Dealers who performed the Suspension TSB

I called Toyota Customer service yesterday morning. Got a sale from the Service manager at Laurel, MD Toyota. Took the truck in for "evaluation" and after several test drives and inspection, they could see results of the "harsh ride". The parts are coming in tomorrow and I should have it complete by the end of the day. It seems that Toyota is standing behind their Tacos -- which is a good thing.

 

Good to hear that your getting it taken care of silver_Jim. But so future readers know, as long as your vehicle qualifies, the TSB is for the 'owner' that complains about a 'Harsh ride", not for anyone at the dealer that complains about a 'Harsh Ride'. They did this because they may not have been educated themselves on the TSB.
Hey Silver, post some before and after pics.....

 

Yes, I complained about it under several load conditions and use cases. I also told them that I heard others were having an issue. I guess they wanted to test it out themselves to really isolate the issue. Anyway, when he called I mentioned the specific TSB that he was alluding too so that he knew that I was an informed consumer Thanks to the TW awareness communications.

 

UPDATE:
Just picked up my truck at 2:30 pm. It took 5 1/2 hours, and they did the work. Replaced the leaf springs, and did alignment too. the Bracket in the rear had to change and is a lot bigger then the first one. Its kind of close to my after market exhaust, so i may have to get a longer hanger for it. Other than that Servco Toyota in Hawaii did it without any problems. I really couldn't notice if it did raise the back so I'm happy with that. I didn't have a chance to measure before and after like i should have.

 

I fought & battled with Love Toyota in St. Albans, WV for almost 6 months prior to the TSB coming out for the 2008's (or me even knowing what a TSB was). My truck sat noticably lower on the driver side rear, but I never really noticed the "harsh ride" mostly due to rarely carrying heavy cargo. I had my ATV in the bed a few times but didn't notice anything unusual. Anyway, the dealership finally agreed to fix it about 3 weeks ago (before the revised TSB came out) They replaced the rear springs (3-leaf version) but did not replace shocks or do an alignment. The new springs did seem to fix my one-sided-low-rider issue but it's now pulling to the left pretty bad. I am taking it back in tomorrow to have an alignment done, but do you guys think I should ask for the shocks to be replaced as well (according to the TSB)? I don't know if it's gonna make a difference or not.

 

They won't replace the shocks if you have a TRD Tacoma, and since the front won't be disturbed, an alignment SHOULDN'T be needed. I have a non TRD and I got all new bilstien shocks, new springs(obviously), and an alignment. That being said, I'm sure if you went back and told them that now it's pulling, they would probably do an alignment at no charge.

 

Here's my 2 cents on this thread. I owned a 86 4x4 Toyota truck and the leaf springs broke......I owned a 95 4x4 Tacoma and the leaf springs broke.....Now I have a 2008 4x4 TRD Tacoma. I have not noticed any harsh ride carrying loads since I've had it but I'm going into my dealer with the TSB in hand. I know the 3 leaf pack will eventually bust, I might as well get them replaced before it even happens.

 

they should have done alignment on the front like the tsb says to do. They need to correct the toe in because the rear gets lifted a little bit. just take a copy of the tsb and the work order you got and tell them they need to do the alignment. and yes because we got trd models we don't get new shock absorbers. The non trd trucks get the better deal.

 

Have you carried a heavy load.........meaning did you determine the results or did the dealership test and determine the results?

BTW: How many "inches" did the back lift after doing the TSB?

Thanks.

 

I made an appt. at the dealership and went in last Saturday. When I arrived, they told me that they'd need to order the parts (why they told me to come in at all, I don't know). I emailed the technician today to see if the parts had come in...

As we've said several times before, the TSB clearly says that the TRD truck does NOT need new shocks. Imagine my surprise when I received the email below in response to my "Are the parts in?" email:

All the parts are here accept for the rear shocks. They have been back ordered and may be several more days before they come in. I will let you know when they get here or contact me again in a few days. Doubt they will get here by Friday.
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Thanks,
​

Ed

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I, of course, emailed him back and said, "not to be a pain, but the TSB does not call for new shocks on TRD models." I haven't heard back.

Basically... the Jury is still out on whether or not Hoover Toyota in Hoover, AL will be a good place to get this TSB done.

 

it will suck if they take out your bilstein shocks and put in stock taco ones in.

 

Hey - Did anyone take any good pictures of the new parts? Curious on what you got installed? Mine was done today but I havent take pics yet. But I am really curious to compare shots...

 

If you check out my Build Thread here:
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/builds/15765-shunter080703s-build.html

I have some pics of the new parts. I did not include pics of the new front shocks though. Hope this helps.

 

Well that "shit happens", they did that to my TRD, and for 24hrs was a demoted TRD, but after all the proper TSB explanation to the "service guy" the Service Manager almost the technician the TSB finally got done correctly... the 4 leaves were installed (they replace the 3 with another 3 -new-) and my Blisteins re-installed back again.

 

Be sure to have the Service Manager check the parts before you bring in the truck. I called my Dealership after he notified me the parts were in, I told him to check the leafs and he had one 3 leaf pack and one 4 leaf pack. Glad I did that because I would have brought the truck in for nothing. I even told him to research his parts number before he ordered due to the confusion over 3-4 leaf packs. Oh well, I gouess I can wait another week...

 

Ditto. i guess i should consider myself lucky i had no problems with my dealership service dept.

 

Well guess what? I think the dealership put the wrong springs on. They replaced my original with another set of 3, not 4. I just called my service manager and am waiting for a ring back!

 

OK... So I never heard back from Ed after I responded to his email above. I called just now and he said that he's still waiting on those shocks. I told him that the TSB says the shocks are only for non-TRD trucks. He said, "I'm going with what my parts guy said, and he said it needs shocks."

He told me to bring it in tomorrow if I want it done without shocks, which I told him I would do.

Before I'm a complete ass to this guy, I want to make 100% sure that I'm not crazy. I'm reading that shocks are only required for non-TRD models, and that big f-ing TRD decal on my truck means that I don't need them, right???

Also... what's the difference between the shocks I have in my truck and the ones he apparently wants to install?

 

i think the ones that they want to install is the stock sr5 prerunner ones. I'm not sure who makes them (tokiko?) it won't be bilsteins like you should have on your TRD truck

 

Thanks! I have 5% confidence that they're going to do this right, but I'm going in tomorrow so they definitely can't put the wrong shocks on my truck.