The hackneyed old joke of a ‘loose nut behind the wheel’ causing a crash may be even more worn out than your author’s favorite Cole Haan loafers, but a manufacturing issue involving potential loose nuts on the axles of certain Toyota Tacoma pickup trucks is a very real problem which has led to a large recall.
Under the microscope are certain Tacoma trucks from the 2022 and 2023 model years. Approximately 381,000 units are involved in the recall,
According to the brand, errant welding debris left on the ends of the rear axle assembly during manufacturing processes could cause certain retaining nuts to loosen over time. Eventually, the nuts could fall off, a terrible thing to have happen in any part of one’s life, potentially causing a part to separate from the axle. In what may be one of the most obvious statements made by a human since Bob Lutz said he thought the Aztek was a joke upon seeing it for the first time at a Detroit auto show, Toyota says such a separation occurs could “affect vehicle stability and brake performance”, increasing the risk of a crash. You don’t say.
For all models involved in the recall, Toyota dealers will be instructed to inspect the rear axle assembly and retighten wayward items. Any axle components which are deemed to have been damaged because of this condition are supposed to be repaired or replaced, if necessary, based on inspection criteria.
You can bet your mud-terrain tires that this author, were he faced with this recall, would be encouraging the technicians toiling at his Toyota dealer’s service department to replace as many components as humanly possible under the scope of such a work order. Any part, especially critical ones like a friggin’ rear axle, is going to endure forces for which it was not designed if it had been tentatively suspended by loose nuts for who knows how long. Misshapen bolt holes and strangely stressed parts would be atop my mind, especially in a vehicle which is meant for work or to be driven off-road.
Customers will be notified about this issue through the mail by late April 2024, though you already know about it because you’ve made the correct decision to read this website.
[Image: Toyota]
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