 Toyota Tundra with a monstrous big brake kit. And we're not kidding about big brakes, because each rotor is 16 inches across and is given the squeeze by six-piston calipers the size of a hibachi barbecue. This is one nice setup, and it one-ups the factory brakes by transforming the feel at the pedal. It's firm to the point that your foot's pressure on the pedal alone rather than pedal travel dictates braking force. This makes for intuitive modulation and a huge confidence boost when you're negotiating this big truck through traffic. The brake kit is worth its $2,795 price tag for the pedal feel alone.
Stopping from 60 mph requires 129 feet, or about a dozen fewer feet than the stock version of this truck. This respectable improvement is at least in part aided by the TRD Tundra's lower ride height and stickier tires. We wish we could report that the brakes remained robust no matter what, but the first traces of fade crept in at the end of a few full-effort stops from 60 mph, a reminder that this truck weighs 5,182 pounds.
This truck's ultimate grip on the skid pad is not bad at 0.77g. Of course, perhaps we should rephrase this. That is, the modest limits of grip might as well be infinite since they can rarely be explored with confidence due to the indifference of the TRD Tundra's steering. There's so little feedback from the tires and such absurd lightness in the steering effort that you'd never know if the front tires have left contact with the ground. Maybe ignorance is bliss, since this low, stiff truck doesn't soak up bumps either, which results in a busy ride that quickly grows tiresome.
As if it matters, the truck pounded its way through the slalom at 59 mph. Did we mention the burnouts it can do?
Execution
It's worth noting that the 2008 Toyota Tundra Supercharged by TRD never once pinged, overheated, botched a shift, hiccupped, farted or otherwise gave any indication that the supercharger kit was anything other than a fully factory-developed offering. The calibration and execution are so good that even prolonged burnouts in hot, dry weather didn't faze it.
Paradoxically, the truck's suppressed supercharger whine and relatively mellow exhaust note might disappoint hard-core sport truck enthusiasts craving a deafening soundtrack to accompany the engine's red-meat output. Then again, the rest of the neighborhood will appreciate the truck's civility.
Give us the brakes and the supercharger, easily the most compelling parts of the TRD Tundra. We'll pass on the lowering springs. This is a pickup, and tweaking a truck's handling is like trying to shine a sneaker. You can't have your buffalo and eat it, too. Just ask Homer.
By Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
Date posted: 10-20-2008
When Homer Simpson was presented with a military-grade deep fryer that could flash-fry a buffalo in 40 seconds, he replied, "Forty seconds? But I want it now!" Even sad-sack Homer can teach us something, and this time it's that even if you overachieve beyond the wildest of expectations, universal acceptance can be elusive.
And so it is with the 2008 Toyota Tundra Supercharged by TRD. This one-off vehicle brings back the concept of the sport truck. Two parts supercar, one part pack mule, the sport truck tries to persuade us that the fortification of horsepower and cornering grip can make a silk purse out of what dynamically is a sow's rectum. So what you get is the best of both worlds, a silk purse that can haul a rainforest's worth of lumber and do burnouts 'til next Wednesday. If you're Homer Simpson, it's buffalo meat and an expedient browning.
Mother Toyota has yet to build a gloves-off sport truck in the vein of the defunct Dodge Ram SRT10 and Ford Lightning. Instead, Toyota Racing Development (TRD), Toyota's official in-house provider of performance accessories, has tackled the task and the result is the 2008 Toyota Tundra SR5 Supercharged by TRD that you see here.
Burnouts
Pencil-pushing naysayers will remind you that speed and trucks cannot coexist, since pickups boast the sleekness of a parking garage, not to mention a similar curb weight. Adding insane amounts of horsepower to the equation is the vehicular analogy of the irresistible force meeting the immovable object.
So TRD has smartly chosen the lightest Tundra possible in order to showcase its wares — a rear-wheel-drive regular cab with a short bed and none of the weight-adding frills of the higher-zoot Tundra Limited. Then it stuffed in a TRD-designed and -developed supercharger conversion. Based around the recently introduced four-lobe Eaton supercharger also found in the stonking Chevy Corvette ZR1, the system is a slick bolt-on affair that is 50-state legal.
Blowing 8.5 psi of boost pressure into the hungry cylinders ratchets horsepower from 381 to 504, while torque makes a similar leap from 401 pound-feet up to a towering 550 lb-ft. (TRD actually takes the trouble to have an outside supplier measure the results according to the SAE methodology.) These are numbers that are stout enough to contend with this Tundra's equally stout 5,182-pound curb weight. Fortunately, burnouts are immune to the effects of curb weight.
Actually designed for towing applications, the supercharger kit is available for all 2007-'09 Tundras and 2008-'09 Sequoias equipped with the 5.7-liter V8. This $5,875 kit is not simply a blower and belt, as the conversion includes everything — a liquid-to-air intercooler, revised intake, reflashed engine control unit, larger injectors and fuel pump. About 8-10 hours of installation are required, and when the work is completed by a Toyota dealer, the engine retains its Toyota factory-backed warranty. A performance dual exhaust adds $1,065.
Mass
This particular Tundra has been equipped with all the sport truck items from the TRD catalog, including lowering springs ($1,699), a beefy rear antiroll bar ($299) and colossal 22-inch wheels with 285/45R22 Toyo Proxes S/T rubber ($4,699 for the wheels and tires). It's all meant to reduce body roll and improve cornering grip, but let's be honest — a sport truck is a one-trick pony. And that trick is to signal the release of dead pterosaurs' pent-up frustration with clouds of acrid tire smoke.
At our test track, the 2008 Toyota Tundra dispatched 60 mph in 5.1 seconds (4.7 seconds with 1 foot of rollout like on a drag strip) and elbowed its way through the quarter-mile in 13.3 seconds at 103.8 mph. This performance slices a half-second out of the performance of the erstwhile Dodge SRT10 Ram. You know, the one powered by a Viper V10 engine.
Though the Tundra's six-speed automatic transmission shifts up a few hundred rpm shy of the indicated redline, its closely spaced gear ratios and the engine's volcanic midrange torque combine to keep this truck powering irresistibly forward like a ballistic ekranoplan, that cross between a hovercraft and an airplane that was built as a mobile missile launcher by the Russians during the Cold War.
Few trucks — heck, very few cars — can hang with this supercharged weapon. Want to be over there? Wood the gas and bam, you're there. If it could be properly coupled, the power band could pinch-hit for the Hadron supercollider.
Keeping It on the Ground
TRD has also fitted this 2008 Toyota Tundra with a monstrous big brake kit. And we're not kidding about big brakes, because each rotor is 16 inches across and is given the squeeze by six-piston calipers the size of a hibachi barbecue. This is one nice setup, and it one-ups the factory brakes by transforming the feel at the pedal. It's firm to the point that your foot's pressure on the pedal alone rather than pedal travel dictates braking force. This makes for intuitive modulation and a huge confidence boost when you're negotiating this big truck through traffic. The brake kit is worth its $2,795 price tag for the pedal feel alone.
Stopping from 60 mph requires 129 feet, or about a dozen fewer feet than the stock version of this truck. This respectable improvement is at least in part aided by the TRD Tundra's lower ride height and stickier tires. We wish we could report that the brakes remained robust no matter what, but the first traces of fade crept in at the end of a few full-effort stops from 60 mph, a reminder that this truck weighs 5,182 pounds.
This truck's ultimate grip on the skid pad is not bad at 0.77g. Of course, perhaps we should rephrase this. That is, the modest limits of grip might as well be infinite since they can rarely be explored with confidence due to the indifference of the TRD Tundra's steering. There's so little feedback from the tires and such absurd lightness in the steering effort that you'd never know if the front tires have left contact with the ground. Maybe ignorance is bliss, since this low, stiff truck doesn't soak up bumps either, which results in a busy ride that quickly grows tiresome.
As if it matters, the truck pounded its way through the slalom at 59 mph. Did we mention the burnouts it can do?
Execution
It's worth noting that the 2008 Toyota Tundra Supercharged by TRD never once pinged, overheated, botched a shift, hiccupped, farted or otherwise gave any indication that the supercharger kit was anything other than a fully factory-developed offering. The calibration and execution are so good that even prolonged burnouts in hot, dry weather didn't faze it.
Paradoxically, the truck's suppressed supercharger whine and relatively mellow exhaust note might disappoint hard-core sport truck enthusiasts craving a deafening soundtrack to accompany the engine's red-meat output. Then again, the rest of the neighborhood will appreciate the truck's civility.
Give us the brakes and the supercharger, easily the most compelling parts of the TRD Tundra. We'll pass on the lowering springs. This is a pickup, and tweaking a truck's handling is like trying to shine a sneaker. You can't have your buffalo and eat it, too. Just ask Homer.
#108
The Third Ball
Join Date: Sep 2002
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#110
Suzuka Master
I've been wanting to do the supercharger and brakes upgrades as well. I've ridden in TRD Tundras and the power was nothing short of breathtaking.
However doing almost 9k worth of mods on a work truck that is already plenty fast doesn't really add up.
However doing almost 9k worth of mods on a work truck that is already plenty fast doesn't really add up.
#111
Honda Fanboy
Toyota recalls 100,000 Tundra trucks
Federal safety regulators say the vehicles are prone to excessive rust, which can cause brakes to fail and spare tires to fall off.
By Ben Rooney, CNNMoney.com staff reporter
November 24, 2009: 5:50 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Federal regulators announced Tuesday the recall of 110,000 Toyota pickup trucks in 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that road salts can cause "excessive corrosion" of the Toyota Tundra's frame, which holds a spare tire mounted underneath the vehicle. NHTSA said dislodged spare tires can cause hazards for other vehicles on the road.
The corrosion can also damage the rear brake lines and lead to brake system failures, the NHTSA said.
The agency urged Tundra owners to remove the spare tires even before taking the vehicles to a dealers to be remedied.
The recall involves Tundras from model years 2000 through 2003 that are registered in states where chemical de-icers, such as road salts, are used to treat roadways during the winter.
The states included in the recall are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
NHTSA said Toyota will contact owners of affected vehicles and ask that they bring the vehicles to a local dealer to be inspected and repaired.
Toyota will either replace the damaged portion of the vehicle's frame, or apply a rust-resistant compound to the affected area, depending upon how bad the corrosion is. Toyota will also contact Tundra owners outside of the United States, according to NHTSA.
It was the second major safety problem for Toyota in as many months. In October, the Japanese automaker issued a safety warning for 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota cars because of potentially deadly floor mats.
By Ben Rooney, CNNMoney.com staff reporter
November 24, 2009: 5:50 PM ET
NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Federal regulators announced Tuesday the recall of 110,000 Toyota pickup trucks in 20 U.S. states and the District of Columbia.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that road salts can cause "excessive corrosion" of the Toyota Tundra's frame, which holds a spare tire mounted underneath the vehicle. NHTSA said dislodged spare tires can cause hazards for other vehicles on the road.
The corrosion can also damage the rear brake lines and lead to brake system failures, the NHTSA said.
The agency urged Tundra owners to remove the spare tires even before taking the vehicles to a dealers to be remedied.
The recall involves Tundras from model years 2000 through 2003 that are registered in states where chemical de-icers, such as road salts, are used to treat roadways during the winter.
The states included in the recall are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and the District of Columbia.
NHTSA said Toyota will contact owners of affected vehicles and ask that they bring the vehicles to a local dealer to be inspected and repaired.
Toyota will either replace the damaged portion of the vehicle's frame, or apply a rust-resistant compound to the affected area, depending upon how bad the corrosion is. Toyota will also contact Tundra owners outside of the United States, according to NHTSA.
It was the second major safety problem for Toyota in as many months. In October, the Japanese automaker issued a safety warning for 3.8 million Lexus and Toyota cars because of potentially deadly floor mats.
#112
OK what congressman did Toyota forget to bribe? You can't buy this amount of bad press if you tried!
#113
Senior Moderator
Merged.
#114
Senior Moderator
They are certainly getting raked over the coals lately. Even the latest safety tests left them out in the cold, although I don't know if I necessarily agree with the results. They are just having all kinds of bad karma lately.
#115
The sizzle in the Steak
So is this rear frame member bolted on....or is some dealer clown going to cut and weld a new piece of the frame to the truck......scary.
#116
Senior Moderator
#117
Indeed and Ford seems to be getting a (IMO) disproportionate amount of good press..... funny how the pendulem swings...
#119
Safety Car
Letting experienced engineer go and hiring a bunch of new engineers in their place was a bad idea? What!?? As an early career engineer, even I think that practice is foolish, and its catching up with Toyota.
#120
Safety Car
2014
Toyota Motor Corp. is making a fresh assault on the full-sized pickup market with a redesigned 2014 Tundra unveiled today at the Chicago Auto Show.
The 2014 model, mechanically very similar to the outgoing Tundra, has undergone significant sheet metal and interior changes. And a new version called the 1794 Edition will give Tundra 2 luxury variations, including a reworked Platinum model that now costs more than $48,000 with options.
But will it be enough to convince truck enthusiasts to buy a Tundra instead of the recent and upcoming redesigns of the Dodge Ram, Chevrolet Silverado, GMC Sierra and Ford F series?
In 2007, with the 2nd-generation Tundra, Toyota targeted annual U.S. large-pickup sales of 200,000 -- which would have nearly doubled its previous high -- as a launching point for greater strides in a segment long dominated by the Detroit 3.
In late 2006, Toyota opened a plant in San Antonio devoted solely to cranking out Tundras.
Toyota nearly hit its target in 2007 when U.S. sales of the Tundra reached 196,555. The company's share of the big pickup market peaked at 9.2% the same year.
Toyota executives talked of blowing out the back wall of the Texas assembly plant, given that the company had purchased plenty of additional land beyond the factory's footprint. There was even talk of a diesel and heavy-duty version.
Rebound from recession?
Then the recession hit, and Tundra sales tumbled to 79,385 units in 2009. Toyota shut its factory in Fremont, Calif., and moved production of Tacoma compact pickups to San Antonio to address the drop in Tundra production and to boost the plant's utilization rate.
Tundra sales have recovered in recent years, rising 23% in 2012 to 101,621, as overall industry light-vehicle demand has rebounded after the downturn. But its share of the segment stood at 6.2% last year. Detroit's 3 automakers control more than 92% of the U.S. large pickup market, where brand loyalty among Ford, Chevrolet and Ram owners runs deep.
U.S. full-sized truck sales will top 1.7 million this year, a gain of more than 50% from 2009's low of 1.1 million, according to forecasts by IHS Automotive and LMC Automotive.
Toyota executives are confident Tundra can return to its 200,000 peak as U.S. housing and commercial activity accelerate. When asked how far beyond that number sales will go, they express more caution.
In an interview at the Detroit auto show in January, Jack Hollis, Toyota's vice president for marketing, said he doesn't want to "fight fire with fire" against Detroit's pickups.
"It's important that we don't try to be who they are. The Tundra is not a domestic-fighter," Hollis said. "The elements of the truck, its size, its worth, its strength ... It's all been proven. But how can we put a competitive truck into the domestic world?"
Attracting Tacoma owners
Although Toyota has done a fair job of attracting Ram owners, it hasn't won many Chevy or Ford converts, Hollis said. Rather, Toyota is hoping to draw upon more owners of the Tacoma -- which has captured 55% of the compact-pickup segment.
"We own that segment, and a lot of them are looking at moving up. Them, and the people who are disenchanted in what they thought they were getting from a domestic truck," Hollis said.
Toyota is also hoping to attract more owners who prefer a more upscale truck.
If there is 1 area Toyota holds sway, it's in demographics. Tundra buyers are the youngest -- with an average age of 50 -- in the light-duty truck segment, except for buyers of the slow-selling Nissan Titan, and Tundra buyers have the highest household income -- nearly $155,000 -- of any light-duty truck, according to the AutoPacific 2012 New Vehicle Satisfaction Study.
The 2014 Tundra will continue to be available in 3 cab configurations and with either 2- or 4-wheel-drive systems. But trim levels have been expanded to 5, and include the base-model SR work truck; SR5; Limited; and top-end Platinum and 1794 Edition trucks.
Platinum is the high-end "urban" Tundra, while the 1794 Edition is a premium rural-use truck, Toyota officials say. The 1794 name refers to the founding year of the San Antonio ranch where Toyota established its Texas pickup plant.
In a nod to the pickup's American roots, the 2014 Tundra remains a U.S.-developed model, with engineering performed in Michigan and exterior and interior design handled in California.
Is it enough?
But for gearheads, the 2014 Tundra may not represent enough of a change.
All 3 engine choices -- a 4.0-liter V-6, 4.6-liter V-8, and 5.7-liter V-8 -- are carryovers, even down to their horsepower and torque numbers. The V-6 continues with a 5-speed automatic, while both V-8s still have a 6-speed automatic.
The curb weight is expected to remain the same and Toyota officials said today they do not expect fuel economy ratings to change, perhaps putting the revised Tundra at a disadvantage against Detroit's newest, more fuel-efficient models.
The steering system was modified for improved straight-line stability, to reduce driver fatigue from a too-busy ride.
Tundra's standard features for 2014 will include Bluetooth connectivity, a backup camera, eight airbags, LED headlamps and automatic climate control.
The exterior design gives the Tundra more visual oomph, with corners squared-off, rather than rounded or smoothed. The fascia is more block-like. The word "Tundra" is stamped prominently into the tailgate. The front and rear bumpers are now 3 pieces, rather than 1, to make the cost of replacing those parts cheaper.
The 2014 Tundra was "inspired by customer feedback requesting a more chiseled exterior and refined interior," Bill Fay, group vice president and general manager, Toyota division, said in a statement.
Ergonomics inside
Inside, Toyota designers concentrated on ergonomics, such as easing the reach to the audio and climate controls by 2.6 inches. The seats have been redesigned. Air flow from the vents has been increased. The console has multiple storage areas. Cabin noise was reduced with more sound-deadening materials.
Standard features will include Bluetooth connectivity, a backup camera, eight airbags, LED headlamps and automatic climate control.
"Tundra's new exterior design and all-new interior were inspired by customer feedback requesting a more chiseled exterior and refined interior with improved driver ergonomics, and easy-to-use technology, giving customers more of what they want, in addition to what they need," Bill Fay, Toyota Division general manager, said in a statement.
The Tundra will go on sale in September. Pricing will be announced closer to launch.
Bradford Wernle and David Phillips contributed to this report
You can reach Mark Rechtin at mrechtin@crain.com. -- Follow Mark on Twitter