Brand new 2021 tundra bent axle...

Hello everyone

Just want to introduce myself and let people know the bent Tundra axles keep coming. I read posts about the issue after purchasing and finding out my truck had one.

I've wanted a Tundra for years and finally after driving around Toyota car lots drooling over them for a long time I decided it would be the first ever new truck for me.

On October 30th I purchased a brand new
2021 MGM Tundra sport double cab.

Well that happy first ever truck buying experience didn't last. After leaving the dealership and going just a few km away for dinner I noticed rear driver side wheel noise like a rock in a backing plate. I wish that had been the problem... 23 days later and after numerous attempts to rule out everything from a warped rotor to parking shoes and a bearing it was finally diagnosed as the axle.

The dealership drove the truck 30km in circles around a few different parking lots in town while diagnosing this. I had the pleasure of watching this from home on the Toyota app.

After I finally got the truck back I called Toyota to ask if they were going to offer any compensation for interest I paid on the loan, insurance, being out of a vehicle for 23 days and added mileage to drive it back to the dealership while they diagnosed and ripped my brand new truck apart, they almost laughed and said NO we will do nothing. Now on that same app I see it has a power steering recall.

Not off to a good start Toyota.
I guess I am supposed to be grateful they actually fixed or rebuilt my brand new truck and continue to be loyal to them. I am not sure what is next for the driveline issues of this truck but I won't own it long enough to find out.

I just want to warn anyone else about the rear axle issue as it's not going to be the last one and hopefully this helps people catch it right away to get it fixed under warranty as I've read some people have been made to pay out of pocket when this appears down the road.

I told Toyota I would spread the good word about their customer care and absolute lack of concern.
I have the video showing the wheel noise after leaving the dealer but it's too large to post here.

Cheers

 

I hope they kept the transmission temps down during all of that testing.

 

I’ve yet to hear that this is a thing. You might have a lemon.

 

First time I'm hearing this.

 

I doubt transmission temp was raised it was during cooler weather and on 8 different trips. It was just painful to keep
Getting notifications of doors opening and watching the trips add up. 4 fast acceleration 3 harsh breaking and 3 harsh cornering recorded but I believe those are easily done. The app recorded my own incidents that were nowhere near harsh.

I know the dealership did what it could in the order Toyota lays out but I was shocked to be told too bad sorry about your luck in the end.

 

There are posts on this site about bent axles. That's where I first read it with the exact discription given regarding the ticking noise.

 

Welcome from NY.

 

Thanks for the welcome Jim!

Greetings from Tobermory Ontario

 

Only found one other mention of it on the site - one guy, brand new like OP, in a 2021. Became audible 22miles on the ODO.

 

Welcome from LA (Lower Alabama)! I understand your frustration, but the bent axle is not a common problem or this forum would have it posted all over the place. I would bet that you would still get more miles out of your new Tundra than anything made by another manufacturer.

 

I sure hope so if I decide to keep it in the long run, still getting used to it. Thanks for the welcome!
Cheers!

 

Welcome OP. Hope you don't have anymore issues

 

This would be the the third or fourth case I’ve heard of here. All on very near-new trucks. Heard of some Tacomas with the issue also.

I really wonder if it’s a manufacturing issue, or a transport issue from severely overtightened tie-downs attached to the rear axle causing the bent axle shafts, but I’m leaning toward the latter.

OP, I can understand the frustration as I’d also be a bit choked to have an issue with a brand new vehicle, but if they’ve repaired to problem, that’s all the warranty entitles you to. The most frustrating part for me would be the number of attempts to diagnose a relatively simple issue. But incompetence is rampant these days.

Were you provided with a loaner while you truck was in the shop?

 

Would love to hear a clip from that video if you could trim it down to a smaller size to post.

Huge bummer on a brand new truck. I would keep working my way up the TOYOTA manager chain to get compensation if it seems worth it to you.

 

It sucks when you have high hopes and expectations for a vehicle, especially if you've been building anticipation for said vehicle for a long time and then immediately have problems. I think a level of irritation is certainly warranted. People who haven't experienced a similar situation unfortunately don't care because they can't relate.


That said, some times shit happens and we get a turd. Toyota warranty should take care of the issue and have given you a loaner vehicle. Like was mentioned above, I'd still wager your truck will be more reliable and outlast its counterparts from other manufacturers.

Sorry you had bad luck, my advice is let them fix it, find a toyota dealer that is more understanding and friendly with you, leave a bad review for that specific dealership if they irked you and put this behind you.

Switching trucks will satisfy you temporarily, but the odds of having more dealership visits with the new truck is even higher. Good luck whatever decision you make.

 

I did get a loaner vehicle for a few days and I really can't say too much about the dealer. They did what they could but I would have expected them to go to bat for me as they are the "boots on the ground". As soon as it was confirmed as a bent axle I asked for them to take it back on trade for another one but the best offer they could give me was selling the truck at a dealer auction. Probably not a good thing to say to a customer who had lost faith.

So far the noise has not returned. It only has 1900km or 1100miles. Let's hope I never have another issue related to the drive I line. As I said earlier it has been an issue on more than one other new 2021 Tundra truck as (landphil) Phil also noticed.

Also If I cannot shorten the video I will post a link to it on YouTube. I noticed Pushing the parking brake just slightly while rolling would stop the noise because that would put torque on the axle. It was a loud sharp metallic tick.

It had 85km on the truck at that time the video was made fresh off the dealer lot. The noise would get worse as the truck was driven and go away if it sat. As much as it was painful to watch the service dept driving the truck in circles and take time to figure it out it had to be done so I understand that. Toyota Canada on the other hand showing less than zero sympathy is none excusable. The dealership was paid for their time to repair the truck, I am the only one who lost.

 

Sucks this happened to you and that your dealer wouldn’t help deal with Toyota on your behalf. Hope it gets resolved. Even Toyota isn’t immune from early defects like this. How it passed QC inspection is a good question to ask Toyota.

There is one and only one dealer I’ve ever given repeat business to and that was a Chevy dealer. Great buying experience and great service. I had a 2007 Suburban that had the entire rear drive train from the transmission back replaced at about 15,000 miles (drive shaft and rear axle and differential.). Dealer did an excellent job and took good care of me for a long time.

 

If it is due to Over tightened straps then all those who claim the Tundra can handle payloads way above their ratings on the sticker might be in for a surprise if some tie down straps can bend a rear axle!

 

I had the same thing on mine 2019. Fear not - they replaced the axle with 500 miles on it (or somewhere close to that). Just flipped 45k miles and haven’t thought about it one bit. Drives like a dream

 

https://youtube.com/shorts/D5gOlFGxgsI?feature=share

This is the video of the truck the day I purchased it before I left town. The noise is the parking shoe catching inside the drivers side rotor.