2005 tacoma 2nd gen terminal frame rot rust cancer

So if someone sprays the frame regularly, but eventually the frame rust out and becomes unsafe to drive, would that be a problem if one day toyota decided to offer a frame replacement/buy back? Could then toyota refuse it as the frame was "altered" in the process?

OP and AlInOntario, good luck with this. Hope it all works out for you and you get this resolved asap.

 

I'm not doing anything to maintain my frame. I change the oil, plugs, filters etc. - the type of items any reasonable person would consider a wear item requiring maintenance on any vehicle. The frame does not fall into this catagory and I'll be damned if I'm adding it to my lifes' "to do" list.

 

agreed.

i'm hopeing for a G1 style buy back program.

 

I'm with these guys...

If Toyota cannot design and build a vehicle to last in elements that it is being sold in, they should be forced to conduct buy backs and repair programs like the Gen 1 program. There are many other manufacturers' vehicles that have zero issues in the same conditions and treated much worse than our vehicles that do not have the signs of rust and deterioration, why can't Toyota get it right?

 

I would agree with that in principle since other manufacturers do not seem to have rust problems of this scale. If Ford, Nissan, XY manufacturer can produce vehicles that do not have these problems while being driven in the same conditions, why should I expect any less from a Toyota, especially if I pay premium price for one.

That being said, that does not help me if my own truck starts rusting out from underneath. Relying on Toyota to step up once again and offer a buy back/frame replacement does not seem like the best plan of action unfortunately. Taking care of the frame or sadly getting rid of the truck seems like a better plan in my eyes.

If frame rust issue proves to be the case with second gens as it was with 1st gens and Tundra's, it will be enough of a reason for me not to buy another Toyota next time around. You would think they would have learned that from the frame fiasco last time around...

Now I should have another look underneath my own truck and see in what shape the frame is in...

I hope this post did not come across the wrong way. I hope we hear soon from OP with a good update.

 

No, you did not come across in a bad way. I completely understand what you are saying, I just respectfully disagree with anyone that thinks that this is an acceptable practice, having to break out the wire brush once a year and clean the frame/undercarriage and paint/seal with rust inhibitors.

With this rust issue in mind, I am looking to sell/trade my 2006 Tacoma as we speak. There is absolutely nothing wrong with it, aside from the rusty undercarriage, but I do not feel comfortable keeping it any longer fearing that I will be "stuck" with a 10 year old truck with less than 100k miles that can no longer be drive and worth nothing more than scrap value. Needless to say, Toyota is NOT an option that I am considering, unfortunately.

 

That is understandable, can't blame you for that if it is already in bad shape.

Mine did not look too bad last time I checked a few months ago, but the paint peels off in the spots where I place the jack to lift the truck up when changing a tire etc. I fear it will go downhill from there quick. This is its 7th Alberta winter and 4th for sure without being parked in a garage. (I'm the second owner...) I planned to keep if for another 10 years, so hopefully that will be the case still...

 

Right, it isn't a laborious task for me at 28, but what about the 70 year old man that bought a truck that should have lasted the rest of his life? Should he, at 75, have to go out in his driveway and spray down the frame/undercarriage of his 5 year old truck or pay someone to do it? Believe me, I have no problem with doing scheduled maintenance to my vehicles. I will gladly wrench on my worn truck to replace u-joints, bearings, bushings, etc to keep it running properly and safely, but to say that it is necessary to do any more than wash and keep clean the underside of your truck is like saying that you should have to repaint your truck every couple of years so the body does not rot out.

 

I had the frame replaced on my 2001.
After the job was done, I took it to the car wash for a complete wash, then drove directly to the Ziebart shop and had them Ziebart the truck.
That was Jan. 2010 and it is holding up well. Still looks sealed and no rust.
I always check when getting the oil changed.
I've had 6 vehicles Ziebarted and they aways looked rust-free when traded/sold.

 

Doording mentioned preventing frame failure. There is a difference between preventing and prolonging. In my mind "preventing" means it's not going to happen at all over what most people would expect the lifetime of the vehicle to be. That sounds great if it works (not trying to pick on DD, he just stated something that works in my scenerio), but I don't wheel or drive on the beach and I'd like my truck to last a long time. My concern in maintaining my frame would be this, that I'd merely prolong my frames eventual demise past the point of eligibility for a buyback/replacement program. Then I'd really be kicking myself.

 

Ok, saw this thread, read most of it and just HAD to go crawl under our newly purchased '06 DC for a look-see. Compared to the OP's photo, our frame & suspension components look almost new--just a few small rock chips--after 83K miles. Most everything visible is still covered in the original black paint, which is slightly oxidized.

Just so ya know, the truck has spent its entire life out here in the dry climate of western Colorado. We do get some snow in the winter, and the state uses magnesium chloride on the roads when icy/slippery, but no salt.

 

OP here. no news to report. truck still on dealer lot.

 

Sorry to hear they are still dragging their feet. I would be beyond irritated at the situation and start expanding my exposure since Toyota does not feel the need to act appropriately to find a resolution.

 

OP UPDATE

Phone call from dealership today. Our letter has initiated some action. I would like to have it in writing before I say anything further here. hopefully I can post something next week.

 

I've covered my frame (and especially the trouble areas noted) with Fluid Film a couple of times already this season. I would view this as prolonging, not preventing, as it's the factory paint/coating that is the weak spot.

If I recall correctly on the 1st Gen recall if the frame passed the test were coated and the frame was then warrantied for 15 years after the initial sale or something like that.

I would think that 15 years is a good run for a truck and I would assume any coating they give you would give you another 5-7 years.

 

LOL....coming from someone in Southern NJ I fully agree.

This....

an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

and they are? steel rusts....it's what it does. to think any frame will be around forever is ridiculous IMO. I guess we should just replace our bridges every 5 years instead of painting them?

If you want it to last treat it good.


So why not just coat the frame in salt every day to insure it rusts out.

If you kept an eye on the older trucks having this issue you would know they were ALL inspected. Some got sprayed, some bought back, and some had frames replaced. At no time did Yota corp say your frame looks good see you later. The frames if not replaced were sprayed and given an additional 15 year warranty.

Seems like totally flawed logic to me, but I can only see it from my eyes so who knows. Maybe I'm just crazy by taking care of my stuff.

Ex. Not sure why I even grease my zerks.....I shouldn't of and they could of blown out before my powertrain warranty was up. Now I'm stuck with the old ones. Shit

 

I don't know about y'all, but 15 years, or even 30 is not an acceptable frame life.
My 1965 Land Cruiser is rock solid.
My 1950 Chevy 1 ton is rock solid.
I've done nothing, to either frame.

15 years? For $35,000?
Not ok.

 

Steel RUSTS. /Thread

 

Allow me to clarify then.

While I believe Fluid Film's marketing and abilities as an anti-corrosive agent, given the location you're using the product, I would think it would to a great deal to prolong the life of the frame by keeping most of the corrosion causing junk away from the frame, but I wouldn't say applying a coat of it yearly is going to keep any/all rust from occurring either.

The coating can still be worn away under normal operating conditions, road spray, excessive water, etc, etc will remove the coating from the frame, and then you're still subject to whatever corrosion the now bare frame will see (given Toyota's weak paint on the frame). Crack the coating and you open up the floodgates for junk to get under the paint and start attacking the frame.

Granted, if you keep on top of it and reapply multiple times a year you can keep most of this at bay. I have noticed in some areas of my frame where I have applied the coating, it is no longer present after a 2-3 months driving in rain/snow. I have reapplied, but this will need to be repeated on a regular basis. I don't think it's a hassle all things considered and it will help.

I guess IMHO to call it rust preventing is a little misleading. I'd view rust preventing as "spray this on once, never rust." Maybe I'm stretching the definition a little further than I should, but it feels like a one stop deal to me.

My 15 year comment wasn't in regards to the OP's truck, it was in regards to the comment that applying a product to prolong the life of the truck would force him to miss his window of having the frame replaced or bought back, in the case of the recalls.

What I meant by that is if that person took his frame in (a treated frame) and the frame passed inspection and as such was coated by Toyota, he'd be (again assuming the terms remain the same) a 15 year warranty in which if the frame does go, he'd be somehow taken care of. What I was trying to get across is that I would assume that a coated frame (from Toyota) that has some rust/corrosion on it would easily last another 5-7 years before you'd run into trouble. My 15 year comment simply comes from the place of the average person doesn't keep a car that long. 15 years at 12K a year is 180K, and in the Northeast, even if the frame doesn't go, after that long you might start seeing rust develop in other places. I had a 1993 Xtracab from South Carolina that had a good frame, but the body was starting to go. Granted, the Tacoma seems less susceptible to body rot compared to the old trucks, but I'm just meaning that if you get 15 quality years out of the truck without the frame breaking in half, I think you're ahead of the game. Maybe I have a different view on things than most, I dunno.

I don't believe it's worth letting the frame go bad in hopes to get covered under a recall.

 

Keep in mind that after storm flooding (and there's been a lot since '05) a lot of vehicles may or may not be totaled/salvaged... thousands of flooded vehicles are cleaned up and dumped on the used car market.

Things like this is often the result.