Heater Core leak

Metal pipe leaking? Or is is a rubber hose going into the metal pipe feeding the core? Generally the arrangement is that the inflow and outflow pipes to the heater core "in the box" poke thru the firewall, and the rubber inflow and outflow pipes sleeve onto the metal pipes of the heater core. That leak-prone connection is kept in the engine bay.
Again, I'd go look at mine, but.... Heavy sigh.
Either way, pulling the box is a major procedure unless on a Jeep YJ (87-95). Those are simple, 4 bolts, electrical conn., control lever or 2, and disco the hoses on the engine side of the firewall. Bada-bing.
Good that it's winter, you won't be needing the AC if it can't be serviced. As I understand it the new "freon" equivalent refrigerant debuted in the Gen 3 Tacoma series is very unique, R-1234yf and is an HFO (Hydrofluoro-olefin) rather than the HFC (hydrofluorocarbon) refrigerants used in just about every other vehicle in the world now. It's a very expensive refrigerant, and the service ports are completely unique and proprietary, and pretty much only Toyota places have the machinery to suction and refill this refrigerant. A lot of the machinery has not yet made it out to all the Toyota shops, and some as I know it don't have the refrigerant. If you're lucky, your dealership will have both the equipment and the refrigerant, and they can recharge you as part of the requirements to complete your heater core service. Since the AC evaporator and the heater core share the same space in the HVAC box, you have to disconnect the refrigerant lines/evacuate the refrigerant.
Pulling the box on my 86 SR5 4X was bad enough, I'd hate to have to do it on a newer more modern vehicle. It's like a small person on the assembly line crouched down and cradled the HVAC box, then the rest of the vehicle was sequentially built around that part, like layers of an onion. You have to deconstruct the entire vehicle to get back to that stinking box.
Dismal and unusual thing to have happen on a new truck. Add to list of gremlins plaguing the Gen 3s?

 

Could have been worse, I did one in 87 on an 85 Mustang 5.0 I used a brand new OEM heater core, finally got it all back together, fired it back up/warmed up and it was leaking still. FML. Pulled that all back apart and found a tiny pin-hole in the new heater core. Of course all the Ford dealer would do was give me another heater core. This time, I hooked it up to the hoses in the engine bay and let it sit there and run hot to make sure this one didn't also have a faulty new part before putting it back together. Many painful hours. Colorado in January. Outside.

If possible anymore, I test a lotta parts before I put them back in and call the job done.

 

Got the truck back today from the dealer. Guess the heater core showed back up. Looking at the service sheet, they replaced the heater core and topped off coolant. They DID NOT shampoo the floor mat nor carpet so as soon as I get back from my road trip, I'll be swinging back through for them to finish the job. Service agent kept going on that it wasn't his job so he's not sure what was going on with it.

Service agent kept saying that it'll just come out as its just water from the heater core that leaked. I took my finger and rubbed it across the floor mat and showed him the shine/shimmer of the fluid that was pooled there during the leak. Agent believed me then and wrote a note to my regular technician. Hope this comes out of the carpet.

 

That' some terrible customer service.

At least it's fixed!

 

Did you notice any scratches in your interior hard plastics? I'm thinking about biting the bullet and letting them clean my evap core. If they scratch/gouge the interior up I guess I'll have to live with it.

Think I'll try and get a free interior detail thrown in.

 

Pretty much every newer car is like this, if your interior gets beat up it is because you had a hack work on your truck.

They are moving that stuff to be more centrally located to be more efficient side to side.

Don't know on the Tacos for sure but it is probably easier when you make the trucks in both RH and LH drive too.

 

Thanks man, should be o.k. on that part because the guys at my local dealership have been there for a long time. You swayed me to get -er- done this spring. Don't have the manure smell in the winter but when you run the a/c it is awful.