Please post picks of warped grills

Ever read something and completely misunderstand it? I would have sworn the thread title was about “warped girls “. Not sure what that says about my state of mind.

 

Considering that reflection off solar panels can vaporize birds mid flight, I don’t think you understand just how concentrated and powerful the focused beams are.

 

TOYOTA CORP DID NOTHING ABOUT THIS. Next question If I am forced to buy the part 53101-04040-B2, is this going to happen again? Also should I take the weathertech bug guard off if this is what caused it? how to remove it? Also should I stick with this grill or go with another one? How hard to install?

 

This happened to my grill surround. On the top portion like shown here and on the narrow strip down below. When I took it to the dealer, Toyota covered the replacement.

 

Mikro- did you have the bug deflector on yours and what did Toyota say it was from?

 

I have a 2016 with a AVS bug deflector that’s been on it since 2018, my grill is fine and it’s also been removed multiple times for upgrades to the front end. Not sure why you boys and girls have warped grills but I doubt a bug deflector caused it.

 

I was cleaning my truck today and I have two spots basically identical on left and right that look wavy. Toyota let their quality control go to crap. I just bought my 2018 TRD OR I notice something out if line and search here and find others have the same issue….

 

This isn't just 3rd gen.. the sun warped the shit out of my grill on my 2nd gen. It also melted the "ABS" plastic on my side mirror. I had to replace them both. Good think HomerTaco makes dope grills.

 

I found ‘dents’ and a slight warp last night. Thanks to this thread, realized my 2022 has the same issue. Quick trip to the dealer…grill replaced 2 days later under warranty.

 

Just bumping this thread because my grill surround is warped badly as well (will post a pic later, but same effect as seen above).

Dealer took photos and believes he can get a warranty repair authorized (again, I will update). My truck is 2 years old with just under 18k, so well within the warranty period.

As an aside, I live in a small town in NH with no glass buildings near me. We have also had a fairly rainy summer, so this isn’t a Southern / Southwestern high sun only type issue. It obviously doesn’t take much heat to warp these things.

I’m also wondering now how long it takes to create this kind of warping. I’m guessing it could happen while parked in town running errands.

My opinion (FWIW) is, if it is possible to warp these grill surrounds during the course of normal daily activities, then it is a design defect. Toyota cannot expect the world to change their windows so they can use thinner plastic on their vehicles.

 

Thanks for doing this homie, it’s how recalls/TSBs get into place.

 

I came in looking for pics of people who wrapped their grills. I am disappointed, but realize my error.

 

Here is the photo of my grill surround in the brilliant NH sunlight (I speak in jest as it is only 73° right now and it is August 3rd).

Somehow that old Violent Fems “Blister in the Sun” song keeps popping into my head.

This is such a weird failure mode. If it can happen in northern New England, it can happen anywhere. My advice is to be careful where you park.

I’ll update again when I get my dealer’s response on warranty coverage.

 

It's not just from the sun. It is from double paned windows reflecting the sun and acting like a magnifying glass and literally melting the plastic. It happened to mine when I lived in an apartment in South Louisiana. Tall buildings in the city, apartments, even your own hour if it has double paned windows can do it if you park in the wrong spot at the wrong time of day.

Now my truck is kept in my garage at home and a parking garage while I'm at work. It hasn't happened since. The Toyota dealership replaced mine under warranty.

 

Understood.

My points are simply:

1) You don’t need to be in a “hot” location for this to happen. I live in NH and we have had a rainy summer and it still happened.

2) It can happen quickly. I back into my driveway (old habit) and my work parking lot on the windowless side of a building, so this happened while parked on an errand somewhere.

I am hopeful mine is also replaced under warranty, but ultimately I believe this is a design failure.

Double pane “low-e” glass windows are becoming commonplace. Designing a vehicle component that cannot survive “reasonable” exposure (not talking long term exposure from massive glass buildings, etc.) to these temperatures seems like a miss from the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis guys in the Toyota quality department.

 

I agree with everything in your post.

 

This has happened on two grills for me, at two different homes.

Lame