Frame rust, dealership shenans, and Saf-T-Cap install

Hey folks. Just some bellyaching here that I hope is at least worth a chuckle.

2009 Access Cab TRD Offroad, almost 200k miles and no huge issues. I do PM myself and have had to replace the front shocks/struts once after the front left popped at 165k miles. No serious mechanical mods, some interior and lighting stuff and light custom electrical.

Starter has been touchy and I decided to go ahead and take care of it before it went from "might have to try again sometimes" to "living in a truck stop parking lot while I wait for parts".

Plague logistics have had me waiting for a while to get my hands on a genuine starter. A dealership across town called this AM to let me know it's in, so I run down, grab it, and get home to get to work.

Well, while I'm under the truck I realize that Toyota Direct in Columbus Ohio, rather than correctly and completely perform the frame warranty inspection and CRC, instead opted to do it the opposite way. Huge parts of the frame not coated and huge rust blisters where they failed to remove rust before application of the CRC.

So, I call Toyota and they were happy to file a case for me. We'll see how that shakes out, but given that this is also the dealership that double gasketed an oil change, causing a blowout the next day... and then accused me of removing the oil filter and putting another gasket on myself to try to get a free oil change (the next day!)... I doubt they are going to be willing to properly clean up their mess, so we'll have to see what that's going to take.

Anyway, I get the starter out and only then realize the dealership gave me an alternator instead.

Sigh.

This is why people just turn the radio up when their car starts to make funny noises.

For what it's worth, Tansky Toyota in Columbus OH immediately admitted their mistake and had a driver bring the starter no hassle.

 

Good luck with the frame!

 

The hell would you waste your time making a mess to put another gasket on the oil filter just to get a free oil change after you just paid for one.

 

Honestly, it was the first and last time I ever had someone else do it. They sent out a $10 oil change coupon I couldn't resist. It really only did cost $10... And a whole day the next day forcing them to put the oil back in it and fix it.

 

I bit NHTSA would be interested in how well dealers apply the band aid fix for the rusty frame issue. If nothing else you'll get some satisfaction you did something about it. Just be very detailed.
https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/VehicleComplaint/

 

Update:

Finally got a call back from service manager at Toyota Direct. Scheduled a meeting for 0930 Monday (this) morning. I showed up 10 minutes early, the service manager showed up 40 minutes late.

They're taking photos to send to the Toyota field rep along with an extended warranty request, which puzzles me because the issue is that the CRC work was already approved and paid for, just done incorrectly and incompletely by this dealership.

I am going to go ahead and assume that the request will be denied by Toyota, and I'm going to have to fight the dealership.

Attaching some more photos that show they didn't bother to remove active rust before applying CRC and didn't bother with the tops or inside bottoms of frame rails.

 

They got you an alternator when you asked for a starter? I would be super wary of this dealership. If you go in for an oil change, they might give you a colonoscopy!

 

Take it to another Dealer to get better results this one will cry and moan Be up front and Honest with the other Service Manger


There is no reason to use that dealer !!! Unless you choose to do so.

They are all Independent Owned with all these mistakes I not sure I would trust them.

I get a email or Phone call when my local dealer Parts Manager goes on Vacation his underlings screw things up all the time.

I am in the habit I check all my parts from every place before leaving .

 

How long ago did they perform (or not perform) the CRC?

 

Toyota is not touching my frame...period. If it going to rot out....it's going to rot out on my terms with me kickin' and screamin' all the way down with it fighting the rust the whole time.

My rust fighting regiment will be better than what they can do. I'm not content with letting it slowly and quietly rot away underneath what ever garbage they're spraying on it.

I think I own controlling stock in this company these days. I expect a corporate Christmas card this year.

 

About 14 months ago.

 

From the pictures I see with the laminated supports and rust in between is why I call it a design flaw. To have to manufacture a frame with supports, stiffeners or what ever you want to call them tells it was done to meet crash test requirements. The frame itself wasn't strong enough without them. Just one of the issues with this frame and design. If I sound critical or negative over this it's because I feel any engineer that designs a frame knowing it's going to subject to moisture and or road chemicals and it rust like this doesn't know what they're doing. Especially it the 21st century, and take it the design was probably established in the 1990's, may be a little later. And it's been going on for how long, Tundra?

 

Sorry to necro this thread, but I do have relevant updates that may interest anyone else dealing with this stuff.

I haven't heard back from the dealership at all after taking it in for another "inspection" several months ago and the dealership supposedly submitting stuff to the Toyota rep for determination.

The dealership won't return any calls or e-mails on the matter, and Toyota will do nothing other than attempt to contact the service manager over and over again, who doesn't return any calls.

The Toyota rep says there is literally nothing else Toyota can or will do other than attempt to help me contact the dealer, they do not answer questions about the status of the complaint, and will not answer questions regarding the status of the requests/inspections/determinations of the dealership or field reps.

 

Sounds to me like you need to escalate to a district or regional VP. This is insane that you're having to deal with this. Sounds to me like the independently owned dealer defrauded Toyota and you, the customer, are stuck in the middle.

 

May be time to get a lawyer involved, know any personally that can send them a letter to maybe get the ball rolling for you?

 

If I could figure out a way to contact such a person I would. I just tried my second to last resort, which is putting the dealership and Toyota USA on blast on Instagram. I doubt they'll care, since I don't have a billion followers or anything, but maybe just maybe whatever intern runs their social media will have shiny buttons to press to get someone with the ability to take care of "Customer Goodwill".

Haha, believe me, as a red blooded American I can't help but want to cause someone some grief via a lawyer... but realistically it makes no sense to spend a shitload of money on a lawyer as opposed to a frame shop. I wish I could tackle the frame myself but without a lift, I have issues with the kinds of physical work that a frame scrub and paint requires.

 

Try another dealer. Be upfront with the history. Perhaps they will step up to help you in some way.

Otherwise, I'd bag on your current dealer.

Their history is not good and they have set a precedence of poor support.

 

I'd park that truck in front of the dealer as a billboard warning other customers. Cause a ruckus, you'll get their attention.

 

Maybe try reaching out to the Toyota Corporate Facebook page? I know they take their PR seriously and if someone's loud enough on there, the PR folks usually get bigger people involved

 

Yeah, I tagged them up on my Instagram post, including in the photos. Hopefully it gets traction. I also did a little sleuthing and found some promising non-public e-mail addresses for Toyota North America. I'll keep this thread updated.