Dealer says I need new head gaskets?! Help plz.

I've got a 2013 SR5 DCSB that I bought about 6 months ago. I've always wanted a tacoma and this truck has been great so far. I love it. It had about 85k miles when I got it and now I'm at 92k. I noticed a few days ago that my coolant levels were low but I had already planned on going in for an oil change and tire rotation since I was due. So of course the tech comes in and says that I'm leaking coolant due to needing new head gaskets. They quoted me $2800 for the repairs. The truck has been running great and temp has been normal.

I purchased a "comprehensive" warranty when I bought it. At first glance, it appears the gaskets would be covered by this warranty. I need to look at it more in-depth as I know warranty companies have tricks to getting out of these sorts of things.

The issue I have is this, I'm traveling from Colorado to Indiana in December for Christmas and a wedding. Assuming the warranty covers it, should I go ahead and have the repairs completed or could I just put in some gasket sealer and make the trip? Are there any more significant issues that could/would be caused by putting this off? Thanks in advance.

 

it can only get worse so find out if your warranty covers it and get it done soon

 

What diagnostics did they do to determine the head gasket is bad?

Have you been steadily losing coolant? Or could have it always been low since you got it?

I don't really see any reason why 5 year old head gaskets with under 100k miles would blow unless that truck was seriously abused. Or just seriously unlucky.

 

Head gasket this early. Something sounds fishy.

 

Did he say where it was leaking? Into the oil? Into the combustion chamber? Dribbling down the outside of the block? Maybe ask him some more pointed questions about how he diagnosed it.

 

If they did any diagnostics, they didn't tell me what. They pretty much just said the tech saw the coolant was low, "looked at it," and determined it was the head gasket. This was the first time I've checked the coolant since I've had it so I'm not sure where it started at. The coolant reservoir was down to about 1/4. The temp has been totally normal and I haven't noticed any leaks or anything. I really don't think this truck had been abused. It is a seriously clean truck.

 

Don't do anything other than top off the coolant yourself and keep an eye on it. I have seen coolant loss from vehicles 1000 different ways. With no other symptoms I would think its unlikely its a HG. Even if it was, i would not do anything until other symptoms manifested or the coolant loss was rapid.

 

I think they're trying to pull a fast one on you. You can't just look at low coolant and determine there was a leaky head gasket without doing the proper diagnostics. Maybe if you had a milkshake looking coolant reservoir you could 'look' at it and come to that conclusion, but if that were the case you'd have other symptoms of a blown head gasket like overheating most likely.

No matter what, I would for sure get a second opinion at a trusted local mechanic. You might just have a coolant leak somewhere that resulted in low coolant.

 

Bingo!

 

Also, if you see your coolant level in the reservoir fluctuating that's perfectly normal, it does that depending on how hot or cold the engine is. If it's dropping below the 'low' mark though then there's an issue that needs addressed but have another mechanic take a look. There are many different places that coolant can be leaking from if seals/lines aren't tight or broken.

 

Just top it off and keep an eye on it

 

Check the coolant level (right at the rad cap) every morning before you turn the truck on. Monitor it for a couple weeks and see if it is steadily going down.

You aren't necessarily going to see the milkshake oil or the temp gauge fluctuating. That is on head gasket failures that are much worse. A very slow leak in a head gasket will not always leave a lot of evidence behind. Sometimes a slow drop in the coolant level is going to be the first clue..

Any block testing kit should be able to detect the presence of exhaust gas in the cooling system. That's probably what the tech used and that is what I use. They don't lie

 

This is what I was also going to say. There are other symptoms that would indicate a serious problem. If you drain your oil and coolant comes out, or if you're smoking coolant out the exhaust, or if your coolant starts getting very dark in color. To name a few. I would recommend filling it and regularly checking it. And/or getting a second opinion in the absence of other symptoms.

 

Thanks everyone. I'll keep an eye on it the next few weeks and see what happens. If this turns out to be total BS, I'm going to have a much different opinion of the dealership going forward.

 

Check your water pump weep hole.

 

Sounds like a dealer that knows you have insurance and want an extra job because of it.

 

Yeah, if you got a second opinion and that mechanic says, "Not sure why they wanted to replace your headgasket.." I'd get it in writing and go back to the dealership and start asking them questions.

 

Also this - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlOc7Xd25n4

 

Last year I took a 2006 Avalon in for the cracked dash recall. In addition to making a mess out of the dash swap, the dealer told me my car had suffered a "catastrophic water pump failure". Nothing could have been be further from the truth. I don't mean to belittle dealer techs who are competent, but in todays world, there are many who are not.

Get a 2nd opinion and realize this tech may be inept or looking for Christmas cash.

 

Fill it with coolant buy some cooling system sealer and you go right ahead on that road trip from CO to in in December and ignore that mechanic.

Right now you may just have a very small head gasket leak... or not. And it may be the insidious type that slowly leaks compressed cylinder air directly (and only) into a coolant passage so your oil is never contaminated.

Seriously though...

If it is a head gasket leak that goes from small to catastrophic while you're on your big road trip and you're now forced to leave it a shop that officially has you by the balls, AND you are forced to either pay up and stay a couple nights in a hotel or rent a car to get home--- then you can thank everyone here who are trying to be helpful by playing Monday morning quarterback and telling you to just drive it- based on the very scant and mostly irrelevant second-hand information provided by you.

The fact that your truck is running well can be irrelevant.
The fact that your coolant temp is normal can be irrelevant.
The fact that your oil is not milky can be irrelevant.

There are either hydrocarbons in your antifreeze or not. That's a fact.
Your cooling system either holds pressure or not. That's a fact.

Get your coolant tested for hydrocarbons and get the cooling system pressure tested. Make a decision based on FACTS an not conjecture from folks who are trying to help but who can't touch, see or work on your vehicle.

BTW- the price for the headgasket job quoted by the dealer was very fair.

Hope your scenario is simply a hose clamp! Get some facts!

Best,

JL