Power steering recall

OK, for those folks that just have to know how their rack is marked (despite the fact we still don't have any idea what a good/bad indication is), here is Fitz's five minute, completely unscientific, method to figure it out without having to take off the skid plate and/or jockey around underneath with a mirror stick and flashlight. The pics on posts 194 and 226 were a tremendous help in figuring out where the machine mark was, and in putting a value on each segment of the "pie". The portion of the rack that has the "pie" is on the top side of the rack easily reached just by laying on the ground under the vehicle just in front of the driver's side front tire. You'll want to be perpendicular to the side of the vehicle since you're reaching up under the skid plate. Using the pic in 226 the "pie" sits just towards center from a bolt/clip on the rack assembly (pic 1). Even with XXL hands it was easy to feel around on the top of the rack and find the "pie". From there I took a piece of Gorilla tape (think the texture of the tape and the amount of glue on it works better than normal duct tape), put it on top of the "pie" and pressed down. On the first try I got a great impression of both the "pie" and the machine mark (pic 2), but didn't have a good reference for what I was looking at once I took it off. On the second attempt I took a sharpie and drew the rack and clip outline on the glue side of the tape, so I now had both a "pie"/machine mark impression and a reference for how it was oriented (pic 3). My apologies that the two pics aren't both oriented the same way. The tricky part here is that the tape impression is a mirror image, which makes it a little harder to interpret. From the pic in 194, segment B is the closest to the edge of the rack. On mine the machine mark was solidly in B. Segment A is closer the the clip that hangs down off the front, segment C more towards center and aft, etc. I think silly putty would've worked great for getting the impression also, we just didn't have any around the house. YMMV.

 

Detailing clay works as well.
Has there been confirmation if "B" good or a potential fail?

 

In your top pic looks like the punch mark is in the "C" position?
The marks would be reversed using clay impression?

 

Finally got the recall letter in the mail and I’m taking it in on Friday morning. Fingers crossed.

 

Couple shots of where mine are punched, build Date Aug 2021.
Crammed my largest inspection mirror into the area, placed a headlamp on the skid plate and aimed at the mirror, then took the shot through one of the skid plate drain holes with a Galaxy S21.
Looks like mine is in the A zone.
10 min tops to take a clear shot.

 

Hard to tell with the clay so I ran outside and tried another method which made for clear shot. Took longer to drag out the carboard to lay on and find a headlamp.

 

Nice shot...how to orient correctly?

 

I got under mine and it does not look at all like the pictures. I can’t tell on mine where it would be. Where I’m looking at is a solid shiny tube and bolts and there ain’t one flat flange on it?? Hoping mine was changed out at factory?? Will tell on Monday next?? No noticeable leaks anywheres?? Might go look again later?

 

Much easier than I thought. The extension mirror was basically laying over the punched area on it's own so no hands required. I placed the mirror in through the passenger side while looking up through the front center skid plate hole. Headlamp was situated under the general area on skid plate pointed in direction of mirror, rear phone camera (not front selfie) aimed through the skid plate hole facing the mirror area. Once you have headlamp setup and cram the mirror in position it's very clear and easy to focus through the hole for a shot or two.
Just ran out to setup the mirror again and take a picture to help with the explanation.
Hope this makes sense.

 

Wondering if it is a four wheel drive thing??? I went back out and I laid under there a while and I can’t find it so I’ll let the professionals handle it!

heck fire found it, enter from front of the truck and I saw it now to figure out if I want to mess with it. Thanks y’all for the answers to some questions.

 

Ok mine has this dimple in there

is that good or bad?? Mirror on top of cross member black frame piece camera from the floor up

 

Good shot, I'd be interested in knowing as well.
If a few definitive pass or fail pictures show up we'll have a better idea of what represents potentially affected units.

 

Ok when I was born I had no eye lids so when they circumcised me they used the foreskin and I ended up a little cockeyed!! But I think I did it correctly under the truck with the picture and holding it ( the camera) every which way I think mine aligns with the b part but like I said I have age and eye problems!!!!???

now I am second guessing so I’ll show the guys and look at what they do??

 

Don't know if its good or bad, but it looks like an A to me. The B section is closest to the edge, and A is closer to the black clip under the bolt that hangs over the front edge of the rack. Your's looks closer to the black clip. Similar to pic in post #254.

 

But it’s upside down and backwards?? I got under there and held my phone every ways I could. My daughter is coming over and I am going to take a picture with the phone facing the rear like I did mine and then face it to the front to see what is what?? I going to camp are with the shop on Monday and take pictures of what they do???

 

It's not always easy to figure out due to the mirror image. B is still the one closest to the edge, from there A is closer to the bolthole and clip, C is almost directly across the pie from the bolthole.

 

Crap!!!!!!! Yup!!! Followed the picture up above and mine is in the A. Daughters truck was build before so I will see what is up when she gets here?? One thing for sure, it looks like a dull tool made the mark in the picture above.????

 

Ok this is the daughter’s truck same as mine and it was built 6/21 here is the picture.

so I don’t think dates mean much but again hers is crisp and looks like a sharp tool?? Still curios.

 

For what it is worth I was shopping cars since before Xmas. A local dealer (priority Springfield VA) has a white SR5 double cab. I stopped by there today to pick up a bed mat and they said they’re still waiting on getting it fixed. They did have a red 2022 double cab there. 43800 plus markup.

 

Until the recall inspection who knows...
If a carbide or cutter hypothetically broke or let go during a machining process I can only hope to being on the "good" side of the process.
Working in close proximity to folks running CNC machines if I had to guess the sharp tool or punch used to code the "pie" would have little to do with the cutting head or whatever was used to machine the rack body.

Unfortunately who or what in the assembly line used to check and assemble the parts may not have been calibrated or trained on what was to be considered a pass or fail in this case.
It happens every second of every day and wasn't an it's a Toyota and shouldn't have happened moment for me(I recently owned an Ecoboost lol).

PITA nonetheless and nice we can share this type of info.

 

^^^^^ At this point someone should know something. I mean it’s out there and a recall has been given. I would like to know because (1) I want to know if my daughter is safe and (2) I would like to be able to take off and go for a drive if I wanted to without worrying if I am going to have a complete failure. Rest assured if no one posts up something before next Monday I will be posting what they are going by to say one way or the other. At this point it is complete nonsense to be driving around a multi thousand dollar new truck not knowing if the steering rack is going to just up and fail for no apparent reason. That my soap box speech!!

 

Some of you guys just need to relax.... LOL

I've been a Toyota Technician for 27 years and I promise you, even we probably won't find out why these racks are failing.

If you have the open recall, take it in. Worrying on an internet forum won't get your truck fixed.

Just saying.

 

There is an open recall. Just want to know what is good and what is bad. I mean we are only talking about maybe wrecking a vehicle??? As you can see by ALL the post there are some questions?

 

I guess I get it, but nothing will be accomplished until you take it in and have the recall performed.

 

I just got off the phone with a local dealer. They called me to schedule another appointment and I asked them what about the recall inspection?
They said " Oh yea, we can look at that too" I am only available Friday afternoon and Saturday due to work. The latest they could look at my truck was 1:45pm for the next 6 Friday's. I called BS and told them that there is no way that 1:45 happens to be the only available time for the next 6 Fridays. They then said they could help me out and make it 2:00. I was transferred to the service manager who told me "this recall is new and we have not done many to date" This set me off and led to me asking "Confirm the parts are available", "Are you confident in making these repairs" "If the truck fails inspection, do I have the option to take it home or does it need to stay there?" "Is a loaner provided if it fails inspection"
Her response, "Yes we are confident in the repairs", "I Think you can take it home", "Toyota covers a loaner for up to 2 days for this recall"
This is where I lost it.
I explained that Toyota did not handle this well at all and did not notify the consumers until last week. We were notified by a 3rd party such as Carfax back in November.
I explained that Most lemon laws state that if a vehicle is the shop for 30 days or more that we can make a claim and that if the parts are not available that Toyota needs to provide loaners until the repair is complete @ no cost to the consumer.
She said she would confirm the parts availability and find out more about the recall and let me know.
This dealer was already questionable and I think they just sealed there fate with me.
Unfortunately the next closest dealer is 1+ hours away.

 

If you need a rack, Toyota will cover a loaner vehicle until your truck in repaired.

 

As far as lemon law, there is fine print when it comes to parts availability etc., additionally, if you mention lemon law to the dealer, they should immediately be on the phone with Toyota corporate and the dealer will no longer be involved until corporate tells them to get involved.

Lastly regarding lemon law, contact an attorney first and ask what the average cost is for representation in a lemon law case. You will change your mind quickly. If you 'lose' the lemon law case, you'll be paying an attorney for nothing and I can promise you that Toyota's attorneys are just a tad better than what you are going to hire.

 

I am not leaving my Pro with the dufus' at my dealership...they already ruined a 4Runner of ours.

As far as lemon lawing a TRD Pro...

All I can say is they have a 2022 Limited with 800 miles on it in their used lot with a $75,000 price tag on it...they told me they only sold at MSRP and if I remember correctly that truck originally sold at MSRP and now has a pretty hefty mark up on it.

I am not lemon lawing my Pro only to get what I paid for it back to have them suddenly find a good rack...fix it and put it on their used lot with 1800 miles on it for $80,000.

I tried to buy a 4Runner from them they had up on their website and was told they would not sell it to me without my Pro as a trade in.
When I asked if Joe Blow could come off the street and buy that vehicle at MSRP without a trade in they would not answer me.

They basically accused me of buying vehicles and then flipping them to Carvana, Vroom, or Carmax

I told them I was keeping my vehicles for at least a year to see which two were the most reliable then deciding at that point which to sell and I wanted that option...

They would not sell me a 4Runner without my Pro which they said they would give us what we paid for it.

Why would I trust them to not try to screw me over on this vehicle? ...trust is gone...

My family has purchased 6 vehicles from them in the past 10 yrs.

Ordered a 4 Runner from Amie up at Marquart Toyota in Chippewa Falls, WI and they had no problem selling me one at MSRP no addons...if it weren't so far away I had have them look at our Pro's rack.

 

Wow this isn’t about lemon law^^^^. This is about not knowing about potentially a failure of your steering with out warning and you could be driving a heavy piece of machinery. Please excuse me for wondering about my daughters safety. Getting off track.

oh and mine and anyone else I might slam into!!!!

 

You can use your iPhone to flip the mirror image horizontally and “right it.”