Toyota installed an aftermarket lift kit from amazon instead of TRD on ordered truck.

So, I am at a dead end trying to get this situation resolved. I ordered a new 2021 Toyota Tacoma TRD Off Road with lift kit, running boards, and tires. The build online shows a TRD branded lift kit with a new grill, millimeter wave sensor, and new shocks; which is the Toyota TRD Lift Kit. I went to pick up the truck and it was raining. The next day I noticed my TSS was not functioning right and realized that I still had the factory grill on the vehicle. I called the dealership thinking the mechanic or someone kept my lift kit's grill to sell on ebay or something. Come to find out they are claiming that they don't put on the Toyota TRD parts, just the aftermarket kits. In fact said they do hundreds of them. This blew my mind because other dealers had told me not to get an aftermarket to avoid all of these issues plus I was dead set on keeping my factory warranty which is what the TRD kit does. Plus who pays the price of a TRD Lift Kit for some spacers? The dealerships answer was that people usually don't actually off road with the kits and just buy them to make the truck look cooler. They told me for $1200 more they will put the correct kit on because their mechanic already did the work on the other kit. I contacted Toyota corporate who says they don't get involved because it is an aftermarket part problem. I tried explaining that it wasn't supposed to be an aftermarket part but they stated I have to take it up with the dealer. The dealer did not indicate prices, labor rates or anything on the paperwork, just did a WE OWE for the parts, without prices. They just wrote "Lift Kit, Tires, Running Boards" Now I am questioning if my running boards are even TRD or if they are from Amazon. The lift kit they installed was a $150 part from online which voids my warranty and as I stated disrupts my TSS from functioning correctly. I am at a loss on what I can do to fix this. I had another dealership look at it and they said it was unsafe and to take it back to Toyota. Toyota says they will only fix it if I pay the $1200 for the mechanic to remove the old equipment and place the new kit on the truck. I have talked with the owner of the dealership and attempted to get Toyota involved. The owner told me I was not to assume they used Toyota parts, and I told them how am I to assume Toyota isn't going to sell their own genuine parts with a brand new vehicle with 100 miles. Not to mention this is a Lease so if they really wanted to they could charge the next owner a little more for a lift if they need to but the money I have put into it I never get back because, I have to return the truck with all of this stuff on it. Technically I don't even own the truck, Toyota does so why would they want me driving something that the warranty is void on and creates a safety issue.

Anyone have any ideas?

See the kit below that is supposed to be installed by Toyota.

 

Simple, don’t pay dealers to add aftermarket components. Buy stock, do research, then mod yourself. Dealerships are always shady and upcharge everything.

 

I paid them to put on the factory equipment, not aftermarket. That is what I was saying is the problem. I would never have went to them for aftermarket equipment.

 

So I'm clear: You didn't just order the TRD lift kit, but you actually ordered the TRUCK, specifying that the TRD Lift kit be installed upon taking ownership of the vehicle? You didn't just drop your current truck off to have the add-ons added. Not sure what difference this would make, but want to be sure I understand.

What does the build sheet show?

Unfortunately, I don't see a scenario in which there is an easy solution to this problem. It sounds like the simplest solution will be paying the extra for them to give you the kit you ordered initially, but if there's very clear documentation that the truck you ordered and ultimately purchased should have the TRD Lift Kit installed, then you could feasibly go through an arduous process of getting it done right.

 

I agree it's shitty but you assumed and didn't ask enough questions . Maybe talk to the dealer again and try and get that $1200 number lowered . Good luck .

If you do have them redo it get it in writing .

 

What does your invoice say and at what price?

 

When did all this go down? And how much did they charge you for what you thought was the oem lift kit? I’d be surprised if they installed Amazon parts and voided the warranty on a brand new truck without making you aware of what that would mean for you. Then again there are some sh**ty people in this world...

 

If your paperwork doesn’t say “TRD lift kit” then you are likely out of schlitz. It sounds like you made an assumption but didn’t verify.

Was the lift kit broken out separately as a line item on your sales paperwork? If so I’m just wondering what it was relative to what the TRD lift kit goes for.

 

How do you not notice when taking delivery of your new truck the grill is not a pro grill...

 

You have 48 hours to cancel. How long have you had it? I wouldn't have driven it home.

 

I paid $1200 for the lift kit installed which ended up being just some spacers. Because it was ordered and online it shows a TRD Lift kit that is what should have been put on. The TRD Lift kit is only a dealer installed part but allows you to order it in the truck deal. Just like running boards all of that was placed in the truck deal. I was not even aware Toyota could put an aftermarket on as part of the truck deal when they have OEM parts. Later I found that the TRD kit retails for $1450 but I have found it online for $1250. I assumed that because labor was not on the invoice that it was free because it was ordered like this similar to most port installed options, or factory installed options that are on the sticker. If you think about it the TRD Shift Knob and TRD Chrome Tail Pipe, Black Letters for the back that say Tacoma "on a black truck?", etc. all didn't list install and when ordered on the car don't show labor. Nothing I ordered including the running boards listed Labor. All of this was part of the truck deal which was how it should have been delivered to me.

 

It was raining when I left and I am not as familiar as most of you as to what the grill looks like. This was 6 weeks ago. I have been arguing with them since then.

 

They probably didn’t charge for labor for those items because the salesman himself could have slapped those on. Wishing you well on this journey, it’s sounding like it’s going to be an uphill battle OP.

 

https://pressroom.toyota.com/step-up-new-tacoma-trd-lift-kit-now-available/

 

You won't win. Best you can do is set up a lemonade stand in the ROW at their entrance with a sign "This dealership scammed me, ask me how". Cause a ruckus. Maybe the news will do a story?

 

Read your last post OP, but still trying to figure out what was on your sales paperwork that you signed? Not sure how much it matters what was on the build you “ordered” because if the delivered configuration was wrong, you shouldn’t have signed for it. Not trying to beat you up but *so* critical to look anything over before you sign for it. If you’re saying that the dealer essentially misled you then I would stay on message and keep pressing that with the dealership leadership group and/or Toyota. When did you pick up and sign?

 

Bezos says this is normal.

 

This.

You may have spoken to the sales guy about the TRD Lift Kit and it was 100% clear in your mind (because as you said, why would they install aftermarket parts when you're discussing OEM with them), but it only matters what was put down on paper and signed for.

 

Some of these threads lately.

how… how do people get themselves into these situations? RAIN? Because of RAIN OP didn’t look over the truck? Didn’t notice or research what he bought vs what he got? SIX WEEKS have gone by?


Damn son…. if this is real.

 

Toyota absolutely makes a TRD lift kit now, aside from the Pro setup.

https://www.toyota.com/racing/trd/news/2021/trdusa-feature---tacoma-trd-lift-kit