Toyota truck frame recall

[Big Sky]

I'd read that Toyota was experiencing some problems with truck frame rust-through. Then I got a recall/inspection notice a few weeks ago. Had my Tacoma to the dealer yesterday for the inspection. Verdict: light surface rust; no problem. But I insisted on speaking with the shop manager. He took me in the back where they indeed had a truck (I think this was a Tundra) that was having the frame replaced! That's akin to getting a skeleton transplant! So here was the old frame with power train still in place. Next to it the new frame, appeared to be powder-coated, to which they were transferring components. Over there sat the cab and box. The mech showed me the problems with the old frame. On the driver side, about halfway, a hole about the size of two fists rotted through on the inside of a box section. Whoa! The tail end of the frame was rotted and cracking near the bumper mounts. He said this example had spent its life "back east," the implication being in a very salty environment. Well, they are using mag-chloride more and more here, and now also using more raw salt. The Toyota man told me that Fords and GMs have the same problem but that those manufacturers were simply refusing to address it. Hmmm... Anyway, what does Toyota pay the local shop to do a frame-ectomy? Shop-hours must be astronomical! And what are the odds these probably typical mechanics will actually get that whole truck reassembled exactly like it came off the production line without introducing a whole series of issues that could take forever to sort out? What does it cost to manufacture a new frame and ship it? Once the defect is acknowledged, I was told, the new frame is built-to-order - two months wait! In the meantime, you're driving some kind of rental on Toyota's dime. How could this possibly pencil out? My '05 Tacoma with just 130K is probably worth $12-15K. What would Toyota have into this "repair"? Wouldn't a straight-forward buy-out make more financial sense? At any rate, despite the good bill of health from Toyota, I will be doing my own personal inspection with documenting camera in hand. By the way, this Tacoma is my fourth Toyota (4-Runners and trucks) in a row since 1989.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Not to worry, future purchasers of Toyota products will foot the bill for this.

 

[Pterodactyl]

I'll be putting my 2010 Tundra on the lift to change the oil in the transfer and differentials; guess I'll be checking the frame carefully. The truck has been problem free except for having the air injectors in the pollution control system replaced under warranty. Those things have a ten year, 150 mile warranty. Had one recall to replace a switch in a door, but nothing on the frame.

 

[BkerChuck]

This actually goes back several years and I believe was limited to the Tacoma series. Happened to 2 different coworkers of mine. In one case they reframed the entire truck and installed all new suspension components then issued a warranty against any problems that arose from the swap. Second case they cut him a check to buy it back because of the high mileage on his unit. I think it had something to do with the steel they used for those frames over a period of certain years. Some step was missed in the rust treatment of the frames. It was actually a recall.

 

[Cav47]

Toyota is not footing the (entire)bill for this. The dealership manager and I are buddies and he said Toyota sued the frame company because of the defects and that the frame company is providing the new frames and reimbursement for the switch overs. I was at the local Toyota dealership a few weeks ago to look at a "beater with a heater' for my 16 yr old. The tacoma that I was there to look at had 280K miles on it, but was going to be gone quickly because they are marketing them as rebuilt. There was at least 5 frames sitting outside and all of them were spoken for. We passed on the truck because of some of the potential problems that you wrote about Sky.

Lots of revenue for the dealerships. Charging the frame company(not owned by Toyota) to replace them.

 

[Geezer]

I am friends with the technician at my local Toyota dealer that does a lot of frame swaps. They did Tundras for a couple of years, and now they are working through the Tacomas. The frames that are not bad enough to need replacement are given a complete undercoating. If you do get a new frame you also get new brake lines and some other things, so it really is a good deal for the owner.

I wish GMC would do this. My '94 Chevy Crew Cab finally rusted enough that it is no longer safe to drive on the road. This is a 3500. If it was a lighter truck it would have rusted through a lot sooner.

 

[RichDoyle]

I got one of these notices also. I haven't had mine checked out yet. I, too, am flabbergasted at the amount of work this would take.

 

[Big Sky]

Geezer, I was not offered any undercoating. I'll need to do some more research about this.

 

[BkerChuck]

In the one case I referenced earlier, coworker was unaware of the problem He had crawled underneath to lube and adjust his emergency brake cables and grabbed onto the frame to help pull himself out from underneath. This resulted in a hand and face full of rusty metal chips and a hole in the frame where his hand had been. He was talking about this during our lunch break and I took him to a nearby computer where I was able to bring up the information on the recall. He left work that morning, we worked graveyard shift, and drove right to the dealership. They wouldn't even let him drive it home! Gave him a loaner car until his was fixed.

 

[gixxerjasen]

Toyota is not footing the (entire)bill for this. The dealership manager and I are buddies and he said Toyota sued the frame company because of the defects and that the frame company is providing the new frames and reimbursement for the switch overs. I was at the local Toyota dealership a few weeks ago to look at a "beater with a heater' for my 16 yr old. The tacoma that I was there to look at had 280K miles on it, but was going to be gone quickly because they are marketing them as rebuilt. There was at least 5 frames sitting outside and all of them were spoken for. We passed on the truck because of some of the potential problems that you wrote about Sky.
Lots of revenue for the dealerships. Charging the frame company(not owned by Toyota) to replace them.

The cost will trickle down to the consumer one way or another though.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Toyota...They used to be an awesome car company. Toyota and Nissan are what forced America's three to get off the stick and start making cars that would last. Then Nissan lost its mind and it's quality dwindled. Toyota hasn't been far behind. They have suffered massive recalls due to their reduction in quality.

Years ago, I said, "If Nissan ever makes a V8 truck, I'll be first in line to buy one." By the time they did, I was too deep into the Ford I had. I had two friends buy the Nissan trucks and they had nothing but problems. Thank goodness I missed that train. The prior series Tundra was just named as one of the top 10 worst used cars a person can buy. Lately Toyota had been all show and very little go.

I don't know that I'd drive a Chevy if someone gave me one. Well, that's not true; work gave me two of them, and they were decent, but the maintenance was crazy. I have 150k on my 99 F150. That truck has been all over this continent in conditions that would make some cars puke. It has never failed me, and it's frame is in great condition for a 5 year old truck, let alone a 17 year old 4X4. It has pulled way too much weight and has seen mud and snow up to the bumpers...It still has the original starter. Can't beat that with a stick! There's a reason Ford has had the best selling truck in the country for going on 40 years. I'd trade a Toyota in before I'd drive one with a replaced frame. Screw that!

 

[Bungie]

I bought a 2011 Tacoma last January, 50Km (about 30K miles). I knew about the frame issues prior to buying mine. Absolutely no rust on it at all. So I bought the truck, I brought it into Krown rust control and had them blast it with their ****. $139 for the entire truck.

I'm more worried about the body rusting then the chassis.

I'll bring it into Krown ever year and get it resprayed at that price.

The truck has been rock solid and even towed my FJR on a 1290lb U-Haul trailer mit der ramp down to WV and back without so much as a hiccup. I'll let you know how I feel 10 yrs from now.

 

[BigOgre]

I dunno. Toyota seems to be doing ok in some markets.

 

[Pterodactyl]

While in Saudi Arabia I saw hundreds of Nissan pick-ups out in the desert being driven by the Bedouin sheep herders. They were all white with a red stripe on the side. The Saudis gave the trucks to the Bedouins for free as they did free rice each week. When a truck broke down for any reason the Bedouins would just abandon it and often placed a dead sheep behind the wheel. The Bedouins were all over our assembly area and refused to leave. That is until one night a Bradly Infantry Fighting Vehicle gunner got nervous and fired a 25mm sabot round that went through the engine block, cab and out the tailgate of a Bedouin truck. Not a Bedouin to be seen the next morning.

 

[Geezer]

Geezer, I was not offered any undercoating. I'll need to do some more research about this.

That may vary by state. I know they haven't recalled trucks for frame inspection in all states, only the ones that have snow and road salt.

 

[RichDoyle]

Geezer, I was not offered any undercoating. I'll need to do some more research about this.

That may vary by state. I know they haven't recalled trucks for frame inspection in all states, only the ones that have snow and road salt.

It'a a big list, though. 30 states.

 

[DiggerDr.]

I had heard about this but had not really paid much attention. So I went and checked a friends. He never washes his truck. For that matter he does very little maintenance at all. Indiana salt has ate this one up. His father was there and also looked at it. His comment: "You could throw a cat through there and never scratch the side" Lol Was not quite that bad, but it does have a hole in it.

 

[El Toro]

We haven't heard anything in my neck of the woods.

I've had Tundras in MY 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015. No recalls on any of them, except for that recall on the floor mats / accelerator pedal early on.

We don't have much road salt though.

 

[lnewlf]

I've used 6 Chevy pickups in my business-all went 300K+ all were rock solid reliable and ran great when I sold them for peanuts-no frame rot ever but the sheet metal fell off due to road salt... My neighbors 5 year old Tundra just went in for a new frame....