My Brand New Toyota Tundra Has Protective Liner, Now I Want To Remove It Without Damaging The Paint

This morning I came across a discussion in one of the Tundra truck forums, in which one owner shared his frustration with the linker cracking on his Toyota Tundra, which he bought a brand new in 2017. 

"I need some advice… 2017 SR5  I bought this truck brand new and I knew it had the protective liner that came stock on the truck which is now cracking. The body shop says it can’t be removed without damaging the paint. Any ideas on what I should do?", asks this owner, named Kent from fellow Toyota Tundra owners.

What would you tell him?

Well, first of all, that paint protection film on his Toyota Tundra most probably did not come from the Toyota factory like that. The dealer or somebody put it on there before he bought it.  Dealers either sub the work out to a local installer or train in-house. Kent says his Tundra truck only had 7 miles when he bought it. Car companies usually don't send their cars writh a protective liner, but interestingly, last year Tesla started offering wraps and PPF for its Model 3 and Model Y vehicles for 2023 and beyond.

Second. In the future when you buy a car, consider opting out of that protective film. It looks cheap and collects dirt over time.

I noticed one of the fellow Tundra owners said, "Find the best auto detailer in your area. Someone with years and years of experience with a buffer. If they also do wraps, that would be a bonus, but the important part is going to be making the paint look great and adding in protection once that." I think this is a good suggestion.

"It can absolutely be removed. I did it on mine, steamer, heat gun, and a whole lot of patience. It will be slow but it will come off. Then wax the hood and you’ll be golden," writes another Toyota Tundra owner named Mark. 

So how do you remove the protective film with a heat gun? One member in the discussion, named Jared, says, "So when it cracks like that it’s a real pain to get off. You can use a heat gun and plastic razor blades, and if you get the temp right it will peel. The 3M adhesive remover works really well although I think it’s basically acetone. You could pay the guys that apply paint protection film. They should be able to remove and then buff it out for you. It depends on your budget."

So it looks like it the protective film can be removed from his Toyota Tundra without damaging the paint, and is doable, but it’s going to take hours and hours to remove it. A heat gun and a lot of patience is needed to remove the paint protection film. Or, bring your Toyota Tundra to a wrap place that specializes in PPF and they should be able to remove it without damage to the paint.

In any case, you should start from a corner. Once you get a corner lifted up, it should start to peel. Heat it real well and be careful not to heat up the paint in the same spot for a long time.

Thus, there are two options here to move forward: DIY Patch Job or Professional Repair.

• DIY Patch Job: For small, non-structural cracks, plastic repair kits are available at auto parts stores. These involve cleaning the area, applying a mesh patch for reinforcement, and finishing with a plastic weld. It requires some finesse but can be a cost-effective solution for minor damage.
• Professional Repair: Body shops specializing in plastic repair might be able to fuse the cracks using specialized tools and techniques. This approach offers a more durable fix but comes at a higher cost.

What would you suggest to a fellow car owner in this case? What should Kent do with this Toyota Tundra now? Please, click the red link below to write your comment and join the discussion helping with your experience and knowledge.

Also, read about this Toyota Tundra owner, who says he tinted the windows of his Tundra truck and now regrets it at night.

Armen Hareyan is the founder and the Editor in Chief of Torque News. He founded TorqueNews.com in 2010, which since then has been publishing expert news and analysis about the automotive industry. He can be reached at Torque News Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, and Youtube. He has more than a decade of expertise in the automotive industry with a special interest in Tesla and electric vehicles.

Image is a screenshot from Kent Degallerie's Tundra Truck.