Official Toyota head gasket recall documents

[LittleShack]

So, another question...I will be contacting my local Toyota dealer soon to arrange the head gasket appointment. As the timing belt is due to be changed (and water pump) and I have no idea where these  things are located...would it save me money to have them do these as well at this time? I seem to remember someone somewhere saying that the head gaskets involve having to remove 'stuff' that also has to be removed for the timing belt. Labour cost savings? I have a mechanic who works on our cars that has his own shop in his yard. He charges much less for labour (gets paid in cash only), so had planned to get him to do it, but this might save me in the long run. Yes? No?

[WME]

Spend $$ to save $$ and gain piece of mind. Recall..timing belt,,,water pump...idler pulleys...adjust the valves. If the total seems OK then add spark plugs plug wires and tune up from your local guy

[Derek up North]

I've no opinion, but do others about changing the knock sensor and wire at the same time? I think the added labour involved would be zero with the heads off.

I'd ask the Service Manager what the extra cost to 'Check' the valves only, assuming they're all in spec. It would take a (slow) mechanic 5 minutes to check with the heads removed. If out of spec, it would be more to also adjust, but not as much as starting from ground zero (a fully assembled engine).

[LittleShack]

I have a friend who owns a Toyota Dealership here in BC, Canada. He is going to look into this SSC for me. He has my VIN and will let me know where I stand. He's a great guy...we buy our everyday vehicles from him alone. I'll keep you posted.

[LittleShack]

On 10/22/2017 at 6:56 PM, LittleShack said:

I have a friend who owns a Toyota Dealership here in BC, Canada. He is going to look into this SSC for me. He has my VIN and will let me know where I stand. He's a great guy...we buy our everyday vehicles from him alone. I'll keep you posted.

So, my Toyota dealer friend had his service guy dig up the nitty gritty. My 1992 rig still has the head gasket service coming to it and it will be done. He is doing all the paper work for me, which is so nice. It is just a formality, because it qualifies, but has to be approved. Then he will send it to my local Toyota dealer and away we go! Timing belt, water pump,  get the valves checked and adjusted if needed, idler pulleys, anything else?? I have a local guy who I will take it to after for spark plug wires, filters, rear diff and an oil change. He is really good and works on our other vehicles. Is the idler pulley easier to change out with the engine apart? Or can 'my guy' do that too? 

Thanks! Sue

[LittleShack]

Another question...I plan to take the MH to my mechanic after Toyota does their thing. Just curious...would an oil change be part of a head gasket replacement? Or is that only if the head gasket actually blows? Thanks!

[Derek up North]

A couple of bits of info you could try to get out of your contact:-

- Does the SSC include checking valve clearances?

- There's a report floating around that the SSC ends at the end on this year yet Toyota's website says that all SSCs have no expiry date.

- Over the years, a few people have posted their invoices from having the HG SSC done. 1 included oil (but no filter!), 2 didn't. Maybe you could ask your friend if there's actually a Toyota 'List' of what's included and what's not!

[LittleShack]

On 10/27/2017 at 5:09 AM, Derek up North said:

A couple of bits of info you could try to get out of your contact:-

- Does the SSC include checking valve clearances?

- There's a report floating around that the SSC ends at the end on this year yet Toyota's website says that all SSCs have no expiry date.

- Over the years, a few people have posted their invoices from having the HG SSC done. 1 included oil (but no filter!), 2 didn't. Maybe you could ask your friend if there's actually a Toyota 'List' of what's included and what's not!

I got the required papers from my Toyota dealer friend, and am good to go. Now, I just have to wait til the snow that fell here in the last couple days melts and I can get my RV to the dealership! If it's not one thing, it's another.

[Derek up North]

Did you have any success getting answers to my questions?

[LittleShack]

On 11/5/2017 at 9:57 AM, Derek up North said:

Did you have any success getting answers to my questions?

My 1992 headed into the Toyota service department today ready to be worked on tomorrow. I will see what I can find out when I pick it up.

[LittleShack]

My 92 is in the shop for the head gasket now. It's been there for a few days now. It was mentioned by a fellow Toy RV owner to have them do the Knock Sensor while they are in the engine. Is this something I should consider? 

 

[WME]

The sensor is reliable, but ask how much to do it now vs if it dies in a year.

E-bay has the sensor from $25-$200 so that is important too.

Edited December 18, 2017 by WME

[hunkaman]

littleshack,  I would appreciate very much if you could ask the service people where you are getting your HG replaced, if when doing a HG, replacement is a valve adjustment part of the process of replacing the HG ?   I also have a 92, mine had the HG, done about 1998 with 28k miles on it, it has been generally advised to have the valves adjusted at 60k. I currently have about 57k, soooo, if I knew that the valves were adjusted at the time of the HG, I could assume, (in my case) I wouldn't need to worry about the valve adjustment for many, many, more miles. if valve adjustment is NOT usual and customary during a HG replacement, I will have the valve adjustment scheduled in the next 3k miles or so. thanks in advance for your help with my question. joe from dover.

[LittleShack]

12 hours ago, hunkaman said:

littleshack,  I would appreciate very much if you could ask the service people where you are getting your HG replaced, if when doing a HG, replacement is a valve adjustment part of the process of replacing the HG ?   I also have a 92, mine had the HG, done about 1998 with 28k miles on it, it has been generally advised to have the valves adjusted at 60k. I currently have about 57k, soooo, if I knew that the valves were adjusted at the time of the HG, I could assume, (in my case) I wouldn't need to worry about the valve adjustment for many, many, more miles. if valve adjustment is NOT usual and customary during a HG replacement, I will have the valve adjustment scheduled in the next 3k miles or so. thanks in advance for your help with my question. joe from dover.

I will call and ask about this as it should probably be done on mine now too. I'll let you know.

[LittleShack]

1 minute ago, LittleShack said:

I will call and ask about this as it should probably be done on mine now too. I'lll let you know.

Sooo... I called and asked and it is NOT something they do as part of the HG replacement. 

[hunkaman]

thank you for the info. joe from dover.

[Derek up North]

On 10/27/2017 at 8:09 AM, Derek up North said:

- There's a report floating around that the SSC ends at the end on this year yet Toyota's website says that all SSCs have no expiry date.

Sounds as though the report was false. Hoping that someone can confirm this.

 

[linda s]

Or is it just continuing in Canada and not the US. I heard from a group member years ago that when he went to get his done in Calgary they told him the recall had never been issued in Canada. He had to deal with Toyota directly and after months they finally gave him permission to have it done close to home. I guess we will know when they finally start telling people no.

Linda S

[Derek up North]

I don't know if it's just a Canadian thing for sure. I've asked several people who are getting the SSC done to ask and confirm, and this is the first person who's taken the time to do so. But from the Toyota USA site, SSCs do not expire.

 

[Derek up North]

I appears the SSC is alive and well. As of today (Feb 14, 2018):- " I’m getting it done as we speak." ( Escondido, CA)

But I'm sure the factoid will live on the net!

[stayingretired]

Mine goes into the shop tomorrow (April 2018), although they had to call Corporate USA HQ for the go-ahead.  Yes, it is still honored.

[Derek up North]

Thanks for the confirmation.

[WhiskChef4Runner]

I’m waiting to hear back from my dealership whether or not they’ll honor this campaign. This dealership  in particular is known for its lack of customer service and support. ?

I'll let you know... Mid April 2018 Santa Cruz, CA

[linda s]

9 hours ago, WhiskChef4Runner said:

I’m waiting to hear back from my dealership whether or not they’ll honor this campaign. This dealership  in particular is known for its lack of customer service and support. ?

I'll let you know... Mid April 2018 Santa Cruz, CA

If they are not agreeable demand that Toyota find someone who will do it. The dealership isn't the one paying for it. Corporate Toyota is. The same as recalls I don't think dealerships have the option to refuse the work

Linda S

[WhiskChef4Runner]

Crapppp!!! Toyota says my vin number is not included in this special service campaign. I do not know how that could be. I’ve already replaced the head gaskets twice. Doesn’t make any sense to me how my Vin number could be excluded from this mess. Dammit.

[Derek up North]

Lower than 0014060?

Maybe when the HG has been replaced in the past it wasn't done properly? Heads not skimmed/flat? If you've done it twice, maybe done other times before you bought it?

 

[linda s]

Yours wouldn't qualify for the Service Campaign anyway. Original head gasket failure, not ones you had put in by someone else. 2 Times means other issues are at hand here. Warped head if bad enough can't be fixed

Linda S

[stayingretired]

Mine is a Canadian model, but the VIN was included in the Service Campaign.  They had to call Corporate to confirm after I printed out the notice someone generously posted on the forum here.

 

Even though the timing belt and water pump had been replaced at 75,000 km, I went ahead and had the timing belt replaced ($300 or so USD) and had them do the valves while they were in there (another $250 or so).  They did check the valves while they were in there for free,but since they had to be shimmed, I would have had to take it to Toyota to do it anyways.  Rig currently has about 75k Miles.

 

Corporate paid for a 3 day dealer rental as well.

 

Work was done at the dealer in Rapid City, South Dakota.  Denny Meinholt is the name, I think.  Just recently changed hands.  Lots of inexpensive lodging in the off season (Hotels are advertising rooms from $40 up for most of the winter).  You could get the work done, tour the Black Hills and pick up your rig when it's done.

[cruisecontrol]

Hi all, more info on this topic: getting a new starter motor and egr valve on my 1990 Toyota v6 and the mechanic informed me about the head gasket recall. I am in Canada. I called the closest dealership, gave my vin number, and was told yes it was on the list and they will do the head gasket. ???. Gave me an appt. then called back to say they needed to ‘inspect’ it first to make sure it hadn’t been done? It would take about an hour. I asked if I had to pay for that. They said they’d get back to me. 

Regardless, they are obviously still doing them. 

[Derek up North]

3 minutes ago, cruisecontrol said:

... they needed to ‘inspect’ it first to make sure it hadn’t been done?

It's possible that a previous owner had HG problems and had them replaced without knowing about the SSC. I'm not sure how Toyota would handle that situation. I'm also unsure what they could inspect in only an hour to determine if it had been 'done' or not. Perhaps questions to ask them before they start the inspection, especially if your are paying for it.

[cruisecontrol]

Thanks Derek, I will. I’m also considering taking it to a different dealership closer the the rv service place I’m taking it to for warranty service on the Dometic fridge that hasn’t worked since I got the Mh.

a whole other headache ?

[Derek up North]

Be sure to post pictures of your Slumber Queen, a make that most will be unfamiliar with.

[cruisecontrol]

Hi Derek, I thought I had posted 2 pictures...

[danny dan]

Just to let any folks who might be wondering about the HG replacement, the campaign is still available for those with affected VIN numbers. I purchased another '90 Itasca with 60k on the clock for the purpose of reselling. I dropped it off at my local Toyota dealer last week and they finished up today. It didn't have any issues and ran just fine, I just figured, why not? I also let them take care of the timing belt & water pump while they were in there (this was obviously not covered by the campaign, but was worth doing while everything was apart). Check your VIN numbers, you never know. My local dealer didn't balk at all, they were happy to do it. After all, they're getting warranty pay from Toyota.

Edited July 27, 2018 by danny dan

[linda s]

Thank you for the update

Linda S