When a recall letter from your car’s manufacturer arrives in the mail, the split-second reaction most of us have is deciding if the potential problem is really that serious. Chances are, if a company has weighed out the costs and potential liabilities associated with the given defect, then it’s probably something that’s worth the pain and hassle of getting your rig running right.
Lest we forget, this kind of cost/liability analysis is exactly what Ed Norton’s character did for employment in Fight Club.
There’s not really any room for debate in the recall news that’s come out concerning certain models of the Toyota Tundra trucks and Lexuz LX SUVs, which are being recalled because (dramatic pause)… THERE’S A CHANCE THEIR ENGINES MIGHT BLOW UP.
TikTok creator Brian Mello (@realbrianmello) breaks down the recall announcement, which affects more than 100,000 vehicles that might need to get their engines replaced entirely.
“The issue is due to machining debris from assembly that may not have been cleared, leaving them loose inside the engines. For those engines that are affected, the debris could lead to issues, including engine knock, rough running, no start situations, or a sudden loss of power while driving at high speeds. The recall, which was issued voluntarily by Toyota, affects models within the ’22 to ’23 year range and only affects those powered by the gas-only 3.5 liter twin turbo V6. If you’re driving the iForce Max hybrid, for example, you’re good to go.”
News about the problems with these vehicles has been dribbling out in recent weeks, and we wrote about how the engine problems have started to tarnish Toyota’s mostly sterling reputation for quality and safety.
Another TikTok creator, Chris Pearce (@thechristopherpearce) even labeled the recall “the most non-Toyota story ever” because of how out of character it is for the automaker to have such a widespread and serious issue with its engines.
Commenters on the post were mostly supportive of Toyota’s decision to do an aggressive recall, which we don’t even want to think about how much that will cost in parts, labor, and damage to the brand.
“I work for Toyota and it’s for loose rust that can be accumulating during either manufacturing or shipping. Toyota takes the stand and always make sure stuff gets fixed. Recalls are a good thing.” one responder wrote.
Another said simply, “I’d still buy a Toyota Tundra.”
And another used the opportunity to throw some shade at Detroit automakers, “At least Toyota replaces them. The big 3 would have blamed oil changes, hard usage, and ignored the issue until most were out of warranty.”
Toyota responds to engine recall
The Daily Dot has reached out to Mello for more thoughts on the recall news. Via email, a Toyota spokesperson wrote: “The subject vehicles are equipped with a specific V35A engine that contains crankshaft main bearings which allow the crankshaft to rotate within the engine assembly while running. During a specific production period, there is a possibility that engine machining debris of a particular size and amount may not have been cleared from the engine during manufacturing and subsequently contaminated the engine assembly during the production process…
@realbrianmello Toyota Recalling Tundra! | #toyotatundra #toyotatrucks #trucktok #trucks @The Drive ♬ original sound – Brian Mello
For these engines in the subject vehicles, the pressure on the main bearings due to the engine configuration is such that, if the aforementioned machining debris adheres to the bearings and operation of the engine continues at higher loads over time, failure of the bearings may occur. This can lead to potential engine knocking, engine rough running, engine no start and/or an engine stall. In the subject vehicles, an engine stall while driving leads to a loss of motive power. A vehicle loss of motive power while driving at higher speeds can increase the risk of a crash.”
Is my Toyota affected by this recall?
To spot-check, you can use a website like RepairPal.com and enter your car’s VIN. According to Repair Pal, Toyota has 330 active recalls right now affecting millions of potential units.
As a comparison point, there are 923 active recalls for Ford cars, 608 for Chevrolet, 302 for Nissan, 262 for Honda, 237 for Hyundai, and 170 for Kia.
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