Frame Rust 2001 -2004

Oh, and for the record, my dealership had never heard of this recall before I brought in my truck. If I hadn't read about it here I would definitely be SOL. I never received a letter telling me to go in for the rust proofing, and the 2 dealerships prior to moving to Utah had never heard of it either. It really is too bad they don't just make this a recall.

 

its subject to a certain area, and most frames are fine (in comparison to all 1st gen tacos, the % that really are dangerous is small) so it doesn't quite fit the bill for a product-wide recall really... if you can see what i'm saying?

 

If it's true that only the 12 salt states are covered, I think that's BS. We don't salt roads up here, but we use an ash mixture that is just as corrosive. And to top that off, the previous owner of my truck had it on a village right on the beach for the first 5 years of its life. I'm sure it got blasted with salt air for 5 years straight. So just because Alaska doesn't salt its roads means my truck isn't covered? Don't really understand that.

 

Not saying i don't understand where Toyota is coming from, but recalling every case of frame-penetrating rust would make sense to me. I'm not saying recalling every single Taco frame, just the ones that have rusted to oblivion, no matter the current location of the Taco.

 

Its all about knowing the right people from what i've found. Requirements like "oh its not been in a rust state" or etc are just excuses when a dealership doesn't want to do the job. Those kind of excuses I got even here in MI from the dealershits. Thats why I took mine to not only the most reputable one, but I had them inspect it while I was buying the FR-S so that I'm more of a "customer of interest". With those factors in place, they didn't even worry about any of the particulars they just green-lighted it.

So my recommendation if anyone's getting any run-around: Keep shopping around until you find someone who knows what they are talking about and wants to do it.

 

I would think that the dealerships would love to get this job. I've heard it's gravy for them. The techs that have got it down pat are changing over frames in 20hrs or less, here in Canada, Toyota Canada pays the dealership something like 60hrs for the frame swap. The dealerships pocket the rest of the cash. When my frame was done the dealership couldn't be happier and told me to "tell all my friends" to get their trucks in.

The numbers above may not be spot on, but you get the idea.

 

FishinTaco - People generally don't like doing extra work. I'm sure the owners of the dealerships love it, but working on old rust-traps is probably not a mechanic's idea of a great time.

 

As a former service manager I don't care what the mechanics want to do as long as they are billing there time. Haha

 

i just stopped in at the third dealership this morning and booked to get an inspection done

should this inspection be free??? the service guy told me that if it proceeds with a warranty claim they wouldn't charge me but if it's shown that it doesn't need anything that they could charge me...just want to get my story straight with an official wording from toyota?

do they have have something that states that if coating was applied that yearly/follow up inspections are free??

it will be a tech and the manager looking over my truck when it goes it next week

 

mine was just inspected (again) this morning.. passed w/ flying colors!! and there was absolutely no charge

 

And I wish mine would hurry up and fail with flying colors haha

 

LOL I hear ya.. I was thrilled when my '97 failed and I got the buy-back, but I really wanna keep this one!.

A shiny new frame in a few years would b pretty sweet though

 

i've been able to dig up paper work for the 98-00 trucks and the letters for the 01-04 trucks but it's all for you guys in the states

anyone have any paper work for Toyota Canada?

 

So I called Toyota last week, they got back to me friday and said there would be a rep calling me monday to see what they can do for me and my truck. It is an 01 Double Cab. The rep got back to me today and was very helpful and said I had until April 6th 2016 to get my frame checked and replaced in MA if there is a problem. She did say she thought I would have somewhat of a delay since Toyota dealers are very busy with a recall problem w Tundras. Is this information accurate? I got the reps name and extension and have been assigned a case # everything seems good to me. Should I be concerned or just go on the info they gave me?

 

BigTaco508 - Is the "rustproof undercoating" approved in MA?? If not than yea she's prob right, but if it is I think you had a deadline of 12/31/11 to get it inspected and coated in order to extend the warranty the full 15yrs..

idk seems that everyone has a different story and its confusing as hell

 

The rep I spoke to said that NY was the only state that the undercoating was still being applied (until 12/31), and since MA doesnt have the rustproofing program the customers in MA were still covered until 2016- as long as the vehicle is registered in MA and goes to a dealership in MA. Does this sound right?

 

Yea if ur state doesnt support the undercoating program then u are covered by default. In NY u have until the end of this year, all other states the deadline has passed

 

Well I know Mass did do the undercoating a few years ago (from reading other threads) but isnt anymore. My truck has never been coated, but Ive only owned it for a couple of years and bought it out of FL so the frame looks mint. But id still like to know that im covered until 2016 now that my truck is in a high salt area. The rep didnt mention anything about having to be coated in MA for the 15 year from manufacture frame warranty to apply. I guess I should call back to confirm this though.

 

So oklahoma doesn't support the program, has no idea what I'm talking about, never heard of recalls, doesn't do undercoating.... am I covered?

 

hmm yea thats tricky, def call her back as I am no expert

is OK one of the states that is included in the "salt states" as defined by Toyota per this extended warranty program?? Did you check your VIN for recalls here --> http://www.toyota.com/recall/?srchid=bing|Toyota_Recall|toyota_recall

if your truck is included in the program, but your state doesn't support the undercoating, then IMO you have a case to be included in the extended warranty program regardless of prior inspection.

each dealership seems to have their own interpretation of this situation, I'd say call TOYOTA direct, open a case, and go from there..

Toyota Corp Cust Service: 1 800 331 4331