2008-2018 Radiator Failure and Public Service Announcement (5 Viewers)

[bloc]

My 2 cents: if it was engineered I don’t think the engineering solution would have to create an unpredictable failure with a stress riser at an unnecessary angle. I think they just wanted a flat surface for labeling and didn’t appreciate the stress riser they were creating.
On my earlier Q, would building up the weak spot relieve stress or concentrate it somewhere else like in overdoing a weld in metal?

Agree completely on the reasons it fails. It is a bad design, and they in effect acknowledged this by updating the design on the later radiators.

As for if it would help prevent the crack.. it’s totally possible. In general I wouldn’t trust an epoxy to bond to the tank with anything approaching the tensile strength of the plastic itself. But then maybe it doesn’t have to. Maybe any level of assistance is enough to prevent the crack forming. But again, we just don’t know.

But, if it doesn’t work and a crack starts forming, the failure will be hidden from easy inspection and the only clue it isn’t working might be when coolant starts leaking. Without a patch you’d see the crack and have thousands of miles to plan the repair.

Edit: missed the part about redirecting the stresses. I think it would probably just spread it out effectively. Even if it didn’t, it would move the stress riser to a new spot that hadn’t been part of the bad design and over-stressed for all the miles the truck has driven so far.

 

[sdnative]

How does this look? Is that a crack starting or just discoloration? This is a 2013 with 64k.

 

[fasteddie2015]

Dont know if thats the crack, but that angle sure looks stressed.

Can someone please post a pic of a new radiator so we can see how they've revised the design?

 

[99Cruiser]

How does this look? Is that a crack starting or just discoloration? This is a 2013 with 64k.

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That is the beginning of the stress crack. It might not leak soon. Mine looks like that with 106k miles on a 2008. Just keep checking that area when you gas up to see if the line spreads further.

 

[LBridges]

Dont know if thats the crack, but that angle sure looks stressed.

Can someone please post a pic of a new radiator so we can see how they've revised the design?

From a 2020 HE.

Not sure how easy to see, but on the new style the place where the flat touches the rounded top is in the middle of the label space, not on the side nearest the engine as on earlier models. And the height of the label platform above the rad top curve is not as high. Finally, at least visually, there is still that transition from curved to a raised flat label space. But now there's a place for a crack on the top and bottom of the space. Maybe there is something internal that makes this less threatening, at least that's my hope.

Also see page 38 of the thread for photos of the replacement part -seems to match what is on my truck.

 

[tincan45]

That's a crack. You can probably go another 20K. I would replace before you encounter hot summer weather though.

 

[bloc]

How does this look? Is that a crack starting or just discoloration? This is a 2013 with 64k.

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Agree. That is the start of a crack. Unlikely to fail tomorrow, but plan your repair before summer, or any heavy or sustained towing.

 

[fasteddie2015]

Just checked mine. 2015 LC with 120K. Looks good to me. I'm going to hold off on trying to add any reinforcement for now.

 

[Docboy]

Count me in as a member of this infamous club. 2009, LX570, 110k miles, happened without warning. Oil change shop discovered it when they popped the hood this morning. Needless to say I couldn't make it to the office today.

Classic failing spot at the "raised" indent. Was fine last week.

 

[bloc]

Count me in as a member of this infamous club. 2009, LX570, 110k miles, happened without warning. Oil change shop discovered it when they popped the hood this morning. Needless to say I couldn't make it to the office today.

Classic failing spot at the "raised" indent. Was fine last week.


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“Fine” meaning no visible crack even on close inspection?

If it totally failed in a week from a visually perfect state that would seem to be new behavior.

 

[fasteddie2015]

@whereiswill - Hows the radiator repair holding up?

 

[Docboy]

“Fine” meaning no visible crack even on close inspection?

If it totally failed in a week from a visually perfect state that would seem to be new behavior.

Should have clarified. "Fine" as meaning the radiator had the typical hairline crack at the raised "indent" but no other obvious coolant loss and the truck was running WNL. Suddenly the radiator just blew and cracked without warning, and I'm now without a car for a day (at least). Toyota couldn't have used an all aluminum radiator in a $90k vehicle?

 

[Fisher23]

Has this problem been corrected in the newer vehicles.. and from what year on?

 

[tincan45]

Has this problem been corrected in the newer vehicles.. and from what year on?

I think 2018+ have the updated version.

 

[bloc]

There was discussion earlier in this thread about exactly when the new part came on new cars, but I seem to remember some 18s having the old design

Should have clarified. "Fine" as meaning the radiator had the typical hairline crack at the raised "indent" but no other obvious coolant loss and the truck was running WNL. Suddenly the radiator just blew and cracked without warning, and I'm now without a car for a day (at least). Toyota couldn't have used an all aluminum radiator in a $90k vehicle?

$250k AMGs probably have plastic end tanks. The fact that it’s plastic isn’t the problem, it’s that it is poorly designed.

Sorry it failed on you. Sort of a lesson for others though.. if you see the crack forming start planning the repair.

 

[frostcm]

For anyone keeping stats, my radiator just failed in my 2008 with 115K miles. Very disappointing given my past 12 year, 300K, virtually trouble free experience with my 100. I'll be following up with Toyota on this issue.

Radiator failure on my 2013 with 116K miles. 100K miles or so seem to the useful life for these?

 

[bloc]

Just checked mine. 2015 LC with 120K. Looks good to me. I'm going to hold off on trying to add any reinforcement for now.

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Looking closer I think you might have just the very beginning of a crack forming.. the thin white line running below the right edge slightly moving downward..

Might need a picture without the bright overhead lighting to see it better.

 

[lbbest]

Just replaced at 101,000 miles on a 2011. It was cracked and leaking on the alternator belt making it squeak.

 

[Docboy]

There was discussion earlier in this thread about exactly when the new part came on new cars, but I seem to remember some 18s having the old design




$250k AMGs probably have plastic end tanks. The fact that it’s plastic isn’t the problem, it’s that it is poorly designed.

Sorry it failed on you. Sort of a lesson for others though.. if you see the crack forming start planning the repair.

I would agree. Never thought it would happen to me. Internet hyperbole I was thinking.

Then boom, radiator blew and I lost a work day. Could have been stranded the freeway.

For those who see this "white line crack" I recommend getting the radiator replaced asap. Otherwise it's a ticking time bomb. Seems like 100k miles is the longevity.

 

[bloc]

I would agree. Never thought it would happen to me. Internet hyperbole I was thinking.

Then boom, radiator blew and I lost a work day. Could have been stranded the freeway.

For those who see this "white line crack" I recommend getting the radiator replaced asap. Otherwise it's a ticking time bomb. Seems like 100k miles is the longevity.

I recall seeing some bad as early as 60k, and others going 130. No idea what the climate considerations were in those cases, or freeway vs stop & go, but ultimately you are right. If 200-series owners are approaching 80-100k they should be checking their radiator often, and starting to plan the work as soon as any crack is visible.