I had a friend run into this a few weeks ago, and this article just popped up in my feed:
Toyota's bulletproof reputation is hurt by an unfixable defect
That's a lot of engines to replace!
They're really minimizing the impact here: metal debris in the engine, whether it's shaving, fillings, whatever, can shred an engine from inside. The article is absolutely right about the whole engine needing to be replaced, even if an engine isn't damaged there's no way you could ensure at this point that what's in the engine can be flushed out and won't cause problems down the road.
Toyota's bulletproof reputation is hurt by an unfixable defect
In a recent announcement, Toyota said that over 102,000 Tundra pickup trucks and Lexus LX SUVs spanning the 2022 and 2023 model years will be eligible for a free engine replacement as part of a recall that was first announced in May 2024.
That's a lot of engines to replace!
According to NHTSA documents, the automaker initiated the recall due to metal debris that had not been properly cleaned out of the engines when they were manufactured. As per Toyota, metal debris in the motor can lead to major engine problems like engine knocking, engines running rough, engines not starting, or losing power while driving, which can increase the risk of a crash at higher speeds.
They're really minimizing the impact here: metal debris in the engine, whether it's shaving, fillings, whatever, can shred an engine from inside. The article is absolutely right about the whole engine needing to be replaced, even if an engine isn't damaged there's no way you could ensure at this point that what's in the engine can be flushed out and won't cause problems down the road.