The TERRABL Build Thread - '25 Limited Crewmax

Which is why Toyota should be keeping an eye on things and offering the customer a new truck considering how sideways this has gone on a 10 day old vehicle. I mean, if it was a Corolla…. Maybe. But it’s literally their flagship truck, limited model, having known issues and they’re not jumping thru hoops to fix and make things right for the customer. The dealer has been lackluster from the start but Toyota isn’t making things better by not constantly trying to remedy the situation and be backup to the dealer for immediate parts support and help.

 

The Tundra is not their flagship. It's their afterthought. The Tacoma is the flagship. It outsells the Tundra by a LOT.

 

Ugh man I’m so sorry. Like others have said, I’d get a good lemon attorney and go after them for as much as you can. Toyota definitely isn’t hurting for money, even with this ongoing recall. That dumbass tech should instantly be fired he sounds like a liability and I can guarantee this isn’t the first time he’s screwed someone over and it won’t be the last.

 

Man sorry to hear what you have gone through. I just got myself last month (July) a brand new 2025 Limited TRD offroad. I better watch for this truck. I am planning to have a long trip to Utah on September.

 

Me and the boys been sitting around drinking waiting for you to get your truck back. I just went for another case.... Let us know how tomorrow goes.

 

This is unacceptable. They fucked timing and then fucked the fix for it. I'd push hard to refuse. Its lawyer time.

 

A wild admission, right??? Literally the same service manager that went 2 weeks without reply to my voicemail called me today just to provide a brief update on the vehicle. I guess I should have gotten his boss directly involved from the start

I've started the lemon process, but because that allows Toyota corporate 60 days to process it, that doesn't preclude me from getting the truck back. I've also contacted a lawyer to see if I'm missing anything in the lemon request, they are reviewing all my documentation and hopefully will get back to me tomorrow.

I am going to be irritated if Toyota takes the full 60 days and then decides to buy back the vehicle (in lieu of replacing it, which is what I requested), because in 60 days finding '25s will be notably harder and the deals aren't nearly as good on '26s ($1k cash back vs. $3k cash back on '25s, and obviously dealers are willing to wiggle more on an outgoing model year).

I also have a spreadsheet of suitable/comparable vehicles to mine on dealer lots across the country that I spent a few hours researching over the weekend, so I'm willing to even take that off of Toyota's plate in the process. I just need them to respond sooner rather than later and tell me what they are doing. If it means flying across the country to buy one myself, I have no problem in doing that, I just need a decision

 

This is just heartbreaking, partially because it strikes close to home. I am on the other side of town (close to Jerry's Toyota). The only 'good' part of the story is to know that one should avoid Heritage Toyota Catonsville. Thank you for being transparent about the dealer you're dealing with.

 

Another update in the second post... To say it in a sentence, got the call that the truck was ready after repairing the body damage and detailing it, went up there, and ended up leaving in my loaner car again.

Allegedly we'll try again tomorrow

 

7 weeks and a day after the engine blew, it's home.

It's not in the same condition it was when it went to the dealer, but it is as good as they said they are willing to make it. (full details in post 3, August 13 entry)

 

It sucks so bad that you're stuck in this situation. I hope you've saved all the videos and pics. Even if it takes time, Toyota owed you a new truck.

That dealership is a shitshow. Contact local news channels and see if they want to run the story. Bad press will get Toyota moving faster than nice words.

Again, I'm sorry you've been done so dirty.

 

Captains log: August 14th the year of our lord 2025
We begin todays cruise for the TERRABL build under my command as we head to and hand over the keys to the dealer yet again

 

You would think this was a joke, but it isn't. The truck is back to the dealer again.

This afternoon marks 5 visits to/from the dealer for a vehicle that is still not in acceptable condition - 8/6 "It's ready" (it wasn't); 8/12 "it's ready again" (still had body damage), 8/13 "it's ready again, and is as good as we're willing to make it", 8/14 AM "It's an old warning, it's fine", and 8/14 PM "please have a seat and she'll get you in a rental". I jokingly told my better half that I should email over an invoice for my drive time (~45-65 minutes round trip depending on traffic each time)

 

That's so shitty. I feel for you man. I love my 3rd gen but if I had to go through what you are.. it would make me reconsider. Are you able to switch to a different dealer for all work going forward? Not sure where you are but for me, there's 3 around me and I drive to the furthest one since their service department has the best reputation.

 

Technically I'm sure I could have gone to a different dealer this afternoon once I saw it actually leaking oil, although, maybe this is my 15+ years working in the auto service industry coming back to bite me, but my techs always hated fixing something that someone else messed up, mix into that the half-time payout for warranty repairs and it just makes a decent tech turn into a super grumpy tech.

This tech has apparently buggered everything he's touched; today confirms that the repair to the repair to the botched engine rebuild was also not correct/sufficient/appropriate (count those out).

It's somewhat ironic that on Tuesday when I was inspecting the truck (and found the bumper scuffs to still be there as well as the hood scratches) I told the service manager that I was solely worried about the body damage because I didn't want to be dinged by Toyota on the lemon/buy back amount due to damage, and that I was lemon'ing the vehicle solely because I had no confidence in the technician's abilities due to the previous screw ups. If memory serves me his reply was "well, that's all taken care of now, no more oil leak".

On a more personal level, it's always a bit of a laugh and a sting when your neighbor/friend directly across the street asks every couple days "any news on the Tundra?" for 7 weeks and then cheers for you when it's in the driveway; only to 24 hours later send a text that says "another loaner???"

Edit: I figured this thread needs more photos of the truck, so here's one after it sat at my girlfriend's nursery for 2 hours...

 

Ouch.

 

SON of a biscuit eater
Hally'loooya
I am hoping that perfect match i found, Toyota scooped up in preparation to give it to you. My fingers have been crossed the past few days.

 

Thats the best news you could hope for. I hope they go the extra mile for you, because many of us would have been far more unhinged if we were in your position.

 

What do you plan to do? Sell it back and go a different route or trade it for a new one? The wave maker blue might be interesting.

 

Wave Maker is exclusive to the TRD Pro for 2026, so that would be a mandatory hybrid and significantly more expensive that OP's Limited TRD Off Road.

Just adding perspective, not jumping your case or anything.

 

That's my bad. I overlooked that he had a Limited.. I assumed because the name "TERRA"BL it was a TRD Pro. I had to look it up. I didn't realize the terra came on other trim levels in '25. I thought it was an exclusive only.

 

No worries. The exclusive for '25 was Mud Bath.

 

But with that said.. I stand by my statement.. the wave maker blue would be interesting lol

 

Oh, for sure!

 

good for you ! seems like this is gonna work out

 

Personally not a fan of wave maker… but the plan is a near carbon copy of this truck. I just need Toyota to tell me if they are providing me with an exchange of vehicles or whether they’re cutting me a check and I need to jump on a flight to go grab it.

There are only a few Terra Limited TRD Off roads left, and they’re disappearing quickly