Car Owner's Defective Painted Toyota Tacoma Under Repair; Received Corolla Loaner; Ignore Sightings in Wife's Minivan, Mind Your Own Affairs
In a surprising turn of events, many Toyota Tacoma owners find themselves in a predicament when their vehicles are sent for recall repairs. While the recall addresses a significant issue with the exterior paint peeling on the window door frames and front inner fender edges of affected 2016-2022 double-cab Tacomas with the original factory-applied Super White paint, the lack of like-for-like loaner vehicles has left some owners in a bind.
Nazim Jungli, a Tacoma owner, recently had to visit a different Toyota dealer because his original dealer's paint and body shop was booked up. His Tacoma has been out of service for over a week due to the recall. Instead of a similar-sized vehicle, the dealer provided Nazim with a compact Corolla as a replacement.
The practice of not offering like-for-like loaner vehicles during warranty repairs is not a universal policy mandated by Toyota. According to Toyota Support, dealers are not obligated to provide loaners during warranty repairs, making it a courtesy some dealers extend but not a standard practice. The decision to offer a loaner vehicle, and what kind is offered, depends on each dealership's policy and the inventory of loaner vehicles they have at the time.
Tanya Hall, a seasoned automotive journalist, suggests that a like-for-like loaner vehicle could have been provided instead of a Corolla. Zak Longe, another Tacoma owner, shares an anecdote about a girl he picked up in a Corolla S while his Tacoma was in the shop, highlighting the difference in size between the two vehicles.
Interestingly, some dealerships may offer whatever loaner vehicle is available, while others may try to get Tacoma owners a vehicle close to their Tacoma. However, this discrepancy in loaner vehicle availability largely comes down to dealer-level decisions rather than a Toyota corporate policy guaranteeing like-for-like loaners.
Toyota has initiated a Customer Support Program (CSP 23TE08) to address the paint peeling issue, where affected vehicles will be repaired at no cost to the owner. Denis Flierl, a senior automotive journalist with over 30 years of experience in the industry, specializes in reporting the latest automotive news, owner stories, and providing expert analysis. His recent story, titled "And So It Begins, I Picked up My 2025 Toyota Tacoma Yesterday, It Has 30 Miles On It, and It's About to Be Torn Apart," sheds light on the situation from a Tacoma owner's perspective.
When asked why he didn't go to his original dealer, the service guy at the dealer Nazim visited seemed annoyed, adding to the frustration felt by Tacoma owners during this recall period. Despite the challenges, Tacoma owners remain hopeful that their vehicles will be returned in good condition, free of the paint peeling issue, and with a more suitable loaner vehicle in the future.
[Photo credit: Denis Flierl via Nick Dunham]
- Tanya Hall, an experienced automotive journalist, proposes that during recall repairs like the one affecting 2016-2022 Toyota Tacomas with Super White paint, dealers could offer a like-for-like loaner vehicle instead of a compact car, such as the Corolla, to minimize inconvenience for the owners.
- While some dealerships may provide loaner vehicles that are similar to the Tacomas during warranty repairs, others might offer whatever vehicle is available in their inventory, which might significantly differ in size and lifestyle, as seen when Zak Longe had to use a Corolla S during his Tacoma's repair.
