NHTSA Complaint #11404754 — 2020 TOYOTA TACOMA

IN LATE NOVEMBER OR EARLY DECEMBER OF 2020, I HAD A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT APPEAR. I CYCLED THROUGH SEVERAL HUNDRED MILES (500+) THINKING IT MAY HAVE BEEN A LOOSE GAS CAP ISSUE THAT NEEDED TIME TO SORT ITSELF OUT. THE LIGHT DID NOT RESOLVE ITSELF AND I VISITED THE CLOSEST DEALERSHIP, AUTONATION TOYOTA, IN TEMPE. I WAS SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS CAUSED BY RODENTS. MANY MANUFACTURERS, INCLUDING TOYOTA, HAVE SWITCHED TO SOY-BASED WIRING INSULATION WHICH IS ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS. THE SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE POINTED AT 1-2 OTHER VEHICLES (ALL NEW) THAT WERE IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE SAME PROBLEM AND SAID THEY'VE HAD AN INCREASING AMOUNT OF VEHICLES IN FOR THIS ISSUE. MY VEHICLE WAS 7 MONTHS OLD AT THIS POINT WITH 6840 MILES ON IT. THE WIRING HARNESS PART WAS A SPECIAL ORDER PART AND THAT COST ALONE WAS $1431.79. ADD IN THE ESTIMATED 20 HOURS OF LABOR AND THE "FIX" WOULD BE $4592.61 AT THAT DEALERSHIP. I ASKED IF IT WOULD BE OK IF I CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE WHILE WE EXPLORED OUR OPTIONS WITH AN INSURANCE CLAIM. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE COULD EXPERIENCE A SUDDEN LOSS OF ACCELERATION AND CAUSE A CRASH. WE WERE ABLE TO INITIATE A NO FAULT CLAIM WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT HAD TO PAY A $500 DEDUCTIBLE AS TOYOTA WOULD NOT WARRANTY THIS ISSUE CAUSED BY THEIR SOY-BASED WIRING INSULATION. WORK WAS COMPLETED AT THE LEASING TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, NOT AUTONATION. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ABOUT THIS SOY-BASED WIRING INSULATION ISSUE. NOT ONLY IS THIS TYPE OF WIRING MANUFACTURING ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS, THUS CAUSING DAMAGE THAT CAN RESULT IN DANGEROUS DRIVING CONDITIONS, BUT THE WIRING ALSO DETERIORATES AT A MUCH HIGHER RATE IN HIGHER TEMPERATURES. (WE HAD A BMW 550 WITH SOY BASED WIRING THAT WAS DISINTEGRATING IN THE HEADLIGHT HOUSING.) MANUFACTURERS NEED TO STOP PRODUCING SOY BASED WIRING INSULATION OR IMPROVE IT TO REPEL RODENTS.