04 frame replacement

Here's a Gen 1 frame from a dealer in my old hometown in Southeastern Ohio a little over a year ago. There are a range of part numbers depending on configuration of the truck. I'd be surprised if one couldn't go to the parts counter with one's VIN and order a frame. It won't be cheap, though...




They let me take a piece of crating with TACOMA stenciled on it -- a souvenir for the shop wall.


I talked to a guy there looking at his truck. He'd just purchased what looked like an otherwise OK 2004 (for the rust belt) with a frame that resulted in an immediate off-the-road diagnosis by the dealer. The rust was bad, but it was the crack in the frame that nailed it. They had him in a 2019 Double Cab loaner for two or three months when I spoke to him as they awaited parts. His had to be part of the last Gen 1 group approved for frame replacement.

 

is that a new and improved chemically resistant coating?

it does not look as deep black as my frame is in the pics

 

wow... with the chance of install new frame , I will coated in and out with chassis saver and then with Woolwax and then installed, you'll survive any rust belt states forever and ever....

 

I actually never heard of the recall, never got anything in the mail. I took my truck in Tuesday for power steering and belts, the mechanic told me I should call toyota about the frame recall.

 

they sent someone in PA an official notice to have their 97 checked and they were the 2nd owner iirc
as far as i know nobody in my region west of the Mississippi river received notice
MN is the lone exception to the river divide

 

what state are you in (or did you mention previously)

 

Are you the original owner? The notifications were sent out several years back

At any rate I highly doubt they are going to make an exception just because someone claims they were never told about the frame replacement program, otherwise people all over would be making the same claim. The program ended last year for '04s, hate to say it but you're SOL as far as getting Toyota's help. That doesn't mean you can't tackle it yourself though...find a donor frame (or buy one from Toyota $$$$), or weld in new sections to your rusty frame.

 

Illinois

 

I am the original owner, bought it brand new with 9 miles on it.

 

that must be at a collision repair body shop?
that is the price quote i got too when i checked outside of dealer indie Toyota mechanic

 

Illinois should've gotten a notice by mail unless you possibly bot it in a different state?, IL is in the Cold Climate States official category to get checked and sprayed if not totally perforated
as far as i understand anyways

 

wow.... sadly the Toyota offer is gone ...
Ironically there is accurate database and ways to find you when ...
....you need to pay taxes every year at DMV , they know your VIN
or mandatory recalls link with the VIN
..... that notification shouldn't just be sent in the mail
I took the truck before the program end it...
IF they linked the salt states Sold VIN # the inspection should it be mandatory....
The frame is a part... is defective for not proper coating .. YES !
what was the excuse for not call it for the correct name ' RECALL" ?
obviously money so their Clever lawyers minds used other words the " Program " to screw many out there, and saved themselves a good chunk of the money 25 million dollars that Danna Corporation ( supplier company for the frames ) they paid to Toyota corporation for the faulty frames, TOYOTA was not doing a favor to anyone, they was just using those funds randomly to whom ever notice the issue or to whomever got the randomly letters sent by post office, ( don't work so hard to announce to all the affected customers , right ?

Unfortunately for some owners Toyota and NHTSA (National Highway & Transportation Administrations), or whatever the State agency at court didn't make it mandatory as an important recall by the VIN number...
That was a low ball ... catch 22 game..... that is not honesty.

Lucky for the ones that got it .. ( new frame properly coated)
but too bad too sad for us whom didn't catch it in time

 

but Texas has no problems with road chemical salts to melt ice/snow

 

It was sold at PA... Carfax show some years there and the rest at Texas.... that was enough to get a lot of rust ... I had been fighting rust on my own .... the war against rust in on.... and " Solo "

my media album shows all the work I did, I still planning on do more with more new products.... just trying to be on the safe side...

 

its probably relatively humid in TX all the time so it just eats away slowly with all the moisture in the air

 

this is a fight that has been fought before.

You won’t win. This is a 15 year old truck, and this rust doesn’t crop up overnight.

The deadline was established MANY years ago. Sucks, but the OP just missed it.

 

I wonder how long mine is good for; I go the spray-on coating in October 2017 and my dealer says that for the foreseeable future they'll likely be able to get Toyota to pay for a frame replacement down road if the need arises...

 

just curious where the trouble spots were found?
when you bot it did you have it 'weatherproofed' or anything?

 

FYI You have less than 2 years left on your extended frame warranty.

 

For 1st gens its 15 years from the in service date (date it first rolled off the lot). probably the same for 2nd gens.