Please Help! Considering buying 2006 AC TR5 4x4 v6 6-speed...Tips? Frame advice?

I've found a 2006 Tacoma Access Cab TR5 4x4 V6 6-speed with tow package and 77k in Michigan. I am looking for tips and advice before going to see it in person.

The current owner has had it for 2.5 years and states it originally came from Canada. It appears in good shape without rust based on pictures. He's running Mobile 1 synthetic oil (4k change intervals) and has changed the drive-train fluids over to synthetic this past winter. He has had the frame sealed by the local Toyota dealer.

I looked through the forums and a major concern appears to be the frame rust on the 05-08 models. I have run the VIN through the site: https://www.toyota.com/recall and 3 recalls are listed as 'remedy available' (Rear Leaf Springs, Front Seat Belt, and Tacoma Spiral Cable Assembly Replacement). Does this mean they are 'open' and have not been 'fixed'? Also, I do not see the 'limited service campaign' for the frame rust listed...does that mean that this truck was not affected/covered by it?

From what I can tell, the frame needed to be replaced by March 2016 in order to be covered by the 'limited service campaign'. Is that correct? Once sealed by the dealer... is there any warranty? How are people viewing this going forward. Now that it's after 3/2016, is it a bad idea to even consider this model year? I get that all frames rust...but is this frame (even if sealed and well cared for) likely to rot out beyond reason?

I really like the truck and these forums appear to be full of a ton of GREAT info and HELPFUL people. I am wondering what everyone's thoughts are on buying a 2006 at this time though. Any advice on what to look for when seeing it in person?

Thanks in advance for ANY advice,

nlitend1

P.S. I do have the VIN number if anyone can help me out with a carfax report or another source that could provide me any more information. Thank you!

 

Frame was covered for trucks in most cold weather climate markets, but I know of a few trucks that were replaced here in NC.
Mine is rust free but saw very little road salt. I've done most of the damage to my frame on rocks
Inspect it !! any areas of rust hit with a ball peen hammer or screw driver and see if the frame structure has given way or there is just surface rust.

Our trucks clutch through-out bearings tend to squeak. Toyota and URD each have fixes with varying levels of success. Trucks with the problem for a long time can have catastrophic results to the front of the transmission housing, but URD even has a fix for that (not cheap, but less than a new transmission housing). If it isn't squeaking at idle then you can probably feel safe-ish.

Rear springs wear out. TSB or not, they are really low-mid level duty. If you want to haul, tow or offroad with any kind of consistency expect to upgrade your rear suspension, springs and shocks.
Fortunately there is everything from a strong aftermarket to low-budget fab solutions for this. Our trucks have lots of options if you are into that.

Spiral cable is an either or thing. Either it is working and your ABS lights are off and all buttons work, or they don't. Check for all operation on this truck.

I believe you can get on the phone with Toyota and they will send you all the work that was done to the truck. Or a dealership can look it up for you and print a report.

Good luck, and if you pull the trigger welcome to TW!

 

I had an 08 Tacoma that the spiral cable needed replacement on. The ABS light wasn't lit, but the airbag light was.

It also appears that Toyota may still be replacing frames. There's a thread on this 2nd Gen forum about frame replacement and it looks like people are still getting approval to get new frames. I read in another thread that new letters will be going out addressing the frame issue.

 

go to the toyota owners website, create an account and punch in the vin. it will show you everything that has ever been done to it at the dealer and which recalls are open..

as for the frame...

get up under it. take a hammer and it give it 50 lashes. if you punch a hole, run. 10mm hole is a factory fail. make sure to smack it around the cats. that's a very popular spot for rust holes to start.

 

I'd pass. Too risky with an older truck that pretty much lived in salt areas.

Unless you can get it for a really good deal of course

 

Thanks for the replies guys. GREAT info. I can't see myself banging on someone else's truck with a hammer, but I'll definitely look closely and find out if the frame has been replaced. Can anyone speak to having a 2nd gen in a salt area that has been fine with good frame maintenance? I am wondering if it should be fine if I keep up on the frame maintenance.

Unfortunately the Toyotas owners website appears to be malfunctioning. I get an "invalid VIN" message when trying to add the vehicle to get the vehicle history. A quick google search shows it's a common thing (and yes, I made sure the characters were inputted as 1 and 0 and not I and O). I know the VIN is valid because it comes up as a 06 Tacoma correctly on the carfax site. Does anyone have access to a dealership where they can run the VIN?

Thanks,
nlitend1

 

Put the vin# in this checksum calculator and make sure it's a valid vin. Just like credit card numbers, if you change 1 number, it will not be a valid vin.
http://www.alton-moore.net/vin_calculation.html

 

Thank you. Nice tool! Yes, the VIN checks out. The Toyota site must be broken right now.

 

I'm in NJ and they salt heavily here during the winters. I bought my truck in AZ so it was in a good state to begin with (bought it in 09). Every winter I would rinse and wash the accessible areas of the frame and my frame looked brand new until the day I brought it to Toyota for the rust inspection/prevention. They determined my frame was perfectly fine (duh) and sprayed it with the coating.
I gotta say, that coating is messy and looks like shit. BUT, I did it just in case I ever have a frame rust problem Toyota can't blame me.

That being said, once your frame is sprayed w/ the coating there isnt much you need (or can) do to it. It never hardens so washing it will only turn your wash mitt/brush/etc into a black, oily mess. All-in-all, if the frame was in good condition before Toyota sprayed it, you'll be fine. I wouldnt worry.

 

Id pass if the frame was not replaced. I use to live in pa, my frame was replaced. Now my frame did see 12 seasons of pa road salt.

 

Well, I made the drive to check it out and there is a hole big enough to put the tip of my pinky finger in right by the cat. The truck is otherwise in amazing condition and the seller seems very straightforward and open about things (he even volunteered the fact that he had the CEL come on one time last month for a code involving the cam, but that he reset the code and it hasn't come back on (any idea what that would have been?)).

So by the sounds of it, it would fail a factory frame test. The question is... can I rely on Toyota to replace it if I take it to a dealership? It sounded like the dealer sealed it 2 years ago (they had the truck for 1-2 weeks) and now it has this hole in it... does that mean anything? I realize a truck with a hole in the frame has little value...but if i can get it for a good price and then get the frame replaced by Toyota....I'm way ahead of the game.

Do you have the link to that thread? I cannot seem to find it.

Thanks again guys,

nlitend1

 

https://www.tacomaworld.com/threads/toyota-frame-settlement-postcard.468756/page-27#post-15692458

 

Herein lies the sticky part. In the latest settlement agreement, it clearly states that trucks imported from Canada or Mexico are not eligible for a new frame. Will they check that closely, since it's been in the states for a few years? Who knows? Since, all of a sudden, they're doing lots of frames, they may be looking at everything pretty closely. If you buy that truck, it's going to be a huge gamble, with Toyota holding 3 aces.

 

Bro don't but it. Too much risk, look into one that has a new frame already and the cam code will most likely come back on. Onboard computers don't just get random codes, codes are caused. Stay away from it.

 

Update: I did NOT buy it. The next guy that looked at it gave him his full asking price of 13.5k.

I just want to thank everyone who helped/SAVED me from making a risky buy. My guess is the buyer did not have the help of this forum and probably overlooked the hole in the frame because the truck looked incredible otherwise. Thanks again and keep up the great work in the community. If I end up finding another tacoma, I'll be sure to be back and hopefully return the favor someday.

nlitend1

 

I live in the salty, humid north east of Canada, and I will never again buy a tacoma without a new frame. The original frames from these effected years will not survive northern winters.