Brand new Tacoma is getting it's engine pulled already

"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
03/30/2016 at 16:19 • Filed to: Car buying

Buy a Tacoma they said. They’re bullet proof they said.

I’ve mentioned a couple times in comments that a friend/coworker was looking to buy a new Tacoma. I had suggested that he at least look at the Colorado/Canyon, and he looked at me like I had a third head.

So he bought his Tacoma on Monday, and didn’t even make it out of the parking lot before the CEL went on. The service department said it threw a code about the cam position sensor, but it was too late to work on it, so he got to drive home from buying his first new vehicle, his dream truck, in a used Altima they gave him for a loaner.

Next day they call to say it was no longer giving any codes, but they were going to dig in and inspect it anyways.

Now here’s where it gets weird to me. They called back that afternoon and said they couldn’t find anything wrong, but they wanted with his permission to pull the motor and inspect the oil pan for metal shavings.

I’m thinking there is something they aren’t telling him. Why the hell would they pull the motor if they weren’t finding anything wrong?

What do you all think?

DISCUSSION (46)

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:21

Taco gone bad...

GRS1 > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:23

He should un-buy it

Gone > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
03/30/2016 at 16:23

Blue waffle? DON’T GOOGLE!

crowmolly > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:23

We’re just going to remove the engine for some complementary bolt head polishing. You can have a loaner for the next 3 weeks.

jimz > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:23

sounds like they suspect a failed cam phaser, or maybe something with the timing chain/tensioner.

Liam Farrell > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:23

The sour cream was probably spoiled

HammerheadFistpunch > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:24

pull the motor to check the pan? what kinda shop is this? i would say no and ask them to check the pan with the engine in if nessisary.

EL_ULY > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:24

we’ve done that with new models. Not uncommon

shop-teacher > HammerheadFistpunch
03/30/2016 at 16:25

It’s a Toyota dealer in Kenosha, WI

TheHondaBro > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
03/30/2016 at 16:26

Should’ve gotten a burrito.

shop-teacher > EL_ULY
03/30/2016 at 16:27

Really? It seems bizarre to me to pull an entire motor just to see what's up.

shop-teacher > jimz
03/30/2016 at 16:27

Interesting, thank you.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > TheHondaBro
03/30/2016 at 16:27

Dam chipotle

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:28

Absolutely unnecessary so pull the motor to check that.

I’d be asking for a different truck.

It seems like your three heads have turned into one normal one.

EL_ULY > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:34

New cars are not released everyday lol but if there is a engine issue specifically, our reps/tech hotlines urge us to do these advance checking in order to make 100% sure there isn’t a production issue that can lead to a stop in production (has happened with a car I was working on) or something like that

RallyWrench > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:35

They may be curious if metal debris from break in has circulated through the engine or stuck in the VVT or elsewhere in the oiling system. I’m a little baffled as to why they’d pull the engine to investigate, unless they’ve already dropped the pan and had the valve covers off and have reason to believe there’s more going on.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:36

“...used Altima... loaner.”

Oh hell no. If my BRAND NEW truck threw a check engine light before I even left the lot you better be giving me a brand new top of the line model of something. Fuck that bullshit.

jimz > HammerheadFistpunch
03/30/2016 at 16:37

with as densely-packed as things are underhood, it may not be feasible to get the pan out with the engine in.

jimz > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
03/30/2016 at 16:38

what do you expect them to do, give you something out of new inventory so you can turn it into a used car?

HammerheadFistpunch > jimz
03/30/2016 at 16:42

Possibly, I have been under the 2nd gen and I know they are pretty similar but there is a chance that the pan isn’t easy to get at anymore

shop-teacher > EL_ULY
03/30/2016 at 16:43

That makes sense.

shop-teacher > jimz
03/30/2016 at 16:44

That’s what I was thinking.

shop-teacher > Logansteno: Bought a VW?
03/30/2016 at 16:44

It’s quite the kick in the dick, ain't it?

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > jimz
03/30/2016 at 16:44

If I was handed the keys to a used Altima after my brand new truck I had driven all of 50 feet had to be kept to have a CEL fixed, I’d be telling that dealer to shove that Altima and the truck where the sun doesn’t shine.

ly2v8-Brian > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:45

Very strange indeed. Manufacturing defects happen. There probably isn't a way to pull the pan with the engine in. Guess the T(u)RD badges are appropriate?

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
03/30/2016 at 16:45

According to the great Lehto, once you’ve signed the papers, it’s yours.

bob and john > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:47

what El_Uly said.

If there is a bigger issue one the line, they want to find out what it is and fix it ASAP

shop-teacher > RallyWrench
03/30/2016 at 16:47

I know precisely dick about Tacomas, but being a 4wd version, I thought perhaps it’s less labor intensive to pull the motor to check the pan, than it is to try and get it out from underneath?

shop-teacher > ly2v8-Brian
03/30/2016 at 16:48

Ha!

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:55

It’s insane. I’d be losing my shit in the showroom for a very long time. Might even make it a daily occurrence.

Tripper > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:57

I would want the dealer to give me a new truck.

CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist) > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 16:58

Careful, have your friend call Lehto

Pistol Whipped Cream > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 17:06

New truck or no Truck...

thedevilinside > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 17:10

Drove the car off the lot and engine out? Yikes. I’d tell him to keep documentation if it goes lemon on him. Hopefully they are just being cautious with the brand new truck.

RallyWrench > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 17:11

It can’t imagine it’s much different than previous Tacos, it can’t be that difficult. Labor for the old 4.0 is around 20 hours for the engine, under 7 for the upper pan. If they’ve followed common practice, it probably has a lower pan that would make it even easier.

shop-teacher > thedevilinside
03/30/2016 at 17:45

He didn't even make it off the lot. I did tell him to keep all his paperwork.

shop-teacher > MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
03/30/2016 at 17:47

As would I. He bought it from a dealership about 60 miles away, so a daily appearance ain’t happening.

shop-teacher > CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)
03/30/2016 at 17:48

Wrong state for Lehto, unfortunately.

shop-teacher > RallyWrench
03/30/2016 at 17:49

I dunno. I just hope he’s not getting screwed. He’s a good guy.

-this space for rent- > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 18:34

Brand new truck that hasn’t made it off the lot? I’d be telling them to find me another truck.

boxrocket > shop-teacher
03/30/2016 at 23:37

Have them run the paperwork on a different (but same) Taco that’s been thoroughly inspected by a senior tech, and let them keep the original Taco.

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > shop-teacher
03/31/2016 at 03:06

There may be a problem, it happens, but pulling the engine seems like a hasty decision to me. Then again, it’s common not to delve into the details of technical test results as they just confuse most customers. There are quite a few checks that can be done with the still in. Oil pressure (which can affect can timing on VVT engines), everything electrical related to the sensor, metal in the oil filter, cam timing (at least by wave form in an oscilloscope if it can’t be done visibly with the engine installed), compression test (incorrect timing often results in low compression on the affected bank). But what throws me of the most is that they weren’t able to verify the problem aside from a fault code. The first rule of diagnosing a vehicle is to verify the customer’s concern. I would be really curious to hear the shop’s side of the story.

shop-teacher > AMGtech - now with more recalls!
03/31/2016 at 07:15

I would be curious to hear it as well. I feel like they must have found something off in one or more of those tests ... but why not tell him?

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > shop-teacher
03/31/2016 at 09:37

Worth the drive lol

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > shop-teacher
03/31/2016 at 09:47

Yeah, I don’t know. Something doesn’t add up.

wiffleballtony > shop-teacher
03/31/2016 at 14:22

And thus another F150 owner is born.