Moving across the country, Frame recall debacle

Ok folks so about 2 months ago my 04 failed the frame inspection and I was told it would be at least a 6 month wait until a new frame came in. Today I received a job offer in Colorado I currently live in Pennsylvania. I just talked to my local dealership and the folks who were still there where unsure of what to do and said I should call the service department tomorrow. They had left for the day. Has anyone been in this situation before? How did they make out?

From what I understand CO doesn't have the recall so I am unsure if they could do it or would do it. If they can't I would have to leave the truck in PA and I think Toyota should be responsible for providing me a rental, right?

I'm hoping this doesn't turn into a big deal.....

Just curious what you all might think

 

As far as I know you should have been issued a rental the day your truck failed inspection. It's a safety hazard. The truck was supposed to stay on their lot. If it failed inspection then there is a record of it in the toyota system and I'm sure toyota would be ok with the dealer in colorado doing it but I'm sure they are going to want that truck on their property in Pennsylvania. Someone fucked up and let you leave with a bad vehicle.

 

I asked them and they said they were OK with me continuing to drive it until the inspection runs out in February. The hole isn't to big yet. Now if I'm going to tow a trailer across the country I may not be ok with it.

 

Sounds like a mess I would think any place in the 49 states the warranty should be good.

Now if your dealer has already put the claim in I have no clue if it could be transfer to another dealer

I am confused they let you drive the truck!!

I know my local dealer last I talked to them Had 30 trucks waiting on frames.

 

Talked to the service manager today and it sounds like they have a bunch of frames in but he wasn't sure if mine was in. I guess they are waiting on the other parts before they start tearing into trucks. He said he was going to look into it and try and pull some strings to speed up the process. I'm not very hopeful but we will see. Hopefully I'll hear back from him tomorrow.

 

I think if the frame has a perforation that's "starting" it can be driven normally on roads (no OR or heavy towing recommended). It failed because it's starting to get a hole but the frame is still stable enough?

 

Well the frame is on trailer somewhere. I get the feeling this is going to come down to the last minute. 2 more weeks left in pa...

 

Talking to my dealer service manager last week about this.

She tries to keep the trucks on the road as long as possible !!

Once the truck is put out of service Toyota is picking up the cost of the rental vehicle to the frame swap is complete could be a month or longer .

Our discussion led to are the new frames really better the answer is only time will tell let us all hope so.

 

It's happening! Dropping the truck off at the dealer Wednesday.

 

Let the previous member said, they are facing a huge liability by letting you drive the truck off the lot. Heres what im thinking:

Contact Toyota of North America, contract the dealer general manager, raise holy hell, claim that theyre going to kill you by letting you drive the truck, then demand a highlander or tundra as a loaner, use said giant SUV or truck to move across county, return to dealer and pickup Tacoma with new frame, profit $$$.

 

All should work out in your time frame!!

 

Sadly I don't think the new frames are all that much better. This is mine after only 2 1/2 years. Theres worse parts but they're covered in fluid film so you can't tell. I'm legitimately thinking about having my local dealer check this out. But I've never heard of anyone getting their frame replaced twice. Granted I bought it like this, and had I had the recall done myself I would have POR15ed the whole thing as soon as it was done. The strut mounts were flaking when I did the Bilsteins, and when I put my flatbed on the tail end of the frame had a lot of deep pitting. Which seems rather pathetic for only being 2 years old. The bottom of the frame is also flaking, and some factory welds are so bad that I legitimately believe there may be holes in between the welds. Not from rust, just shoddy welding.

 

Dang, I'm glad I'll be headed west and hopefully won't have to fight the corrosion as much. I still plan on coating it in Por 15 when I get a chance.


Dealer called yesterday confirming that I wanted my rear axle seal replaced and I did. Then the parts guy started talking about the wiring in the engine bay and that they could do it the "right" way for a couple hundred dollars I said nope it's fine how it is. The he started to mention something else not being the "right" way and it would be 2 hours to fix but the would only charge an hour. I wasn't following what he was saying and he was the middle man so I don't think he really knew. He said he'd talk to the techs and call back. Never heard from him again. I get the feeling they are trying to make some money off of things that don't really need fixed.

 

That rusted new frame is fucking ridiculous!!! That makes me angry!

 

Dealers will always do whatever they can to make as much money as they can off of you. I have never had a dealer work on anything, and the only reason I'd step foot in my local Toyota one is because they're the ones who do the frame replacements, which I'm not confident that I'll get for a second time. They'll probably tell me there's nothing they can do, in which case Ill just POR15 it

 

Believe me, it doesn't make me happy. For only being 2 years old it is quite honestly incredibly bad. I'd love to have it replaced for a second time, maybe it'll be a first in TW to get it done twice

 

I'd be real curious to see what Toyota has to say about that bullshit!!

 

Its prolly a way that Toyota can not go bankrupt with all these damn frame swaps, using the cheapest shitty ass steel they could find! Which says alot considering the old frame steel is terrible!

 

I think I actually confirmed that the welds are so bad that there is holes in between them, I wash the inside of the frame out a lot, just for preventative maintenance but never payed attention to where the water was coming out. Other than the 1 drain hole in the bottom. Turns out there's bad welds all over the place, I sprayed from the farthest back hole and there was water running out of the welds on the tail end where it slopes down. Pretty pathetic. I'll definitely have the dealer check this out. I just hope they don't tell me to get bent because I POR15ed the back half of the frame.

 

Got the truck back yesterday and everything seems to be good! Now to rewire lights and weld the sliders back on and she will be set.