05+ Official Perforated/Rusted Through Frames

FWIW, while out running a myriad of errands, I stopped by two Toyota dealers and asked about the '15 TRD Pro trucks, and when they would be available for ordering (I'm not sure if I'll be in on this or not). I lost the frame in my first gen. Tacoma, and my wife's '06 was looking like it was headed down the same path, although not to the extent seen here. Anyways, I asked outright if Toyota has fixed these frame issues after over a decade of problems.

Both responses were an unwavering "yes" and said that the '12 Tacomas and later are "Fixed". Don't know what "Fixed" means but they acknowledged the problems with the Swiss cheese frames.

Have been quietly lurking these frame threads and didn't see any info like this.

Of course, it could be the party line B.S., so take it with a grain of salt.

Good luck to those with frame issues.

 

I am thinking since I have until 2016 to bring it in, I may wait on the inspection and drive it another winter and see what happens. I first need to get up there myself and look at the trouble spots.

 

Vermont,

08 base access cab,

105,000 miles.


No pics yet went for inspection today says it passed safety but qualifys for recall they will be in touch. They say no cost to me with a loaner and they were pulling the box didn't say about the cab.
But if when grinding rust before repainting and coating, the frame can still fail and may need to be replaced.
Left the dealer and went to my local spring shop (Baileys) and did the 5100 adj billies up front did the .8 with stock coils.

 

Hey Jeffch- What dealer did you bring it to. Did you buy your truck from them as well.

 

Hey 802 Tacoma, I went to Handys in St. Albans I bought it from Handy Chevrolet kinda the same dealer.
20 mins on the lift no bs just that my trucks frame would be ground and
Painted after removing the box and would be inspected further then. I'm gonna have to read my paperwork better but spent most the day at Baileys in Essex.

 

Thanks for the info.

Cheers

 

Live in Hawaii and bought my Tacoma new in 2005.
Here are some photos of my frame, and I live 40 miles from the beach.
Took it into the dealer aft I started finding parts of my truck on the road.
They said not to drive it any more.
Ya think?

 

Tapped my frame with a small hammer and now I can fit my fist through it

 

Yikes!

 

Nice...
It appears that the frame next to the exhaust bears too much damage.

 

Hey Offgrid, I think you live in a "cold weather state" so you might be able to get some help from your dealer. Thats not rust, it failure, be kinda hard call it anything but.
Interesting to note its not just the frame but most of the fasteners any basically every metal part under the truck is going bad.

 

Just received word that my frame will be replaced. It is "on order" and should take about two weeks to get to Bristol, RI.
I looked at it again today and there is a hole on the inside next to the drivers side cat. They must have punched through it when they did the inspection.

 

Yah I already spoke to a dealer. Going to be a replacement. My biggest concern is that I have some non stock equipment and I dont know how they are going to handle it. I have long tube headers, a wide open Y pipe 2" all spring lift and no cats. Kind of concerned they will report me to the state for messing with emissions equipment.
Whats really interesting to me is that other steel components like the sway bar and misc parts that are not part of the frame are in good shape with only mild surface rust. After looking at the pieces of metal that fell out of my frame they look weird. The steel has a kind of crystaline structure to it and seems very brittle.

 

Just picked the truck up. New leaf springs, spare tire mount, lower control arms, brake lines, fluid refill, coolant replaced and alignment (of course).

Left some rusty brackets for lines and wires, cab sounded a bit noisier than I remember but still trying to unravel that to my own ear.

Truck went in on Monday morning, back early afternoon Wednesday. Had that annoying intermediate steering shaft replaced, no labor but gouged on the part at $231.xx. Mis-communication with the service rep or I'd have had new shocks with free labor, but rides like a champ, as always.

Now, such a shame this '05 has rust on the underside of the cab, firewall, and inside the front wheel wells. It will crumble in a few years, but the frame will still be pretty I bet!

Hope that's of some help. Thanks for all the information/posts over the years I've been reading along wondering how this would all play out. Best of luck to those of you still waiting.

Jeff

 

had an initial inspection done today to see if I can wait the 3 months before they can get me in for the actual insp....those who have had it done did they use a needle gun or sandblast...here are some pics of what they said are non issue areas

I was amazed that they reuse the corroded hardware when they put the bed back on, plus the factory installed hitch is not included. was seriously thinking of taking it off to see what are under it looks like

 

I wonder if these would be non issue areas if it was there vehicle? This is exactly what I have seen in many cases of powder coated steel. It may be the cat's meow for somethings but where the item is subject to salt I feel that the powder coat seperates from the steel, doesn't flake off holding the moisture and salt in leading to longer exposure times to the corrosive action resulting in the large layers of rust. Just like putting a piece of steel in an oxygenated salt brine for an extended period. here's an article about steel coatings: http://www.keytometals.com/page.aspx?ID=CheckArticle&site=kts&NM=300.

Powder coating does not provide a sacrificial material for the electrochemical process. My observations are from my '92 Ranger that had a painted frame with powder coated parts riveted on (rear spring perches, etc.) and powder coated snow blades. The powder coat on the snow blades bubbled up but was very resistant to breaking up to expose the steel so the brine could be washed off and the steel dry. The powder coated parts on my Ranger frame de-laminated just like a piece of interior grade plywood left to the elements. Luckily they were cost effectively replaceable by cutting the rivets off and bolting on replacements from Ford

My opinion is that the frames should have been painted old school by dipping in a primer and then color coat or e-coated and then color. More expensive, yes but how much is frame replacement and customer dissatisfaction costing Toyota even considering any settlement that they may have reached with their supplier(s).

 

So I talked to corporate today due to there were some questions I had that the dealership could not answer and was amazed that they do not warranty any of the compound application...in other words if it comes off or any other corrosion shows up it is up to us to pay out of pocket for another application...any of you guys that have had it done was this explained to you

 

Just wait for your frame to rot. Probably a better solution.

 

you laugh but there are days I wish it would so the issue will be fixed and not patched

 

My '05 is at the dealers now for a frame replacement. They gave me a Corolla to use.