OEM block heater

For those of you who live north of north of Dallas, I found a Tacoma specific OEM block heater on the Toyota Canada site. It looks like a 2015 fog light, but the item is listed for a 2016 model.

http://www.toyota.ca/toyota/en/vehicles/tacoma/options-accessory-pricing/accessories

Before you even look, Toyota Canada does not list any mud flaps on their site.

 

I can't see many states needing this besides alaska and some of the mountain states. Even then gas doesn't have as much of an issue starting in the cold as diesel does.

Funny we finally have something you guys dont get.
We cant even get the JBL system without getting the limited model. nor can we get the DC Off road.

 

Are you being serious? Try Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana and Canada (America's Tophat).

 

Yeah those frigid Hawaiians must be demanding the block heater in droves!

Wouldn't Alaska be the tophat, Canada the brains and the lower 48 the ass??

Ironically, I've never had a block heater on any vehicle. But that's also another benefit of living on the left coast.

 

did i not say alaska and the mountain states? lol

Honestly even then, most of them might get more snow than here in southern ontario, but off the lake we get just as bad temperatures. Last year for half of january and all of februrary the daily high was never more than -25C with the lows around -45C I have no block heater IN A DIESEL and still manage to start. It may be a very violent hard start...but none the less it does start.

like @Aaronp18 even said he doesn't even have one and he's in BC.
You southerners are very scared of a little cold.
Don't get me wrong I know it gets cold in some states...but its a gas engine a block heater probably isn't overly necessary.

 

I'd get one. Not so much to make the engine easier to start. But so it doesn't take as long to get heat out of the vents. Since toyota was too ignorant to include remote start even though the trucks have push button

 

its an option here, and at close to $600 I'm not sure if its really worth it.

 

I read somewhere that the 16's have an electric heater element that warms the hvac in the truck until the engine comes up to temp. Instant heat!

 

You can have standard universal block heaters added for about $150...they may not be as pretty though. A block heater may not be a must but it definitely makes starting a rig at -20 much easier on the whole system.

 

Does anyone know if the block heaters are installed at the factory or if that is a dealer install?

 

on the canadian site its a dealer installed option.

 

It's a dealer-installed option, standard in some provinces, optional in others.

PU140-00911 - 3.5L V6
PU140-00912 - 2.7L L4

The instructions for the 2015 put it in the fog light surround like is shown in the first picture, the instructions for the 2016 place it right in the bumper, which frankly looks terrible. It looks much better to install it on the plastic near the fog light even on the 2016's.

As far as the mudflaps go, they're still a bit on short supply for being included with the vehicles in Canada, but they are available to order from dealerships without issue in Canada.

Jeff

 

Thanks for this excellent post. I am in Texas, but I drive once or twice a year up through Saskatchewan and over to Alberta and up to areas up and around Fort McMurray, Alberta. I had the local dealership here look for a block heater, but could not find anything. This is a NEW truck; Yes the factory block heater is expensive, but looks MUCH nicer than a cord hanging out the front of the grill. When I first came to Texas 15 years ago; someone saw a cord hanging out the front of my Ford Explorer and asked me if it was an electric car! I made a joke and said it was, but it could only go 1000ft because I only had that much extension cord .... they didn't laugh because they thought I was serious and it actually WAS an electric car .... LOL

 

The block heaters aren't even that expensive, at least compared to what the truck costs.

Jeff

 

They are or can be installed by the dealer.

To the OP refer to the picture you posted. The Block heater cord is to the left of the light. The darker plug outlet on the side of the light shell. Not sure why Toyota is so proud of their block heater but it is what it is. Eastern Washington, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Colorado, Minnesota, Michigan, New York, Maine, Vermont all might be areas that folks might need a block heater. As someone said sure is easier on the motor when temperatures dip to 0F or -10C. I don't really need one in Terrace, but move inland further and I would. Ordering one with my new truck anyway; I have sons in Alberta.

Bob
ps our trucks appear to come standard with mud flaps from the factory

 

I installed a block heater on my '06, but it was only a $40 part. They make sense if you live in an area that gets below zero frequently. Its much better on your engine to be warmed for a few hours before a below 0F startup, and saves on gas.

Before I installed it a -20F startup was very slow and a sharp whining could be heard after ignition.
Now that its usually plugged in for those nights it fires right up with no odd noises.

Block heaters are good for the longevity of an engine if daily below 0F startups are expected IMO.

 

I have one in my truck and starting is night and day difference once the temps start dropping below -10 or -15C. I won't bother plugging it in if it's much warmer than that, but on those cold days, yes, it is a great thing to have.

I live in Ottawa now and used to live in central British Columbia, so yeah, I know cold, LOL

 

I will most likely wait until I come up to Canada, and get it done at one of the dealerships while I am up there as they will probably have more experience in installing them. After traveling throughout the far north in Canada, I can safely say that when it gets to be -40F with a 20 mph wind chill, the block heater will definitely be your friend. Much easier on an engine to get it to start and get some WARMTH from a plugged in engine as opposed to one that was NOT plugged in. I also remember to have GAS LINE Antifreeze .... as well ....... valuable lessons have been learned from not having that!

 

Ooops formatting error, it's a f***ing Friday. I quit!