2022/2023 Tonneau cover recall

No...wind goes right over it. Watched an episode of Myth Busters where they debunked the " take the tailgate off for better milage" versus " tail gate closed" Better mileage with a cap, cover, or just plain closed tailgate versus a truck with an open/missing/screen tail gate due to how wind flows over a vehicle

 

Got the tri-fold tonneau removed by the dealership. I'm working with them to get refund for the cost of the tonneau.

 

The app says they are working on parts so I don’t see why we would be taking them off.

 

I hope to get the refund in the next few days. Given it's already Thursday, I won't be surprised if the check doesn't come in until next week.

 

ok, your screen shot is dated the 2nd of March which is different than I show that’s dated the sixth. Yours says they’re working on the parts. A few days later they have no idea what they’re going to do

 

I just did a 750 mile road trip with the family with mine on… no issues at all coming off while fully closed.

As an aside, Toyota must be pumping these trucks out these days… I am seeing SO MANY of them on the road now… I was over in the Seattle area with the fam on spring break and they were everywhere

 

I was watching a video on the factory - one leaves the factory every minute.

 

Got a link to that video ? Thanks !

 

If anyone in Phoenix wants a cover I switched to a retrax and am selling mine for $500.

 

Yes, here it is - starts out with Sequoia, but they are on the same line. - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax751oFPph0 Tundras are shown too.

 

I bought the truck at 9:00 with a cover. By the time the paperwork was finished the cover was off and kept by the dealership with an excuse. I asked to retain it, in the event the remedy involved the original cover, but they said "No, it's certified. We have to do this". I mentioned ownership, they said they can't. I went to work. This seemed a bit bait-and-switchy to me, so I wrote my AG who contacted the dealer who told the their hands were tired and demanded I retract my demands,....

Finally, after two demand letters and a dozen emails, a regional CS rep from Toyota corp. called me and said "They've been instructed to remove the cover." I asked if they were instructed to keep it and he said "No. The instructions are to keep it if requested by the customer. Did you ask them to keep it,... no you didn't ask them to keep it."

I need a cover, so Amazon, credit card,... backorder. Will notify when available. Tried two more vendors,... "not available for this model". Apparently the 6.5 ft bed is uncommon. Found one on ebay. Contact seller, sorry only 5.5 foot available. Meanwhile, I'm renting uhauls almost every week.

 

What brands & price points of tonneau cover have you tried to purchase? 6.5' beds, while being lower in sales than the 5.5' bed, are still very common. Especially now with the truck well into its 2nd year of production and the 6.5' beds now being available on CrewMax Tundras (unlike previous generations).

Have you tried realtruck.com? It's a common place to shop for bed covers. They show tons of options in stock and ready to ship tomorrow for the 6.5' bed 3rd Gen. Take your pick of price point: $280 for a TonnoPro tri-fold soft cover. BakFlips in the ballpark of $1200-$1500. You can go all the way up north of $4k if you want a motorized cover.

 

Talked to my dealer last week. Refund will be issued this week.

 

I did a 1000 road trip Wednesday, reluctantly using the OEM cover. Really had no choice thanks to Toyota's no refund policy and I had a lot of gear to carry that couldn't go uncovered. But the cover didn't fly off. And the other amazing thing is that all my engine bearings came through the ordeal intact, too. ;-)

 

On another thread there was a guy who posted his had flown off in the Closed State ( down and latched ) . Driving down the Interstate it lifted off . The 2 thumb wheel nuts that attach it to the truck were laying in the box.....so they vibrated loose and fell off. There lies the problem

Locktite gentlemen is your answer until Toyota gets out a check book or a fix, plus use common sense and keep an eye on them

 

I got a letter about this yesterday, did anyone else get one?

 

What did the letter say?

 

Said I have a truck with a recalled cover. Asked me to remove it. Said if I can’t do this any dealer will do it. Explained there was no remedy for the problem. That they expect a solution in a few months.
Then there is weird separate paper that says “reimbursement checklist” which I assume is if I were to go get another cover maybe they would cover the cost? I am due for am oil change in about 2k so I will see what the dealer says at that time.

I am not removing it unless they have another one for me, a solution, or I verify the reimbursement terms.

I have tightened the nuts and really don’t see how it could come off, especially fully closed.

 

Go buy some medium Locktite at an automotive store.... You dont need much. Back off the thumbwheels, give the threads a squirt, tighten thumbwheels. Those things will NEVER vibrate loose .....but if you need to remove it.....you can....its just tough but easily doable ( shit aint crazy glue it is designed for this )

 

Ya that’s a good idea with the lock tight, give it a whirl

 

I got the letter yesterday as well. It was concerning they said they expected a fix in a few months but that could change, essentially with no ETA. The reimbursement thing was super weird and there was 0 explanation what it was talking about.

One thing I did find interesting was it said to remove and safely store the cover. It seems different than what they told dealers to “remove and destroy them”.

 

Yeah maybe I will call the dealer and see if they know what the reimbursement paper was.

 

Toyota Corporate called regarding my cover. The apparent remedy will be an entirely new cover in "two or three months". My third and last Toyota. I liked my RAV, I liked my Tacoma, I like my Tundra, but my experience with the dealership and Toyota have offset my "like". My Powerstroke has been out of commission nearly as often as in commission and I'd still buy another Ford. My Audi throws a CIL every few thousand miles, and had several recalls, and I'll still buy another S car.

 

My F350 experience was what drove me to a Tundra. F350 Cabela and it didnt last 1 year before I turfed that piece of garbage Drove a Tundra for the next 13 years with ZERO issues . To each thier own but I seemed to get the lemon of the month with my F350

 

What are we thinking will happen, or not, for those of us who bought the BAK MX4? Is or is not the same problem present as with the OEM?

 

I really appreciate everyone sharing their experience here and was able to use this information.

While in for service yesterday Toyota informed me they will work on this safety recall. I mentioned the other experiences I have heard with dealerships confiscating parts that customers have paid for and told them there was no way I am leaving the dealership without a tonneau cover.

They explained the concern of the tonneau cover flying off and that they had no fix. I told them I routinely check the tightness of the tie down points and I will take responsibility. They said that was fine if I signed the service work order with that comment.

Off the record they told me that they agreed that the customer should not have to pay for an accessory and then get it removed without compensation. However they had to make sure that they were covered for their liability.

When the fix is identified they will call me back.

 

Canada vs US.

 

More Less what I ent thru in British Columbia. Mine is still on

 

The issue as I got it from my dealer is the 3rd panel on the longer bed is actually 2 panels with 1 latch. When people run down the freeway with the tailgate open and cover closed the air rolls into the bed and lifts the cover at the unsecured joint and caused the first latch to wear/break then the cover gets ripped from the truck. You can tighten the bolts all you want but the lack of a latch on the the 3/4 panel is what causes the issue. I had my tailgate down at work one day and the wind was whipping into the bed and I witnessed my cover lifting on the seam between 3rd/4th panel. I was quick to go put the tailgate up to prevent the cover blowing off... well that's a little dramatic but you get the point.

 

PS, for those asking... Yes dealer and self installed OEM covers are included in the recall and will be repaired/replaced when the fix is announced. This is per my contacting Toyota for an answer.