2002 Toyota Tundra Wheels Problems

WHILE DRIVING, I HAD MY SPARE TIRE FAIL OFF THE CAR DUE TO TUNDRA SPARE TIRE LIFT PLATE ROT. I WAS UNAWARE OF THIS CONDITION AND COULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.

TUNDRA 2002 V6 VIBRATED BADLY AT 45 MPH. WHEN CHECKING, FOUND 3 BROKEN STUDS IN THE FRONT WHEELS, 2 FROM THE DRIVER SIDE AND 1 FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE. WITH SOME ON-LINE RESEARCH, A TSB FOR THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AND YEAR HAS ISSUED BACK IN 2003. YET, OWNERS OF THIS TUNDRA MODEL HAD NEVER BEEN MADE AWARE OF IT. WHILE MAKING A CALL TO TOYOTA CORPORATION, A CUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT THERE IS AN UPGRADE BRAKE SYSTEM-CALIPERS, BRAKE PADS, AND OTHER PARTS RELATED TO THE FRONT BRAKE-AVAILABLE FOR FREE OF CHARGE FOR TUNDRAS THAT HAVE HAD BRAKE PROBLEMS. WHEN TAKING THIS PROBLEM TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, NO ONE SEEMED TO TAKE ANY ACTION. 3 MONTHS LATER, THEY STILL DIDN'T FIX MY CAR. BRAKE HISTORY-SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE BRAKES AND ROTORS BEING WORN OUT AND WARPED FAST HAVE BEEN BROUGHT UP THE LOCAL DEALER. EVERY TIME A COMPLAINT WAS MADE, THE ANSWER WAS THAT BRAKE IS NOT COVERED BY THE 3-YEAR/36K WARRANTY. WHEN THE STUDS BROKE OFF, DEALER TOLD ME THAT THEY DIDN'T DOCUMENT ANY OF MY COMPLAINTS DUE TO THE FACTS THAT I NEVER ASKED THEM TO REPAIR MY BRAKE. WOW, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY HAVE TO RIP ME OFF BEFORE THEY DOCUMENT MY COMPLAINTS. IF OTHERS GOT THEIR BRAKE SYSTEM UPGRADED FOR FREE OF CHARGE, THEN WHY NOT ME? *NM

I WAS ROTATING THE TIRES AND TIGHTENING THE LUG NUTS WHEN SIX BROKE. MY TORQUE WRENCH WAS SET AT 80 POUNDS, BELOW THE 82 RECOMMENDATION. TWO LUG NUTS ON THE RIGHT REAR ON ONE ON THE RIGHT FRONT WOULD NOT TIGHTEN AND JUST KEPT TURNING. EVENTUALLY EACH OF THE LUG NUTS FELL OFF, BREAKING THE STUD. THE STUDS DID NOT "SNAP" LIKE A CLEAN BREAK. THE LUGS THAT BROKE WERE POSSIBLY NOT HARDENED OR WERE MADE FROM SOME VERY SOFT METAL. THE LEFT SIDE PRODUCED SIMILAR RESULTS ON THE LEFT REAR. THE LEFT FRONT SECURED ALL SIX LUG NUTS PROPERLY WITH THE 80 # TORQUE SETTING. ON THE LEFT REAR, THREE OF THE STUDS, ALL ADJACENT TO ONE ANOTHER BROKE JUST LIKE THE THREE DID ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I HAVE BEEN CHANGING TIRES FOR 35 YEARS AND HAVE ONLY BROKEN ONE STUD PREVIOUSLY. EIGHTY FOOT POUNDS OF TORQUE IS NOT VERY MUCH TO BREAK OFF A STUD. CHEVROLET CURRENTLY SETS LUG NUTS AT 145 FOOT POUNDS OF TORQUE. I FEEL SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE LUG STUDS ON THIS VEHICLE, OR AT LEAST THE SIX THAT MERELY BROKE. THIRTY OF THE LUG STUDS HELD AND TIGHTENED ACCORDING TO PROCEDURES. HOWEVER, THE SIX THAT BROKE DID SO BEFORE EVER CAUSING THE TORQUE WRENCH TO REACH A MERE 80 FOOT POUNDS, WHICH WAS ACTUALLY TWO POUNDS UNDER THE RECOMMENDED SETTING. IN LOOKING AT THE STEEL STUD WHERE IT TWISTED APART, THE METAL HAS THE APPEARANCE OF CAST POT METAL, NOT COLD HARD STEEL. SO FAR, I HAVE RECEIVED NO HELP FROM THE TOYOTA DEALER. THEY SAY, "YOU CAUSED THEM TO BREAK, IT IS NOT OUR FAULT. WE CHANGE TIRES ALL DAY WITH OUR AIR IMPACT WRENCHES AND WE ARE NOT BREAKING THEM." A "DIGITORQUE" TORQUE WRENCH IS MUCH MORE ACCURATE THAN AN IMPACT WRENCH. THAT IS WHY I OWN ONE BECAUSE I REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF SETTING NUTS AND LUGS AT THE RIGHT SETTING. FOR THESE REASONS, I FEEL THAT SOME LUG NUT STUDS THAT MAY HAVE NOT BEEN HARDENED, ETC., WERE INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE SINCE THEY BROKE OFF UNDER VERY LITTLE PRESSURE.

RIMS ON VEHICLE ARE BENT, MATERIAL SEEMS TO BE TOO SOFT. *AK THE PROBLEM ALREADY HAS GONE TO THE BEARINGS AND ROTORS. *SCC

CONSUMER STATES THAT THE STEEL WHEELS ON THE VEHICLE HAVE STARTED TO RUST. CONTACTED DEALER AND CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REACH A DEAL ON NEW ALLOY WHEELS. NLM *TT