The tailgate was a bad design in general. I dont know what they were after. The shnazzy little spring loaded tailgate was to appeal to who? Housewives loading groceries. A man doesn't need a fluffy feather tailgate, he needs a solid tailgate. Something you slam shut without breaking it. This 2 skin overlapping (not even connected to make one piece on the lip) 20lb tailgate will make them money in parts sales but thats about it. Theres no excuse for this to me. I have loaded that Honda Foreman 450 hundreds of times in my older Tacomas and T-100 with no problem and now I have this tailgate that weighs half what the others did and I cant? If your gonna make bad azz commercials you better make a bad azz truck, tailgate included. The thinner metals they (all vehicle manufacturers) are using for the beds and doors is not just a Toyota issue, we had a discussion about this over a year ago when a buddy bought a Z-71 Suburban and we were leaning against his truck and the body panels were flexing in and out with the push of a hand. But a high traffic use component like a tailgate has to be made better than this current one is.
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07 Tundra DC TRD 4WD 5.7L Desert Mica
I agree, it's a joke that is not one bit funny. I may look into the diamond plate sheet on top of my Rhino liner on the inside of the tailgate like I did on my 94, which may bring it up just enough to take the weight off that lip.
Last edited by highway74; 10-20-2007 at 05:42 PM.
Reason: spelling
Posting here is good, but calling the customer service center and logging an official case number is going to do a whole lot more to get Toyota's attention.
Support from some of the biggest dealers would be a very good thing too.
I actually looked at the tailgate on my 03 since I regularly run an 800 to 1000 lb garden tractor up ramps into the back. The 03 tailgate is very similar in design, but I do think it is a little heavier. Anyway, my 03 also has small separation at the same spots you guys with the new trucks have posting. It's very small though, more of a crack in the paint on each side.
-Bri
So how much weight is the tailgate made to support? Does anyone have a page number in the manual where this is discussed?
That's a good point. If Toyota wants to argue that overloading causes the damage then make them show you the spot in the owners manual telling you exactly what the tailgate capacity is. If they don't define the capacity, they can't acuse you of overloading it.
I was looking at an old post and noticed the bed extender only extends out to where the cables attach to the gate suggesting Toyota did not design the tailgate to have weight all the way on the end. Also I just looked at the gate on my 95 T100 and man is that little gate stout to spite its thin profile (fully welded seams). I've had my 400 Eiger in and out of the T100 about 50 times and no damage was done.
I'm year 2K Tundra Owner that persevered through many TSBs and major defects. My advice is to document the failure, complain to dealer, and sit this thing out for a year or two. Get some press if Toy gives you lip. Toyota will try to fix it quicky but ultimately will end up redesigning the tailgate and those of you who will be past the warranty when the redesigned gate is available will be screwed just like the early 1Gen Tundra owners were after Toyota took 2.5 years to fix the brake problem.
The attachment of the restraint cables to the center of the tailgate strikes me as strange. This makes ramp loading bad for the gate as the load is not at the restraint.
If my tailgate was this weak, I would have destroyed it many years ago several times over. I routinely put several hundred pounds of brick on the gate.
I believe people and corporations need to have the proper incentives to perform.
My life’s experience tells me that sometimes people (and organization/corporations) are highly motivated to do the right thing for one of two reasons; “It Feels Good, or it Hurts.”
My six-week old 2007 Tundra Double Cab is having issues with the tailgate, much like other's have reported.
Yesterday my tailgate fell off (It was in the down position) as I backed out of my driveway with the trash in the bed. I was traveling under 20 MPH.
There is a 2-inch tall concrete bump at the mouth of my driveway that has been there for 15 years and has never knocked any other tailgate off of any other truck I have ever owned.
I really do not think this is acceptable, but perhaps Toyota does.If so then I am sure they will not have any problem with everyone else knowing about it.
I can’t imagine the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or Consumers Reports would have any issues with this if Toyota says they designed it that way either. But what do I know. I’ll have to wait and see how they respond to know for sure.
Below are web links to the various businesses and organizations I have emailed about this issue. Most of these organizations hide their email ID, so you have to send email from their web sites if you want to contact them. (I did a lot of cut and paste, and editing of my own words to fit them in on some sites.)
My letter was nice, honest and as unemotional as I could be giving this issue.
My bottom line is simple, Tailgates should not fall off, even if open, when backing up a driveway and hitting a two-inch bump.
This is more then a poor design, it is a major safety issue.
Nor should they crack, buckle or rip when an ATV is loaded in the bed.
I like my Tundra very much, however, I believe any reasonable person would conclude that the tailgate is of poor design, and questionable strength for “The Truck That Is Changing It All”.
Bringing your issues and my issue with the tailgate to this forum is a good thing in that it makes others aware of the problem, but it’s not enough.
If you feel as I do, that the proper incentives to performed need to be applied, then write your own letter (in your own words) to each of these organizations and business.
Describe your problem. Be honest and factual about the problem you have. Be unemotional, evenhanded, and fair-minded. There is no need for, nor is there any value in exaggerating. If you have pictures, make sure you can make them available if requested.
My guess is you won’t be getting any silly letter back from Toyota stating that you that you are exceeding the design limitations of “The Truck That is Changing It All.”
Your intent, and mine should be to apply the necessary incentives to Toyota to get these tailgate issues resolved; not just hope that they will get resolved out of the goodness of someone’s heart. Anything less is nothing more then an interesting conversation while sitting on the broken tailgate.
Perhaps once this problem has received the attention it needs, Toyota will have a wonderful opportunity to fix this design flaw and feel really really good that they did!
Now that’s a positive thing!
Here are the places I wrote to. If you feel up to it perhaps you will do the same. I would think the more detail reported about the individual problems we are having with the Tundra tailgate, the sooner this collective issue will be resolved.
I realize you're not happy about your tailgate but what is writing a letter to Ford, Chrysler and the UAW supposed to accomplish?
Jim
Hi Jim,
Good question, thank your for asking.
As I shared in my original post my intent is to apply the necessary incentives to Toyota to get these tailgate issues resolved.
In that regard I am not expecting Ford, Chrysler, or the UAW (United Auto Workers) Union (or any one else) to do anything.
I am expecting Toyota to do something.
I believe that Toyota would not want these organizations involved in any part of this issue.
Maybe my belief isn’t valid. What do you?
If I am right my approach will provide further incentive (Under the category of “It Hurts) to Toyota to resolve these tailgate issues now.
Then again, perhaps my approach won’t cause any of the “Hurt” motivator at all.
Perhaps it will make Toyota “Feel Good!” I can live with that too!
Think about it.
If Toyota is proud of “the car door like” design and performance of the Tundra tailgate then I am only sharing Toyota’s good design with interested parties.
In truth I can’t see how Toyota would feel anything but “Good” in letting Ford, Chrysler and the UAW know all about their pride in this truly outstanding tailgate design.
Do you?
That said, like all else in life, there is potential that I could be wrong on this as well.
Bottom line; “the tailgate design for the Toyota Tundra is broken and must be fixed.”
If I thought a Rocket Scientist was necessary to reach this determination I would have emailed NASA.
(I didn’t want to waist internet bandwidth with an email I didn’t think would add much value.)
There is a need to provide Toyota with the necessary incentives to redesign the Tundra tailgate, and I believe my approach provides those incentives, to the right people, in an honest and factual way that can and should be investigated.
I believe having the light of the day shining sunshine all over this tailgate issue will create one of those really big smiley face suns on a lot of peoples faces when the issues are resolved. I know I will have one on my face!!
My approach may not be right for everyone, and I understand that, but it works for me.
I invite anyone else who is experiencing legitimate tailgate issues with their Tundra to email these same organizations with your details. One email (mine) can be ignored easily, more then one (yours) is a pair at worst, and a trend at best, and trends get attention.
Want the problem fixed? There is no need to be mean spirited. Be nice, but do this!
Have a great day,
Frank
PS: I did not email GM simply because they made it impossible for me to find a means to email them either directly or through their web site. But I still have hope to find one.
When I do, I will, and post the link here.
Last edited by daless2; 10-21-2007 at 08:21 AM.
Reason: Edited to fiix typo's, I am sure there are more.
make as much noise as possible...thats the only way toyota will respond.....good work......I am sure if ford starts comparing toyota's flimsy tailgate in their commercials, toyota will fix the problem pretty quick....
Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.
Re: Tundra Tailate Failures!!! I am in the Club.
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