Frame rust recall

And what are you gonna do? Go to the dealer and scream " I'll never buy another tacoma because of the shitty service ". No... they got us by the short and curlys. They know how much we like our trucks. So we just have to sit back and take it.

 

That is most likely what I am gonna do, was just venting frustration and my 2 cents lol.

 

Decided to investigate further into my frame. Easily found these holes by just poking around. I havn't had my frame inspected yet. Also was able to make a good dent on the drivers side rail next to the cat, but not a through hole.

 

Have no fear, you'll qualify for a new frame. Toyota said there had to be at least dime sized hole somewhere. (All the way through)

 

I got a call from the dealership this morning confirming my frame needs to be replaced. However, they want me to come in and sign a waiver saying that "anything else will be my responsibility".

I haven't seen this document yet. I don't know if it's Toyota Corp, or Toyota of Waldorf.

Is that standard practice, or should I be concerned... Or both? It seems to me that I'm dropping them off a functional truck, they are replacing the frame because of a lawsuit, so "you brake it, you buy it." Give me my truck back working as I dropped it off please.

Thoughts? Should I just sign it, refuse and possibly have to get towed to another dealer? Call Toyota care?

 

I don't think it's to protect them if they break something, it's to protect them if they find something else while they're under there that they deem in need of attention, that you agree to pay for that item above and beyond the frame replacement, or at least, proof that they notified you of the need even if you say no to the extra work.

 

IDK
Be careful! Get third party advice (other than us)

 

I would not sign a waiver like that. You must sign to authorize the warranty work only.

 

Okay, so I drove over and talked to the service lead and he said it's a dealership thing, not a corporate thing, and the doc does say "Waldorf Toyota". It just came down to him from their bosses because they had a guy come in with a POS and refused a bunch of work they said it needed and then after that blah blah blah blah...

He said they won't order a frame for me until they get the document signed.

He tells me it basically says I'm responsible for everything outside of the frame replacement but they'll still call me if they find anything. However I pointed out that it doesn't read that way it says I'm responsible for anything required to make the frame replacement successful and safe and based on the language I believe they could replace about anything they wanted and simply hand me a bill, whether I agree that it's legit or not. He said, yeah that's not really worded all that well. So of course I'm like "um, you're telling me that this quasi-legal document you want me to sign isn't worded all that well..."?

How can they even refuse the work? I mean, it's part of a class action law-suit so it seems to me that they are legally obliged that they MUST replace the frame, period. Look I get that if it needs something that will genuinely compromise safety that it should be dealt with, but that should be on a case-by case not pre-authorized. Also, the warranty letter clearly states "no cost to you" so, within reason, if it's related to them replacing the frame and disturbed or damaged in that process, then it should be on Toyota's dime not mine.

Attached/uploaded (if it works and I can figure it out) is the actual document, for those curious.

I'm a business owner and have dealt with a few contracts so I know a little bit about such things, just enough to be a paranoid PITA really. Generally speaking if you ask someone to sign something, for it to be binding, they have to get some sort of concession in return. All I've gotten so far is the threat that they won't order the frame, so I doubt it would even hold up but I may check with the lawyer to see if he'll review it. Shouldn't cost more than a hundo and he'll probably just do it over the phone. Seems worth it for what could be 10-12k of work done. I don't really want to do that over this BS though.


Buggsy

 

So, if they were to start work on your truck and find the cam bolts on your lower control arm are seized and they need to cut your LCA's to get them off and replace them with new LCA's. They are saying that you're responsible for this. Seems fair? I'd be hesitant about signing anything like that giving them free will, though.

 

LCA's are part of the whole frame replacement set anyways, but yes that's the gist.

Say a shock is frozen on and they cut it, based on this wording it seems they could just replace it and hand me a bill later with my truck. Okay, I'm not wild about having to pay one red penny even for that, and I'd probably push back on anything since their thing says they'll replace the frame "at no cost to me"... but I can understand. That's not covered under warranty or the recall and it was bad and you gotta do what you gotta do.

What really bothers me most though is that based on this they can just do it and say, "our price for the shock is $600 and labor was $150, don't like it, pound sand you already agreed to labor and parts". Is $750 for a shock reasonable, NO. Will they do that... probably not to that extreme but why should I pre-approve jacked up dealer prices for everything? If I need a shock I can get low mileage take-offs or order online for cheaper than anything they are likely to be able to touch, ya dig?

Now, what I'd rather have happen is they act like normal humans in a business relationship and they call me and say "hay bugs we need to cut your shock off and the new one will cost X, Y, and Z" and I can talk to them about pricing and options and we can figure stuff out and I can pre-approve or work with them on it. I'm actually pretty reasonable with people that are reasonable with me but unfortunately I'm just not in a position financially to say "do whatever you want and just hand me a bill when you're done." I wish I were but if I was I'd probably just be buying a 3rd gen.

I've already told them I want to bring them new stock upper control arms, shocks and struts (assembled with coils) anyway! FFS I've made this about as easy a thing as I can for them. I spent the whole day before I brought them the truck spraying everything with PB blaster to try to make sure it comes apart easy! This stuff is frustrating.

 

I would go to a different dealer which has done a few frame swaps already and figured out how to make money doing them. Thing is only a certain number of hours are approved for the job and a tech doing it for the first time might take longer. That's why they try to stick you with bills.
In the end of the day you have the right to bring in your truck and they have an obligation to swap the frame and return the truck to you in a roadworthy manner with a new frame where you pay $0.00.
It's just up to you to enforce it.
If something needs to be replaced because they are unable to re-install then corporate can pony up for that because the whole thing is supposed to be FREE to you. What you should pay for though are certain parts that they can install for you for free since the old ones are coming off during this warranty work anyway. Think body mount bushings for example! Maybe a steering rack if yours is old and leaky. ..Those things make a huge impact on the road feel of your truck and come at a enormous labor cost otherwise.

 

I chatted with one of the two techs there that does the frame replacements at this dealer. He actually seemed pretty cool. He said he and one other guy have been doing them basically non-stop for some time now. Waldorf is not a big town but we're only about 30 miles below DC and in commuting distance from Baltimore. This place does a LOT of sales and service. You can barely find places to park in their lot due to how many new, used, and "pending being serviced" vehicles they've got there. I am sure they have done a bunch of frames. But for some reason, this is new. Like, the service lead just got it from his boss this morning, and by later this afternoon they had already updated it (minor update for language but same general thrust). I suspect something happened that scared them or pissed them off and resulted in this nonsense.

I tried posting a thread looking for dealer recommendations but it got moved to the north-east forum and then got no replies for a week or so, so I just went to my local dealer.

 

"There may be items of concern during and after the completion of the frame replacement that will solely be my responsibility"....

I still say it's just to cover them in case you refuse to have any extra work done that they may see as a safety issue, IOW- NEEDED NOW. I don't see it as saying "if we break it, you pay for it".

I could see that a customer refused work that the dealer wasn't comfortable handing the truck back to them. What do you do in a case like that? Leave the truck indefinitely on the service lift while they argue it out?

Either sign it or go to another dealer.

 

If it is a 'dealer thing', i would probably venture to the next nearest......

 

Drive 2.5 hours to South Jersey....Shore Toyota . No bullshit paper to sign.

 

Yes, but if that's the case why are we doing this in advance? I could understand if they call me and say "hay bugs you need this" and I say "nope, not going to do it" THEN they say "you'll need to sign this saying that you refused the work and anything related to that is on you". Fine, I can handle that. What they are asking me to do is different.
"Customer is responsible for any items that are needed to make the frame replacement safe and road worthy."

Does that include coffee and donuts to make sure the team has good blood sugar and is alert? Safety squints? Am I paying for their tools? It's too open ended. You don't sign your name on stuff that doesn't clearly state who, what, when, where, and why. Is it likely to be a problem? Probably not. They are probably pretty decent folks and it will probably be fine. Could it be a problem? Yes, it could be a very big and very expensive problem depending on the whims of people I don't know and that don't eat my bacon or break my bread.

Kay, if Toyota corporate and the local place can't get it resolved within reason in the next hand of business days I'll see how that goes. I just don't want to deal with "your truck ain't safe to drive so you can't have it back." BS if this becomes some urination conflagration. I'm not trying to make it that. Like I said I think I get what they are trying to do and why, I just don't agree with how they are trying to accomplish the goal. I'm giving them a chance to come to their senses since I think this (meaning the document) is a new idea for them too.

If that doesn't fly, I have no problem driving a few hours to someplace that's got a good reputation for doing things smoothly with this. I tried to find recos for that before I took it to my local place but that didn't work out.

Thanks 'yall,
Buggsy

 

If I need to start a new post please let me know... I too have a dealership frame issue.

I'll try to keep this short...
Back in mid October I purchased a 2011 Tacoma double cab, 6 speed manual and part of the purchase agreement included that the dealership
* replacing both leaf springs
* replacing one of those coat hanger hooks in the backseat area
* new tires
* replacement 6 speed shift knob
* cleaning/detailing blah blah
* safety inspection
* oil change
* oil dipstick tube replacement (was rusty)
* rusty frame treatment (had more rust areas than I cared for)

Cash was paid then had to wait another 2/3 weeks before all this could be done, "waiting for parts etc..."
So the day finally arrives and pick up the truck, go for a drive, get home and give it a once over and see that the only thing done was;
* oil change
* oil dipstick tube replacement
* new tires
* cleaning/detailing blah blah

They replaced the shifter knob with a 5 speed knob and replaced "one" leaf within the set on one side.

After spending hours at the dealership finally got a "private" meeting with Sales Manager and Service Manager to "go over" the situation.
Sales tried to say they never made these promises but after I provided an email the tune changed and had an appointment to change the leaf springs later that week.

(breath)

After another week or so I get the appointment to have the frame treated. I received conflicting assumptions on the time frame...
Several employees said it would take a couple days and others said it would take a week as they would "scale" the frame down then treat it. During that meeting the Service Manager explained the process and that it would take around 5 days.

Fast forward, I get the frame back and it's been treated with a spray that leaves a matte black hard coating. I get it home where I can get a good look at it and find that the coating is flaking off to the touch. They never scaled the frame.

My understanding of things is that a hard spray coating like this would trap moisture in and do more harm than good over the long run. Correct?

I finally get the dealership back to discuss the frame and they try to tell me I'm wrong but if I insist they'll scale the frame and retreat it BUT if through scaling it a hole is found/created I'm S.O.L.

 

They are full of shit! Put dealership name here to shame them! They are clearly cheating out on the promises they made you. I wouldn't trust those asshats further than I can throw them.
If the needle scaler makes a hole you'll get a brand new frame free of charge. So definitely hold them to every tiny promise they made and have them throw in extra free parts for your troubles (not labor cuz obviously that can't be trusted.)
And welcome to TW!

 

HX989, thanks I need some validation. I'm holding off on the shaming until this is resolved, in case it requires legal action.

(PM me if you are thinking to purchase something from a Massachusetts Toyota dealership)