Rear ended, (total loss due to frame damage), just got my frame recall letter?

Last month I got rear ended by a 2010 camaro that chose not to stop when traffic ahead of him was on an exit ramp. Needless to say all of the energy of his car transferred via the trailer hitch of my 05DCSB TRD and subsequently bent the frame. The camaro's insurance came out and took some pictures, then called to say it would likely be a total loss and I have not heard from them since. I just got in the mail the frame recall notice from Toyota asking me to bring it in to have the frame inspected. I'm not sure what to do here. My truck a 05 DCSB TRD Off Road with a Manual and decent miles 123k is exceedingly rare, and certainly not replaceable for what the other party's low rated insurance will likely offer for my total loss.

If I take the total loss, buy by truck back for salvage (literally the only damage is the frame, tow hitch and rear bumper), will Toyota replace the frame at that point if it is eligible for the recall? Has anyone who has had their frame replaced by Toyota had any problems with their truck after the work was done?

It took years of searching to find this truck, and i don't want to let some kid's negligence take it from me. Any ideas and experiences would be greatly appreciated.

 

Im not positive but I have a feeling that Toyota will void the recall activity on a wrecked vehicle. I hope I'm wrong...good luck!

 

Absolutely not!

this could be considered fraud depending on what condition the title ends up.

If you"buy it back" from your insurance carrier, there is a good chance the title will remain a clear title. If that was the case, you could still get the truck inspected by toyota and they could declare the frame condemned because of perfiration by rust. If you actually let the insurance declare the vehicle totalled and the insurance company sent the truck to auction, this truck would end up with a salvage title. Toyota will not honor the frame rust warranty on a salvage titled vehicle. Once a Toyota vehicle recieves a salvage title label, all warranties are nullified. The only thing Toyota will honor are safety recalls.

The only option you have would be to encourage your insurance company to not condmn your truck and to pay for repair of your truck frame. This would keep your title clear and the truck would remain with Toyota frame warranty.

I buy wrecked, Toyota trucks and rebuild them. Some with salvaged titles, some with clear titles. All have had repaired frames. Frame repair is quite common, it should be fairly easy to encourage your insurance company to pay to have a frame shop straighten your frame. They would rather fix than replace.

Good luck with the repairs.

 

I'm not understanding why you are waiting on the insurance carrier of the camera to contact you. Doesn't your own insurance company contact you to inspect your vehicle?

 

I was hoping to avoid processing the claim through my policy due to me being 0% at fault. I was stopped when I got hit. Claiming on my policy will incur the deductible and likely raise my rates until the matter is fully subrogated. This was a situation I was trying to avoid, but at this point I am starting to care less who fixes/replaces my truck as long as it gets done soon.

 

You live in Texas, a dry, non salty state...I doubt seriously that your frame has perforated rust contamination....people in the know will seek out Toyota's in dry, non salty states...of course, this is mute if the truck lived in a Northern State with heavy winter salt use for most of its life...

What shape is the frame in, does it have rust and perforations in the frame? Pretty EZ to check on your own...

And what is taking so long on the insurance claim through the other guys insurance, I would be knocking them up for repairs or settlement every day...and, if it was not your fault, get your insurance company involved, you will not have rates go up because of another drivers error....

 

So long as Texas isn't a no-fault state, I have to wonder....in other places, as long as you are THERE, you aren't at 0% fault. I'd say don't be afraid of your own insurance company and get them involved NOW

 

According to carfax my truck lived in Salt Lake City, UT for the first 5-6 years of its life, It has some rust underneath, but not to the extent of the pitting and rot that I have seen from some other members trucks. I think my insurance company is going to get a call today and I am going to make them deal with it, I am going to start by requesting another claims agent. Thanks for the advice!

 

1) It's a 15 year old truck.
2) There are 100's of thousands to chose from.
3) It is replaceable. Toyota builds the Tacoma every day, all day long.

... and do you really want the headache of having to deal with a juggling act between insurance companies, a frame/body shop, and the foreseeable BS that you'll get from the Toyota Dealership and Toyota Corporate for having had a bent frame or frame damage? Does the letter state that Toyota is replacing the frame, or to simply bring the truck in for a recall inspection and then a possible frame replacement? Frame damage may negate the recall and then you are stuck with a weakened frame on your truck. You'd have to keep your kahunas crossed on that one.

 

Taczilla, with all due respect, I have spent the last month looking for suitable replacements and very few can be found for book value. So far I have to go over 1000 miles to just to find one similarly configured. DCSB's are exceedingly rare with manual transmissions, and a manual transmission is a deal breaker for me. It took me 2 years of looking and waiting to find mine in my local market. It is a damned if you do, damned if you dont the way I see it. IF the truck gets repaired, then it always has the scarlet letter of frame damage. If a total loss, then the insurance company gives me 60-80% of the replacement cost to make me whole, putting me thousands out of pocket that I don't have and having to chase down a replacement anywhere in the country. What really aggrivates me is I have only had the truck since last October.

 

If you have full coverage call your insurance now. File the claim. Let them deal with it. That's why you have full coverage in the first place. I went through this recently with some doucher that backed into me at low speeds in a parking lot. Dealt with his insurance for months. Called my insurance & it was fixed & done in less than a month. My insurance guy even git the other bug's ins to mail me a check for my deductible right away while they hammered out the details among themselves. No affect in my rates @ all because I wasn't at fault. Your insurance co will light a fire under their ass & handle everything. That's why you pay those premiums every month. Moving forward if some doucher hits me again I'm filing through my insurance immediately. I don't need that brain damage again.

 

It's 2015 now.

He's talking about a 2005.

2015 - 2005 = 15?

What color is the sky in your world?

 

Yes I agree that most likely this is what will happen.

 

I guess your only option will be to buy i back from insurance company. Take the thing and get frame straightened. Drive the thing payment free for five years WHILE making payments to yourself for when the truck finally is not safe to drive.

Believe me, once Toyota trucks reach the 200000 mile number, a salvaged truck title and a clear truck title sell for very close to the same money.

Just to be clear, has your frame actually been inspected and failed by Toyota?

 

Honestly, the way it reads to me, is that he got the inspection letter and then had the assident before getting Toyota to look at it.

 

Any chance we could get some pics of damage?

 

If your not at fault, why are you concerned about your insurance company? they will go after the other insurance company, and will help you. I got totaled once and my insurance took care of everything. You don't have to speak a word to the opposing agency. Thats their job and thats what you pay them for

 

I think his biggest worry is being able to find the exact same truck. I can relate. It took me 3 years to find the Tacoma in my Sig pics. We Toyota owners know what we like.

 

I can relate. Sure, Toyota bangs out a lot of 'Tacoma' trucks a year.

But you couldn't get me to take an automatic, a V6, or a double cab without a gun to my head, and then you better mare sure you aren't in cutting distance. Finding exactly what you want is tougher than it sounds at times.

 

Take them to court to cover frame replacement. and fix your truck. You dotn have to agree for your truck to be salvage.