Radiator Replacement?

Of course you gotta fill and bleed coolant, fill and adjust ATF level. The latter (checking ATF temp with scan tool, using the level check plug on the pan) can look daunting to someone new to Tacomas. I suspect that's why the dealer estimate was $1000 - the service writer stacked a coolant flush and ATF replacement to the order, on top of the $420 MSRP for an OEM radiator.

 

FULL DISCLOSURE: I am not by any stretch of the imagination an attorney
nor should any information I post be disclosed as such.

If ever attempting to work with your insurance company on any type of item like this
it is my understanding ( such as that is lol ) that if an object first hits the pavement and
THEN hits your vehicle the object is referred to as a missile. In that case it is not covered.
Check your Comprehensive terminology ...

I wouldn't offer up any information regarding that and if asked you can either claim you don't
know or say that said object fell off a ( insert vehicle description here ) and hit your car. If asked to clarify
if said object hit the pavement first I may go with " If I remember correctly it never hit the pavement".

Most insurance companies record these calls and I've heard that some use voice-stress-analyzers to
detect if you are lying through your teeth.

Per wit:
One such voice examination tool, CVSA II manufactured by National Institute for Truth Verification, runs on a variety of platforms -- including mobile devices. The company claims it even works whether the subject is face to face with an investigator or talking over the phone. It uses a microphone plugged into a computer to quantify and analyze frequency changes in the subject’s responses that indicate vocal stress. As the subject speaks, the computer displays each voice pattern and numbers it. At the end of the evaluation, an algorithm scores the results.

 

I'll add to the 'It's cheaper to replace then repair'. A modern aluminum radiator is very difficult/expensive to repair. I recently had a local fabricator swap the water inlet's and outlets on a three-row Radiator for a car I'm rebuilding. Had this Radiator needed to have it's tubes repaired it would be cheaper to just replace it. The old-school radiator repair shop in my town wouldn't touch it; Copper radiators only.

For a modern (not custom) car or truck I'd just get a replacement and move-on with my day. Sadly there are some items on a modern vehicle which are just disposable.

 

Thank you all for the useful information - I've learned a lot reading through this.

I think my current plan is to call insurance and see what could possibly be covered. If it wasn't a 2020 truck I would be more inclined to try and fix it myself but think I'll being pay for someone else to do this one. Also, not sure what happened 100% the rock hitting it was what the dealership said. I'll need to look at it / more pictures but can't know for sure.
Thanks again,

 

A little more than a year later here is a video on how to replace the radiator on a 2016 Tacoma

https://youtu.be/xvIpLgPIOcA

In my case, I think a cat was inside the hood when I started the truck with the remote. Some time after that I heard a weird noise. I thought i was the neighbour until I came out and saw some liquid leaking.
At first I thought it was some water from the AC, the motor kept running. I stopped the motor and opened the hood. All the fan blades were broken and there was antifreeze below the fan clutch.
The radiator was still squirting some antifreeze. So I will need to replace the radiator and the fan and I hope nothing else.

 

Sorry this happened to your radiator. AC condenser survived?
Almost all new vehicles leave too large of openings for road debris.
All 7 of my vehicles purchased in the past 20 years have received this
simple mod. Vinyl gutter guard with zip ties.
The mesh is at least 1/4" and never caused an airflow problem and it will
catch or slow down almost anything that comes it's way.
The zips are barely noticeable. I try to keep vehicles for about 18-20 years. Still have 4 counting wife's and son's.