So how mad should I be at the car dealership?

Three year ago i bought a new Tacoma from a DFW Mid-Cities Toyota dealership. I had shopped around and they offered me the best price on a SR5 4x4. This was going to be my new daily driver and hunting rig, so I was already planning on adding an aftermarket 2" - 3" lift kit, and some better AT tires. (Lots of driving on rutted, muddy, or sandy ranch/lease roads.) When I walked into the deanship, they had a lifted SR5 sitting in the middle of the showroom, with the same size tires I would have bought. This was on the next to last day of a quarter, and they offered me an out the door price that within $100 of the price of the original truck I was going to to buy plus what I already knew i was going to pay for the wheels\tires I was planned on upgrading to...making the lift kit and installation basically free. What a deal And we were driving off in less than 45 minutes.

I knew that the spare was an original full size...a couple of inches smaller than the tires on the truck, but hey, it would get you home (although in 4X4 it would not be ideal). I decided to kick the spare issue down the road, until my firs set of new tires.

Well, by the time I got home with the truck, I knew that they had not adjusted the headlights for the lift kit...I was blinding oncoming drivers with my low beams. That cost me a trip back to the dealership, but no big deal.

Fast forward three years and 48K miles of trouble free ownership...about dark last night, I finally found myself needing to put that spare on for the first time .

Guess what? The factory lug wrench will not fit the wheels that the Dealership installed. The wall thickness of the lug wrench is more than double the clearance around the lug nuts on the alloy wheels.
An hour later, I have a 1/2" drive ratchet, a deep impact socket, and cheater so I can get the lug nuts broken loose.

Now my truck is on flat concrete.... but guess what? The dealer supplied jack cannot get the over-sized tire off the pavement. It has not event taken the weight off the tire.

Now I am no stranger to lift kits, over-sized tires, and the issues that come with them, but I ASSuMEd that if the dealer offered the vehicle for sale that way, it would come with what I need to change a tire on the side of the road.

I'm calling the dealership GM tomorrow, to share some of my thoughts on the subject; Am I off base with being pi55ed about this?

Also, what is an acceptable remedy? A new lug wrench and a couple of 2X8 blocks gets the job done, but that does not feel right.

You’re off base. The factory supplied those items, not the dealer. I would have expected to outfit a high-lift or similar. Additionally, you never checked or did anything about the tiny spare.

Three years, oh well. Just kick the can down the road. Bitchin for a lost cause in my book.
Good luck

^^^^^^THIS^^^^^^^^
You say you are no stranger to lifted vehicles yet you never thought to check the jack or wrench on a vehicle you bought 3 years ago.

this ones on you but thanks for reminding the rest of us to check our nuts and jacks

^^^ They are correct. Sorry for your troubles Sir

No, it was not factory installed. The dealership had them installed after the vehicle was delivered to their lot.

The spare is not a problem. I do not have an issue with it being 2" smaller than the tires on the truck, especially since I was make aware of that at the time of purchase. It will still mount on the vehicle and get you home...no different than the do-nut spare provided on may cars.

My issue that the dealership provided a jack and lug wrench that do not fit. No jack and lug wrench would have been better.

Honestly, how may folks pull their lug wrench and jack out to test it out, before it is needed? This does not fit the "reasonable person" test.

The undersized tire is a bigger problem than you think. If you put it on the rear and you have a limited slip differential of any kind it will wear it out in short order. A few days of driving like that and it will be an open differential.

3 years, it’s on you.

You can not expect the sales department to check those things.

Whoever installed the lift, wheels and tires on the other hand.... let them have it.

Lesson learned, maybe somebody on the forum will start checking these things on there vehicles.

I carry a block of wood in my truck to drive up on if I have a flat tire, you don’t have to jack the truck up as high that way.

That would have worked great to set your factory jack on.

I got AAA and they handle flats

Go get a lug wrench and a piece of 4x4 block and save your complaining for a real problem.

Yup. Do not contribure to the rest of the world that has to blame everything on someone else.

I'd blame myself.

Was it Toyota of Grapevine by chance?

We bought our 4Runner there, great vehicle but I had an issue there myself

Still have the issue actually

Be glad you had anything, I bought a brand new car from ford a few years back and on my first trip out of state blew a tire. I had no cell signal and guess what? I had no spare no jack no tire tool no "inflation kit"(my new jeep has this what a joke im getting a full size spare soon). I had to wait until a dps trooper came along and was able to get signal out to my roadside assistance.

Your fault completely!

This is on you. Heck, I would just like to go three years with no flats!

I think TSS is done by the dealer. It’s not standardized and the dealer can upgrade whatever (usually wheels, tires and suspension).

TRD is done by the factory and is standardized on its upgrades.

Your truck, your responsibility. Man up and accept it.

+1

All trim packages are done by the factory, but a dealer can add whatever to them. It happens a lot in the toyota world. A lot of dealers add lifts and wheels and add 5k mark up for a 1k lift. It's just another way for them to make money.

I can see why you're upset OP, but they're not going to add anything that will cost them money. I see it being asked all the time in the 4runner forums. A lot of guys go buy a bottle jack immediately for this. The lug nut thing is definitely unfortunate.

Did the invoice have a new jack and new lug wrench on it?

it's on you. should've checked all of that at some point.

called: live and learn

Sorry for the trouble, but id say this isn't a dealer/manufacturer issue, never heard or would have thought about them swapping out a jack or lug wrench.

Couple years ago at a fire work stand we use to operate I had a guy pull in with an avalanche on huger 24+ inch rims. He was bragging on them and his dad just rolled his eyes. When they turned to leave they had a flat and what do you know... the jack wouldn't reach and the lug wrench wouldn't fit. After some swearing and daddy doing some I told you so's we lent them a floor jack and a breaker bar with a socket that fit. I doubt that fella learned his lesson that day, but the way his old man was laying it on he should have!

+1

Truth

Charlie

If the dealer supplied the jack and the lug wrench (which is what I meant, not the lift/tires), you have a minor beef with them, but I'd just go on down the road.

Most spares now days are for temporary use only. I don't remember the last time I used mine. I always replace all 4 tires. It wasn't that way in the old days. You replace 3 and used your best old tire for a spare.

All on you. It’s been 3 years dude.
And the factory supplied the lug wrench and the jack and spare. Not the dealership.
The dealer may have put the lift and tires on it but not the above mentioned items.

I agree with everyone above. Sucks to be in that situation, but no need to go chewing someone’s arse that had nothing to do with it. You got a good deal on the lift, so go get you a jack and a nice break over handle and move on down the road.

The factory provided the jack and lug wrench.
The dealership modified or has had a 3rd party modify the vehicle from the factory specs.
You purchased a vehicle that was modified from factory specs.

A reasonable person would have asked more about the modified equipment.

If you had the lift done yourself, would you expect the shop to provide you a new jack or lug wrench?
Would you have expected the shop to sell you a jack and lug wrench?
Would you expect the shop to give you a jack and lug wrench 3 years later?

Just accept that you screwed up and didn’t ask the right questions.
Then go buy one of these.
https://www.quadratec.com/p/mopar/jack-base-jeep-wrangler-jl

I didn't know people actually used the factory jack and lug wrench

You bought a modified vehicle. That's on you.

Wait until he finds out the dealership only warrants the lift for 1year / 12K miles. He is going to flip his lid.

That makes more sense, now that you’ve clarified.

He bought a new vehicle from a dealer that is warrantied by the dealer. All add on parts are under warranty, just like any other vehicle trim level would be.

If it was TRD I could understand. Was it TRD or aftermarket? My understanding it that it is aftermarket.

My Cadillac CTS didn't even come with a spare, it came with a plug in inflator. lol

Dealership didn't even think about the spare, jack or lug wrench. They only had their focus ($$$$) on selling a truck that was already accessorized.

Lol, neither did the owner.....if he lifted it at a shop is it the shops job to make sure he has a Jack or correct tire tool?

This is about the only thread that has consistent members in agreement, lol. OP's fault, live and learn. I purchased a new F150 but before delivery had seller go with me down the road to an offroad shop where I picked out wheels, tires, lift, etc; had it rolled into vehicle contract and installed before I signed, made payment and took delivery. Got written confirmation on all items warranted in standard veh warranty with no limited warranty on the lift. At delivery, I increased my down payment for the amount I had all ready saved and planned to spend on the wheels, tires and lift. I had them delivery truck to my house where I immediately placed my blocks, lug socket/wrench with cheater bar and heavy duty jack, that I had bought in anticipation of what to do when have a flat. Also placed in truck emergency tools, jumper cables, gloves, flashing light etc... same thing I have done in all my, wife and kids vehicles.

OP, come on man! your situation sucked but could have been prevented

It sounds to me like it was TSS, which are add-ons done by the dealer, not the manufacturer. But, he didn’t say whether it was TSS or TRD or something else.

It’s aftermarket, but the dealer does it before putting it on the lot and rebrands it as a TSS (Toyota Sports Series). TRD is a series of packages that are offered by Toyota corporate, like a King Ranch F-150 is offered by Ford.

It’s a way for the dealer to jack up the price of a non-TRD Tacoma or Tundra (SR5) by upgrading the wheels and tires, suspension and decals. Dealers can do whatever they want. But since the dealer added them on prior to sale, the add-ons are warrantied, just like the shocks or wheels are on a TRD model.

Either way, OP didn’t add on aftermarket accessories or anything. He bought it that way from the dealer and paid a premium for it. The dealer didn’t change out or provide functional tools for the add-ons, which is bad, but shouldn’t be unexpected, and the OP should’ve checked a long time ago.

Mike... Not everyone can fabricate one on the side of the road like you

Nope. That right there is called an up-sale in the parts and accessories world..

Nak.....go whoop some arse. It's their fault.

And video the exchange for our amusement...

The nail has been hit many times on the head. Three years down the road and you KNEW about the smaller spare, I don’t understand why it wouldn’t occur to you to purchase a new jack for the lifted vehicle if you have experience with lifted vehicles?

Lol you just gotta pet the puppy the wrong way don't you

Always. Balance is in my nature.

I don't think it is an unreasonable expectation to have a jack and lug wrench that works. Isn't that why it came with one of each?

I carry a 4 way and a bottle jack that I prefer, but that's just me. Most of us on this forum are just like that, our own stuff, and our own way. But, we ain't all like that.

To the OP, stuff happens. The dealership didn't think of it, neither did you, nor would most drivers.

Thanks for the heads up. I bought my truck last Dec and it had the 6in lift and big wheels on it. I'll check the lugs tomorrow. Dealer rotates every oil change and I have a tire/wheel plan so if I ever need them someone will come out. Guess I need to check my wife's lifted Jeep too. I did buy a new Dodge Dakota in 91 that I drove 4 years before I needed the spare. Was not even the same lug hole number. Went to the dealership and after they saw that it indeed was the original spare they reluctantly gave me the correct one. Your experience may differ!