Anger, frustration and heartache!

My4th Toyota in a row. The first 2 were Camry wagons before stepping up to a 2008 Toyota Tacoma TRD which I traded for my current 2014 Tacoma, which like my 2008 has caused me nothing but anger, frustration and heartache, not to mention $$$. I traded my "08" in when the both front brake cylinders were leaking fluid right through the body, as well as the rear end chuck with lube permeating/weeping right through the steel body which was so compromised that the dealer wouldn't chance removing the drain plug as the steel would have torn apart... A $3,500. Cost to repair. This after they replaced the complete frame and leaf springs! Where I made my mistake was thinking that after 6 years with all the expense for Toyota and recall replacement repairs, I thought that it would be safe to purchase a 2014 double cab with quality steel (more carbon) wrong, my vehicle went in the shop today for a complete frame touch-up and resealing of critical joints ALL-AROUND the undercarriage where the cap-locks have fallen off, along with the heat-shields they were holding-on due to totally rusted bolts for fastening-too through the floorboards... Now after them giving me a loner vehicle while they work on the frame, I get a call early this evening from the service manager, who tells me that my transmission lines are leaking., and the replacement cost to ME with 2 quarts of fluid @ $10/dollars each, will run me $575. My P/U just turned 61,000 miles. I suppose that this is how Toyota covers the cost of treating a failing frame touch-up recall… 2 winters ago my automatic council-shift was binding up on colder nights trying to shift into lower gears, instead addressing the real problem, they decided to grease the cable at a charge of $39 dollars, and send me on my way to have it re-occur last winter and tried to rip me for a new cable switch, which I'm quite sure was just another of the (very many) parts that are rusting and failing... After crawling under my truck 5 times to take pictures and vireos of all the corroding parts, hardware and systems (emergency brake cables, brake lines, fittings and junction couplings, electronic connections to the transmission etc.) Now at 70, on SS, the last vehicle that I was planning to buy, will be the death of me, if it doesn't break me first! Can anyone else relate to this misery? Toyota hasn't done jack-shit to remedy the on-going poor treatment of customers as far as I'm concerned! "I SHOULD HAVE GONE BACK TO AMERICAN STEEL/MADE VEHICLES."

 

Nope, can’t relate, sorry for your bad luck

 

Your Tacoma was probably built in the US or Mexico, so technically it is American made.

I haven't owned my truck long, but several of my friends have had Tacoma's and other Toyotas/Lexus's for years--can't say that they share your frustrations. Sorry for the bad luck bud!

Not sure of your specific situation, but getting a set of tools and doing the diagnosing and wrenching yourself will definitely save you some $$$ (plus it's way more fulfilling to do the work yourself IMO).

 

Sorry to hear about this.
It’s not uncommon at all to hear about the frames rusting.
Other than crawling under and applying an anti-corrosion compound yearly.
I don’t know of a way to slow the process.
Other than move to a dry and mild climate portion of the country.

I have been lucky so far. Probably because I live in Tennessee.
We don’t usually have to treat the roads in the winter here very often.

 

He said he was 70 yrs old, I don’t think he wants to buy tools and crawl under his truck.

 

Where do you live? Sounds like you need to partially blame the state for putting so much salt down. I'm in MN and my '14 has 155k. No rust issues at all underneath. I don't do anything special. Maybe a wash once a month and I park in my garage.

You're 70 and on social security. Trade it in on something else and move on. No sense being pissed. Figure it out for your budget and make it happen. Life is short.

 

Honestly it depends. I've known 70 year olds that sit in front of the TV all day and can barely lift their fork to their mouth.. and then there was my grandma who was hiking across Nepal at 77. Different people have different attitudes and physical abilities--it was just a suggestion, maybe it applies, maybe it doesn't.

 

What part of the country/north America are you located? I wouldn't be surprised if you're located near some tacomaworld wrenchers that could help with some of the fixes rather than paying dealer big bucks. At least some of the smaller ones?

Just a thought

I feel for you, sorry for your predicament

 

I am thankful to live in Arizona, I don't know if I'd own a Tacoma if I lived in a state where you had to worry about road salt. I'm sure it is a problem for all vehicles in heavily salted areas but the Tacoma seems very prone to corrosion from what I've read. That being said, my Tacoma lived in Alaska before I bought it but it didn't have that many miles on it while it was there.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5bQ0GW3acE4

 

I work in Alaska and believe me in most places even Anchorage they do NOT salt the roads. It must have lived on the coast. Even in downtown areas it seems like they barely plow in certain areas

Edit- in the areas I've been at least... anchorage to Prudhoe bay to Fairbanks but never made it down to state capital in Juno. I've never seen salt on the roads

 

Thats to bad being only 6/7 years old

 

America, China, Taiwan, Japan, Mexico, Canada, Korea, Europe........pick a country of origin.

Any and all vehicles are subject to rust. The aggressiveness is dependent on many factors; road brine, grit, cleaning, material grade, drainage, freeze/thaw cycles.........

Any and all vehicles will rust or corrode. Its simply a fact of nature.

The only car that would resist rust is a car with a stainless steel body.
Oh yeah, that was tried. Delorean plopped a SS body on a steel frame Fiat.

 

this is one hell of a first post

 

Great song And very appropriate

 

A $100 prepurchase inspection would have prevented all of your frustration. Sorry you have to deal with it. The truck won’t kill you but the anger will. You’re to old to live pissed. Like someone said trade and move on life’s to short and you’re on the down hill side. It does suck though.

 

Live in a southern state and you won’t have to worry about the frame. Otherwise you have to expect those issues

 

You’re in a real pickle, Rick.