Cam tower leak

Hello folks,
I really am confused about this cam tower leak. Appears to be happening with alarming frequency, having to beg Toyota to extend warranty, having vehicle tied up for 3 plus days, 3.5K in cost, etc. I am considering a 2014 with 40 K on it, but there does not appear to be anything definitive on if or when the failure occurs. At this point the only way I would purchase is if the current dealer sent vehicle to a Toyota dealer and they proactively replaced the offending seal/gaskets on both sides. Am I wrong? Just let me know if I am over-reacting, but the worst thing I can think of is paying 27K for a vehicle, then having to shell out another 3K for what I consider should have been a recall issue. Please let me know if there is something wrong with my logic. Thanks again for the input.

 

Your logic is sound to me. This is the exact reason a 2017 / 2018 is not in my driveway. It is painful because I love this truck, but I just cannot understand why this is even an issue for Toyota. I have decided to squeeze another year or two out of my GMC.

 

your over reacting. Its a small oil leak and Toyota is covering it. Every truck brand is going to have some issues pop up. Toyota at least will stand behind their trucks when they see there was a flaw in manufacturing process. The reason you seem to think it is happening with "alarming frequency" is because it has happened and people posted the issue. How many don't have the issue? I know of 3 tundras around here that I have looked for the leak on all of them...guess what? No problems.

 

I have a 2014 with only 35k miles on it. I had the cam tower leak. It sucks and was a hassle even though it was covered under warranty. I would suggest that you buy a Toyota care warranty which you can get for around 1500 that covers you for 7-8 years and 100k. Then you don’t have to worry about it. There are threads on here about where to buy this warranty cheaply.

 

Thought about that during my visits to the dealership. Problem is that the 160 item certified checklist does not say anything about this specific leak. The warrantee is a good deal though and would help.

 

I found out that my cam tower seal was leaking because it would drip on the heat shield and burn off. I kept on smelling burning oil. Not something that I could live with. It's actually an issue that I find unacceptable from a Toyota. It doesn't stem from a "new" technology and it is too easy to get this right at the factory. Plus, it is a really involved and costly repair afterwards. I don't know what the "rate of defect" is for the cam tower leaks. But I am glad that I have an extended warranty. I don't want to pay out of pocket to get this fixed. That being said, I would not trade my Tundra in for any other truck solely because of this issue.

 

So true. To a certain extent vehicles are over analyzed now when it comes to failures. True failure rates are mostly unknown, but forums and the internet can make them out to seem like they effect over 50% of that model ever produced.

-My 1999 Dodge ram oil pan seeped oil at a rate so slow that it never made a drop in the driveway, but the oilpan was always grimey. Never changed it and never worried about it, drove that for over 100k with that "leak".
-My 1999 4runner had over 250k on it when I sold it. Valve cover gasket on the passenger side leaked starting around 180k. Removed, cleaned, meticulously replaced in my garage. Started to seep again at 220k. I wasn't about to pull it apart again, no noticeable oil loss, no burning, no loss between oil changes. Never messed with it again and never worried about it.
-Most recently my 7.3 superduty had a rear main that would let a drop of oil make it all the way to the ground about once a week. Also never worried about this and I sure as hell wasn't about to pull an engine over a drop of oil per week. Never got better, never got worse. Towed with the truck and overall worked it pretty hard. Never worried about it.

There are very few BAD cam tower leaks out there. There are plenty that will leave that area moist with oil residue and you may catch a wiff of oil once a month. Not something I'm going to worry about unless I've got oil dripping down the side of the block.

 

I kinda feel better now. Thanks, Fellas!

 

man, I have a 2012 DC with 73K on it......no problems whatsoever, except I had the AIP issue and got bit in the ass for it. Honestly, every single mechanical product out there WILL have problems at one point or another, some more than others. Toyota is no exception.
That doesn't affect the fact that they are damn near completely reliable. Can you say the same about the big three? I hear more problems with Fords, Rams, and Chevy's than I do tundras.
On the flip side, my uncle has had his 2010 F150 and has over 150K on it. Has not had ONE problem with it, but his son has (HAD) a 2012 F150 and had issues from the get go, same with a 2016 (or 2017) where the turbocharger about made his engine blow up....traded it in for a 2018.

However bad these tundra problems are, they don't come close to others. I mean, I haven't heard of a door recall on Tundras where the door was liable to fly open going past 50 mph. (you guessed it....f150's LOL)

 

get a warranty for peace of mind. the cam tower leak is covered under the drive train warranty 5 years/60K

 

Yea, buy the warranty and get the truck if it’s right. Or go buy a big three and get some really good rental vehicle insurance.
The Tundra has proven to be the most solid and reliable of all full sized trucks.

 

What he’s not telling you is he’s trying to “squeeze” a couple more years out of a 2014 GMC. Haha. Just kidding man. But really, what year is it?

 

Toyota's are reliable but I think their reliability has gone down in the last 10 years as the competitions has gone up, I don't think the spread is anywhere as great as it was at one time. For a engine that has been being made for at least 10 years to still be having the same problem is absurd.

 

My 2007 Toyota FJ had the timing cover leak, and the engine bay was pretty greasy/oily. I honestly just never bothered with it, and it always drained the full amount of oil I put in 10k miles prior. Drops never hit my driveway, but it did muck up the bay.

When I took it to the dealer, the offered to fix it - and that it was a pretty major job. Some things aren't really worth messing with. Not sure what I would do if the Tundra started to leak. Maybe my point is a lot of these things are blown wayyy out of proportion.

-Jim

 

@MistrRoboto nailed it! Sure, it happens occasionally because no vehicle is perfect ... they all have their own issues. But out of the thousands of Tundras on the road very few encounter this problem. Unfortunately we always hear about the ones that do...

 

That’s definitely a given. Toyotas reliability HAS gone down in lieu of quantity and other variables upon entering the global market.

But, so has other brands. Fords and chevys used to last forever.

Toyota still has the highest reliability out of the big three. Exactly why I bought one.

Plus.....they so sexy!!

 

My buddies 2018 ford platinum sitting at ford for seized water pump a month old. Told him he should have gotten a tundy lol

 

The big 3 stopped making quality, dependable trucks in the late 80s early 90s. I had an 85 F150 that I beat to death. Started and ran everyday. I have a buddy that has an 12 F150, it's the BIGGEST piece of crap I've ever seen. My 06 DC Tundra has a spot on the lower oil pan that is a tad wet. Just dark. No drips, doesn't lose any oil. I'm NOT worried about it. At 187k she is THE BEST truck I've ever owned. If the cam leak worries you that much, buy an extended warranty package, let the dealer put you in a loaner and have it fixed IF it ever happens to your truck.

 

My GMC Z71 is an 05 with 170k on it. I also own an 01 GMC Yukon with 190k on it. The reason I went looking at Tundra's is my wife drives a 15 4Runner Limited and I am impressed with the vehicle so far. The Big 3 have had their share of issues and I was attempting to spend my money on Toyota again.

This issue should not even be talked about. Leaking Camshaft Tower problems go back to 2008, with 2012 and 2013 having the most. I have done weeks of research and called many service departments. Now why in the world would a 2017 Tundra (Sequoia etc.) leak if the issue was corrected properly? Toyota should be embarrassed.

If I already owned one (wish I did) my thinking would probably be different.

 

Thanks for all the input.

 

Wonder if someone could describe this cam tower leak for this uninitiated ol' fart. You know, so I know where to look, just in case ....... (don't have any leaks that I'm aware of, and I've looked everywhere)

 

Here is the original thread with pictures

https://www.tundras.com/threads/cam-shaft-tower-seal-leaking-please-read.20102/

 

Thanks Rosco.