Tundra Tailgates Tearing Apart

[plane]

This is a public service announcement.

http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tund...ures-i-am-club/

By the time you reach this link, it may be dead.

In some cases, I've had to go to the website directly and then nagivate down.

There is another Tundra storm abrewing.

And it's not looking good for Toyota.

Is the liftgate really considered another door by Toyota?

Should anyone be able to use their truck to haul ATVs?

Could someone get hurt from this?

As one of the owners experiencing this problem stated, we need to let everyone know.

[gm4life]

Yes they had another problem. A Chevrolet or GMC will not have that problem. The Jap's can't build a good fullsize truck!

[pow]

Yes they had another problem. A Chevrolet or GMC will not have that problem. Toyota can't build a good fullsize truck!

fixed

[Oracle of Delphi]

Hmmmmm!

[Flybrian]

Well, the obvious problem is that people are trying to put things in the bed. If you don't load things in the back of the truck, there won't be an issue. This is clearly an owner-caused problem.

[Oracle of Delphi]

fixed

I prefer the original!

[Drew Dowdell]

Some of the comments in that forum amuse me.

I load my tractor in the back of my truck the same way........ Guess I'll be using my utility trailer for that now...... Although, my 07 Tundra is a perfect truck, so I doubt anything like that will ever happen to me ........

If it's so perfect, why would you have to use the utility trailer?

What do you guys think about lining the bed with plywood? Work similar to a bed liner but the plywood would give the tailgate increased strength? I am considering doing it since I will be loading a snowmobile into the bed....

Well... yeah... plywood is stronger than balsa..

Dont get all upside down over this tailgate thing. Every first model year with a completely new body design is gonna have growing pains. This is a great truck, they just cut a few corners trying to make this thing suburb friendly and affordable.

ORLY!? Did we hear about this when the new F-150 came out? Are we hearing about this with the new Silverado?

If we all start calling Toyota and running the issues through our dealerships Toyota will do something about it.

Don't count on it bub.

Edited October 21, 2007 by Oldsmoboi

[Oracle of Delphi]

I think they are using the cheap metal from the lightly armored Zero fighter planes from WWII, melting them down and using the metal to make the Tundra.

[91z4me]

That is completely inexcusable. First we have Camry transmission problems then the Tundra bed dancing, FJ structure cracking, and now this. I see a big backlash brewing for Toyota...and it can't come fast enough.

[K.C.]

Imagine the cut you would get from one of those. Oh What a feeling. . . . .

[Drew Dowdell]

OT: I disagree with the description on this thread. Tundra is changing everything. It's changing everything you knew about Toyota's reputation.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I prefer the original!

+1

Some of the comments in that forum amuse me.

LOL... Yep, that shows how brainwashed and stupid americans are now...

When the EV1 tanked or when the 8-6-4 motors blew up, GM was destroyed and is even still getting what for today (Who killed the electric car?) Yet, now that the Prius is having problems; "Toyota should be cut some slack for being so innovative and trying a new technology."

These are the same people that will tell you to buy Abercrombie over Gap because Abercrombie is 'it' eventhough they're the saem damn thing... It's pure ignorance; or bias?

That is completely inexcusable. First we have Camry transmission problems then the Tundra bed dancing, FJ structure cracking, and now this. I see a big backlash brewing for Toyota...and it can't come fast enough.

'cept it never will come simply because the media isn't honest enough to eat crow and admit that Toyota isn't the savior they made it out to be... Not to mention the yuppies that read/write the media slander in favor of Japan Inc./against Detroit are probably too blinded by ignorance and bias in the first place. They probably don't even realize whats happening.

Edited October 22, 2007 by FUTURE_OF_GM

[Drew Dowdell]

These are the same people that will tell you to buy Abercrombie over Gap because Abercrombie is 'it' even though they're the same damn thing... It's pure ignorance; or bias?

OMG! THat is So Not truE! ABErcromBIe is teh cooliEst.

Actually abercrombie is different.... abercrombie stuff looks like I ran over it with the lawn mower before I marked the price up 75%

[K.C.]

OT: I disagree with the description on this thread. Tundra is changing everything. It's changing everything you knew about Toyota's reputation.

The Tundra cannot take all the credit. Some of that goes to the FJ and the Camry too.

[mustang84]

Once again, Toyota cuts corners. One of the posts talked about how a Tundra owner who weighs 180 lbs could feel the tailgate flex when he stood by himself on it, while another said that him and two other 200 lb buddies would sit on the back of their Chevy tailgate and everything was fine.

If the tailgate can't even take the weight of an ATV or some plywood, how is the rest of the truck going to fare after 200,000 miles? I foresee junkyards full of 2007 Tundras in the near future. Toyota already knew about this problem on the 2005 Tacoma and yet they didn't resolve it. This truck is turning out to be a major embarrassment.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Tundra Tailgates Tearing Apart

Oh Sweet Alliteration!

[FloydHendershot]

Built Toyota Tough!

That new Chevy commercial that chronicles the Silverado's history means so much more after reading this.

[Intrepidation]

So maybe I wasn't crazy when I though I saw that Tundra's tailgate looking warped that night!

I wonder how many of these $h!boxes will last 10 years?

[cletus8269]

Once again, Toyota cuts corners. One of the posts talked about how a Tundra owner who weighs 180 lbs could feel the tailgate flex when he stood by himself on it, while another said that him and two other 200 lb buddies would sit on the back of their Chevy tailgate and everything was fine.

If the tailgate can't even take the weight of an ATV or some plywood, how is the rest of the truck going to fare after 200,000 miles? I foresee junkyards full of 2007 Tundras in the near future. Toyota already knew about this problem on the 2005 Tacoma and yet they didn't resolve it. This truck is turning out to be a major embarrassment.

if anything goes wrong on the gm tailgate it would be the cables that support it. my dads 97 had one to break but the other never let go. even my colorado tailgate is stiff as a board. i had the heads, crank, and intake off of my 350 sb along with 180 pounds of me on my tailgate yesterday.

Edited October 22, 2007 by cletus8269

[Intrepidation]

Once again, Toyota cuts corners. One of the posts talked about how a Tundra owner who weighs 180 lbs could feel the tailgate flex when he stood by himself on it, while another said that him and two other 200 lb buddies would sit on the back of their Chevy tailgate and everything was fine.

If the tailgate can't even take the weight of an ATV or some plywood, how is the rest of the truck going to fare after 200,000 miles? I foresee junkyards full of 2007 Tundras in the near future. Toyota already knew about this problem on the 2005 Tacoma and yet they didn't resolve it. This truck is turning out to be a major embarrassment.

There is a major problem with your statement...you see my friend you are assuming these things will make it to 200,000 miles!

[ponchoman49]

Toyota- cracking forward

[drew770]

I really wonder if Business Week, Newsweek, CNBC and the others that seems to love Toyota's dirty underwear admit to Toyota's growing quality problem.

For all the bitching and complaining about the domestic automakers it's nice to see that the mighty Toyota has problems too!!

[Drew Dowdell]

if anything goes wrong on the gm tailgate it would be the cables that support it. my dads 97 had one to break but the other never let go. even my colorado tailgate is stiff as a board. i had the heads, crank, and intake off of my 350 sb along with 180 pounds of me on my tailgate yesterday.

There was actually a recall for those cables I think.

I don't remember exactly, but I think my avalanche has metal supports in place of cables.

[cletus8269]

There was actually a recall for those cables I think.

I don't remember exactly, but I think my avalanche has metal supports in place of cables.

yeah, my sister has a 98 s10 and both of hers let go. i am pretty sure i heard about a recall on those cables too cause i mentioned it to my dad. his response " should have never stopped putting chains on there to begin with"

[Camino LS6]

There was a TSB on the cables for Early GMT800s. A supplier used standard steel cables instead of the stainless GM specified, as these cables are wrapped in a plastic sleeve, owners didn't know that the cables had corroded and decayed. The ones on my 02 Silverado snapped simultaneously as I was loading heavy supplies into the truck. It was a dangerous problem, but GM replaced the cables under warranty and the problem was solved. I still believe that braided cables are a bad idea vs. the bracket style supports GM used for years (those simply never fail), even though a small weight savings comes with using the cables.

With all of that said, I have never had an issue with tailgate structure on a GM truck. That sort of failure is much more significant and inexcusable on any pickup. I work my 05 Silverado hard, and the gate takes a beating with all sorts of heavy equiptment and materials loaded in and out of the truck on a regular basis. The gate has developed a slight bend in the middle over time ( I would call this normal wear on a work truck) but it is still strong and stable and I have no fears of it failing.

As I've said before, the current Tundra is strike three for Toyota in the full-size truck market.

A substandard product plagued with poor design and a host of problems.

[Intrepidation]

There was a TSB on the cables for Early GMT800s. A supplier used standard steel cables instead of the stainless GM specified, as these cables are wrapped in a plastic sleeve, owners didn't know that the cables had corroded and decayed. The ones on my 02 Silverado snapped simultaneously as I was loading heavy supplies into the truck. It was a dangerous problem, but GM replaced the cables under warranty and the problem was solved. I still believe that braided cables are a bad idea vs. the bracket style supports GM used for years (those simply never fail), even though a small weight savings comes with using the cables.

With all of that said, I have never had an issue with tailgate structure on a GM truck. That sort of failure is much more significant and inexcusable on any pickup. I work my 05 Silverado hard, and the gate takes a beating with all sorts of heavy equiptment and materials loaded in and out of the truck on a regular basis. The gate has developed a slight bend in the middle over time ( I would call this normal wear on a work truck) but it is still strong and stable and I have no fears of it failing.

As I've said before, the current Tundra is strike three for Toyota in the full-size truck market.

A substandard product plagued with poor design and a host of problems.

i remember that the tailgate TSB made headlines...but nothing about the Tundra's issues seems to...despite being far more serious. big surprise.

There are some things I fail to understand why are replaced. I like coil springs to hold up hoods. Unlike struts, they never seem to wear out.

[Camino LS6]

Weight reduction is the reason, Dodgefan.

The trouble is that the Toyota engineers failed to remember that they were supposed to be designing a truck. They obviously have chosen some very poor places to do weight reduction and penny-pinching.

[gm4life]

Well it is amusing to watch Toyota make mistakes on a fullsize Toyota Tuff Truck. They really have tried but still missed. A few contractors in my area got them and I wonder when they will go bitch about there tail gates. Never have seen a problem on a GM or Ford even Dodge truck before. They failed to build a truck for real truck users. It is for people who had a Camry, but since the neighbor has had a Silverado Z71 for a few years they figure they need a real truck too. What they are getting is a half-assed piece of $h! with lots of things over-looked things that really truck users need.

[regfootball]

my wife and I can sit on the tailgate of my Aztek and there is NO FLEX. And we are not light by any stretch. How can toyota eff this up on a TRUCK?

The little plastic pull out tray on my tek held 400-500 pounds of retaining wall blocks. The freaking turd tailgate can't even withstand a little poundage?

sounds like the wheels are coming off....oops, i meant that figuratively. Of course, that might be the next thread we discuss about the TURD if this keeps up.

I am ROLLING

[grandmarquis]

Now, in all fairness, I had this problem on my Silverado. Any weight on the tailgate caused it to sag badly. Totally unacceptable.

... BTW, it was a $30.00 Taiwan knockoff tailgate on my horribly battered 370,000 mile 77 Silverado, LOL!!! Boy I miss that truck. Best truck ever made

[grandmarquis]

BTW, I used to carry a Sears 15 horse tractor (probably 600 or so lbs) in the back of my 70 El Camino many years ago, using the tailgate to hold the ramps up. My Elky's gate never failed me. Ever.

[siegen]

i remember that the tailgate TSB made headlines...but nothing about the Tundra's issues seems to...despite being far more serious. big surprise.

Well, now you could make the argument that the snapping cables is a bigger safety issue than the tailgate tearing. The rusty cable is going to snap without warning when heavily loaded. The Tundra's tailgate will buckle and bend the second you start to put load on it, giving you warning to not try to load it anymore, and then kick yourself in the foot for buying a Tundra in the first place. But then again, I'm willing to bet a GM tailgate even with only one cable intact can still hold more than a brand new Tundra tailgate with both cables.

As far as cost is concerned, the Tundra issue is much bigger, and it shows the cheap materials they used. GM's problem was an honest mistake, and as long as it is taken care of before hand, it wouldn't cost much at all.

I think Toyota is getting plenty of negative publicity lately. I saw a negative news spot the other morning about the CR quality rankings.

[sciguy_0504]

As has already been discussed, GM trucks have had tailgate problems. Some seem to forget so easily.

[Drew Dowdell]

As has already been discussed, GM trucks have had tailgate problems. Some seem to forget so easily.

Tailgate warping and splitting under rather minor loads is a much bigger issue than cables maybe snapping if they are rusty.

BTW, Chevy did issue a recall. What has Toyota done besides blame owners?

[PurdueGuy]

A tailgate is made to hold only so much load weight, and some users that abuse their tailgates have to buy aftermarket heavy-duty ones, even on American models. The issue here seems to be that Toyota's stock tailgate is made for almost no load capacity. This is an issue of failing to set expectations with their customers. In all the marketing of the truck as being everything an American truck is, they set the expectation with their customers that the tailgate (among many other things) would hold up just as well as with other full size trucks.

They could have set different expectations by letting customers know that Toyota was looking out for their fuel economy by supplying them was not a light-duty tailgate, but more of a heavy-duty cargo net on the back of the bed. :AH-HA_wink:

Edited October 22, 2007 by PurdueGuy

[chevelle454]

They have a Turdra body cut in half at work. The sheetmetal is so thin, its almost like a pop can.

[Camino LS6]

They have a Turdra body cut in half at work. The sheetmetal is so thin, its almost like a pop can.

The thin sheetmetal is only part of the story, the design of the gate itself is badly flawed as is the method of construction.

I was pretty vocal about the Silverado's cable problem as it was a real safety issue, but GM responded quickly with a lasting fix. The Tundra's far more serious tailgate issue would have me looking for a lawyer were I fool enough to buy one.

[CMG]

My Chevy 3/4 ton work truck never had troubles with the structure of the tailgate, but don't start me on the bloody tailgate HANDLE!

ARGHHHH! Pulling those two little rods together with my fingers on a brand new truck drove me crazy!

My co-worker bought a new Toyota Tundra, I'm going to try to stand on his tailgate tomorrow! He's all proud of his truck, maybe I'll do it when he isn't looking.....

:AH-HA_wink:

Haha

[ocnblu]

My new nickname for Tundra drivers since this happy development: "Asscracks".

CMG: just print off the photos of the split tailgates and hand them to him. :AH-HA_wink:

[CMG]

CMG: just print off the photos of the split tailgates and hand them to him. :AH-HA_wink:

LOL

I'm gonna! I'm sure he has no idea! His truck is the powerful one, i-something on the side....

[Oracle of Delphi]

My Chevy 3/4 ton work truck never had troubles with the structure of the tailgate, but don't start me on the bloody tailgate HANDLE!

ARGHHHH! Pulling those two little rods together with my fingers on a brand new truck drove me crazy!

My co-worker bought a new Toyota Tundra, I'm going to try to stand on his tailgate tomorrow! He's all proud of his truck, maybe I'll do it when he isn't looking.....

:AH-HA_wink:

Haha

Tell him you want to celebrate his choice in buying a superior truck, and ask him just to prove how strong it is, would he join you in jumping up and down on the tailgate!

[Z-06]

Tell him you want to celebrate his choice in buying a superior truck, and ask him just to prove how strong it is, would he join you in jumping up and down on the tailgate!

Let the owner do that. Imagine CMG drowned to the waist inside the ripped tailgate of a pickup truck, like going inside the quicksand. Only difference is that it is metal.

[BigPontiac]

I was pretty vocal about the Silverado's cable problem as it was a real safety issue, but GM responded quickly with a lasting fix. The Tundra's far more serious tailgate issue would have me looking for a lawyer were I fool enough to buy one.

This does eerily remind me of the GM truck tailgate cable situation. Both cables on my tailgate snapped while I was standing on it loading my snowblower into the bed. The recall letter arrived the same week. The GMC dealer replaced the cables as part of the recall, but didn't do sh*t about the crease in my tailgate caused when the cables snapped and impacted into the bumper. Don't even get me started on the ABS sensors...even after they were replaced, the brakes still suck.

Toyota screwed up, but GM had their fare share of dumb moves too.

[toesuf94]

Tell him you want to celebrate his choice in buying a superior truck, and ask him just to prove how strong it is, would he join you in jumping up and down on the tailgate!

Ummm...better wear a helmet if you are planning on doing this!!!

Seriously: They show the Tundra loaded with a TON of SH*T (literally!) They show it towing a cargo container out of a cavern totally unassisted...they show it towing up a teeter-totter with 10000000 or so tins on it, and in reality it cannot even handle a lawn tractor? Seriously? GM marketing should jump on this so damned fast our heads should spin. Show the damage incurred by doing what tens of thousands do every weekend in this country with a real truck made by Chevy, Dodge and Ford...then show the Tundra TRYING to do real tasks that Joe America does weekly. The fact is, the Tundra has been falsely advertised and it is time they are called to the mat on it. 4 star crash rating. splintering camshafts, drivetrain issues, bed flex from hell, and now tailgates that cannot handle loads.

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/10/22/toyota-...quality-issues/ seriously read the blogs by psarhjinian...this guy HAS to work for Toyota...and by the looks of his name he is blogging from India as part of an outsource program!!!

And let's say that the owner was ABLE to load some weight in the truck and shut the gate...what happens if it becomes unsecured and slides back...will the gate even withstand that? Would you follow behind one with something in the bed or on the tailgate? I won't.

Edited October 23, 2007 by toesuf94

[balthazar]

Tundra Tailgate Failures Petition:

>>"We are aware of the warning in the manual of not driving the Tundra with the tailgate in the down position. We are also aware that none of Toyotas’ competitors suffer from similar issues. Your company has also touted the tailgate dampening feature as a remedy for the tailgate bouncing while the vehicle is being driven with the tailgate down!"<<

:wacko:

[Camino LS6]

Tundra Tailgate Failures Petition:

:wacko:

...and Toyota sells a bed extender for long loads.

[K.C.]

...and Toyota sells a bed extender for long loads.

Thats a greek tragedy waiting to happen right there.

[Camino LS6]

The admins on that site have locked the thread.

Seems alot of the Toyo-faithful are a bit PO'd. I scanned their forum and they have some huge complaints about their trucks. I'd say the Tundra is already a "damaged product".

[gm4life]

This what happens when you buy a Toyota Truck. I want to see this on CNN, if it were a domestic it would be trust me. Chevy should make fun of Toyota for this and use it in an ad!

[Newbiewar]

Once again, Toyota cuts corners. One of the posts talked about how a Tundra owner who weighs 180 lbs could feel the tailgate flex when he stood by himself on it, while another said that him and two other 200 lb buddies would sit on the back of their Chevy tailgate and everything was fine.

If the tailgate can't even take the weight of an ATV or some plywood, how is the rest of the truck going to fare after 200,000 miles? I foresee junkyards full of 2007 Tundras in the near future. Toyota already knew about this problem on the 2005 Tacoma and yet they didn't resolve it. This truck is turning out to be a major embarrassment.

hrmm... at the dealership we'd have 3-4 people sitting on the tailgate all day long... just flip it down and shoot the &#036;h&#33;... those trucks saw a lot of time and weight on them...

every once in a while you might notice them kinda bowed in the middle only something us sales people would notice... but nothing was clearly exposed metal like that... nothing torn or damaged...