09+ Melting DTRL Lens Recall Petition

Its a common issue and I believe Toyota should definitely do something about it. Sounds like you're doing what you can, but you need a little bit of umph behind you or nothing will ever come of it. I've dealt with Toyota and Extra Care before, they don't give two shits about us. It took a dealership owner to get what I needed done.

File a complaint with the FTC as well. They are required to respond within ~45 days IIRC. If not then its a hit against them.

 

Yes I have found this to be very true. I have updated the second post as part of the OP for resources pertaining to this subject. It is a start. I plan on filing complaints with NHTSA, DOT, FTC, and more. Toyota is going to hate me when I am finished with this rampage.

 

Bump for assistance. Second post updated with valuable info. I need your voices as well people. I'm doing this for all of us! Please understand I am not one of those people who has 1 thing break and suddenly l bash and hate on the manufacturer. I love Toyota and would by another Tacoma tomorrow, but when a manufacturer denies responsibility for a serious safety hazard, that's upsetting. This needs our attention and I refuse to pay $540-1000 every 1-3 years for new headlights because they don't hold up to their DOT and SAE ratings.

If this has happened to you, pleas file a complaint on NHTSA.gov as well as DOT and FTC if you have time, then post your case number. Every voice counts!

 

Bump for this guy. Obviously a concern & obviously very frustrated with the typical dealer run around. My 06' did this to both lamps but I rock an 11' now.

 

Good stuff, I am in agreement. I'd rather have Toyota fix a potential problem even though it hasn't happened to me (yet). I don't get that ridiculous attitude of some of the other posters, the whole 'change the bulbs urself' what a load of sht. The majority of Toyota owners are not on this thread, they are unaware that there is a potential problem (let alone danger). I am glad there are people taking their time for the betterment of others. Fk the sideline critics, fing aholes.

 

If you are concerned this is inevitable , why wouldn't you change the bulbs now while you wait for Toyota to solve this issue rather than buy new headlights every three years as the OP states ?

 

I used the Google and found the email address for the president of Toyota USA when my '09 did this just past warranty. I sent him an email outlining the fact that this was the 9th new Toyota I have bought over the years and it is the only one I have had to take in for warranty work (other than a Matrix that was missing some plastic clips on an underbody panel). My '09 had gone in for brakes, radio replacement, rear springs, dash rattle, and crappy Dunlop tires wearing funny and making wop wop noises. All of this was verifiable, they have all that data. I let them know that based on this experience, I was considering checking out other brands and that Toyota quality just didn't seem to be what it used to be.

They promptly called me and had me take it to the dealer, who took pictures and sent them to corporate. They replaced the lenses under goodwill.

I didn't bash them in the email, just stated some facts and that I was not impressed.

So far my 2012 has been flawless. I keep wondering if they take more pride and care with the top-of-the-line models than the base models. My 2012 is a DCSB TRD Off Road with pretty much everything, and my '09 was a plain-jane base DCSB with floor mats as the only option.

 

My 09 DCSB has this problem also. I hope this leads to Toyota fixing the problem. Thanks OP.

 

X2. Good idea to change the lamps when you first get the truck. But IMO, Toyota should fix it from the factory and fix all the ones melted thus far. It's clearly evident that this happens to a lot of headlamps.

 

While it ticked me off and I did get mine replaced, it was more on principle than anything. I doubt that this poses a safety concern, and it is more cosmetic than anything. But on top of the other nitpicks I had with mine, it set me off enough to drive things to closure.

That said, if Toyota is going to charge $40 for the DTRL option, the lenses should be able to handle it. Otherwise they need to refund the $40 and remove the option.

 

My 09 is doing it, out of warranty.

 

$218 in labor to replace headlights????

 

I know right! I asked why so much, their response: well the grille has to come off to get the headlight out. I was thinking in my head: the grille is 2 pins and 2 screws that remove in about 30 seconds or less. Its insane!

 

Grill and bumper have to come off, as well as those filler panels I am pretty sure. Then they will hit you with a fee to get them aimed properly.

 

My 09 did that to both left and right side. Dealer replaced both units under warranty. Then I traded it in for 2012

 

my 07 lenses melted...even changing the bulbs early on didn't help...didn't catch it until a few months after the 3 year warranty ran out...I recently paid for new 09-11 sport lights and converted my dtrl to a toggle switch, my truck only has 52k miles too, had around 32k when the 3 years ran out.

I have saved some of the other guys at work some hassle in catching it early for them..kind of like an uphill fight for something that shouldn't be an issue.

 

No problems with my 2010

 

Has there been a reported case of this causing a fire? Hard to believe a piece of plastic slightly melting due to a nearby sealed heat source would be a fire hazard. There's no ignition source (open spark or flame) to start a fire. Beyond that, it's just cosmetics which doesn't adversely affect the safe operation of the vehicle. Based on that, while it would certainly be nice for Toyota to fix it, unlikely anyone (NHTSA, DOT, FTC, etc) would consider it a mandate.

I plan to keep an eye on mine (a 2012). So far, this area doesn't seem overly hot after driving. However, if I see even a hint of the problem, I'll replace the bulbs with lower wattage, lower temperature, ones. Might do so anyway as the bulbs burn out and are replaced.

 

Well thank you for your useless feedback and again discrediting my thread here. The whole point is to get a well known problem fixed, whether its a hazard or not, vehicle headlights should not just melt as normal wear and tear.

In the second post I have a list of links to other TW threads regarding this topic... click the first link that I labeled *pictures* please look at those lenses ans tell me that is not a risk. Also, read through just a couple of threads or just a few of nhtsa.gov complaints I listed, the majority of victims also stated that the wiring harness behind the dtrl bulb was also showing signs of heat damage and melting. Do you have any idea the amount of heat it takes to melt a wire like that!? An OEM wire beginning to melt is far beyond a cosmetic concern. I have installed for years, and have seen first hand what hot wires are capable of. Electrical fires start out of nowhere and will destroy your vehicle I'm second.

Oh and by the way, the problem is with the inner dtrl lens melting... 2012's have completely different headlights and don't even have this lens... the problem can't happen on something that doesn't exist. Your 2012 is fine.

 

You raised the specter of a fire, Anthony. My question was ligitimate. The rest was simple reality based on that, with an afterthought about my truck.