2007 Tacoma broken cross member

Has anyone run across this problem?

I originally posted this info when looking for a TSB: http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...b-list-2005-toyota-tacoma-21.html#post3154733

My local Toyota dealership offered me a 50/50 repair since I'm 6 months out of warranty and neither of us can prove if the problem existed before my warranty expired.

Originally the problem was blamed on the quarter panel supports I video'd wearing lose and cracking the quarter panels. Turns out when they took everything apart the cross member at the back of the truck that ties both box sides together was broken. To me it seems this is the root of the entire problem and the supports wearing were a result of the broken cross member.

Has anyone come across this before with Tacoma's? Anyone know of a relevant TSB that might save me from paying this $2250 repair (that's with my 50% off).

I'm going to try and get the dealership to go back to the Toyota Canada Warranty person they talked to and see if something can be done. The 50/50 deal was based on the original reported findings (before they found out the cross member was broken).

If they can't do anything about it I'm going to write some angry letters to Toyota Canada and Japan and see if I can get some satisfaction. As far as I'm concerned if that cross member broken (I don't abuse my truck) it has to be a design flaw or bad material/welds.

I've also asked my local Toyota dealership to inspect the cross member for bad welds or metal fatigue/bad metal. They said they would look for me but it's not really in their best interest to find out that's the case. If they do they won't get my money for the repair.

I'm really open to any advice/suggestions on how to get Toyota to eat this repair bill instead of them getting away with saying it's my fault the truck broke because I use it for a purpose that it wasn't intended for (logging/service roads twice a month, 80km round trip for 3.5 years).

 

You have double cab LB ?
Are you talkign about that flimsy POS crossmember at the end of the cab ?
If answer is yes to both, I would hunt Toyota down. Apparently they reinforced that cross member in later trucks (2009) there should be pdf in the forum that provides more details.
Here is what Crom posted to get you started. http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/2n...frame-rusted-through-club-17.html#post3428888

So Toyota knows its a problem. You should be able to force them to cover the repair which probably is not goign to be cheap if dealer is doign it. If you have to fix it yourself , I would just go to Home depot buy 5 feet of square tube cut to length and weld to the frame instead of the current flimsy crap there. Whole frame flexes because of that thing.

 

I've got an Tacoma 4x2 Access Cab with the SR5 package.

I'm not 100% sure which cross member it is. I will be sure to ask that.

Thank you VERY much for the link to that post. I did see some TSB's for cross members on Tundras but not Tacoma's. I'll search for frame related TSB's instead and see if I have better luck.

I did do the repair through the dealership. Mainly because they were giving 50% off and I could take everything that happened there to Toyota Canada if I were displeased. I still think this problem existed before my warranty was up and my dealerships service department missed it.

 

How much was 50% if you don't mind me asking ?
Yeah I dont know if there is TSB for that particular item but it should be. It was fixed in 09 trucks so it has to be known problem like improved engine mounts.
So what they did replace? Did they re-welded whole cross member? Or Did they replaced with stronger one or the same flimsy one?

 

The original quote was for $4000 but they said it would cost slightly less. That's when they were going to replace the body from the cab back. Then I got an e-mail from their service manager on day 2 of the 6 working day repair saying they found a broken cross member. An exact quote would be:

This added $350 to the repair (I wasn't told if this was cost before or after the 50% deal). Since that seems low for an important part of the truck I'm going to assume it was a $700 part.

So in total the repair is $4700 and I'll be paying around $2350 before taxes/$2632 after taxes.

The service manager mentioned looking in the parts catalog so I'm assuming they are replacing it and NOT welding it. I will ask that question. Welding would be moronic because if it broke once welding it isn't fixing the problem it's patching it until it breaks 3 inches further up the cross member.

On top of that the rear quarter panels and mounts are being replaced. I'll get a full list once everything is done.

 

Wow that was rape Toyota service must be on crack or something charging people that much money in current economy.

Its surprising that more people don't complain about cross members failing. Either people dont know or trucks are not rust enough for cross members to snap.
I will be upgrading mines, I already made brackets to attach new cross member to frame. Its on this picture (its on the left side of the hub that U thingy.


As you can see from amount of rust I am slacking on that project. I just had no time to finish the rest of the stuff.

 

I don't know that I have any advice for you, but I feel for you man. IMO a broken crossmember speaks to the weakness in these frames, both 2 and 4wd. I've never liked these frames, there have been alot of issues IMO. Toyota should build real trucks in North America like the Hilux. Even if they brought that truck to this country tomorrow, it would proabably be too late to retain me as a customer. Just my $0.02.

 

Thanks for the sympathy... empathy??? which ever it is

I went to the dealership to get my truck today. They forgot to re-enforce the arms that hold the rear quarter panels tight to the box so I'll be bringing it back on Thursday for them to fix up.

The crossmember was the one at the very rear of the box that holds the back of it together and that the gate latches on to when it closes. I've got a shiny new one complete with warning stickers about wiring for a backup camera. They also replaced the rear quarter panels.

The dealership kept my old crossmember so I'm going to go and look at it on Thursday and take a bunch of pictures. I'm hoping it will be enough to convince Toyota Canada to reimburse me for the repair.

This seems like poor design, weak material and inappropriate marketing. I told the salesmen when I bought my truck what I did with it and I never once hid what I did from the service department. Only when something major went wrong just as my warranty expired was I told "You're using a truck for something it wasn't designed for".

The service manager actually said "Quality is in the eye of the beholder" when I was talking about the repairs and trying to get ANY information out of him as to WHY the crossmember broke (he provided none of value). I just stared at him and said "Do you not see the truck directly in front of you?"

 

Oh okay, I know what you are talking about. It's not really a frame crossmember. I think it may be called the bed yoke. (?) I've heard of these breaking before, usually with a camper shell on. Yours might be the worst I've seen. The damage definitely wouldn't have been so extensive if you had noticed it sooner.

If this ever happens to my truck, I'll try to repair or replace the part myself.

It's only slightly less of a "foul" by Toyota in my mind.

 

Here you go:

http://www.tacomaterritory.com/forum/showthread.php?t=114529

 

Bingo. That's exactly it. I see some people got it fixed under warranty and some didn't. One guy said he got it fixed and it broke 11 months later.

Guess I'll be selling my canopy and complain about the build quality of that part to Toyota. Hopefully Toyota will make it stronger in future models.

 

You could always try to reinforce it and keep the canopy.

 

I'm a computer technician. I can't weld

That is a good idea though. I also have D-Rings and nylon straps. When i know I'm heading off on a bumpy dirt road I could just use the rings/straps to hold the walls together.

 

I tough computer guys should be able to do everything. What kinda computer guy are you

 

Haha. That reminds me. I gotta get some of that and throw it in my safety box.

 

I think even if I welded it, I'd try to bolt some angle iron somewhere to further brace it.

 

$3000 it's fixed. Check this out:

Back view of truck: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/11/img2011072200047.jpg/

1. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/16/img2011072100042.jpg/
2. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/829/img2011072100043.jpg/
3. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/839/img2011072100044.jpg/
4. http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/51/img2011072100045.jpg/

The solid red, U shaped piece is what was replaced.

Pictures 1 and 4 are of the back side of the U shape which would normally not be visible because of the quarter panels. The cracks sit under the brake lights I believe.

Pictures 2 and 3 are of the bottom of the black metal piece that runs along the sides of the brake lights and make a 90 degree join to the bottom of the U shape.

Updated with some context. Sorry I wish I'd taken a picture of the whole piece. Hopefully this makes a bit more sense.

Oh and that Tonneau cover. Toyota threw that in for free. They had one lying around they were going to junk.

 

wont a hitch hold the back span of the frame together?

what part are we talking about.?

 

wait, $3k for what could have been a simple weld? <--- confused

 

Post updated with some context