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2005 Tacoma with RUSTY FRAME

82 messages,  Last post on Apr 22, 2013 at 9:35 PM

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What is this discussion about? Toyota Tacoma, Car Warranties,, Auto Body, Suspension, Truck

Messages Page 4 of 9

#28 of 82 Never Buy A Toyota Again by framerot1

May 31, 2012 (5:13 pm)

Its easy to see that anyone posting positive messages regarding Toyota Frame Rot is Toyota Company posting band-aids..band-aids won't stop this bleed.
   Toyota was delivered bad frames from Dana. Toyota knew it., and hid it. There was no recall. Toyota quietly called it a "Frame Program". If you bought your truck brand new Toyota would have sent a small card in the mail asking you to go to a dealer and get your frame inspected, but if you were a second party with no warranty information most likely you would never find out.
   I have a 2001 Tacoma 4X4 Looks like the day it was built, inside and out, purrs like a kitten.......But guess what????? You can't drive it!
   The first I heard of the frame program was in late 2011...I contacted a dealer....got the truck inspected...its frame failed. They told me that they (LIA TOYOTA , WILBRAHAM,MA) would order a frame and would call me in 2-3 weeks to complete the job of re-framing..
    I had custom bumpers (front & rear) Brush guards...traction bars... the truck had a $850 airbrushed frame! I was asked by LIA TOYOTA to purchase new U-bolts (liftkit) as they torch a lot of bolts. I did. $40.00 and removed all custom equipment (6 hours)
    2 weeks go by and LIA TOYOTA calls me to bring truck back in for a rep to Re-Inspect. Told to come in at noon. Waited 2 hours for rep to show up. Left without explanation but was told that they would get back to me. 3 weeks now my truck is in pieces.
    6 weeks go by and I get a call from Kevin Spillane of Toyota Customer Care. After 15 minutes of company prepared robot talk I was told that Toyota would not be doing the Re-frame and they were sorry I invested my time and money.
    Toyota lied to me. Wasted my time. Had me spend money. Encouraged me to remove bumpers/brushguards etc. to assist them. And then left me with a truck I can not drive.
    Toyota has left many (hundreds) of customers with useless junk because they built a faulty product. Yes some owners were taken care of. But let me tell you...for every good ending...you will hear ten bad .
    Toyota has not stood behind their product. I have always owned a Toyota truck, But this will be the last. Being number one in sales does not mean a thing. Its what happens after the sale.

#30 of 82 Re: No rust Problems [tacomaguy] by framerot1

May 31, 2012 (5:18 pm)

Replying to: tacomaguy (May 11, 2012 4:50 pm)
Thats what you think. Your frame is a DANA and its rotting as you read this. It rots from the inside out. It will look good till the day it breaks through. Tap it with a hammer over your rear leaf spring perch. Your frame is a defect but Toyota is not going to tell you. ALL Dana frames were defective...yours was'nt special.

#31 of 82 Re: Never Buy A Toyota Again [framerot1] by terceltom

May 31, 2012 (5:20 pm)

Replying to: framerot1 (May 31, 2012 5:13 pm)
Wow, I could take issue with much of what you said and I'm not a Toyota Rep. LOL, I'm a satisfied 2001 Tacomo owner. Toyota did a complete $11,000 reframe on my Tacoma in three days once the frame came in with no question asked and it's like a brand new truck. To top it off I was the second owner of this truck.
  
"Yes some owners were taken care of. But let me tell you...for every good ending...you will hear ten bad .
    Toyota has not stood behind their product"
 
 The above two statements are actually just the opposite. I belive Toyota did make a big and costly mistake with the bad frames but they stuck behind their product and it cost them dearly. I would also be willing to bet with all of the reframes and buybacks at 150% of book value you will find ten happy endings to this frame problem compared to one bad ending like you had.

#32 of 82 How Toyota dodged its customers on recall. by ohframerot

Jun 01, 2012 (8:15 am)

I own a 2001 Tacoma, 1st owner. I just recently took it to get a new exhaust and was told that the frame was so bad it was not safe to drive. The mechanic told me there was a recall on the frame and to contact my dealer. I checked toyota's website when i got home, No rust recall came up under the vin.
 
I contacted the dealer who said there was a recall, But the dealerships were told by toyota not to contact the customers unless they came in for other maintenance issues. According to the dealerships service mgr. Toyota was expecting 20 to 32 % of affected vehicles to actually cash in on the program prior to the deadline. If they saw a spike in a particular dealership and suspected the dealership was promoting the program and contacting the customers themselves Toyota would be less inclined to do the buyouts and make it harder for the dealerships to get frame replacements approved.
 
The way Toyota achieved keeping it's response low was as follows:
 
1. Don't call it a recall, change the name and it won't be attractive to the media and easy to find on the net, Hence: (Frame Program)
 
2. Keep dealerships from contacting customers.
 
3. Fashion the notices to appear to be junk mail at first glance, The font, layout, colors, and size of envelope are fashioned after the largest aftermarket extended warranty company in the US.
 
4. Make minimal attempt to contact original owners and none to contact secondary owners.
 
When I contacted toyota on the 15th of April they told me I was eligible for the program. I was issued a case mgt. number. I was contacted 2 days later by a lady who informed me I had missed the deadline of 12/31/11. I protested to a have it kicked up the ladder and was re contacted a few days later by a woman who described herself only as Laura. She told me I was "wasting my time" and it "Not going to happen" regarding my need for a new frame.
 
Toyota orchestrated a smooth program to limit its losses from this Frame debacle. They try to play themselves off as being pro-active when in reality they are trying relieve themselves from the cost their own liability.
 
I personally will not drive or sell my 2001 Toyota Tacoma. The fame is rust to the point that you can put your hand through it at the area above where the leaf springs attach to the frame.
 
But someone will, and when they unload one of these deathtraps on some unsuspecting owner its just a matter of time before people get killed.
 
If anyone knows of a class action lawsuit that includes Ohio regarding this matter, please post a link or a phone number.

#33 of 82 Re: No rust Problems [framerot1] by tacomaguy

Jun 01, 2012 (8:56 am)

Replying to: framerot1 (May 31, 2012 5:18 pm)
My truck is a 2005 extended cab. Its frame is solid and looks as good as the day it came home from the dealership. The rust problem is only with the "First Gen" Toys, isn't it?

#34 of 82 Re: How Toyota dodged its customers on recall. [ohframerot] by terceltom

Jun 01, 2012 (9:29 am)

Replying to: ohframerot (Jun 01, 2012 8:15 am)
I think your really reaching with your 4 steps of what YOU think Toyota conspired to what amounts to a cover-up. Would Ford or Chevy or any manufacturer for that matter back-up there error like Toyota did with 150% buybacks and frame replacements for vehicles they sold 15 years ago ? ? ? I don't think so.

#35 of 82 Re: How Toyota dodged its customers on recall. [terceltom] by ohframerot

Jun 01, 2012 (1:47 pm)

Replying to: terceltom (Jun 01, 2012 9:29 am)
I hardly think Toyota has any DESIRE to compensate customers for their losses at all. They are trying to remove future potential liability by getting some of these death traps off the road. Its simply a financial decision.
 
But they may be fooling themselves if they believe that by applying a deadline to their recall they can save money and still insulate themselves from future litigation.
 
Lets say a frame snaps on a Tacoma at 65 MPH on a busy Highway, falls to the tires and causes a horrific accident that kills some people. Do you really think Toyota will be held harmless due to the fact that the owner missed the deadline for frame replacement? Especially if he tried and was denied.
 
The very fact that they have admitted the problem exists, obligates them to repair or replace each and EVERY vehicle. You cannot place a deadline on public safety.

#36 of 82 Re: How Toyota dodged its customers on recall. [ohframerot] by dyanke

Jun 02, 2012 (6:03 am)

Replying to: ohframerot (Jun 01, 2012 8:15 am)
I can tell you with all confidence that this email (#32) is a misrepresentation.
 
I am in the process of the frame replacement right now and just went in to have it checked last week. The process is completely painless and they are anxious to help.
 
Rather than throw away thousands of dollars because of a misinformed dealer, possibly contact Mark, the service manager at my dealership (815) 748-7300. Since they provide a loaner at their cost, it might be worth the drive to illinois for an $11,000 + free replacement.

#37 of 82 Re: How Toyota dodged its customers on recall. [ohframerot] by dyanke

Jun 02, 2012 (6:07 am)

Replying to: ohframerot (Jun 01, 2012 1:47 pm)
The "Dead Lines" everyone keeps mentioning, the 12/31/11date, were for frame spraying not the replacement.
 
The spraying was an effort to protect frames that had not developed problems yet. While ineffective, it seems to have been more of a "stop gap" type effort rather than a final solution.
 
I am not aware of any deadline on the frame recall and, if there is, it has yet to be reached.

Messages Page 4 of 9

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