Sand in the tank, headlights, or electrical issues, the saga continues for the 4th time? (10/9/18)

I'm just in a position were I don't have anything for a down payment/trade for a new vehicle/contract. That''s my biggest worry.

 

Worth looking into, at this rate you won't have anything in the end anyways. Your sending a shit ton of money to not drive your truck.

 

I agree... I'll ask my case manager. The last one was on my side, and was very apologetic and surprised when her superiors kicked it back.

 

having sand get into the fuel tank is not a common occurance, the only way sand could possibly be getting into the fuel tank is by someone putting it into the tank thru the filler neck

 

I'd be more worried about being stuck with a paperweight truck that you're paying monthly on for the next few years and then returning (all money lost), and having more bills then what you've had now (all money lost), and/or additional insurance claims that will yield both higher premiums for you after this vehicle is gone and possibly make you look like an undesirable customer for any other insurance companies.

You've spent thousands already, Toyota isn't backing you up (right or wrong), so you're up shits creek from here on forward regardless. I'm just figuring if you're spending any more money on this then you're really shooting yourself in the dick, and a monetary loss later is going to be a lot harder than it would be now, based on your ownership and troubles so far.

If Toyota was playing ball with this then it's a no brainer, keep it, the picture is just painted a different way, and I can't imagine dealing with this (and paying out the ass for this) on a vehicle that isn't in my name. Certainly you wouldn't opt to buy it at the end of the lease, so why wait? It's a piece of expensive shit.

Let it be someone else's money pit and get something else, even if it's lesser because your down payment doesn't exist. 2 years with a Civic beats 2 years with this truck.

 

Surely if you'd known what the future held you would've passed on the lease to begin with.

It's never too late to get out of it, and the lease agreement is no harder to get rid of than a title.

 

So you're telling me that my two trips to pismo, someone is just randomly targeting my truck, but it doesn't show symptoms until it's washed. Also, when I did an overlanding trip for 5 days in the middle of the backcountry with no one else around for miles, just me and my truck, 24/7 on dry logging and fire roads, someone dumped sand in my truck?

Oh, and I usually pitch my tent on the driver side and I don't leave much space to get between the truck and tent. They'd trip over the Guy lines for the fly.

I just don't buy this, there's a port of entry somewhere else, that is only affected when I pressure wash the bottom of the truck after a trip.

 

Get a locking gas cap. you probably have a crazy jealous x girlfriend sneaking on your driveway at midnight with a bag of sand, or some jealous haters. I have a locking gas cap and had 0 issues. is your truck parked outdoors or garage kept?

 

This is the first thing that comes to mind.

I am late to the party and only read the OP which had the latest update, I hope.

Some are mentioning the gas cap being the only place it could enter.

I have never seen the top of a Tacoma gas tank, but I believe most gas tanks have an access panel that can be popped open to get to the fuel pump for maintenance.

What if this access panel's seal is failing? I could see how washing the truck, especially the undercarriage, would have water and sand drip down unto the top of the gas tank and infiltrate thru a broken/defective gas tank "access panel" seal, per se?

 

I am 5000 miles away from where I went to college and my ex, and it's garage kept lol. I work on a military installation and park in front of the building full of windows with visibility. I know no one here, outside of work. Also, I've moved 10 miles away from where I lived the first time this happened (also garage kept)

The possibility that there is a random person pouring sand in my gas tank ONLY when I return from a trip is low.

besides the second occurrence wasn't sand. It was dust, a white and brown dust. The exact same dust I drove through in the volcanic badlands.


So basically what ever I drive through is ending up in my tank. Also, I've never used any jerry cans or device to fill up other than a gas station. I run Top tier fuels in my truck, and there's not a public outbreak at any gas station I visit or a widespread issue with sand in peoples tanks in town.

I am not trying to argue, I am just saying the possibility is extremely limited, and really has no cause. I will say with my Ranger I romped across the AZ desert, power sliding and driving through washes, desert ravines and throwing sand ALL OVER the place, I then washed it the same way (in fact I was way more aggressive in washing the ranger) and never had any issues. I was way harder on the ranger as it had 155k miles. not 10k. I also only paid 7k for it lol.

My only thought it that somehow the under body washing is carrying sand into the tank/system somehow. There's no way that someone dumps sand in my tank and my truck dies 3 times confidentially directly after washing, the first time in the carwash bay.

Like I said, this last time around, it was a week between my trip and the break down. I put 2 tanks of fuel in it, with 1/4 missing from the 3rd fuel up, and there were 0 issues. I drove it around, got supplied, parked it. Washed it, turned the key to pull into garage and kaput.

 

I have changed out my fuel pump on a 04 taco, yes there is a plate on top of the tank for access of the fuel pump, I assume the 2016 is the same. but having said that its very unlikely that would an issue if it was compromised in any location of the fuel tank, fuel lines or any part of the fuel system a CEL light would be thrown! from what im understanding there must have been enough sand in the tank to cause it to stop running. so there are 2 answers either someone removed the gas cap and put sand thru the filler hole or this is a BS story

 

I can actually test this somehow... I have to old (original) tank and pump/seals.

There is no panel, but the pump and sending unit are one piece with a rubber seal. it twist-locks into place on the top of the tank.

 

then do the test...

seal it and spray a hell of a lot of water on it

 

Mush Mouse, I have the old tank, and have seen the fuel samples from the first time. I have even seen the sand in the old tank. There is not much at all. Not at all characteristic of someone pouring a cup of sand down the tank.

Also, if someones dumping large amounts of sand, there would be residue, unless someone is a very clean at vandalism. I detail vehicles for fun, and use a protectant inside my fuel door area to help protect from fuel splashes. I say that only to prove that the fuel door area is usually spotless. I'd notice any crud around it. I'd also notice the sand inside the fuel neck, as I've started checking since the first incident.

 

As far as this being a BS story, if you'd read the entire thing (I don't blame you if you don't) you'd see where I provided pictures of the estimates and statements, as well as the old parts.

 

My uncle has a 99 f250 superduty (gas) with 315k on it, it's a work truck he uses for his painting business. Runs it EVERY SINGLE DAY

 

the whole thing sounds hokey cause the first story a rogue wave hit you and the truck conked out, then a member came to help u out with a code reader, he said the truck was running and all is well, then sand in the tank, then volcanic dust not sand, then it was a little dust???????????

 

Wasn't trying to argue just giving my honest opinion.

 

A member never once came out to help me. He offered. The truck worked after a while and he didn't need to come.

tail end of the surf hit me while rescuing a families SUV off the beach. truck started to sputter, I drove it off the beach to the pavement. went over it, couldn't find any culprit immediately so I limped it to the hotel, went over it again, checking all plugs, filters, etc. All were dry. I drank my sorrows away in the pub next to my hotel, and it fired up 4 hrs later. Drove home the next day with zero faults. Gassed up along the way,zero issues. Washed it in the days following my return- dead.

The dealer got me to do an insurance claim, and replaced everything from the gas cap to the injectors. 4k miles later, I went on a camping trip to the badlands. came home, no issues. Washed it the next day, it broke down again. Had it towed. Toyota blamed the lights, but also stated there was dust/dirt in the tank matching the color of the volcanic lands I drove through, as well as the Ishi Wilderness here in CA.

This third time, same story. Go to beach, come back. 2 whole tanks, working on a 3rd go thru truck, 0 issues. I wash it, dead.

Tell me where it's Hokey.

 

You're good, I was saying that I wasn't trying to argue against you, was just stating the facts. No issues!