Few things I noticed while I was under my truck

hi,

While under my tacoma, I noticed that I'm leaking some type of oil from my Differential. And there are a few drops and stained the floor of my garage. Then I saw the spots on the driveway where I parked once, at the parking structure at my work, and it won't just seal up by itself like I originally thought. My tacoma is now 3 weeks old. It's a TRD sport 4x2 double cab. Here are some pic's I took:

http://imgur.com/gallery/xGjFI

So, is this bad? Or will it go away after a while? Obviously I don't like staining my garage floor, and I got to figure out a way to clean up that later. Not sure what to do here? Should I take it back to dealership again?

One other question I have : a week ago, on advise learned from here, I took my truck to the dealership and asked them to check ATF fluid level and let me know how low it was, and fill it up. And torque and grease the U-bolt and U-joints. After it was done, they told me that it was about a quart low. Which is surprising because, the toyota mechanic already knew of this, and also my tacoma has a manufacture date of March 2016. If they knew this problem, why haven't Toyota done anything already to fix these problems? It looks fairly simple to me. I had already driven my truck to about 1100 miles by that time, and now I'm worried. Should I call corporate and let them know of this? I don't want my powertrain have problems later. I did hear the scary grinding noise from the gear box once on the 3rd day after purchase, and my truck often 'bucked', like its out of fuel in the mornings at slow speeds. I don't know if these are grounds to call corporate to and let them know.

Kindly advise me?

Thanks!

 

Yes, make your concerns known. You paid good money for your Tacoma ..... you could have spent your money elsewhere.

 

+ @Vbpiper , @Knoxvol
Sigh! . It's now the third time after purchase I'm taking it back to the dealership in just 3 weeks.
Not to mention it's an hour away's worth of drive. Each time I give to them, I get a stupid corolla as a loaner and they keep the truck for two days.
I'm upset over the problems this truck has. All these along with the slow pickup/power and ridiculous MPG (14.1) I'm getting is frustrating.
(Here in California there's Lemon law I might have to look into perhaps.)

 

Agreed with the others I would definitely contact the dealer. A brand new vehicle shouldn't be leaving stains on your garage floor. It should be house trained by the time it leaves the dealer lot.

 

Appears to be Normal for the truck, unfortunately...at least that's what Toyota is claiming.

 

Another guy here had a rear diff leak. I would get it looked at.

 

What did they say about it after you took it in? Did they fix anything and does it leak anymore since?

 

Yes, take it back, it won't get better, by itself.

Can you tell, from looking at the differential; where exactly the fluid is coming from? How about a pic of that.

oldracer

 

Wasnt mine I have a 2015, last of the best ones, JK. Likely the seal is comprimised, dirt got in there, bad manufacturing, etc. They will crack it open, replace seal and fluid, no biggy. Weird since its a new truck, but a few 2016 guys have had this issue. Take it in under toyota care, just let them know you know the rear diff is leaking, easy peasy.

 

Hey OP, when you looked at the diff, was it wet with oil? Or did you just notice the stain on the floor?

 

@oldracer
The oil is leaking exactly from where the two hemisphere's meet. It forms a drop in about 6 or 7 minutes, and then it drops slowly. But from the image above you can see that the whole differential is covered in oil. So I don't know where else the leak could be. I saw this last night, and made all my observations and took images were taken at night.

 

Sorry for your back luck. Out of curiosity, what were the other issues you've had?

 

@Lawfarin

Well, First time I noticed a problem was the day after purchase., and I took to them on the 4th day. I was frustrated and scared and was very worried at the time. My truck was bucking, and it continued to buck until my second week. I have a thread here in TW for that one already. The dealer kept my truck for two days, and couldn't reproduce the issue , which could be true. The bucking/ spurting like the car is out of gas happens randomly, not every day. Sadly my dashcam video of the problem got over-written and i lost that evidence, but it's always on now.

Second problem was, on mile 56 and 107 , about a few days later, on my way to school, my truck started searching for gears as soon as I hit an uphill drive on my way, and I heard a grinding noise from the transfer case/transmission. Scared me so much. I wanted to stop and call road-side assistance, but I was so late for my class, and I could not have anymore absences. Only 3 is allowed. So I pressed on , this problem happened again on the day to work after I got my truck back again. I told my service center about this at the dealership, but I never got a satisfactory answer from them for that.

Third visit was my attempt to return the truck and get a different one, but they said the 2 weeks I drove has depreciation and they offerred 25K for my brand new tacoma, I would lose all of my down payment, and plus I should pay $4K more from the out the door price for my original truck+ tax and registration for a new one except this has 4x4 instead of 4x2 as original one is. I said no fucking way and left.

Today evening/tomorrow morning will be 4th visit. I'm dreading the drive back at this hour, w. rush hour it would take 2 hours just to get there .

 

Sounds like another rear diff replacement maybe coming

 

1. Oil leaking from differential is not normal under any circumstance. If it is coming from the side that has many bolts (more towards the back of the vehicle) then it is probably an improperly installed gasket or bolt torque issue. If it is coming from where the drive shaft goes into the differential it is a pinion seal issue. Make sure to look closely, often times when the pinion seal goes, the oil will run down towards the rear and make it look like it is leaking from the big gasket. If it is a pinion seal issue, they will need to replace it and properly reset the pinion bearing preload. Luckily your truck is new and you'll have many miles to see if they did it correctly.

2. The truck bucking may or may not be normal, you'd have to post a video. I have a manual transmission, but in first or second gear at lower speeds (below 16 mph?) I need to be pretty sensitive with the gas pedal or I will buck (and no, it isn't the engine lugging).

3. The grinding uphill, you don't have a transfer case, so it isn't coming from there. That is only on 4x4 vehicles. Grinding isn't normal, was there any other symptom? Loss of power or anything?

4. You told the dealership to grease your U-joints. If they told you they did, well, they lied as the U-joints on 4x2 models can't be greased without full disassembly of the driveshaft. They don't have zerk fittings on those.

Don't feel bad, take it back.

 

Update: I called Toyota Corporate and they listened to me nicely, the representative made my problem a priority one. They said they will call the director at the dealership and will be pursuing the matter from corporate. They've asked me to drop off the car tomorrow, and that they will drive the matter from this point on-wards, whatever that means. And gave me a case # and a name of one person whom I am to speak to. I wish they'd just let me talk to the mechanic in person face to face, instead of having explain and go through a chain of people. sigh! so frustrating. It's late to drop it today evening.

 

The leak is one thing, overfilled or damaged/defective bad seal/gasket. Grinding noise, more serious, gear clash or even broken tooth, either way bad news and its a trip to the stealership.
This is and the other issues are inexcusable on a new vehicle. I'd be lawyering up demanding a new vehicle. But that's just me.
Sorry for your troubles
Stay safe
Cheers!

 

Hope you get it straightened out. As aero90 said you don't have a transfer case. However this could be the rear diff and may even have a relation with the fluid leak. Another member in here a while ago posted a video of him off-roading with a go-pro and in the video he blew his rear end. I wanted to try and find it for you to see if the noise was similar. Best of luck at the dealership tomorrow!

 

Yeah, that some BS. I let Toyota corporate know and be firm about it.

 

@Vbpiper , @Knoxvol , @Briavael , @smitty99 , @usafwx , @oldracer , @highwhey , @Lawfarin , @scottalot , @aero90 , @The hammer , @LuckyToy ,

Update on my leaking diff oil
Hi all,

Just thought I'd give an update as I've promised. So I gave my truck back to my dealership with the leaking oil problem about 10 days ago, monday last week (May 16th), and I've been in email contact w. my advisor, also got a call from their customer care dept. I got an email saying they that my truck requires an oil seal which they are unable to obtain and are on back order, and wasn't available anywhere locally and need about 3 weeks to return my truck. (even I didn't get a chance to use my truck for 3 weeks myself by the way).

This is what they said verbatim:

Today when I wrote to my dealer asking why can't they take the missing part from one the many trucks in their lots and replace w. mine, they wrote back this to me :

What should I do? Should I wait another two more weeks? When I asked the customer care lady if I could get a new truck, she said that I'd have to go through arbitration w. Toyota Corp. I don't have the time for that in my life.

Few more pics of the damage, this picture was the leak seen after 2+ weeks, day before I turned it in.
http://imgur.com/a/P6xdl