Toyota is replacing the frame on my '05!!

Wonder if anyone has some actual experience with this ?

 

I know they used them on the subs I worked on at the shipyard, but doesn't that only work for things under water. (maybe using the salt water as a conductor??)

I always wondered what the science behind that was. I'll have to Google it.

 

Thanks.

I hope they have a recall also. The concern I have is that there was no paper trail to show that I had my frame replaced and when I look at the Toyota.com website that shows previous work done on my Tacoma at a dealership, the frame replacement doesn't show up.

I hope Toyota or someone is honestly tracking all of these "courtesy" frame replacements and rust issues to show the extent of the problem.

 

It could work, but as simple as anodes are they're also somewhat complicated and their effectiveness in this application is questionable. You could use zinc paint, that stuff works very well. It's sold as 'cold galvanize' or 'zinc rich primer'. I used some on one of my boat trailers with no prep, just sprayed it right over the rust and it's held up well.

 

Wow thats bad.. ive been spraying my truck with fluid film since i got it now im around 80k aswell and the entire frame is still black. I wonder how it got so bad hopefully mine holds up. Maybe a shittier steel in 05? What do you do for maintenance on the frame?

 

I have always sprayed a penetrating grease all over my frames, nuts and bolts, and hard brake lines for years, just before winter. My 93 Taco did not have an ounce of rust on it. It's a little thicker than WD-40. The only slight drawback is it collects a little more dirt and grime, but can be wiped off easily. Just put a Toytec ULK on my truck and not one rusty nut under there. Shouldn't have to do this but......

 

I didn't own it for the first 6 years or so of its life.

Since I have owned it, all I did was to wash the frame and wheel wells a couple of times every winter. That has always been good enough for any past vehicles I have owned.

With this new frame, I will treat it with fluid film and pay very close attention to it.

 

My 05 failed inspection, condemned, at dealership now waiting to see if Toyota will replace frame. There should be a class action lawsuit. Someone's going to get killed when a frame snaps in half on a nine year old truck the looks fine, like mine!

 

Toyota is replacing my frame, happy!

 

GOOD!!!

 

How many miles (asks the 05 rusting owner)?

 

I registered for this site just now to thank everyone for the contributions, and to report the results of using information posted here in the hopes that it proves useful to someone else down the line.

I have an '05 Tacoma with 73k on it. It was a primary driver for me until about 4 years ago, and now plays second fiddle to a car that zips me around as needed. It has the original battery, exhaust, and has been wonderfully low maintenance -- usuals for these vehicles which I've seen include leaf spring squeaks and on fracture, dead a/c compressor, and then had to pull and replace front calipers, rotors and pads about a year ago. Other than the recalls, a great experience until I saw some rusty water drip spots under it a couple of years ago in the garage.

I took it in for the seat belt recall last week to the local dealer here, White River Toyota, and asked them to look at the frame. They inspected free of charge, got back to me the next day and said it had a couple of bad spots under the body mounts in the front, was safe to drive, but Toyota would put a new frame under it at no charge with a loaner during the service. Service will take less than 2 days (says they have a 2 man team that have it down to a science, unfortunately), brake lines will be replaced for free and have been ordered, they'll look at parts that might be replaced at that time if needed over and above the frame/brake lines, and if I elect to have those parts replaced there is no labor charge for doing so. Usual suspects include shocks, any gas line which shows corrosion, and my favorite -- maybe that pesky steering knuckle with no grease fitting, but usually there is nothing required.

This dealer told me they have been replacing frames on '05 Tacomas for two years on a case by case basis. The problem is steel quality, not coating problems...just inferior steel.

I'll update as I go through this process over the next month. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to contribute to this and other threads.

Jeff

 

Congratulations Jeff And a salute to your dealer for taking care of the problem - from what I read on TW a lot of dealers do their best to do nothing. I hope Toyota decides it is cheaper to buy good frames then to go thru this. My 2000 was bought back for bad frame and from what I read the new ones are no better so that's 14 years with the same problem - they did redesign the frame but it still rusts.

 

Yes, I've seen plenty of reports on TW and elsewhere of dealers and Toyota doing nothing. Perhaps the local dealer's response is a sign of things getting closer to a recall or at least a more fair way of treating folks with a legitimate problem that is outside normal wear and tear. Or, perhaps it's influenced by a 1.2 billion dollar penalty problem with more sure to come. They need to get of their asses and recall these 2d gen. Tacomas. How many folks are driving dangerous vehicles without enough knowledge or interest to detect the problem before it becomes life threatening?

 

By the way, anyone have a quick link to a thread I saw about things to replace or consider replacing on a frame changeover, even if it costs $$? I am seriously thinking this might be the last truck I own and might as well spend a few bucks to make sure and see if I can save a few $$ down the line.

Thanks again, everyone.

 

Perhaps U R correct - 1.2 billion dollars might wake them up - the expense of replacing 1st gen frames didn't do anything. We can only hope - outside of the frame my 1st gen was a great truck and I love my 2nd gen - been religious about frame maintenance - so far so good.

 

Wow, that's great, a new frame.

 

I'll see if I can get some photos up before I take it in, if it ever warms up enough to crawl around out there for long enough.

I'm actually kind of surprised at the new frame, at this point anyway. No holes near the cat like photos I've seen. Incredibly pervasive and deep rust everywhere, however, and the report was instability under the front body mounts. No arguing by me, no foot stomping, just a quick visit for the seat belts and request to look at it, then a response that a new frame is on its way.

I'm not a loyal service customer, although I did buy the vehicle there in '05. I only take it in on dealer only (broken rear leaf spring) and recalls stuff like the spiral cable for the air bag, floor mat issue, and seat belt issue just recalled.

I'm hopeful it's a sign of good things to come for others around the country. However, the service rep did say they'd been doing '05 frames for almost 2 years.

 

Wow! No arm bending or nothing? I took my '05 in to dealership to have them look at it, they admitted that there was definitely a problem and advised me to take it up with Toyota Customer Relations. TCR basically said that I was out of warranty, there were no product recalls for my model and that I'm basically on my own to have it repaired.

 

How many miles?