Calipers under warranty?

Took my 2019 Tacoma in for 20k service. They told me left front brake is worn and it would be $270 to replace, turn rotor and adjust caliper. I spoke to a couple mechanic friends and they suggested it should be covered under warranty because sounds like caliper is faulty. I know some basic car stuff but this is more than I know. What is your take on this. Thank in advance.

 

Not mechanically inclined but I would say it should be under warranty... unless you modified the calipers or did something to them...I will insist on warranty..

 

https://www.toyota.com/t3Portal/document/omms-s/T-MMS-19Tacoma/pdf/T-MMS-19Tacoma.pdf

This might help answer OP’s question.

 

Normally if only one side is worn that indicates a faulty caliper, which should be a warrantable item. They may make you buy a set of brake pads as they are a wear item but it depends on exactly what Toyota says.


The off the hip answer is no, brakes are wear items and not generally covered. But if there is a specific faulty piece in the system, then at minimum that part should be covered.

 

What does adjust the caliper mean ? If they are just pushing it back in WTF . This sounds like bs . It sounds like it needs a new caliper , rotor and brakes at their expense . Is it just one side ? If yes then that caliper is messed up . How many miles on the truck ? They say we can get 70K miles on a front set of of shoes on these third gens if not more .

 

Sounds like a warranty situation to me ... one side should not be wearing out before the other especially at only 20K. How much wear did the other side have? What about the rears?

 

I got to dealership to pick it and turns out its the right front brake and its at 3mm while left is at 5mm. I think the service writer was making it out to be worse over the phone so I would dump the $270. Definently gonna seek a second opinion. Thanks for the advice guys.

 

Trusting the dealership with your truck is like handing your wallet to the average stripper.
And on that note, I'd take a few lap dances over eating popcorn for 4 hours while someone pretends to work on my truck..

 

If one side is completely warn, and the other has 1/2 life left, then it seems like a failure, and not wear.

The damage to the wearable items would properly be referred to as consequential damage.

Example......batteries are wearable items, but a faulty alternator can damage electrical items like stereos, and batteries.

If the alternator were covered by warranty, the damage to the stereo and battery would be covered by consequential damage if argued correctly.

Ask me how I know.

 

If one side if worn excessively then it is for sure an issue, I would contact Toyota Corp. if another dealer gives the same grief.

 

Definitely sounds like it would be warranty related for sure, unless something you did to the truck damaged it in some way.

Jeff

 

You getting booshitted, definitely get another opinion.

 

Good luck having the warranty cover it. Toyota service dept will argue about doing the “required maintenance” if it isn’t just a tire rotation and oil change.

 

Brakes are limited warranty on any manufacturer vehicle.

They are subjected to environment, and driving habits, both of which the manufacturer cannot control.

So unless its deemed defective, it can't be warrantied.

Likely the caliper is fine, the pins or pads are likely just sticking from lack of servicing.

I'd push the caliper back, let the fluid out, service the pins and move on.

 

I'm not anti dealer like many here, but I smell a turd, unless OP is experiencing pull, smells brakes, fade, etc...I think someone in the office wasn't hitting his numbers for the week......

 

A 1 year old truck shouldn't have faulty brake calipers yet. Call corporate and open a case. IMO a faulty factory part or installation. And why wasn't this caught in the other previous services? The stealership is trying to get one over on you. I caught my dealer stating work was performed on the invoice when it wasn't. They were just checking the boxes and not the vehicle.

 

I would get them to put in writing what do they mean by adjusting the caliper? It’s bolt on. Simple as that. To put new pads you have to push the caliper pistons in anyway. And for Tacoma’s you don’t have to remove the caliper at all to install pads. Only if you remove the rotor then you remove the caliper but can keep the pads all installed .

 

Yeah sounds like they were trying to scam you over the phone.

 

Instead of a faulty caliper, I'm more inclined to believe the OP's pad's were sticking, causing premature wear on one side. The "adjustment" to the caliper was probably cleaning and lubing the caliper guide pins.

 

I am asking this because I don't know. Do sticking pads stick because of environmental issues that count as wear, or because of a defect that would point to a warranty issue for OP?