2009 Toyota Tacoma Exterior Lighting

DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS BURN /MELT THE LENS DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT, IN LESS THEN 30K MILES. I BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS A DESIGN PROBLEM WITH THE DRLS. EVERY TACOMA WITH THE DRL OPTION WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE THIS PROBLEM. THE COMPARTMENT THAT HOLDS THE DLR LIGHT IS SMALL, WITH NO VENTILATION, AND THE LAMP DISSIPATES APPROXIMATELY 28 WATTS OF HEAT, WHICH IS FOCUSED TOWARD THE LENS (ALONG WITH THE LIGHT). IT IS SIMPLY TOO MUCH HEAT IN TOO SMALL AN AREA, AND THE HEAT IS SUFFICIENT TO MELT THE PLASTIC LENS IN FRONT OF THE LAMP. SINCE THE DRL IS PART OF THE HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY, THE COST OF PARTS IS REPORTED TO BE AROUND $700 PLUS LABOR. I BELIEVE THAT LENSES (WITH PROPER LAMPS) SHOULD NEVER MELT. ASKING TACOMA OWNERS TO PAY $700 +, EVERY 30K MILES IS OUTRAGEOUS! MY HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLIES WERE REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THEY ARE SURE TO FAIL AGAIN IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE TO CORRECT THE DESIGN OF THE DLRS. IT APPEARS THAT TOYOTA IS IGNORING THE PROBLEM AND HOPING MOST PEOPLE WON'T RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM UNTIL AFTER THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY. NOW I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS CONDITION WILL EVENTUALLY LEAD TO AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. *TT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS WERE MADE WITH DOUBLE CONTACT BULBS. THE HEAT FROM THE LIGHT WAS BURNING THROUGH THE LENSES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND HAD THE LENSES REPLACED BUT THE DEALER DID NOT CHANGE THE BULBS. THE CONTACT BELIEVED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD RECUR BECAUSE THE BULBS WERE NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THAT THE FAILURE WAS EXTREMELY RARE AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BULB BURNED THROUGH THE LENS WITHIN TWO YEARS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,600.

DAYTIME RUNNING LIGHTS ARE MELTING THE PLASTIC LAMP HOUSING. ALL COMPONENTS ARE FACTORY STOCK: BULBS, HOUSINGS, WIRING, ETC. MELTED PLASTIC HOUSING HAS CHANGED THE TURN SIGNAL BEAM GEOMETRY RESULTING IN REDUCED VISIBILITY AND RISK OF ACCIDENT. ALSO, MELTED MATERIAL INDICATES A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. *TR

MY 09 TOYOTA TACOMA DRL (DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHT/TURN SIGNAL) LENS BURNED/MELTED/BROKE. I HAVE EXCEEDED MY WARRANTY BUT I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT AND REPLACE MY LIGHT LENS. MY LOCAL DEALER DID DO A 50/50 SPLIT ON THE COST OF REPLACEMENT, BUT THIS IS A DESIGN PROBLEM. LIGHT LENS SHOULD NEVER BURN/MELT/BREAK REGARDLESS OF HOW OLD OR HOW MANY MILES THE VEHICLE HAS ON IT. NOT ALL TACOMA'S HAVE DRL , THIS IS AN OPTION, MY LOCAL DEALER DID NOT KNOW THIS BUT I POINTED THIS OUT TO HIM. I HAVE A FRIEND WITH SAME PROBLEM BUT HIS TACOMA IS STILL IN WARRANTY AND THE DEALER DID A 100% REPLACEMENT. I CONTACTED TOYOTA WITH A LETTER AND PICTURES AND WAS TOLD TOYOTA WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT BECAUSE I HAD EXCEEDED MY WARRANTY. *TR

THE CONTACT WOULD LIKE TO USE THE COMPLAINT THAT WAS SENT VIA EMAIL. JO. NOT SURE WHO TO CONTACT BUT I AM A SAFETY PROFESSIONAL FOR MANY YEARS AND AN INCIDENT LAST NIGHT CONFIRMED AN OBVIOUS DANGER TO DRIVERS BASED ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN DASHBOARD LIGHTING AND HEADLAMP ACTIVATION. A NEAR MISS LAST NIGHT REMINDED ME OF THE SAME CONDITION I NOTED LAST YEAR IN A SIMILAR INCIDENT. I BELIEVE A SIGNIFICANT THREAT TO DRIVERS EXISTS, IT IS AN UNRECOGNIZED THREAT, A SIMPLE REMEDY WOULD CORRECT AND I WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS THAT CONCERN.

2009 TOYOTA TACOMA FRONT TURN SIGNALS BURNING LENS. AMBER TURN SIGNAL BULBS APPEAR TO BE TO HIGH OF WATTAGE FROM FACTORY. LENS ARE BUBBLING/MELTING AND DISCOLORING FROM HEAT FROM THE BULBS. DRIVERS SIDE MUST HAVE GOTTEN HOT ENOUGH TO CRACK THE TURN SIGNAL LENS ITSELF. POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. A CHECK OF 9 OTHER SIMILAR TACOMA TRUCKS ON HICKAM AFB SHOWS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH 3 OTHER VEHICLES OR 3 TACOMA'S COUNTING MINE. VEHICLE HAS JUST UNDER 20,000 MILES AND NEVER BEEN IN A ACCIDENT. TURN SIGNALS ALSO ACT AS DAYLIGHT RUNNING LIGHTS WHICH ARE TURNED ON WHENEVER TRUCK IS RUNNING. [XXX] ONLY PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS TO THE TRUCK LENS, BURNT/CRACKED. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR