TSB vs. Recall

[phil123]

Is a TSB and a recall the same thing? Does Toyota notify you on both? Or do you have to take it in complaining of a problem before they'll fix some things?

I just bought an 03 V6 and called Toyota to make myself the owner of record. They claim there are no outstanding recalls on my vehicle and I'm just trying to confirm that this means all the TSBs I see posted all over these message boards have been fixed.

 

[toybox]

Is a TSB and a recall the same thing? Does Toyota notify you on both? Or do you have to take it in complaining of a problem before they'll fix some things?

I just bought an 03 V6 and called Toyota to make myself the owner of record. They claim there are no outstanding recalls on my vehicle and I'm just trying to confirm that this means all the TSBs I see posted all over these message boards have been fixed.

A TSB is not a recall. Toyota does not notify you of TSB's either. A TSB is basically a "heads up" for the dealer service departments for known issues that don't neccasarily require a recall. Most times if a problem is not a safety issue than a recall will not be issued.

With TSB's if youre truck does not exhibit a particular problem
then they won't do anything....If it is not broke, they won't fix it.


As an example my heater froze up and there was A TSB for it. I got it fixed but they wouldn't have "fixed" anything if I didn't actually have the problem.

 

[sharp4runr]

TSB stands for Technical Service Bulletin and is usally a fix to an issue that is not safety related but has received multiple complaints. Toyota does not inform you of this, but if you bring in your vehicle and complain of the symptoms then they fix it according to the TSB. One example is the Sulfur TSB. You complain that your car smells of rotten eggs and your car falls under the correct VIN then they'll change out the CATs and reflash the ECU.

A recall is usually an issue that is safety related. Toyota WILL inform you of the recall. For example on the early 2003 V6 models there was a recall for the fuel rail. If left unfixed some leaking fuel may ignite causing an engine fire. Toyota issued a recall and informed the owners of vehicles that would be affected. They then changed the manufacturing process for future vehicles so that they would not be affected by the recall in the future.

Hope that clears it up for you.

 

[toybox]

You complain that your car smells of rotten eggs and your car falls under the correct VIN then they'll change out the CATs and reflash the ECU.

But if your truck does not actually exhibit this problem they are not going to fix something that isn't broke just because there is a TSB.

I could have complained all I wanted about my sunroof and heater, but if the sunroof worked fine and the heater is pushed heat, they are not going to "fix" it.

 

[sharp4runr]

But if your truck does not actually exhibit this problem they are not going to fix something that isn't broke just because there is a TSB.

I could have complained all I wanted about my sunroof and heater, but if the sunroof worked fine and the heater is pushed heat, they are not going to "fix" it.

Oh come on, you're arguing semantics. Fine, if you complain that you have the sulfur smell and you have the sulfur smell they should fix it :nerd:

 

[toybox]

Hope that clears it up for you.

Just clearing things up, semantics or not. :

 

[tcpoob]

There is a TSB for 2005 V6 4Runners on the sulfur smell, as posted a month or two ago here. I was tempted to take my 05 Runna (SR5 V6) in for this TSB but all the local service depts I called said they'd have to *reproduce* the smell before they perform the TSB service and replace the Cat. I chose to not do it now even the smell bothers me quite a bit, because:

1. I am not sure if the techs can reproduce the problem as this isn't something physical broken which you can easily show. It's an odor, bad as it may be, those techs may not be sensitive to it. And it's something you smell under hard acceleration or 1st few miles in morning.

2. I hate work performed on a new truck as you sometimes get "surprises" for little scratchs etc

I think someone here suggested to take it in after 79k miles when the TSB is valid for and get a new one.

What do you guys think?

Oh come on, you're arguing semantics. Fine, if you complain that you have the sulfur smell and you have the sulfur smell they should fix it :nerd:

 

[Boston_Runner]

tcpoob

The gas in eastern Masachusetts is heavily regulated as far as sulfur limit is concerned. What you are smelling is probably normal for any LEV or ULEV vehicle.

 

[tcpoob]

Re: tcpoob

I see. However, my experience has been the ordor I and many people in this board experienced on our 4th gens has little to do with Gas - the dealers like to say it's the gas. Again it's just my experience and I don't buy that theory. My '97 Camry (sold in Jan) had never had this sulfur odor whatsoever. I guess you can argue Camry doesnt have roll down rear window so I couldnt notice it.

Thanks for pointing it out though - about gas in E.MA is heavily regulated.

The gas in eastern Masachusetts is heavily regulated as far as sulfur limit is concerned. What you are smelling is probably normal for any LEV or ULEV vehicle.

 

[sharp4runr]

Yeah I don't think it is a gas issue. I don't buy gas from the same station or the same brand and it didn't matter. I did notice that premium gas had less of a sulfur smell and I used to buy premium just for that fact alone but since gas prices are through the roof I've been settling for the regular.

Replacing at 79K would get you new equipment, but it also may give you more resistance from the dealership if you wait that long.

 

[tcpoob]

true about the potential resistance from stealer. I forgot to state the 3rd, and perhaps the most important reason I haven't take my truck in for the sulfur (05 V6) TSB service - from the past accounts, it seems the cat replacement didn't *completely* fix the odor. due to the sulfur issue on the 4th gen has been around for 2 years now, i would have expected the sulfur improved catalytic converter had already been installed on my 05 Runner. So who knows what they'll be replacing it with - a more improved cat?

Yeah I don't think it is a gas issue. I don't buy gas from the same station or the same brand and it didn't matter. I did notice that premium gas had less of a sulfur smell and I used to buy premium just for that fact alone but since gas prices are through the roof I've been settling for the regular.

Replacing at 79K would get you new equipment, but it also may give you more resistance from the dealership if you wait that long.

 

[boston_kevin]

Also remember that as long as your vehicle under warranty, fixing a TSB is free. Once it goes out of warranty, most dealers will have you pay for a TSB. A recall is free for the life of the vehicle because it is safety related.

 

[phil123]

So after my 36K warranty is up I have to pay for any TSBs that I have fixed?

 

[sharp4runr]

Also remember that as long as your vehicle under warranty, fixing a TSB is free. Once it goes out of warranty, most dealers will have you pay for a TSB. A recall is free for the life of the vehicle because it is safety related.

That's not entirely true. The Sulfur TSB is valid for 80K or 96 months.

Link to 2004 V6 TSB I refer to: http://www.toyota-4runner.org/attachment.php?s=&postid=30258

As I read that warranty, I can get it done complete free of charge within that time period. It makes no mention of the 3yr/36k warranty so it has its own effective date. Now this is an assumption and you know what happens when you assume so you should probably call Toyota to verify.

Some other TSBs may have a "shelf life" that I don't know about.

 

[Northof49]

Yeah I don't think it is a gas issue. I don't buy gas from the same station or the same brand and it didn't matter. I did notice that premium gas had less of a sulfur smell and I used to buy premium just for that fact alone but since gas prices are through the roof I've been settling for the regular.

Replacing at 79K would get you new equipment, but it also may give you more resistance from the dealership if you wait that long.

Funny, because I found in my 03 that gas made ALL the difference......but I know that's not the case for everyone.

Esso 87 stunk like a basterd....premium not so bad
Any Chevron gas didn't smell, or didn't smell enough that I noticed it.
Petro Canada 87 stunk as bad as Esso.....premium not so bad


Seems that after years of dealing with this issue, no one, including Toyota themselves, has a sure-fire cure for it......