Toyota - NOS or new OEM parts?

[Gusb]

Picked up my FJ40 tail lights today at Toyota and the first thing I noticed is they're not the same. One looks like an original 30 year old part (NOS) - the other looks like a recently manufactured new part. The lenses are the same, but check out the cad plating and discolored aged connector on the one , and the shiny silver with what looks like a completely new connector on the other. One was in a bubble bag, the other was in a box. I picked up a new dash pad a few weeks ago and it really looks like it was just manufactured, perfect box, perfect bag inside and nothing aged looking about the material on the pad.

Does anyone else suspect Toyota has begun to manufacture some of these parts again?

 

[fj404life]

They oughtta manufacture the whole darn truck again!
They just posted there first losses in 70 years today!!
New NOS would be cool.

 

[nuclearlemon]

toyota didn't manufacture them, kioto did most of the lights for toyota. it's possibly a different manufacturer now. that may be why they look different. is there any sort of manufacturer info on the back to compare between the two?

 

[spotcruiser]

Also, some things change over the years that a manufacturer has no control over (cad plating for one). Cad plating has fallen out of favor due to environmental concerns.

 

[Trollhole]

Yep you have Cad on the left and Zinc on the right. If I had my choice I'd rather have the Cad.

I'm also going to bet the one on the left was made in the past year.

Doubt Koito isn't the manufacturer of both. Especially when it's a trim item. They have to have their name on them.

 

[Gusb]

toyota didn't manufacture them, kioto did most of the lights for toyota. it's possibly a different manufacturer now. that may be why they look different. is there any sort of manufacturer info on the back to compare between the two?

Check out these shots - these stampings are exactly the same on both lights ...

Also, some things change over the years that a manufacturer has no control over (cad plating for one). Cad plating has fallen out of favor due to environmental concerns.

Wouldn't that add to the theory that the silver one is a new manufacture?

 

[Trollhole]

Check out these shots - these stampings are exactly the same on both lights ...



Wouldn't that add to the theory that the silver one is a new manufacture?

No. Koito has several plants in the US.

But you may have just pointed out something. The one stamped US was most likely made in the US which has basically outlawed Cadium plating. The other was probably made in Japan or China. Yes that is right. Some OEM parts are probably made in China. Koito, Aisin, Aisan and other have plants in China.

US could also stand for country of use.

 

[Gusb]

I'm also going to bet the one on the left was made in the past year.

You mean the one (silver) on the right - it has the new connector and no cad?

 

[spotcruiser]

Yep, the cad plated one has got to be the old one.

 

[Trollhole]

You mean the one (silver) on the right - it has the new connector and no cad?

No the one on the left. Toyota does have old stock sometimes. But for rear lights I doubt it. Just because the connector is slightly yellower doesn't mean it is old. Like I said I bet that Yellow Cad plated one was made in the past year.

 

[Sea Knight]

Picked up my FJ40 tail lights today at Toyota and the first thing I noticed is they're not the same. One looks like an original 30 year old part (NOS) - the other looks like a recently manufactured new part. The lenses are the same, but check out the cad plating and discolored aged connector on the one , and the shiny silver with what looks like a completely new connector on the other. One was in a bubble bag, the other was in a box. I picked up a new dash pad a few weeks ago and it really looks like it was just manufactured, perfect box, perfect bag inside and nothing aged looking about the material on the pad.

Does anyone else suspect Toyota has begun to manufacture some of these parts again?

I was placing an FJ40 parts order this morning with John Hocker at Sierra Toyota ( shameless plug, 888-340-8696) and mentioned this thread. John said that most of the recently manufactured Toyota parts he receives are packaged in plastic bubble bags, and NOS is typically in boxes. It sounds as though you got one new tail light assembly and one NOS.

 

[troopie]

Hi all,

I had the same experiance with the rear lights. I have a habit of killing them, so i buy quite a lot of 'em. The last i got was also silver looking instead of the yellow cad. It was also differently packed. My guess is that the silver ones are newer production.

Toyota uses these lights in more than only the 40 series. The Dyna pickup for instance uses the same lights. So they could easely be produced currently and have changed production methods or so.

Just my two cents.

Later,
Mark