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Toyota Tacoma 2004 and Earlier Frame Problem

1348 messages,  Last post on Apr 25, 2013 at 10:23 AM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Tacoma, Toyota 4Runner, Car Safety, Auto Body, Car Warranties, Truck

Messages Page 135 of 136

#1335 of 1348 Just purchased...... by bsims13

Oct 31, 2012 (11:07 am)

I recently purchased a 2002 Tacoma from a Honda dealer in Columbus Ohio who showed me VIN Checks that showed no issues with the truck. Once purchased I found out none of the recalls had been performed and the only one that was still applicable was the ball joint recall. Upon calling Toyota I was told the deadline in Ohio passed in 2011. What a bunch of crap. I went with a Toyota due to their touted reliability, but should have known better with all the recalls going on now with most of their vehicles. I now have a great looking truck with a frame that is completely rusted and I fear to drive it. I cannot trade as I have a loan on it, and cannot afford another vehicle. Are there any resources for someone who may have missed the deadline or a class action to get behind? I know the truck is old, but have a firm believe that the frame should be the LAST thing on a vehicle to go.

#1336 of 1348 Re: me too [lick45] by kgsresearch

Oct 31, 2012 (12:15 pm)

Replying to: lick45 (Oct 28, 2012 8:06 pm)
We have years and years of vehicles from Toyota also. Supposedly the bad frame Toyota used was bought from a company in CA ... go figure. We're still waiting for a final letter from Toyota, after calling them umpteen times to try to fight this. Did go to a salvage yard yesterday just to see what our options might be from here ... they said they could offer $1200. This is so frustrating!! We need a reliable vehicle, which is why we bought Toyota in the first place, so it stinks to have to start researching other companies and think about taking out another loan. Again, we really feel strongly that Toyota should be extending the warrenties on all the trucks they know of that they put in a faulty frame, not just the ones that participating in their underspraying program, since that clearly didn't fix the problem in any way! '04 Toyota trucks should not be worthless with only 148,000 miles, and if they are, then Toyota's reputation should be down the drain.

#1337 of 1348 Re: Just purchased...... [bsims13] by kgsresearch

Oct 31, 2012 (12:20 pm)

Replying to: bsims13 (Oct 31, 2012 11:07 am)
An '02 Tacoma should not be considered old, or unreliable! We did just send certified letters to Toyota, BBB, NH Traffic & Safety, and one other place. I don't know of any class action, but we are trying to fight this (with no luck for the past 3 weeks). I'm sure more and more letters can't hurt. We certainly haven't gotten any impression from Toyota that they care about this issue at all ... not what we've come to expect from Toyota.

#1338 of 1348 Re: ....and here we go! [jay3379] by jay3379

Nov 02, 2012 (7:39 am)

Replying to: jay3379 (Sep 05, 2012 5:43 am)
**Update** Ok, so the Toyota Rep. came to inspect the hole in my frame. Bad news - the hole did not qualify for frame replacement because it wasn't a "natural perforation". The frame was rusted and soft and by looking at the cross section of the hole (about the size of a quarter) it was CLEARLY rusted through enough that a light tap of a hammer broke through. I felt it should qualify but naturally Toyota disagreed.
 
Apparently I was the first truck they had seen with rust/perforation AFTER the undercoating had been applied. I had a good amount of surface rust prior to the coating (coating applied August 2010), and now everywhere that the paint covered the rust, paint was peeling and the frame continued to rust. I'm sorry but you can't paint over a problem and pretend it isnt there. I feel the coating was nothing more than a feel good stall technique to get people to forget about the rust until hopefully the warranty expires. Outta sight=Outta mind.
 
Good News - they disqualified the current hole, but the rest of the frame was still under warranty if any new holes would surface.
 
Just my luck a few weeks later the proportioning valve broke, and in the course of replacing that several other rusted parts associated with it broke. Between the frame issues and overall rust under the truck I decided to get rid of it before any more headaches came up. Luckily I was able to get a more than fair price on a trade in and have moved on to a new vehicle.
 
My advice to anyone out there is DO NOT attempt to break/tap/manipulate any suspected weak spots or holes on your frame. If you can't push your finger through it with little force, it won't qualify. I feel Toyota has spent so much money and time with this issue that they are really clamping down and are FAR less cooperative and willing to make things right. Best of luck to all of you, you will need it!

#1339 of 1348 fyarosh by fyarosh

Nov 06, 2012 (9:52 am)

Hi, i'm new to this. I did the frame recall inspection 2 years ago in Illinois. they said the frame was fine and put on the coating. two months ago a mechanic put his finger through a spot in the frame. two dealers said it is not a problem. Who is the best to contact to get some resolution ? Fyarosh

#1340 of 1348 Re: fyarosh [fyarosh] by lick45

Nov 06, 2012 (12:36 pm)

Replying to: fyarosh (Nov 06, 2012 9:52 am)
by having your frame coated Toyota extended your waranty, you need to get in writing from the 2 dealers that the frame rust thru is not a problem(it is), call Toyota customer service and get a case number(phone number is in your manual), file an online complaint with your states attorney general---good luck, dealers and Toyota are bleeding red ink so they will do anything to tap dance you aroung till they have no responsability, take it back for regular inspections and keep records, stay on top of this or you will have an unsafe and worthless truck

#1341 of 1348 Rotted Frame by shauna2u

Mar 18, 2013 (2:32 pm)

I purchased the best truck I could ever wish for, 2001 Toyota Tacoma; it’s an xtra cab with TRD with the SR5. Today at 113500 miles it still looks and runs showroom new. But it has the rust on the frame and bad too. Toyota refuses to help in any way. In 2012 the frame was perfect, now it is almost eaten through. I love this truck but it is unsafe to drive and I am very displeased with how they are handling the situation. I opt to go with Toyota compared to Chevrolet because Toyota had a wonderful reputation on reliable vehicles and I was sold on that. When the recall was sent out, I was living in Virginia and battling cancer so I missed the recall. I believe Toyota should warrant their product or close down their plants if they won’t honor the issues at hand. I want a new frame or at least another truck with my engine and transmission, my baby is gorgeous. I am now on a fixed income with blood clots in my lungs due to the cancer, I need my truck.
 
link title

#1342 of 1348 Re: Rotted Frame [shauna2u] by terceltom

Mar 18, 2013 (3:53 pm)

Replying to: shauna2u (Mar 18, 2013 2:32 pm)
Won't they even cut you a break if you pay for the reframe on your own? I had my 2004 Tacoma reframed and paid for entirely by Toyota back in 2011 and it was like a totally new truck afterward. A reframe usually cost around 8K to 10K but you think they would at least cut you a big break, like 50%.

#1343 of 1348 Salvage what you can by bsims13

Mar 18, 2013 (4:23 pm)

While I have had ZERO luck dealing with Toyota, I have decided to take matters into my own hands. My frame coating has completely disentegrated and the frame started to rust. Upon looking into the matter, I have decided to spend a couple hundred bucks on frame inhibitive paint, and have even found a spray can product with a hose intended for the internal box frame. Eastwood internal frame coating or something similar is the product, and I figure 3-4 cans should do the inside while i spray the outside with another product through my spray gun. Its a shot right? Hopefully will extend the life of the frame until I pay it off!

#1344 of 1348 Re: Rotted Frame [shauna2u] by ldent1

Mar 18, 2013 (5:29 pm)

Replying to: shauna2u (Mar 18, 2013 2:32 pm)
I have a 1997 and it had a 15 year warranty with recall. Your truck is not 15 years old.

Messages Page 135 of 136

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