Fit and finish assembly on ‘24 Tundra

Document, Document Document everything said, done and when. Check your states Lemon Law requirements

 

I also have a '24 bought a month ago and just noticed my tailgate is misaligned. Similar to the OP, the right side is definitely closer to the tail light, also to the point it started taking the paint off the bottom edge of the tailgate panel where it faces the tail light. I didn't notice it right away since the truck is black and the gaps sorta blend in. I have an appointment next week to take it in and hopefully have them fix it.

 

I don't think you can lemon wind noise issue, truck is still drivable and is considered a minor inconvenience aka Tundra model characteristic

 

That is within spec...you are at 5.05mm and they will only adjust if greater than 7mm side to side...

 

I opened a case with Toyota and they just recommended contacting the dealer where I had originally purchased it from. I did and the manager was very understanding and agreed to replace my truck with a new one. They currently do not have the same model on their lot but are expecting one in around the 1st of May. He said they would just buy me out of my current truck and sell me the new one at the current balance that I owe at the time. The nice thing is Toyota dropped their interest rates a few percentage points so I'm hoping to take advantage of a lower APR for the inconvenience. Other than that, I love the truck and I'm glad the dealership stepped up and is taking care of the problem. That goes a long way in my book and now I'm looking into a new Rav4 for my daughter. I'll give a final update once all is settled. Thanks all for the help and support!

 

Has someone built a list that we should look at while purchasing a tundra?

 

That’s actually not a bad idea, if it hasn’t already been done. I know most new cars have their common quirks and it is such a lengthy and extensive process at times that things are easily missed. Then you miss it prior to signing and good luck sometimes.

 

Yes


TUNDRA PDI


Confirm no outstanding recalls, TSBs etc

Request a copy of the PDI document

Confirm all in stock accessories have been installed

Confirm gas tank size

Confirm payload number

Confirm presence of all weather mats, mud flaps and Toyota Owners Manual Portfolio (pouch for owners manual etc)

BODY

• Check A pillar black vinyl wrap for curling, coming off or installed crooked
• Check to see if there are any bumps on fender flares. Stand at about a 35 to 45° angle from the truck 6 feet plus from the wheel. Reports of 2-6 bumps on each trim piece
• Check for bumps on body panels (reports of bumps possibly due to fasteners)
• Check section just below tailgate handle for any early signs of wear between handle and tailgate
• Test all lighting (exterior and interior) for burnt out bulbs. Confirm no burnt out LEDS in front, rear, or marker lights especially.
• Check paint for smoothness. Reports of gritty paint.
• Check paint for colour matching
• Check for any damage, scratches, etc

DRIVETRAIN

• Check all fluid levels

UNDERCARRIAGE

• Using a flashlight, check for rust
• Check rear axle bolts to ensure they are visibly tightened
• Check for any visible fluid on bottom of engine and transmission

WINDOWS/DOORS

• Check front door seals as some are not installed correctly or are cut too small
• Check window seals as some have large gaps in the seals.

CABIN

• Check stitching on seat covers
• When adjusting the seat, make sure the seat rails do not make a pop sound
• Check for any engine lights
• Test climate control
• Test heated steering wheel for warmth and distribution
• Test heated seats
• Test all windows for functionality
• Check the back of the rear seats for wear. Reports of melted backing material.
• Check the decorative door moldings (black strip down the doors) to ensure properly alignment and that they aren’t snapped. Reports of damage during shipping.

HEAD UNIT

• Test cameras. There have been reports of some producing a purple screen.
• Test bluetooth
• Test USB ports for functionality and cable heating up
• Test speakers and listen for rattle when bass is high

TEST DRIVE

• Test auto start/stop button
• Make sure steering wheel is straight
• Listen for wind noise from driver and passenger doors at higher speeds
• Listen for any clicking or rattling from headliner, A pillar and dash
• Listen for brake squeal while driving forward and in reverse.
• Test all steering wheel buttons for driving functions
• Check function of lane departure, cruise control, and braking
• Shift into 2L, 4L, 4H and reverse and listen for any unusual noises

 

Wow!. Reading this an other theads has me very disappointed. I was thinking of trading my 2013 CM for a new one but now I'm having second thoughts.

 

This is what the dealer does as part of the PDS (Pre-Delivery Service). There is also a sheet that is specific to the Tundra.

 

That's a pretty decent list...some of the body stuff is going to be what is deemed acceptable, so while it is good to know, some of it will not be taken care because it is within spec...

Folks who complain about certain things on a mass produced vehicle have never seen the paint on a $250,000+ PTS (Paint To Sample - $20K+ Option) Porsche....I can understand being upset on that vehicle, but a massed produced truck is never going to go through the same level of detail or quality control that that Porsche does and the Porsche still arrives with paint defects...

 

Just push every button and look at everything outside in sunlight. The test drive and look around should take 30+minutes easily. If salesperson is pushing the 2 minute test drive circling the dealership then back to the desk to sign paperwork so he can get back to tackling customers out front tough. You are the boss of your checkbook so it takes how long you say it takes

 

When you pay a very high price for a pickup truck, the paint and panel alignment should be correct. Just because it is massed produced doesn't mean you have to accept below industry standard products.

I'd say Toyota gets a great deal of business because they are attempting to be better than the competition. I hope they haven't lowered standards just to be only as good as the competition.

 

My personal PDI and test drive took about 1h30. The sales manager was fine with me taking as much time as I wanted.

 

I disagree with you here.

Paint quality should be very very good. If there are visible paint defects, there should be no excuses that it's mass produced, a work truck, etc etc.

The standard is set by other new Tundras paint jobs. If there are other new Tundras with near perfect paint jobs, then anything worse than that or with visible defects, is not acceptable.

 

We can agree to disagree...I'm not expecting a "perfect" paint job on a vehicle that has over 100,000 of them built a year...and there isn't a single Tundra that I would consider, ever, to have a "near perfect paint job"...

I can give you several examples of $250,000+ Porsche GT3 that have visible paint defects that were not a result of transport...so for everyone to expect anything remotely close to perfect is...well yeah...

 

What does price has to do with paint job being defective or not? If painters did crappy job, they did crappy job.

My moms corolla has a near perfect paint job, did I inspect it with a special flashlight? No but it's very good paint job with no visible defects.

It just seems that you're defending Toyota here, and because they paint lots of trucks then it's ok for it to not be of high quality.

 

When you're paying an additional $20K for Paint to Sample (PTS) with Porsche, you'd expect it to be darn near perfection and yet it isn't...

I don't disagree that there are issues with some of the paint processes used, but I think it might actually have to do with being in the United States, as you don't hear of any Japan built vehicles having this many paint issues...

And I'm not defending Toyota, I'm simply trying to get folks to understand that it isn't a perfect science to mass produce vehicles that are 99% perfect...it just isn't realistic...

Toyota needs to up their paint game...100% agree with you there. It can thin in places and the Tundra is no exception...040 Super White/Ice Cap is especially bad...

 

Man I don’t know about that. These are trucks who cares if they are perfect. If you are using your truck you are bound to get scratches and dents over time. Just the way it works. I get panel alignment isn’t perfect but some seem to be overly critical of that. I know these trucks are expensive but meh, it’s still a truck at the end of the day. As long as the truck is getting me to my destination and not leaving me stranded and the truck isn’t falling apart is all I really need. Hope you get the resolution you want and get a truck that you are happy with!

 

My dealer stepped up and bought my truck back. Offered to sell me a new one, but when I looked at the couple he has on the lot, including the 80k + Capstone in the showroom they had some of the same problems. I am now shopping for something else. If a company can’t get body panels to fit together properly, paint with only a few flaws, and rubber seals right, it makes me wonder how the mechanical things are made….and thats not even getting into the infotainment system that had a mind of it’s own and changed the screen randomly without any input from me. Good luck to anyone with similar problems.

 

It's stupid stuff you shouldn't have to deal with on a brand new vehicle. I just took mine to the dealer for the tailgate being misaligned and rubbing the paint off the bottom right edge. The dealer couldn't do anything to adjust it (Not really surprised), but I have an appointment with a body shop Thursday under warranty through the dealership to have them take a look. Hopefully they can adjust it. I was kinda shocked when I was at the dealer and looked at roughly a dozen of the new Tundras they had. Almost half of them also had the tailgate practically touching the right tail light.