Toyota to replace nearly all 3.5L TTV6s in Tundra and LX
#46
Lexus Champion
True but people buy Toyota's to avoid the usual headaches.
#47
What a disaster.
What about new GX 550 owners? Will they start having issues when they get to 7k miles or so? Yes, I know the GX has slightly different turbos but it seems this engine has multiple different issues.
Car Care Nut wasn't buying the "machining debris" excuse. He put out a 44 minute video a couple weeks ago about this.
What about new GX 550 owners? Will they start having issues when they get to 7k miles or so? Yes, I know the GX has slightly different turbos but it seems this engine has multiple different issues.
Car Care Nut wasn't buying the "machining debris" excuse. He put out a 44 minute video a couple weeks ago about this.
#48
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
#49
Instructor
The (supposed - haven't personally checked) failures of engines built in plants other than the ones listed are reason enough to disqualify the "machining debris" thing, but we'll see.
#50
Lexus Champion
So every single engine has that problem????
The GM issue is worth mentioning but it's not widespread, they aren't all ticking time bombs.
#51
Lexus Champion
On the Tundras forum, there has been a lot of talk of updates Toyota made to the engines in late 2023 and 2024 to address various issues, including different main bearings. Hopefully that means this will not need to be expanded to cover more recent builds. I do, however, expect that they will have to expand it to cover the hybrids of those affected years. I think they're just prioritizing the standard engine models first.
One thing is for sure, if you're willing to stomach the potential risk, this is a great time to pick up a new Tundra!
#52
Lexus Champion
I've read in a couple of places that all of the blocks are machined in Alabama, including those for the LX (then sent to Japan for engine build), but I really don't know if that's true or not. I'm at least a little skeptical of it.
On the Tundras forum, there has been a lot of talk of updates Toyota made to the engines in late 2023 and 2024 to address various issues, including different main bearings. Hopefully that means this will not need to be expanded to cover more recent builds. I do, however, expect that they will have to expand it to cover the hybrids of those affected years. I think they're just prioritizing the standard engine models first.
One thing is for sure, if you're willing to stomach the potential risk, this is a great time to pick up a new Tundra!
On the Tundras forum, there has been a lot of talk of updates Toyota made to the engines in late 2023 and 2024 to address various issues, including different main bearings. Hopefully that means this will not need to be expanded to cover more recent builds. I do, however, expect that they will have to expand it to cover the hybrids of those affected years. I think they're just prioritizing the standard engine models first.
One thing is for sure, if you're willing to stomach the potential risk, this is a great time to pick up a new Tundra!
#53
Lexus Fanatic
Also hybrid owners. I thought the hybrid 3.4 is the same engine produced on the same line, just with an electric motor between it and the transmission?
I would be beyond livid if my truck ended up being down for weeks. The rollout of this program is going to be very drawn out. It takes the dealerships weeks to do a single engine replacement under normal workload. Are they going to end up cutting corners to try and turn these things around? Are owners going to be losing money with their trucks sitting at the dealership for weeks to months while long blocks are on backorder?
I would be beyond livid if my truck ended up being down for weeks. The rollout of this program is going to be very drawn out. It takes the dealerships weeks to do a single engine replacement under normal workload. Are they going to end up cutting corners to try and turn these things around? Are owners going to be losing money with their trucks sitting at the dealership for weeks to months while long blocks are on backorder?
There's probably no such thing as a "simple" engine replacement anymore. First, in an effort to quell engine noise/vibration, the motor mounts themselves are a lot more complex these days, and sometimes filled with fluid. Second, each cylinder now often has its own coil, wiring, and ignition system instead of a single distributor and a single wire to each spark plug. Sometimes you have dual spark plugs in each cylinder instead of one. Then, you have an endless number of vacuum hoses, tubes, sensors, fuel lines/injectors, and other engine-related hardware. In short, it can be a mess.....long gone are the days when shade-tree mechanics could pop an engine in and out in a couple of hours.
#55
Lexus Test Driver
I've seen pictures of these tundras with their engines out and disassembled and it's a total mess. I hope Toyota offers free alcohol rehab services to the techs after this is done.
#56
Lexus manufacturing the ES in Kentucky was a huge deal that involved a lot of PR to quell owners, I doubt owners of Lexus's most expensive vehicle would respond well knowing that their engines are made on the same assembly line as a US Tundra.
Last edited by Motorola; Yesterday at 01:05 PM.
#57
Lexus Fanatic
iTrader: (20)
but this speaks to a broader issue in the ice engine / car industry which is regulation. global regulations have really put the car company's 'jewels' in a vice... between fuel economy requirements, emissions requirements, fines, taxes on larger displacement engines, and governments pushing them to do the uh, 'other' propulsion system we're not allowed to mention on car chat.
so if a car company like toyota has had 'tried and true' v8s, v6s, 4 cylinders, even i6's at one time, but suddenly has to make them MUCH cleaner, efficient, but still powerful enough to meet market expectations without going crazy in cost, that's a MASSIVE challenge.
i believe this 'squeeze' is what's making some engines have catastrophic failures. obviously it's not industry wide, but it's definitely affecting some important engines in some big name vehicles.
#58
Lexus Champion
That engine is only there because of CAFE. Still, this is a massive fail for Toyota.
Imagine if they updated the 5.7, they could have easily bumped it up above 6L and over 400hp and then offered a S/C version for real fun.
Imagine if they updated the 5.7, they could have easily bumped it up above 6L and over 400hp and then offered a S/C version for real fun.
#59
#60
Lexus Champion
I'm about as angry that the LC500 has a V8 from 2006ish as I get when it starts to rain at night in bed when I'm half asleep.