on going frame rot issues

Little background on my truck, 2006 trd sport double cab longbed, 155xxx miles. Purchased a little over 2 years ago from a local toyota dealership certified used.

So add me to the list of guys with frame rot. Long and short of it is these things rot from the inside out so to everyone who says rust proofing is the way to go i say its probably going to rot anyway. And I'm already off topic. I saw the thread started about the limited service campaign for corrosive resistant compound on truck from 05-08 that toyota has rolled out. My frame is perforated in a couple spots, around the drivers side cab mount and also next to the cat on the drivers side. Not to the point of affecting the structural integrity of the frame, yet. So like a week and a half ago i drive it into Riverhead toyota after work to talk to the service guys about what they know about the service campaign and also to order parts for my rear diff breather mod. The service manager, Mike, was really accommodating and said that even though they aren't doing frames for our trucks yet he'd be happy to open a case for me now and submit some pictures to corporate to get a case going on my truck. He snapped a couple pictures of the perforations and said he'd email them to corporate and see what they said.

Last Friday midday I get a call from one of the service guys saying that toyota responded and said right now there is nothing they can do about my frame but they are aware of the problem. So later that day I get in the truck to leave work, turn out of the parking lot and hear a strange clunking coming from the rear of my truck. I pull over and look under the truck to find my rear gas tank strap had just broken. Luckily i was only doing like 15 mph and the front one was good or that could've ended badly. Also somewhat luckily I guess is that i had a ratchet strap in the cubby in the bed and was able to secure the tank so I was able to drive to the dealer and then home. Spoke to service manager who again pulled another dealer product repair number and gave me some advice. since I had to buy new tank straps I went ahead and ordered a set of the off road ones so i have the option of a tank skid in the future, $175 out of my pocket.

So today somewhat annoyed and unhappy with the shit with my truck and toyotas answer to me knowing that they have a very large issue with these frames and also that I know all about it I decided to call corporate. I spoke to a pleasant girl gave her the low down on my feelings about the truck, the frame, the service I got, the fact its bullshit I had to come out of pocket for the rotted gas tank straps, the fact that toyota knowing they are pushing a service campaign for a known defective frame would allow me to drive out of there in a truck with a frame they know fits the requirements for them to replace on their dime. And the fact that they let me drive a truck that if involved in an accident could have the frame fail due to the rot and they would be liable. After my venting my problems to her she said that she would look into what they can do for me now and get back to me by Monday and that they may end up reimbursing me for the gas tank straps as well. This is where I am at for now trying to get a new frame from toyota. This will be updated as things develop. Any input from people who have been through or who are going through this would be great.



Only pic I have uploaded to my computer for now but you get the idea. will post more when I get a chance.

 

Glad nothing bad happened with the gas tank.

 

good luck op, I'd love to hear what they'll do for ya

 

Toyota customer care is where I got the ball rolling to get a check to cover my new stereo. It took a while, but, they don't like bad P.R. Good luck.

 

I'm pretty confident it will be replaced. It's just going to be a pain in the ass to get them to do it.

 

Mine is also starting to get bad
06 dclb sr5

 

i wish you the best of luck bro, but probably the only MAJOR drawback to buying any toyota is the warranty and the customer service pains.

I LOVE MY TRUCK! would not trade it for anything, i am gonna have it until either she or me dies between me and the wife over the years we have bought brand new, all from the same dealership, 3 tundras, 1 tacoma, 1 4runner, 3 avalons, 2 camry and 1 solara.

but we have also had 1 lexus RX, 1 lexus GX, and 1 lexus LE.( i know the GX is just a 4runner and the le is just a camry)

i am still on the fence if the extra $20k or so you pay to get the lexus version of a toyota is worth it or not. UNLESS IT WAS IN THE VERY short warranty period that comes on a new toyota i have never had them offer any assistance with issues, from corporate or going to several dealers to complain.

i called about the sudden acceleration when stopped at a light before it hit the news, they just logged it and said they could not offer anything. RIGHT after warranty passed i called about the rear leafs, again before there was people talking about it online,same thing, thanks for calling, have a good day!

i had a fog light melt like 100 miles out of warranty, again, thanks for calling!

well there was 1 thing a dealer paid to fix when toyota would not. right after the warranty ran out the finish on the wheels started bubbling and flaking. toyota would not do anything, the dealer i bought it from had the wheels refinished at no charge, but a couple years later it started again. i see other folks talk about that too.

now the flip side...

lexus warranty is more than 2 times longer and the lexus warranty COVERS EVERYTHING! i mean anything and no one ever questions you or says 'maybe we can replace that' etc! i had them replace the whole door lock system because i thought 1 started making noise. a friend even had them pay to install dynomat in his RX because lexus guaranteed a smooth ride with no driving noise and when he put 2 15" punch woofers in it, the body metal would obviously vibrate and that cause rattling noises when driving, lol! TRUE STORY!

it was one occasion when we had a lexus and a toyota at the same time that i got an insight and EXPLANATION into why totyota dealerships are such tight wads as far as going the extra mile.

this is something many of you may not know,

IF THERE WAS ANY issue at all, you call 1-800-25-lexus and within an hour everything is taken care of, well one time we did have car trouble on the interstate in a toyota and i figured there was a similar type universal number that you could call and they would sort everything out.

well i could not find any such number so i called the number i know by heart 1-800-25-lexus and asked the lady what number to call for my toyota, she acted a little confused at first until she realized i did not know the difference in the way the 2 brands operate.

lexus is universal, corporate and all the dealerships are basically considered almost like a single 'dealership' all issues are dealt with by toyota directly, this is why i could drive into a lexus dealership in new orleans, la on tuesday and if i drove into a lexus dealership in san antonio, tx on wednesday they would know me by name, know the entire history of the vehicle in detail and everything was taken car of just as if i was at the dealership i bought it from. this also why lexus dealerships are quick to do whatever you want to make you happy and cover/pay for about anything, basically its toyota paying the bill directly, not like a toyota dealership where they do the work and then submit it and show proof this was under warranty, blah blah.

(i even got them to put a new, not rebuilt, brand new 3.0v6 in my RX totally free when the sludge issue hit the news, the warranty ticket i signed was for almost $20,000)

with toyota its is totally different! each dealership is a separate entity! totally separate! with the exception of the items fully covered under the new car warranty that the dealer can submit to be reimbursed, the dealer pays, not toyota! so back to the breakdown example, you can call the toyota line, but all they do is make the dealership deal with it, they may be quick, they may suck, toyota has no say-so in what happens at that moment. lexus is universal, lexus takes care of repairs, or dispatching towing services, inconvenience, loaner car, etc, and guarantee it be done in 1 hour! THEN later they figure out what dealership they need to attach the warranty costs to.

the main thing to keep in mind is that 'LEXUS DEALERSHIP' is like dealing with toyota directly, 'TOYOTA DEALERSHIP' is like dealing with your favorite local store, if you buy something and there is a problem, you can bring it back for exchange or to get it repaired, and your local merchant will repair.replace the item and then contact the manufacturer and say i made a judgment call, i think the item you sent me was faulty and repaired/replaced it to make my customer happy, i would like to reimbursed for my expense, but the manufacturer can say NO! YOU PROVE WE NEED TO PAY YOU BACK FOR THE EXPENSE!

all in all, on average when we bought a lexus branded over toyota branded it was usually $20,000 more and we never have ever gotten a toyota or lexus that was faulty or had major problems with, BUT its a wash on the extra expense if you keep the vehicles for several years because you can have lexus pretty much rebuild the vehicle under warranty before the warranty runs up! in 2001 i paid $46,000 for a lexus RX300, i actually bought the 2006 tacoma, new, to replace it. when i put the lexus up for sale the very first person who came look at it paid asking price in cash right there. REMEMBER it was 5 years old by then, the first thing the wife said was "wow i have never seen used leather interior where everything still matched EXACTLY with no discoloration anywhere!" duh! because i had them treat or replace it when any signs of ware would show up, and they did! one day i sat down and added everything up that i had lexus pay for, it came to right at $40,000. was all of that NEEDED to be done, hell no, but they did it with no questions asked!

you dont have to pay for just about ANYTHING for 7+ years on a lexus for repairs and maintenance, on toyota when your 36,000 is up, unless your best buddies with a dealer who will foot the bill, your on your own buddy, no lee-way like lexus dealers are allowed!

if anyone finds a way to 'break' toyota corporate and make them own up to their mistakes and pay for out of warranty issues that 'Ray Charles' even can testify is an obvious factory defect PLEASE let me know, i am all ears

lexus was fun, but i stick to toyota now because to save $20,000, i take the gamble, i can put up with paying for maintenance cost after 36,000 miles, the extra little noises that always pop up after a few years, the fact that its a pain in the ass if you use more than 1 dealership for service and they do not share info, the fact that some dealerships will pay to repair/replace an item/issue and other will not because corporate HAS NO SAY-SO and leather getting discolored in seats that are used more often and my kickers make the back wall rattle and toyota could careless, etc

because i am alot harder on our vehicles now-a-days and not so worried about flash like i was when i was younger.

AND MOST OF ALL I LOVE MY TACOMA (even with the rust, and all the other little quirks its still the best truck i ever had, i put it through hell and back and still kickin) AND WITH THE WIFES DAILY DRIVING BEING ABOUT 5 MILES TO THE STORE, 5 MILES TO THE HEALTH CLUB AND THEN HER CAR SITS IN THE GARAGE ALL DAY I SAID NO MORE TO PAYING EXTRA FOR A CAR TO SIT IN THE GARAGE, LOL!


if you are worried about recoup'n the extra expense at resale or being pampered anytime, anywhere if a piece of plastic is damaged on the interstate and you think you need a loaner and a tow RIGHT NOW to be happy.and if your not 'abusing' it and worried about reselling like it as new, i mean NEW, etc if you keep it more than 4-5 years, lexus is your best bet

you can EASILY make up te extra $20,000+ in extras you get lexus to pay for

well thats my long ass toyota warranty sucks rants, thanks for making it to te end and sorry for the headache ya got from reading so much! have a great weekend everyone