Toyota Tundra Forum

Hello all, I would like to introduce myself as a new member of the forum. I have been viewing this forum for many months now and have found lots of useful information. Stuff that has helped me get my Tundra fixed. I live in Vermont and purchased a 2007 Tundra DC 5.7 in August 2007. For 1 year this truck was absolutely flawless. Then the bottom fell out of it. It all started with me feeling a sensation like water in the gas. Loss of power for a second and then it would pick right back up. This was in July 08. Always happened when the road was wet. One day driving on a wet road after it rained it happened and I was looking at my speedo and noticed the ABS light kick on for a second. That clued me in that this was a bigger problem. Took the truck in to my dealer and they found the ABS traction control computer failing. Ordered a new one and installed. Left the dealer ship all was good but it was dry. 3 days later it rains and bingo problem is back. Back to the dealer. Unit lost it's calibration, recalibration done and all is good. Except it starts to rain on my way home and bingo problem is back. Back to the dealer. We need to keep it for 5 days and figure this out. After 4 days get a call that there is a TSB for the wire harness and they have replaced the rear wiring harness that goes to the sensors and all is good now. Great it is now Thanksgiving and I am going to Northern Maine (Home town) and I want the big Tundra, gonna do some hunting with Dad. Get on the road, 5 minutes from home and the TPM light comes on. Now what. Stop check the tire pressure and all is good. Read the owners manual and it says must adjust tire pressure to proper level and system will reset. Tire pressure is correct so I will drive my 10 hours, just checking tires every once in a while. Yes I did check the spare. Get back, call dealer, bring the truck in. Oh the TPM computer died, you need a new one we ordered it. A week later truck is back in and new computer installed. Had them check on a new noise in the front end. Did some serious 4X4 while in Maine and had a new noise. I check the forums and found the front differential issue and was pretty sure that was it, but asked them to check it. Sure enough, need a new front diff but parts are back ordered until January 09. OK now it is January and new diff installed. I see Toyota commercials about Tundra quality. I am now getting upset that I have so many failures. I call Toyota. All my problems are fixed (right now) but I have the load diesel noise at startup, every once in a while a clunk from the rear end, noise from the front end, and being a volunteer firefighter, if I drive the truck hard when it is cold, a big blue cloud when I start it again. All things the dealer cannot recreate, so no fix. Toyota says nothing we can do, you can do arbitration if you want.

Question is, does anyone have experience with Toyota's arbitration process and do you think that I can win at it. I am not happy with the extra I paid for this truck and the problems I have had. I did not get the extended warranty when I bought the truck, IT IS A TOYOTA, THEY DON'T HAVE THESE PROBLEMS!. I also own a 05 Sienna, 50K miles, filters and oil. Great van no issues and love it. I love my Tundra, but don't think I will get the 10 years I want out of it. Any advice on the arbitration process?

First off, welcome to TTZ VT. We're glad you finally decided to join up after hanging around here for a while, lol!

While I have never gone through the arbitration process with Yoda, IMO, you got nothing to lose to try it. But, before I did so, I would check your state's lemon laws. Might be you have a claim under that law and not have to go thru the arbitration process. Anyhow, maybe someone here who has actually been thru the process can add their 2 cents. Good luck, and keep us posted of the results!

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2007 Tundra Limited Double Cab 4x4 Super White
Volant CAI
Pioneer AVIC Z-2 (hard drive upgrade to AVIC Z-3)
Key FOB Tailgate Lock (courtesy of Toxarch)
OEM back-up camera w/flip down monitor microswitch mod
Sirius Satellite Radio
WeatherTech Floor Liners
20" OEM alloy wheels
Line-X Bed liner
UWS Black Powdercoat Low Profile Toolbox
DU-HA underseat storage unit
JC Whitney Black Nerf Bars
Lund Interceptor II Bug Shield
Tekonsha Voyager Brake Controller

Sorry to hear about all the problems. I wonder if there is a common system causing the other systems to fail. Like maybe an alternator problem so it's sending too much voltage to the computers and causing them to fail. I'm no expert so I am just guessing.

From my understanding, When you file papers for arbitration, it can take up to 4 months to get to your case. Then you have your hearing and have to wait 10 more days for a judgment. Like rarjar said, you might be able to file under your state's lemon law. Get all your paperwork together and talk to a lawyer who specializes in those types of cases and has dealt with Toyota a lot in the past. They can tell you right away whether you have a good case or not.

Here's a thread on another forum about Toyota arbitration and a couple of guys with experience:
Arbitration-Lemon Law Question - TundraTalk.net - Toyota Tundra Discussion Forum

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Any questions about truck mods I have done need to be asked in the forums. Don't send me a private message about mods cause I probably won't answer that PM unless there is money involved.

2007 SR5 Crewmax 5.7L 4x4
Mods: nerf bars, Truxedo tonneau, radar detector power, 3M clear bra, fog lights, black billet grille, rear differential breather, parking sensors, Line-X, power tailgate lock, hood safety latch mod, one off driving lights behind grille, Pioneer NAV w/ OEM camera, Flowmaster 50 SUV dual/dual, blue LED dash lights, Volant CAI, Llumar tint, CompuStar Pro alarm, ProComp 6066 20" wheels, Cooper Zeon LTZ 275/60/20 tires, OME HD coilover lift, Firestone helper air bags, 55w reverse lights, stereo cable lock, Tekonsha P3 brake controller, colormatched exterior parts (de-chromed truck), eDead sound proofing, CDT Audio speakers, Custom made speaker brackets, Weathertech floor mats
All mod descriptions and pictures © 2007-2009 by Toxarch. They may be copied only for personal use and the mods may be done for non-profit only.

Thank you very much for the info. I have asked the dealer about other electrical issues and they said they looked and all is good. I can do the minor things on my vehicles, but when it comes to this stuff I have to trust my dealer. So for now I am looking into this process. The Vermont Lemon Law states 2 options the standard 3 times fail to fix, so the problem has to happen 4 times or a 30 no use rule, which simply if the dealer has your car for repairs for 30 days or more you are entitled to a lemon law finding. I have not hit either of those. Close on the 30 days, but not yet there. That is why I was wondering if I should use Toyota Arbitration. The other thing is if I file Toyota arbitration, I cannot use Vermont Lemon Law.

I am just trying to find the best info I can prior to spending anything on a lawyer.

Boy oh Boy, i wish you the best man. I just went though a simular situation with my jeep, but it was not under warranty. I just traded it in to get the Tundra, cause they are supposed to last forever.

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sorry to hear about your truck, i have had to use the lemon law on a ford 98 ford ranger. They had to replace the whole engine 4 times and then refused to work on it saying the noise i heard was normal, well my engine caught on fire. The dealer and ford wouldnt take it back still.... i had made the 30 days out of service though and just used that and it was easy didnt ended up 1k out pocket for miles on the truck.

even after that i told them if they gave me a good deal id buy a f-150 instead, my ranger had 0.9% so i said what will you give me on the f-150 they came back with 14% so went over to dodge and bout dakota at 6%. This is why i hate fords and wont own one agian, dodge is still good in my book my whole family has them i just noticed that around 130-150k miles on them they start falling apart, hence i bout a tundra to try it out hopeing for 200k.

Im with you on that McColl, I had a ford ranger too, it was pretty good, but at around 5 yrs old it started to have lots of problems. The worse one for me was the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I will never wish that piece of junk on my worse enemy. I called it the bitch mobile because all it did was break down,

Anyway, i hope VTT gets to use the lemon law, cause that really sucks.

damn man...that sounds like a pain in the butt. Sorry to hear that you are having these problems...keep us posted and your outcome so if someone else down the road has this problem we can point him to this thread. Wish you the best.

Nate

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Black 2008 Tundra 5.7L Limited CrewMax 4x4 - came with JBL 6CD, leather (electric/heated seats), dual headrest DVD, homelink mirror, bluetooth, heated/electric mirrors, OEM stepbars, and 18" Inkei wheels
MODs since purchase: TRD SUPERCHARGER, 22" XD Monster wheels w/Nitto Terra Grappler LT285/50R22s, Truxxx 3/1 leveling kit, debadged, TRD Swaybar, K&N CAI- Magnaflow Catback Duels, Extang Trifecta Tonneau Cover, EGR window visors & Bug-shield, Sirius Satellite Radio, OEM Back-up Camera, Beltronics RX65 radar detector (hardwired), blackout headlight MOD, limo tint, color match door handles, black mesh billet grille, smoke LED tail lights, Line-X bedliner, and Line-X'd back bumper, color match grille halo & mirrors, all-weather floormats, painted brake calipers (red) and new high performance brakepads,TRD shifter and pedals, and 6" black billet antenna
Nate

Toyota has come through with something. I will be getting a no cost extended warranty. They will give me the 7 year 100K miles warranty at no cost. Waiting to get the paperwork now. I think this is a good solution and in the last couple of weeks the truck seems to be back to it's old wonderful self. I hope that everything is fixed. I do love this truck. I will let you know if anything else comes up.

better then nothing for sure, how many miles do you have on it now? Id still track you out of service time / repair orders past and future so you can see if you make any lemon law's. Even if its all great / fixed its a nice ace in the hole to have.