Toyota screwed me, need advice
 

Well, when I bought my 2011 Tacoma brand new, obviously I had fuel efficiency in mind. So of course I had my salesman find me a truck with as low of axle gears as possible, 3.31's to be exact. Now I've owned this truck for a year, and I'm getting under 23 mpg average. Which seems kinda funny cuz There's people on Tacoma world.com who are getting up to 27 mpg with their 2wd trucks. Seems to me that a big difference for a few hundred pounds worth of 4wd parts. So it dawned on me that maybe my salesman lied to me. 2200 rpm at 60mph seems kinda high, anyways. So I checked the sticker in my door jam. Yep, 3.31's just like I was told. I checked about 4 web sites and they all said the same thing. So I just forgot about it untill tonight. I was.thinking about it so i sat down with a calculator and figured it out the hard way. 5280 feet in a mile divided by tire circumference in feet, times axle ratio times 5the gear ratio = engine speed, right? Well apparently I'm supposed to be at just around 1770 rpm's at 60. Did a little more digging online and found out that several people are noticing their door jam sticker is wrong. Apparently since 05 every single regular cab 4cyl 4wd Tacoma came with 4.10s, it was the only option, which if I do my math the same appears to be what I've got in my truck. So now I'm stuck paying 20k for a tiny little truck when I could be driving an f150 with a v6 and get the same mileage. I have no idea what to do about it. Obviously I'm extremely angry, and I'm not willing to shell out almost $1000 to have a gear swap done. I was just wondering if anyone has any advice as to what I should do, before I go to the dealership and start screaming untill I'm Physically removed. Because its taking all I have not to.

Call the national number and ask them about it.

If you complain that they lied about the option, and that your purchase hinged upon the gear ratio, then maybe... just maybe... they'll swap it for free.

I think I'd want to be certain of the gear ratio. Find out how to determine it on your truck (stamped on the gear(s) or count teeth?) and pull the cover. I'd probably reuse the gear oil, unless you want to go with synthetic or something else.

Or, maybe the data plate has that info.

23 mpg with 4x4 is pretty good, I doubt gearing will make any difference. 2200 rpm at 60 is only 150 above my stratus and you have a 2.7, it couldn't keep 60 mph at 1770 on most roads. If you think it could, try overside tires, tall & skinny, I don't think you'll like how 1st gear works.

Even if gearing would make a differnce, not $1500's worth(if your going to tear into them get some LSD's), install LRR tires when it's time, drive slower, drive smarter.

It's not the 300 lbs in steel, it's the 4-5" higher and xfer case losses.

Still if you expected more the 23 your expections were wrong.

You can check ratios by jacking up the axle and turning shafts and counting how other shafts turn.

It's not the dealer.....it's toyota!

If you REALLY have the wrong gear, then the sales contract is void. Toyota misrepresented the vehicle.
Call the owner or GM. Exdplain the facts. tell him your not 'blaming him' for misrepresenting the car. BUT you want to talk to a regional rep from toyota.

Did you notice the window sticker?
Fuel Economy of the 2011 Toyota Tacoma 4WD

I'd say it's mostly the saleman's fault, he should have known Toyota didn't sell 4cyl 4x4 with 3.31 gears (I'm pretty sure Toyota (or anyone) doesn't make 3.31 gears for the front axle). Toyota is to blame for the wrong door jam sticker. What did the window sticker say?

Unfortunetly, most salesmen don't have a clue about the vehicles drivetrain they sell. They know cup holdes, seat adjustment, sun visers etc .....

What?
toyota has the wrong door sticker and it's the saleman's fault for "not knowing"???

get a grip.
1. why the jump to place blame on the salesman....that's gonna get the problem fixed????
2.The sticker is wrong. That's a manufacture problem.
3. And since the internet wasnt invented yesterday, more than 1/2 the blame goes to the op. He tells us he bought a 4x4 for GOOD GAS MILEAGE!!!!!!????
4. And he did ZERO research to confirm his information??????
5. He knew what he wanted....AND IN 2011....he put all his faith in a salesman......please......help me here.

and op,
How does a 'salesman lied to me' in one sentence and in the next sentence you say the door jam says 3.31????????

THE DAMN DOOR JAM LIED!!!!
IF in fact the gears are wrong.
If there not ......welll........guess the saleman didn't lie again, either.

I'm really surprised you don't accuse the saleman of making bogus door jams....

That depends. If you start from the point of needing a 4WD pickup (which some of us do) then search for the one with the best mpg, his plan makes sense.

But I think it's rather sad that he only gets 23 mpg from his brand-new, latest-technology Toyota pickup, when I average around 27 mpg in my '88.

I still don't understand how he expects 27mpg when the window sticker clearly says 20mpg highway.

shoulda bought a V8 lol

good luck OP, and i doubt you would like your truck with the gearing you are interested in. I do agree that if the door jam says one thing and the truck is equipped with another, the manufacturer should make right on the deal (whether it be swapping gears OR changing the sticker and offering you a consolation prize.)

Have you even tried to approach them like a reasonable person yet?

Thanks for the suggestion:thumbup:--I think I have a grip now.

Toyota stopped putting ring/pinion on the door jam in 2005. (So Toyota is not to blame) The codes you read (AO2A?) are for 2004 and older. Toyota made things really easy--- 4cyl 4wd-4.10 r&P (no option); 4cyl 2wd 5sp 3.31 r&p; 4cyl 2wd auto 3.58 r&p.

I'm sure the window sticker said 4.10 r&p.

I would think when you sat down with the salesman and requested something that is not available he should have told you. $0.02

That's what the low range in the transfer case is (supposed to be) for, isn't it? So you can have a high range for highway travel, and a low one for things like steep dirt & pulling stumps.

A pickup with an a/t that has too high axle ratios will downshift excessively.

Placing any faith in a salesman is generally foolish. Their job is to convince you to part with as much of your money as possible. That goal is in direct conflict with principles of honesty and integrity. That said, Mcrews brings up a good point that the salesman may not have been lying since the sticker had the incorrect information. Lying requires intent to deceive, and has nothing to do with the accuracy of the information.

Doors have jambs. PBJ sandwiches have jams.

My Gosh!!:eek:

Your right!!!!!:thumbup:

:cool:

It is his right! You're welcome. ;)

I didn't buy a 4x4 TO GET good mileage, I bought a 4x4 because I need one so I bought the one that gets the best mileage out of all the other 4x4 trucks on the market.
Anyways, I called the national number and the guy I talked to said its mandated by the government that the door jam sticker must be correct, and if it isn't I have a legal complaint and I should take it up with the dealer. So I went to the dealer today and after explaining my story to almost everyone the service tech said that the best he could do is change the sticker to match which is not what I wanted. Btw this was after he looked up my vin on the computer to confirm that I do, in fact, have 4.10 gears. He also looked up the original window sticker and it doesn't say anything about the axle ratio on it. So I went And talked to my salesmans partner, because he was off today and she went and argued with the service tech and came back out, took my phone number, and basically the general manager is going to call me within the next few days. The whole time I was there I was making sure I get the Point across that i don't blame the dealership and I don't think it's their fault, because it's really not. It's toyota's. When I bought my truck it was over 150 miles away and I told the service tech that if I'd have known it was 4.10's, I would have told my salesman to go find a different one or I would have bought a Colorado, because it was that much of a deal breaker

You have wasted your time talking to the wrong people.
As i said....Talk to the GM or owner.

You have to present from a position of strength.
Would Bill Gates talk to the salesman. NO
Why? Because the problem has absolutely nothing to do with the salesman.
And we all agree that salesman are idiots.(kinda)
So that is who you want to present your case???

This is a 'class action' type of problem.
If the dealer fixes it on his own, he has admitted that Toyota is playing games or at least making a BIG error.
He wont step out on that over a plea from a salesman.

much ado about nothing

Your window sticker says says 18 city, 20 highway. You are averaging 23mpg. You have nothing to complain about. There is no such thing as a 4x4 Tacoma with 3.31 gears. Never has been, never will be. You could have easily checked this on the toyota web site. Your truck is equipped with 4.1 gears because you have much taller tires than the RWD Tacoma.

Toyota didn't screw you.

all true.....EXCEPT>>>>>

The door jamb sticker is wrong.
That's the problem.
He can't go in whining about the mileage. That is NOT the issue(anymore).
THe issue is the mislabling of product.
He didn't get what he bought (regardless of the mileage)

Nonsense. A real pickup doesn't shift unless you press the clutch, move the shift lever to the gear you want, and let the clutch out again.

I talked to whom I was told to talk to. I was bounced around the dealership for an hour and a half talking to different people. And I'm glad I talked to the saleswoman, she's very pregnant and therefore has a very short temper and if it wasn't for her screaming at the service manager on my behalf he would have never agreed to talk to the GM to try to figure this thing out because he wouldn't really take me seriously and I was getting absolutely nowhere with him.

I went on plenty of sites but honestly how was I supposed to know to check for something that specific, especially when I was told for a fact it had 3.31's? I had never owned a Toyota truck before let alone any foreign vehicle, and gear ratios were a specific question I had and also a main concern of mine so I asked when I went there and got an answer. It was obviously wrong, but how was I supposed to know that? It's easy to play the woulda coulda shoulda game but the fact is I was supplied incorrect information that swayed my decision positively into purchasing a new vehicle and I believe It should be corrected, however that may be (I honestly don't know how, but we'll.see) even if it's something little like giving me a awesome deal on a trade-in (would rather have an ex. Cab) I'm not really after money or anything like that, now it's just more so down to the principle of the issue.

You need to stick to the point of mis;abeling.
They need to replace the rear gear.
You need to get what you paid for.

You were given the incorrect information by a car salesman. You clearly knew what you were looking for, even asked the right question but you failed to look it up from a reliable source like the owener's manual, the window sticker, toyota web site, any of the Tacoma specific forums... the list goes on. He's a car salesman. His job is to sell you the car. I'm sorry you ended up with a vehicle you're not happy with but I don't think you can say that 'toyota screwed you'. I hope you find a satisfactory solution to the problem. Good luck.
And then he still needs to find a 3.31 front diff. Not going to happen.

as long as you din´t do this, you can´t blaim anyone. step one is to be sure, about the thing. imagine the outcoming, if u have the 4.10 ratio already...

no.....you mean 'imagine the outcome if he has the 3.1....':)

I did jack it up, I did the long math, and the service tech looked up the vin. It definately does have 4.10's.

just put 20% taller tires on. it will look cooler and you will have the gear ratio you wanted. also how is the poor sales guy supposed to know. Toyota f'd up.

Let the dealer/Toyota pay for the taller tires and speedo recalibration. However your rolling weight is now more also.

Whatever became of this?

Exactly right.

I agree that Toyota didn't screw the OP, but he does have a legit legal argument. In law, a transaction is only binding if both the buyer and seller come to an understanding of the terms of the sale. The OP understood that the truck had a different axle ratio and was mislead by a sticker and a representative of Toyota. By law, there was no agreement, and things should reset back to the way they were (dealer with the car, and buyer with the money).

I havent read new car paperwork in about 6 yrs but I remember there being paragraph stating that no vebal promises or statements are part of this agreement.....etec etc.

The point being that any kickbacks or inducements not mentioned in the written transaction are null and void. The same would aply to the equipment on the vehicle. Only items listed in writing are included in the sale.

Ha! Problem solved! :)

I am also curious how this turned out.

Selling mislabeled products is illegal.