Filed under: Trucks/Pickups, Toyota
Aw Snap! No, really - 20 Tundra camshafts have snapped
by Jonathon Ramsey on May 29th 2007 at 8:02AM 
Out of a run of 30,000 5.7-liter V8 engines, Toyota has had reports of 20 camshafts snapping -- a minuscule number in light of the total (0.06 percent, as a matter of fact). Toyota says the outside supplier of the camshafts has discovered the problem, which was "a metallurgical defect in the casting," and the company is trying to figure out how many of the remaining 30,000 engines could also be affected, though because of the company's production method, the final number is not expected to be large. The camshafts have been designed to prevent collateral damage in case they break, but Toyota will replace a customer's entire engine if the camshaft failure should occur by sending a new 5.7L via airfreight to the nearest daeler. Apparently some Toyota execs believe that the new number one global automaker has been growing too fast to maintain proper quality control. Yet with the Tundra being a new truck with a new engine in a new market for Toyota, there are going to be teething problems, as we've seen. What remains to be seen is if, or for how long, these problems will continue.
Thanks for the tip, Tracy!
[Source: Pickuptruck.com]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 5)
geo.stewart 8:15AM (5/29/2007)
oh please. ITS THE ENGINE. its not the plastic doohickey on the radio. I'm reminded of Ron White's Lug Nut Story. They have a manufacturer that provides them one item, and they cant get that right????
People get all over Ford because an Explorer rolls over when an idiot tries to drive it like a mustang. But hey, Toyota is having teething problems because they have a new engine. Have they never dealt with an engine before? MAybe not, maybe that is how they get great gas mileage...
Seriously, you cant expect them to be perfect but you shouldnt soft pedal it because its one of the supposed great ones...
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Allan 8:31AM (5/29/2007)
Boy, I hope everyone brings their flame suits to this discussion! Bring out the American fanboys!
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Mikeeeeeeee 8:36AM (5/29/2007)
If this would have been GM, Ford or Chrysler it would be Front Page news in the USA Today and the N.Y.Times.
Another side-step in favor of the Perfect Auto Company
Mikeeeeeeeee
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Solo Racer 12:17PM (5/29/2007)
"If this would have been GM, Ford or Chrysler it would be Front Page news in the USA Today and the N.Y.Times."
Mikeeeeee, that's bullshit. And don't try to compare a broken camshaft with Exploder roll-overs.
As for replacing the engine, a friend of mine has a Honda Odyssey that seaped oil THROUGH the wall of the engine block. Bad casting he was told, but Honda refused to replace the entire engine and insisted on replacing ONLY the block. Sure, they through a few other crumbs into the deal, free oil changes for X miles, etc., but the fact is a car that hadn't even reached the mileage for the FIRST oil change was now going to get a rebuilt motor instead of what should have happened, a full replacement. Toyota is doing the right thing by replacing the entire motor and making it happen quickly. The Big 3 have a reputation of dragging their feet when it comes to fixing defects.
And while we're on the subject, dealer experience plays a huge role in repeat buying. My experience with Chrysler-Jeep was show up well before they open at 7:30 a.m. [after working til 1 a.m.] and then get told that they wouldn't get to my warranty problem until tomorrow because they were "full." There were maybe 5-6 cars in front of me. Toyota: call service department, make appointment, bring car in. Normally pick it up the same day. Of course, with that car I didn't have any warranty issues.
HotRodzNKustoms 9:24PM (5/29/2007)
I agree if this was GM, Ford, or Chrysler this would have been front page omg get rid of your american product consumer alert. But since Toyota cannot do anything wrong in the eyes of the press and the people this is just a few camshafts breaking, nothing more than teething issues and did I mention it was their supplier's fault?
Orange CA 5:45PM (5/30/2007)
I do disagree. Because this happened to Toyota, even though only 20 vehicles were found affected, it got on the front page of Automotive News. All other auto makers would be execused.
Solo Racer 7:29PM (6/04/2007)
If every Ford problem is "front-page news" how come the flame-throwers weren't out on A1 in any of the SoCal papers?
And if you're tired of hearing about how much money Ford lost last year, imagine how hard it is for shareholders who have seen their equity evaporate.
el indiano 8:41AM (5/29/2007)
im going to go ahead and stoke the flames...
sure the camshaft is a minor problem but it is small in comparison to all that is wrong with ford.
the only thing i like about the f150 is mike rowe. too bad he doesnt come with it.
i would like for him to tell me every time i tow or haul something, "now thats a dirty job."
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Eric Moretti 8:47AM (5/29/2007)
Yeah, this is a teething issue, just like early 90's Taurus transmissions. Gotta cut Ford some slack though, at that point they had only been making them for 90 some years.
Please stop bending over for Toyota. It's embarrassing.
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Brad Kempeny 8:49AM (5/29/2007)
Totally agree with you Mikeeeeeeee. However, now that ToyMoCo is now number 1, you think they might be held to the unrealisticly high standards that everyone expected from GM? Probably not- because its not an American company. In fact if this was a Silverado, or even an F-150, the news outlets would have distorted the hell out of it, making it seem as though 20/30,000 is a huge number, instead of downplaying it to play nice with everyones favorite automaker. Gimme a break.
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Big Mike Wood 8:50AM (5/29/2007)
Another week, another Toyota quality problem...
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Barney 9:06AM (5/29/2007)
Toyota isn't the first car maker to have bad cams but the first Japanese car maker to build a V8 for a truck. At least they admit to the mistake and a "new" replacement engine before the law suits can start. GM & Ford should learn from this.
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porker 9:10AM (5/29/2007)
How long before toyota starts telling its customers that it's the customer's fault because they failed to put the proper toyota-branded oil on the camshaft lobes? Or that they didn't "break-in" the camshaft properly?
toyota engines= sludge=BOOM!
turdna engines= broken camshaft=BOOM!
OH WHAT A FEELING!
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Barney 8:16PM (5/29/2007)
"How long before toyota starts telling its customers that it's the customer's fault"
Do you read the posts at all Porker? Your rampage seems to be getting idiotic. How much more ignorance will you be spewing before someone tells you to get lost? It's getting a little tiring on your stupid see-saw.
bmoredlj 9:25AM (5/29/2007)
Hopefully, Geely won't duplicate the Tundra's casting fault when "developing" their new, 5.7L V8-powered full-size truck.
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Rick Lyon 9:39AM (5/29/2007)
I'm not a US fanboy, but jesus, a snapping camshaft? haha, a big ass molar root canal problem. Toyota execs NOW realize they are outgrowing their ability to quality control? They'd had that issue(s) for like 5 years now. Just look back at their reliably issues and recalls the past 5 years. At least they see it and they need to fix that (and Honda too) or they will lose their momentum and allow Hyundai to catch them (US car makers won't catch them any time soon following the current trend)
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George 9:49AM (5/29/2007)
Nobody is making excuses for Toyota. OBJECTIVELY, Toyota makes the best cars out there. Notice that this is a statement is based on facts presented in various surveys and studies (j.d. power, wards, etc).
Remember, its easy for a V6, AWD, leather covered Ford Fusion to beat a base I4 Camry and Accord in a comparison test. I guess American car companys haven't forgotten that we are stupid.
BTW, Iacocca, in his interview with Charlie Rose, basically said that American cars were great and the problem was that DEALERS weren't slinging their shit fast enough. When I used to sit in on sales meetings for a former employer, I used to get the same criticism. They used to tell me its not what people want or need, its how much you can sell to them.
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Woodenduck 10:36AM (5/31/2007)
Horse hockey. No survey is objective. All organizations have their agendas. Any car company which claims to be the best but which has had more recalls in the last 18 months than any other major car company on the planet is very suspect.
SRM 9:53AM (5/29/2007)
Metallurgic problem? WHAT IS THAT? Sounds like they didn't get the right mix of BS to BS to me.
Camshafts don't break because of metallurgic problems. They break when they are too small (cheap) or when your engine can't handle the power. As I recall camshafts aren't even under that much torsional pressure...if these are breaking, something is very very wrong.
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Jeremy 3:57PM (5/29/2007)
thats kinda what I was thinking. my integra's cams are at least 20mm dia. and you can easily turn one of them with normal size wrench, something would have to be SERIOUSLY wrong for them to break. Seems like bearing would seize and snap the belt before the cams should ever break. On a related note, I work in the steel industry and its a commonly known fact that ToMoCo has some of the highest standards for their steel. maybe they need to pass that on to their vendors.