2009 TRD Driveshaft issue with dealer - Need Help!

Just took my truck into the dealer today from which I bought it to see if the ZH2 extended warranty coverage for driveshaft vibration would apply to mine. My truck has a lot of vibration on the highway and thought I'd let them check it. This has snowballed into a giant mess with their service department, and I need some opinions on what the dealer is telling me. Let me preface by saying that I am the only one that has ever worked on my truck, besides dealer, and the driveshaft has never been touched, other than routine greasing of the U-joints by me. My truck as 108,000 miles on it.

I won't name the dealer just yet, as I've always been very satisfied with their service. But today was totally different. Below is summary what they told me:

Summary of 1st call from dealer:
- vibrations are not coming from the driveshaft.
- My Goodyear Wranglers have some "cupping" and is probably where the vibration is coming from. Suggest new tires (my tires are only 1 year old). I'm suspicious but accept this as plausable cause of vibrations. I've taken the truck into the tire shop several times for balancing already. But I decline them selling me new tires.
- Said my U-joints are wore out (I already suspected this), and said they would replace them for free. I'm shocked they would do this, but great!
- Also said there is a leak between transmission and transfer case. Not sure which it is. I never noticed any leaks and I've been under truck dozens of times. Just 2 weeks ago and didn't notice a leak. Getting a little more suspicious.
- Recommended spark plug change, differential fluid change and tranfer case fluid change. Said all of these should be done at 30,000 miles....wow, that's not what I remember. Said he would do the fluid changes for $245. I said ok, go ahead. Since they are doing free U-joint replacement, I thought I'd at least throw them a bone and let them change those fluids. Saves me a lot of time too.
- I also asked about the carrier bearing. He said it is fine. I told him it has a lot of play radially...up and down. He said in his "3 years" of working there, he has never seen a bad carrier bearing......really?

Summary of 2nd phone call ....this is where it gets really weird:
- first thing he asks is who has worked on my truck? I say no one other than me your dealership.
- He said the 24mm nut which holds the U-joint to the shaft (right after the carrier bearing) is missing.
- He also said my U-joints are aftermarket because they have the grease-fittings on the outside!! I know they are on the outside, as I grease them every 8000 miles. But that is the way they came from the factory.
- I asked if the 24mm could possibly fall off. He said that is not possible with the U-Joint still attached. So I said well, then the truck came from the factory without that nut. He said "impossible".

So bottom line, dealer thinks I put aftermarket U-joints and forgot to put the nut back on. That is of course impossible because I have never taken the drive shaft off the vehicle. I've driven all over the country and have never had an issue. He said you would have had major issues without that nut. Well, I haven't. I suggested maybe his mechanic removed the drive shaft when checking the U-Joints and maybe lost the nut. Again "impossible". So, now my truck is still at this dealer, waiting until Monday when the shop foreman is there to investigate further.

My questions to the group here:
1. Do 2nd gen Tacoma TRD U-Joints have the grease fittings on the outside of the yolk?
2. Should I go back to the dealer, get my truck and not let them lay another finger on it? Or, is all of this plausible and let them continue working on it?

Thanks for any feedback and help.

 

You said the center bearing is toast. Change the center bearing

 

I just replaced the carrier bearing and a u-joint last week. The bearing shouldn't move much at all. The rubber had deteriorated on mine. The factory u-joints are greaseable. I ended up with a Moog u-joint, which has a different grease fitting than stock.

This was the joint closest to the transmission.

 

Get them too replace the u joints and go from there,your truck is 10 years old,YOU need too replace all the driveline parts that the dealer wont.
You took your truck in knowing full well it has worn out parts,that's on you.

 

I know the parts may be worn out. That's not really my issue. I'm happy to pay to get the parts replaced if it is not covered by the extended warranty. The issue is that they are saying the U-Joints are aftermarket because the grease fittings are on the outside. I'm trying to find out if that is true or not.

The other issue is the missing Nut on the U-Joint. How can that happen? I'm asking if anyone else has ever had this happen.

 

Thanks for the photos. Are the grease fittings on your original U-Joints on the outside?

 

So they wont replace the u joints now because they think they are aftermarket ?

 

You bought the truck new from the dealer ?

 

That's what he is saying. At least not for free like he originally said. Which is also ok with me. What bothers me is that I know I've never replaced the U-Joints, so his statement claiming they are aftermarket really gets me. It makes me now not trust them.

 

Answer post #8

 

Yes, in 2009 from this same dealer with 70 miles on the odo. We also just purchased a Rav4 from them this year.

 

Then they don't know what the hell they are talking about then,ask for the manager and explain that too him,if its under warranty they have to fix it,their is no choice for them.

 

They'll probably meet you half way. It's just as plausible that you would not have replaced the u-joints, since you have an extended warranty, than what they are telling you that it couldn't have come from the factory that way.

 

The fuck? Guy must be confused with some of the replacement ujoints they are doing now that dont have zerks, they just fail and you replace them as needed. OEM ujoints have the zerks 100% and the carrier bearings on these trucks blow. My driveline is original at 138k on my 2006 Taco and the rear joint is toast along with the carrier bearing. First it was just take off vibes, now it sounds like i have a family of rats living in my carrier bearings as it squeaks SO LOUD below 10 mph especially in reverse. Bottom line, service advisors are not all the brightest and if they dont know, they ask a tech, maybe that tech has the wrong info but i can tell you that the 4wd service intervals (front diff, t case, rear diff) is actually 30k on 4x4 models. Anyone got any info off the top of their head on the carrier bearing notice letter? I have misplaced mine and i dont remember if my trucks eligible for a free replacement. Shower the advisor is pictures of OEM u joints, get free u joints or atleast meet halfway, and get a carrier bearing as well.

 

Just got the truck back from the dealer. The shop foreman and manager confirmed that my U-Joints were original. He also said the u-joints are in good condition, which is exactly opposite of what the technician and service guy told me over the weekend. They also confirmed that it is possible for the nut behind the CB to fall off, although they weekend staff said that was impossible to fall off. Manager thanked me for bringing it to his attention and said he would have a "training session" with his employees, lol.

They replaced the missing nut, carrier bearing, and "spider kit", for a total of $602 parts and labor, then gave me a 15% discount which saved about $100. I thought that was a fair price for labor and parts for this work. I thought the spider was part of the u-joint, so I'm a little confused about why they installed a spider kit since he told me my u-joints are good . I didn't catch that on the invoice until I had already left, so I didn't get to ask about that.

Judging by the amount of rust I saw on the threads behind the carrier bearing, it looks like that nut had been missing for a long time. Fuck I can't believe I was driving around that long without the driveshaft nut on there.

 

I would not get too hung up on this term as he may have been referring to Spicer, the manufacture of the ujoints and other drive line parts on our trucks, and has a kit for the rebuild, or to the joint itself as technically the cross and needle caps form a spider type bearing.

 

I have factory zerks on my 2009 Tacoma DC 4x4 TRD OR. Always been there. Also had Goodyear wranglers and Toyota told me the exact same thing. Didn’t believe them until I replaced the tires and dear God it was cupped so bad. Looked like someone beat the metal bead with a sledge hammer and the tire wear responded accordingly. I’m sure it was that way from the factory.

I don’t have any vibes, but am getting the worst squeaking from the rear of the truck. I had the center bearing replaced last year under similar sounds. Some days it squeaks in reverse, some days it squeaks in drive. Rotational, quicker than tire. The chirps get higher pitched and blend together into a whistle past 10 mph. Stops squeaking when thrown in neutral. Really want to find out what’s causing it to fail before replacing it again so soon.

 

That u joint deal is on a TSB so he’s not Doing you a favor by putting all new ujoints in out of the goodness of his heart. It’s from Toyota. I just got 3 new free ones also.

 

CHeath31, what issues were you having? Is there any way to see what the TSB is? Tried putting my VIN in on Toyota’s website, but nothing shows up.

 

OP, for work done, (if that included the fluid change and U-Joints) I think it's a fair price.

Soooo, million dollar question... How's does she drive now?

Did you get vibration issue solved