Transfer Case problems of the 2008 Toyota Tundra

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that the transfer case spider was rusted. The failure caused the vehicle to make a growling noise and hesitate abnormally when driven. The dealer stated that the gear was supposed to be covered in oil and should not rust. The failure mileage was 104,000 and the current mileage was 106,000.

The transmission and transfer case on our 2008 Tundra 4wd drive has failed, repeatedly this past week while operating the vehicle on a public street. In this "fail" condition, the transfer case makes a grinding nose, the transfer case alarm buzzer makes nose and irrespective of transmission position or transfer case selection (2wd, 4wd hi, 4wd lo) fails to engage in low or hi, and most troubling, the vehicle will roll in any gear, no gear will engage, and the car can roll forward or backwards out of control. I was almost hit a by a car today because I could not get the truck to engage in any gear, in any setting, inspite of attempts to roll the vehicle slightly down the hill to allow for the transfer case to engage, as suggested in the owner's manual. While I am not pleased with the (failed) condition of the drive train for this new truck, this is an issue I will address directly with Toyota. In the fail condition of 4wd, the transfer case merely 'beeps' and refuses to engage transmission, resulting in a free-rolling, uncontrolled vehicle. Had this failure happened today as we attempted to enter the freeway, we would have likely been in a accident. This is unacceptable. I am most concerned that other Tundra owners (and the similar sequoia) would have a loss of vehicle control and power, resulting in injury or death. How troubling Toyota would put this vehicle on the road without addressing this issue.