Toyota Frame Rust Recall

When sprayed on it covers the rust and any holes that develop are not easy to find unless you use a ball peen hammer to find the weak spots. Learn from my experience.

My dealer only did a visual before the 1/31 deadline. Two weeks later I crawled under with a hammer and found the holes under the coating after tapping around the frame rails. Toyota is denying a frame replacement now. The frame rotted from the inside out.

 

Damm sorry.
Can’t trust the dealer!
Seems you could fight it somewhere?
Do you have inspection laws about fixing frames?

 

No inspection laws in my state.. Talked to corporate Toyota and they keep saying it is beyond the
1/31/19 expiration date. No exceptions.

 

Well crap, I wish I would have seen this much earlier, with a drive-off date of 3.20 on a 2005, I am totally SOL. I have some issues too, the usual leaf spring area perforation (9mm and less) and the worst being a split on the inboard side of the box leading up to the front. At this point it is all damage control on my dime, gotta get this stuff repaired.

Double meat crap sandwich...

 

What is model is your truck?

 

There is a salvage yard near me that has a new 4wd ext cab 4.0 Frame for 900.00. They will ship it anywhere in the 48 for 400.00

 

Hey Guys, just wanted to share my “frame” experience.

I live in Ontario Canada which would certainly qualify as a “cold weather state”. We get our share of salt here. I purchased a new 2009 Tacoma from Heffner Toyota in Kitchener Ontario Canada. Because of Toyota’s frame issues with the first gen Tacomas, I have been diligently taking my 2nd gen Tacoma to Krown Rust Treatment (annually) since it was new. Every time they sprayed on the undercoating, I asked them to pay special attention to the frame and to ensure that they treated the inside of the frame as well.

Fast forward ten years (almost to the day). Truck is now exactly 10 years old and the other day I took it to the dealership where I bought it for the leaf spring recall as well as a frame inspection.

I have to admit I was somewhat cynical about the dealership doing the inspection. It seemed like a conflict of interest to me. Nevertheless, after having spoken to the service adviser, he explained that Heffner Toyota in Kitchener was one of the first dealerships in Canada to bring the frame issues of the 2nd gens to Corporate attention. He also said that they “want” to replace frames because they make a lot of money doing it. I guess corporate gives them quite a bit of money to replace a frame and they are able to do it and make a tidy profit.

When I went back to pick up my truck, here is what they told me, (direct quote from invoice): “PERFORMED THE FRAME INSPECTION, THIS FRAME IS LIKE NEW, NO VISIBLE RUST, NO PERFORATION, NO HOLES. NO SOFT SPOTS. PASSED FRAME INSPECTION, NO FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED IN THE FRAME. TRUCK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.”

Needless to say I was thrilled with that result. Am I advertising for Krown? No. I merely wanted to let you guys know that in my particular case, the rust proofing seems to have helped. Having said that, I’ve only got about 88,000 km or 55,000 miles on my truck and I’m pretty gentle with it.

I dealt with Jason Teixeira (service advisor) at Heffner. I think if anyone in Canada is getting grief from their dealer regarding the frame, maybe take your truck to Heffner if it’s feasible for you.

Just wanted to pass this along guys!

PS My understanding is that the frame recall extends for 12 years after the “in-service” date of the vehicle. (In Canada at least).

 

Exactly what I was told after my frame inspection however when I took the ball peen hammer to it (as was done with the 1999 that Toyota bought back from me due to a rotted frame) a month later I found what their simple visual inspection failed to find. The coating applied by Toyota was still on the outside of the frame rail however the frame rotted from the inside and I easily found the soft spots with the hammer on the frame under the coating and was able to push a screw driver right through the frame.

 

I’ll keep that in mind. I’ve still got another two years for the recall so I’ll continue to be vigilant.

 

2005 4x4 access cab. I went to an off road shop today who said they could weld plates on the bad areas on the boxes and do remediation of the perforated areas in the back. But a friend of mine said the frame is dead and needs to be replaced. I talked to Toyota Customer care and they said they could not help, too late.

I'm really bummed about this, we moved into a new house two years ago, the mail took awhile to forward then late Spring a relative unexpectedly died and then we got evacuated from a wildfire, I could have easily have missed the notices.

I am going to try to write them a letter, pics etc and explain how I missed it. Otherwise I am royally hosed.

 

I would think you could sue the dealership. Can't find it right now, but I'm pretty sure there is an inspection protocol they must follow.

 

Considering that avenue or recourse.

 

Last year my dealer gave me a run around on my truck. So I travel an 1.5hr away to another dealer, just to have them say my frame was bad. Since my local dealer just painted the rust prevention crap on a month before I found a large hole in the frame. But anyway I found a new frame in my area using car-part.com and was getting ready to replace since I had issues with mine.

 

My frame story:
1st recall was 3 years back. Took the truck to dealer who reported frame was 'ok' but they coated it with CRC, this happened during winter months. Drove the truck home post coating, I observed the CRC dripping on the garage floor. I then returned the truck and asked what they would do about the uncured CRC, they were clueless. I requested they bake the truck in the paint shop, which they did, curing/hardening the CRC.
Fast forward two years when I receive the 2nd frame recall notice. Dealer 'inspects' the frame and again gives it their 'ok'.
Fast forward 10 months to February 2019, truck is due for Pa state inspection. Prior to inspection I give the truck a quick cleaning and pressure wash (which was KEY). I think the pressure washer removed the majority of remaining CRC and the truck failed inspection due to... you guessed it,
FRAME RUST. New frame will be in this Friday or Saturday.
You gentlemen @Jeffch, @Fast1 and others are correct about the CRC/Noxudol only camouflages the problem.

 

I can not imagine how much that would cost in labor fees, many thousands I would imagine. It's not something I am equipped to do.

 

There has to be a good mechanic in you area that works for cash.

 

The new replacement frame your getting has really bad cheap paint on it. Right off the bat, they are oxidizing sitting outside waiting to be installed on your truck. My neighbor did not put any coating on his new frame and has surface rust on most of the frame after 3 months of winter.

 

This is a work truck, I can't deduct cash payments off my taxes and would also need the work warrantied. I think I am going to need a lawyer....

 

If there is a will, there is way whatever way you choose. I would keep on Toyota about it though

 

When I bought my truck, I took it to my local dealership to get it inspected since my frame had been only coated. They told me that there was a hole in the frame and that it would need to be replaced. They said I would receive a letter in the mail when I could get it replaced. A year later no letter. Took it in again to see what was up. They continued to say that I needed to wait on this letter. I ended up taking it to the next towns dealership and that day they ordered everything for me and within 3 weeks had my frame replaced.

This is the spot that they said why it needed to be replaced. If I would have touched it, it would crumble in.