3rd Taillight Recall broken stud

The third brake light is bolted in from inside the cab. (It's under the headliner). Not sure how/why they discovered it was broken unless they pulled down the headliner to inspect for water damage. Many of the third brake lights were over torqued from the assembly line and cracked or broken.

The third brake light retails for around $150, but you can find it cheaper elsewhere online. You can also find the trim ring that goes around the third brake light online.

Do a search on the forums for third brake light leak. There's tons of info...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/yes-another-leaking-third-brake-light-thread.558122/
https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-brake-light-safety-recall.732883/

https://www.toyoheadquarters.com/th...eak-limited-service-campaign-lsc-21td03.2280/

 

I will try resolving with corporate first before installing myself, but yeah I’m not going to pay $800 for them to replace a light. That’s ridiculous.

 

If you follow the Flow Chart that is only if the truck has water intrusion though.

 

Update:

I reached out to Toyota Corporate and they said they would open a claim and speak with the dealership. A manager at the dealership gave me a call and said that the stud is not part of the service campaign he was pretty rude. Probably upset that I’m trying to fight this rather than pay $848. I basically said I will work with corporate rather then give him any of my money.

I just checked to see for myself if the light was loose and it was very loose. You can practically pull off the whole light from the left side. I checked behind the seats and also so noticeable signs of water damage. The dealership could say well the leak came from the stud being broken. I’m pretty much in a predicament now because the leak could have happened from two different sources with only one being covered in this service campaign.

I’ll give Toyota Corp a call tomorrow and let them know my findings. I hope they do the right thing and offer to replace the light assembly free of charge. If not I don’t think I’ll be buying another truck from Toyota.

 

Tell the manager he's right, the stud is not part of the service campaign...
But tell him to keep the stud at no extra charge but you'll take the free whole light assembly that includes the studs.
If there was damage from the outside from something hitting it, they would have pointed that out already...
I doubt you took the headliner out to over tighten the nut on that stud so it is an obvious manufacturing or supplier defect...
Hence a service campaign was issued because you are not the only one affected....

Now since there are obvious signs of water intrusion the service campaign has very clear steps that are to be taken now...
Have a look at the service campaign instructions... lol you'll see they tried to charge you for a part that is covered under the campaign...
Oooops no wonder he is pissed cause corporate now knows that too.
Is there another dealership that is close to you?
Next steps involve them taking your whole interior apart and inspecting/treating for mold and replacing stained parts.
Sure you want to trust them further... ?

 

I asked the manager multiple times if there was any signs of water leaking. He wouldn’t answer the question. Then I said if there were signs of water leakage then why would you argue about this and not just replace a part that is covered by Toyota.

There is another dealership about 30 miles away I can go to. I’ll see what corporate says tomorrow. Since there is water damage I see no way they say it was due to the broken stud because there is not sure way of confirming that.

 

They inspected mine and I had no leaking. They still installed an upgraded gasket on mine.

 

Obviously the manager is going to be called out by Toyota corporate for their shenanigans, but whether or not corporate or the dealer step up to cover the cost is yet to be seen. You might try that other dealer, but see what corporate says. This is why I just bought the part and will deal with the install myself.

 

I’d much rather do it myself, but I don’t really have the tools or the space.

 

Mine was broke, stealership charged me for the entire assembly. I submitted and was reimbursed for assembly.

I posted this here under a previous thread.

 

Wait a minute….to install the free improved gasket seal, techs don’t need to remove or LOOSEN the existing assembly? When mine was replaced, they did pull headliner down and inspect for damage. Much later I learned I had a broken stud in my assembly.

 

Right, nothing on the inside was disturbed as they just glued that plastic ring around the old one.

 

Im not sure if they pulled down the headliner for my truck when they found the broken stud. You can feel that it’s really loose from the outside. Is there a seal on the outside from the factory? I can’t remember.

Was it your left or right stud?

 

Well looks like I’m going to get screwed and will just have to replace it myself. Is there any other threads with info on how to replace it and where to get the part?

 

I don't recall exactly which stud was broke. I got upset and believed they broke stud removing my assembly. I never knew 'repair/band aid' was simply sealed and caulked over. My assembly was loose...not grossly though. I later read here of 'many light studs broken', seems like Toyota knows it and that is why I was re-paid for part.

they removed the headliner to check for leaks/damage. I am just glad corporate paid for the new assembly. The way I read the TSB, I was to be given (for free) new improved seal, clean/check of headliner, and possibly a new light assembly. I won't re visit the Toyota dealership. I am a mobilized Soldier from NY in SC, I have 3 Toyota dealerships to choose from. I now go to the one I purchased my wife's rav4.

Id call corporate...be prepared to pay for new light at dealership (not $800 if that is what they estimate) and submit receipt.

 

?

Isn't that ring part of the improved gasket design that goes between the lens and the cab?

 

As far as l can tell it is just a plastic trim ring glued around the old assembly.

 

I went and dug up the paperwork and it just says installed trim ring repair kit.

 

See my links in the post above otherwise...

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...rake-light-thread.558122/page-6#post-26168579

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/3rd-brake-light-safety-recall.732883/page-8#post-26135616

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...rake-light-thread.558122/page-4#post-23355158

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads...rake-light-thread.558122/page-4#post-23417843