09+ Melting DTRL Lens Recall Petition

I pull bumper out a little with my fingers. Works perfect. Literally 15 minutes. I've done it 8 times (dont ask) . After the 1st time, I left those 2 underneath out. Don't really need them

 

That's why it's only 15 minutes.

Took me 15 minutes to figure out just how to twist my arm to get on the bolt inside the fender.

And I did not leave any out when I reassembled. I hate vibrating lights and don't trust not having all 4 in.

 

I'm 6'4" with monkey arms the ones up underneath are the only 2 I left out. No vibes, nothing!

The ones "under" the top of the bumper come out without removing bumper. Easy out Easy back in

 

Easy for us, but the factory procedure, thus, the time the dealer will use when quoting labor, calls for removal of the bumper.

That's not to say the installer will remove it... he'll do it the way we do it... but if the book says 30 minutes to remove the bumper, then 30 minutes gets added onto the labor invoice.
It's bullshit, but OTOH, there are many jobs where "book rate" is less than the actual time required, and the dealers charge for and the techs are paid on book rate. If a tech can blast out 8 2-hour jobs in a shift, he's doing well, but there are days when he gets stuck on an odd project that ends up costing 3 days for a 16-hour job.

 

Yeah....I see what your saying.

 

I had mine done through the so called platinum Toyota warranty.7/100,000.first they balked at paying,which is when I found its not a Toyota warranty,but an aftermarket company.bitch and raise hell to anybody that will listen.the total bill was 858.24.220 labor.i had to pay the $50 deductible.its a safety issue,and lately Toyota hasn't had much luck with safety.

 

For those of you that are questioning the fire hazard issue, it's not just the lenses that are burning, take a look at the plug.
Mine looks like it was stuck into a campfire.

 

My dad has gone to the local Toyota dealership many times. His has melted to the point that the orange lens has fallen apart inside the headlight, not just melt. His bulbs burn out every time he replaces the passenger side blinker bulb. The actual headlight lenses are beginning to crack too.

Toyota said it's not their problem but can install new headlights for $850....

 

Does anyone know how to email Toyota HQ contact persons? My contact only had a Fax number. Like its 1990 or something.

I'd like to send them photos of my lights, maybe melting headlights isn't much of a buzz word for them.

Thanks for all the info on this issue!

 

I'm going to take pics of my dad's this weekend and post them on here. They're pretty bad....

 

I printed the tsb and took it into the dealership. Said I just moved to the area (which is true ). Said I showed this to the dealership when I bought the truck but because they weren't melting, they wouldn't replace a known issue. Now at 55000 and 2.5 years and they are melted and cracked, which I showed them. I expressed my frustration (politely) about how can I utilize a tsb for a known issue when it doesn't present itself until outside the warranty period? Service guy got the service manager, service manager emailed the Toyota regional rep with pictures, Toyota is replacing under goodwill warranty, 100%. I go in end of this week. Better to be lucky than good. Hope this approach helps some folks

 

Whoot!

 

I coughed up the $200 to get the headlights installed. Toyota HQ covered the parts.

Is the TSB online somewhere so I can print it out?

Is it worth printing the TSB and taking it to my dealer to try and get reimbursed for the labor?

Thanks all!
- Ryan

 

There's a link earlier in the thread for it. I doubt they'll give you money back.

 

I'm with you. Sad to read from sarcastic replies that too My 2011 Taco just experienced this problem at 40k miles. I was told sorry but warranty expired and replacement by dealer is $1300. Ridiculous. Let me know if a recall petition is started. I'll sign it.

 

I was able to get the dealership to waive the labor to install and Toyota corporate to reimburse the cost of the lights. Make sure you get prior approval for that though. You'll get a case number and a fax number to send your receipt after the work has been completed.

Even though I got mine replaced, I'd be willing to sign the petition. It took way too much effort to get them to replace something that they have acknowledged is a problem.

 

1300?? Christ, you can buy a new set of lights from a parts warehouse for a couple hundred bucks and then install them yourself in half an hour.

 

yeah, I think they are $254 wholesale.

 

Each??

 

For a set