New owners: check your engine bays

After several months of ownership, I decided to check under the hood. Usually, I am very meticulous about maintenance and check regularly. But this being a new truck and being crazy busy, I never bothered.

Opened up the hood and just looked around. Looked at the serpentine belt and something looked off. That piece isn’t supposed to be there. Took it out. I had no idea what it was. But it was ground up pretty good by the belt and the pulley. I thought it had fallen off of something but everything else looked good. Nothing out of place. In the molded plastic of this piece was written “Badger Plug.” Apparently, it holds rolls of seran wrap. Do they use that at the factory? I did get clear bra put on at a local shop. Guessing maybe that’s where it happened.

The belt looks a little frayed on the edges. I will be talking to them about it. Not happy.

 

Not originally a part of your vehicle, obviously left in there somehow. Seems hard to believe how such a big piece could have been left in there, presumptively by the Bra installers, but I would say that's your best bet. Maybe before you ask for a manager, lurk around their shop a bit and see if you can ID what it was first.

 

That looks a lot like the end cap from a roll of something. I use to run a printing company and if we purchased high end materials in a roll they would come in a box with an end cap like that. It would keep the roll centred in the box it came in; there would be one on both ends. I could be wrong but that is my best guess?!?

 

I bet its the protective white plastic the transport company wraps the cars in (mostly the front ends) when they load them on a car carrier for delivery to the dealer.

 

That could be it, too. But would they have reason to lift the hood?

 

Probably to tuck it in? Or just to use your toyota as a trash can...

They also put it on top of cars that go in the first level to keep drips off the roof.

I can ask my neighbor- he drives for a car transport company.

 

I was thinking more along the lines of the material they use at the shop where they installed the bra and it held a 3M film product.

 

For holding dispensing rolls, sorta as shown here, but I couldn't find that exact style.

https://www.flexpackmag.com/article...pensing-roll-goods-from-badger-plug?v=preview

 

It looks like the top or bottom of a roll of plastic or paper, I had them on a roll of plastic I had years ago..

 

Unbelievable Cant believe dealer didnt catch it at pre-delivery at a minimum. Hope no damage occurred to your new truck.

 

Ok- just asked him and he’s been delivering toyotas lately- he said the factory and port prep the cars for delivery- so he never had to deal with the shrink wrap. But he never saw what the boxes look like for that stuff.

 

I missed this part- didnt read it carefully. I bet you are right, there is much less of a chance it was the delivery prep wrapping.

 

Thanks for checking on that. Like most of you said, I believe it’s the tint shop. But doesn’t hurt to thoroughly check. If that thing had fallen on the other side of the coolant hose, it would’ve done some major damage. Broken fan, sliced coolant hoses—not pretty

 

Yeah, sorry. Would have been easier for you to go with warranty work if it was due to something Toyota did, hope the tint shop fesses up. @Opihi59 is right, snoop around the shop and dig in their trash to see what they use!

 

Xpel is a very popular clear wrap. I found the culprit!!

 

Someone owes you a new belt....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FAFg1EU3hhU