3rd Gen Block Heater Recall

Horrible experience to go through. Hope it somehow works out for you. Just curious. If your truck was fully insured, would your car insurance company not support you up front while you go through this difficult time? Provide a loaner, some sort of reassurance while the cause and the investigation is in process? Let your insurer sue Toyota for damages? I dunno, Just thinking out loud.

 

got my block heater installed in August 2017.. its been through 4 Alaskan winters here in Fairbanks. I have not had an issue.

 

Double the cost for double the truck.

 

It’s not Toyota Canada’s job or the dealership’s job to make you whole. That’s your insurance company’s job. Be sure that you get replacement value on your claim, not what they think it’s worth. Yes you can negotiate how much they pay you. Working with a local agent vs corporate will get you better results.

Don’t buy a Ford. Ever.

 

that sucks, but, you’ll get a cheque from insurance right? That’s all anyone is really obligated to do. Hopefully Toyota Canada will step up but in the end, collect your insurance money and get yourself a replacement vehicle. Turn lemons into lemonade!!
It’ll be Toyotas loss is you change brands. You’re in a crappy situation, keep up the fight, and good luck

 

Still waiting on my letter Toyota.....

 

I ordered a block heater for my 2021 Tacoma yesterday, saw this only today and canceled the order.
The idiots even ordered the wrong part.

I always used a block heater up in far northern Manitoba. It's a MUST up there.
Guess I will now wait and see what hsppens.
Hood idea to use a timer , 4 hours is enough to get the engine warm enough.

 

I just got off the phone with a guy in the parts department of Sun Country Toyota in Kamloops, B.C. I am trying to determine if my aftermarket 400watt KATS block heater that I bought from Etrailer is the same or different from the Toyota dealer installed block heater. So far I have determined that for my 2019 M/T OR AC, a block heater from Toyota would be part # PK5A48J10 and my block heater from Etrailer, manufactured by Five Star Manufacturing is part # 11813. I have emailed Five Star, asking them if they sell to Toyota Canada, but have not yet got a reply. I also asked if they are aware of any fires involving their KATS block heater.
,
The Sun Country parts guy's opinion was that the Toyota block heater and my KATS aftermarket heater are not the same, but he can't be certain.

 

Here is a reply to an email that I sent to etrailer who are the seller (not the manufacturer) of the KATS block heaters.


"Hi Daniel,

Thank you for your email and past purchase with us here at etrailer.com.

The parts sold here at etrailer.com are a part of the after market world and not associated with the OEM parts that you would obtain at Toyota in any way. If there were a recall on a product sold here at etrailer.com the manufacturer would notify us of the issue and we would review or sales records to reach out to each of our neighbors. To our knowledge there is no known recall available for the Kat's Heaters block heater that you've mentioned".

So it looks like the KATS block heater from etrailer is a safe alternative to the block heater supplied by Toyota. KATS is hundreds of dollars cheaper and at 400watts, likely doesn't produce as much heat as OEM, which in this case, could be a good thing.

 

I just got mine the other day…

 

Any new info in there?

 

No new info, other than the new parts won’t be available until in the 2nd quarter of 2022.
The list of effected vehicles is quite long as well.

 

Wow, goes all the way back to 1997 Camry's and 1999 Tercels.

 

Odd that it includes 2021 Tundra's and not Tacoma's 2019 and newer? Doesn't fill me with confidence anyways...

 

Musta been whatever Chinese factory they sourced them from at those times?…..

 

lol yep I hear ya!

 

Here is a block heater that fits and has not caused fires or been recalled and is hundreds cheaper than Toyota's OEM block heater:
https://www.etrailer.com/Vehicle-Heaters/Toyota/Tacoma/2019/KH11813.html

 

^. Toyota will give us a free one with some patience…. But thanks for the link for those who can’t wait, I’m on the fence, but by the time that gets shipped here the -30’s will be mostly over.

 

Block heaters vary from 400watts to 1500watts. The aftermarket Kats heater is only 400watts, so put that on a timer for a couple hours or maybe on/off 1/2 hour intervals, and now you have built in overheating prevention.

 

Highly suggest linking this thread over in the Canadain threads . Maybe even a sticky so the word gets out .
I created a link . Hopefully other members see it
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/check-your-block-heater-to-prevent-fire.753638/

I would hate to see another members truck burn or home for that matter
This is a very serious issue

I am plugged in 24/7 but its -50 below up here . If i dont plug in , my engine knocks hard for 20 minutes running synthetic oil in the engine , transmission and power steering