Rail dust does appear on relatively new Toyota vehicles. People have asked if the Toyota warranty covers rail dust. The Ford warranty does cover rail dust for a certain period of time. I explained both the warranty and protection plan coverage for rail dust below.
Is rail dust covered by the Toyota warranty? No, Toyota specifically states in the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual that rail dust is not covered by warranty, but…
Specifically, what does the Toyota Tundra warranty manual say about rail dust? The the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual states: “This warranty does not cover damage or failures resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following: …Airborne chemicals, tree sap, road debris (including stone chips), rail dust, salt, hail, floods, wind storms, lightning and other environmental conditions…”
So, you may be wondering what is the context of the statement where Toyota stated that rail dust is not covered by the warranty. Well, the best way to understand the context is to read the complete section. This section states:
Corrosion Perforation Warranty
This warranty covers repair or replacement of any original body panel that develops perforation from corrosion (rust-through), subject to the exceptions indicated under “What Is Not Covered” on pages 14-15. Coverage is for 60 months, regardless of mileage.
For information on how to protect your vehicle from corrosion, refer to sections related to maintenance and care in the Owner’s Manual.
Towing When your vehicle is inoperable due to failure of a warranted part, towing service to the nearest authorized Toyota dealership is covered.
WHAT IS NOT COVERED
This warranty does not cover damage or failures resulting directly or indirectly from any of the following:
• Fire, accidents or theft
• Abuse or negligence
• Misuse — for example, racing or overloading
• Improper repairs
• Alteration or tampering, including installation of non-Genuine Toyota Accessories
• Lack of or improper maintenance, including use of fluids and fuel other than those specified in the Owner’s Manual
• Installation of non-Genuine Toyota Parts
• Airborne chemicals, tree sap, road debris (including stone chips), rail dust, salt, hail, floods, wind storms, lightning and other environmental conditions
• Water contamination
This warranty also does not cover the following:
Tires Tires are covered by a separate warranty provided by the tire manufacturer. See page 29.
Rail dust does is not mentioned anywhere else in the the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual. (However, “dust” appears in some form 57 times in the manual.)
By the way, here’s the web address for the 2018 Toyota Tundra Warranty and Maintenance Manual: https://www.toyota.com/owners/resources/owners-manuals/tundra/2018
Is rail dust covered by Toyota Protection Plans? Yes. Individual dealers sell protection plans. In this example from Toyota of Tacoma, Industrial Fallout, aka rail dust, is covered by the plan. It states: “PAINT/FABRIC/LEATHER EXTERIOR: Protects against damage to exterior painted surfaces caused by weather-induced fading or loss of gloss, oxidation, hard water etching, industrial fallout, bird droppings, insects, tree sap, acid rain, and accidental paint overspray. Also includes winter package protecting against road salt, deicing agents, and sand abrasion.”
In a second example from another dealer, Toyota of Grand Rapids, you can purchase a protection plan for paint for $299 that includes: “Paint Protection – $299 Formulated with Nano Technology to provide long lasting protection without waxing. Protects your vehicles finish from damage due to ultraviolet rays, commercial soaps, acid rain, industrial fallout and hard water spotting, tree sap, bird droppings, insect damage. New Vehicle – 10 year Repair/Replace warranty. Pre-Owned Vehicle – 7 year Repair Warranty.”
Is it worth it to buy the protection plan for paint or the entire vehicle? This depends on how often you see orange spots on your white paint. If you currently live in an area with industrial fallout, then, yes, get the protection plan. Over the life of your car, it is likely that you will encounter rail dust in at least the first seven years, at a minimum.
This assumes that you live near a Toyota dealer and it is convenient to visit the dealer and have work done. If your dealer is more than a 15 minute drive from your house, then, I’d suggest you take the easier, faster, and cheaper route and remove the rail dust yourself using Iron X or a similar rail dust remover. You can find a link to Iron X, (sold on Amazon) here. There are other articles on this website that explain how to use a fallout remover, such as Iron X.
Industrial Fallout and Rail Dust
Industrial Fallout and Rail Dust are synonyms, they mean the same thing. Both terms are used to describe the orange spots on white paint. This article explains how the terms are used interchangeably.