Toyota Innova Gas Tank woes

**Mile2** · February 13th, 2010 11:22 AM

Here's another problem with Innova gas tank and I knew Toyota Phils. knows this problem and still keeping their silence.

Here in Tsikot, there are already a lot of owners who do experience this problem not just once but twice or three times during the warranty period. But some like me have shoulder the cost of replacing it because I'm not aware that this is due to faulty design and components.

Here's my first gas tank, replaced using my Insurance claim and paid for my participation. Toyota only replaced my gas tank assembly.

Then after less than 9 months, the gas tank again warped on the same spot. This time I already knew that this is a real defect from components and negative pressure build up is flipping my gas tank floor inward, I tried opening the gas filler cap and instantaneously a loud flipping sound of metal from the gas tank could be heard. This explains the cracks and fuel leak, the constant flipping out and flipping in of gas tank floor weakens the cornered portion of the gas tank just beneath the front strap.

Here's the picture of my second gas tank, claimed under warranty that took me around 2 months to battle my claims with TMP. See how deep the the dent on the gas tank floor due to negative pressure. Together with replacing my gas tank, TMP also replaced my Charcoal Canister assembly and Filler Cap. I'm still hoping it won't happen again

Picture of warped gas tank showing how large is the dent due to negative pressure.

Other owners who experienced this, just show up and be counted, and to other owners who will experience this and your unit is still under warranty, be firm to claim it under warranty as this is really due to faulty components.

To the moderators, please have this thread sticky to warn others and to let them know that they should claim it under warranty.

**mikelsy** · February 13th, 2010 01:10 PM

Is this limited to petrol or diesel only?

**wolfhound** · February 13th, 2010 01:25 PM

May i know what is the effect of his problem? Does it only waste your fuel?

I encountered a problem also but I'm not sure if it's related to this. My fuel gauge displays a warning light so i went to a gas station. I told the gas boy "full tank until 1st click" and so he did. Surprisingly, the nozzle clicked eventhough my fuel gauge only displays 3/4 filled. So I left there anyway and drove home. After several km i drove, i went back to the same station to have it refilled until 1st click. But still it stopped until 3/4 display of the gauge. He said that this kickback is normal if the nozzle detects pressure in the gas tank. Is this true? Have you experienced this? so i told him to continue refilling it and there, it clicked and gauge says full.

Any inputs will be appreciated!

**bmacavanza** · February 13th, 2010 04:35 PM

fyi

lahat ng fuel tank meron breather for purpose of vacuum. Otherwise parang zesto yan. maging chicharon ang tank.

**Gecko Guy** · February 13th, 2010 04:45 PM

So does this mean sa breather ang problem?

**ghosthunter** · February 13th, 2010 07:52 PM

Yes, I was wondering about the same thing.

The fuel tank should not have a vacuum pressure inside. This could mean the fuel tank breather tube or breather check valve is either faulty or installed improperly (wrong direction).

**Memphis Raines** · February 14th, 2010 12:15 AM

Constant expansion/retraction will lead to metal fatigue.

This should really be addressed by TMP.

Thread is a sticky now.

Speak up and be counted.

**shibby75** · February 14th, 2010 12:51 AM

i think the filler cap also has the breather hole.

**Gecko Guy** · February 14th, 2010 01:57 AM

If there are others out there with this same problems, better post here...Hopefully ma-correct agad to kung faulty design nga...

**Mile2** · February 15th, 2010 10:38 AM

The defective part would either be the "Filler Cap" or the "Charcoal Canister" or both. These two components were not replaced on my first warped gas tank problem.

At the dealer, the service manager and crew disassembled the Filler Cap and found out that the breather holes were clogged with dusty soot like charcoal formation.

See pictures below.

Cloged breather holes exposed after removing the tiny plastic filter mesh.

These are the pictures after cleaning the breather holes and the tiny plastic filter mesh.

Why it was getting clogged with soot like formation was a big question, but certainly there's none written on the owners manual to service this and certainly it was not part of any Toyota PMS recommendation, therefore is was like a ticking bomb.

During my battle in claiming warranty that took almost 2 months, as remedial measure they removed the tiny plastic filter mesh.