Toyota recall on 3rd gen frame rust

This is a picture of my overflow tank for the radiator,I'm very ocd on fluid levels and for years I have owned this truck it has always been half way filled on cold.the next day after getting truck back went out in morning and checked fluids and the overflow tank was bone dry the radiator itself is full though.did Toyota remove some fluid,so is an empty overflow tank ok?

 

I know this thread is about frame rust but has anyone experienced rust from under the paint in their 3rd gen? I found a small rust spot on the roof of my truck so I called the dealership to inquire if the 3 year factory warranty covers it. They asked if I purchased the Pro-Coat when I got the vehicle and said that if I did then it should be covered. I didn't purchase the pro-coat so they said i'll have to bring in the truck for an assessment and its possibly not covered under the warranty. BTW, they also said it was mandatory for me to purchase the pro-coat if i wanted to prevent rust.

 

hi guys, would this be considered as surface rust only? Its a 2011 i went to dealership for the recall inspection and they said it is just surface rust and they will apply the wax coating only

i told them to not apply anythibg yet as i want second opionion first as it looks worst

can i bring to another dealership to inspect again?

thanks for the help

im located in BC

 

I hope you aren't kidding. That is nasty ass full blown rust. I would say they are shitting you. I have zero knowledge about 2011 2nd Gen rust coverage by Toyota but this is a 3rd gen thread.

As for the question - too late to save? Maybe not............blast and coat with POR-15, maybe maybe not.....

 

I think you need to brush as much rust off as possible and hit it hard with fluid film every season.

 

Thanks guys
Im going to call the dealership and plea my case and have them contact toyota canada and see what they can do

 

That's is looking pretty bad,you should have never let it get to this point

 

I might even take it further after I'll get mine back from the dealer. Spray extra cosmoline rp-342 on top of the rust treatments. Can't hurt to have a few layers of protections.

 

We sprayed cosmoline rp-342 over a buddies 2019 trd that had been done months back with fluid film...a day later his truck was dripping an oily mess all over inside his garage...wasn't pretty. He called to say it was a bad idea...the cosmoline spray turned the existing fluid film surface on his frame to a water like oil thats been dripping off.
As far as using these rust inhibiters...use one or the other separately....not together.

 

Damn... thinking about moving from my 2009 to a 3rd gen and sad to see this issue also plagues the 3rds. I am not surprised, however. The thing is that these frames are the Tacoma's Achilles heel. My 2009 runs and drives like the day I bought it new and no rust whatsoever on the body... but when I go under and see that frame. Uggghhh. Well, it doesn't "look" quite so bad since Toyota did the coating a couple years ago. That coating is holding up pretty well except for in a couple of places where I now apply a protectant. Might make it last for awhile longer.

 

Yes, this exactly. If only Mr. T would make the frames better these trucks would go 30 years.

 

I think dana makes the frames for toyota. Don't know if they use chit steel, or what. These frames could use better rust protection before their shipped off to the toyota plants.

 

FWIW: I posted it before, but using Woolwax (my preferred) or Fluid Film one time in every nook and cranny will protect a frame for a really long time EXCEPT the high wash areas which need to be hit once a year. I wish Toyota would make a better frame/protectant from the get go, but I'm not waiting around and letting my frame rust, even a little. I live in Michigan and I have zero rust after using Woolwax. I've driven on some really nasty salted roadways and the stuff still holds up. Can't recommend it enough. Get it everywhere you can under there and forget about it until you have to hit a few of the really exposed areas. It's not hard and it's great peace of mind.

 

thanks @usmc2msu

 

I wool waxed my truck this year for the first time. Its holding up really well but the shit is so messy. My dog likes to run under the corners or my truck when I let him out and he gets that shit in his fur all the time. Great product but super messy. I dont even want to change my oil now because that shit is everywhere and no matter how neat you are it still gets on your clothes etc .

 

I think most of these rust inhibitors do what they are intended for. It comes down which are more permanent especially when using on a new chassis, or which one for a rusty one. I'll agree its probably not a good idea using cosmoline, or crc when you already have a lot of surface rust. FF is a better choice when needing to encapsulate this rust. From what i've seen in our climate here in connecticut, a new truck is best done with crc or cosmoline if you don't want to repeat the process every year. I'm mid-way through winter, and this cosmoline looks like i just sprayed it on yesterday....even the toyota service guys were impressed when doing an oil change this morning. Nothing wrong with ff, i've used it every year on my old tundra, but it wash's off and needs reapplying. If the cosmoline holds up a few years with only touchups...its a win.

 

Woolwax is awesome. I did my frame in 2019. This summer after I regear, I'm going to do it again as well as all suspension components and the underside of the cab. I don't drive mine in the winter anymore but am trying to make it go forever.

 

I just got some Woolwax myself and used it to touch up the frame where the Toyota coating is coming off. Seems like good tenacious stuff. Also, having just gone through having a tranny cooling line rust though and leak I am spraying this stuff on that, too. Also consider spraying the fender stay brackets... I had one of those rust through and break... and consider spraying all the body bolts and screws and things like the tranny pan bolt heads. Mine were rusty enough to need an extractor socket to get them out. This all on a 2009, not a 3rd gen.

 

If you put the cosmoline on first and then the fluid film, it would probably have been fine. I sprayed my truck with Amsoil HD metal protector and after it dried I sprayed again with fluid film.

 

It is definitely messy...at first. I have to say, I drove it down a dusty road in the fall and even though I don't know if it's true that a coating of dust gives more protection, it absolutely kept it from being wet and tacky. I don't mind it during oil changes now that it has a coating of dirt on it. It makes me smile every time I'm under there and see that is has coated everything and not a spec of rust anywhere.