Another frame recall question - anyone have experience with this?

I bought an '04 Tacoma just a couple years ago. I knew about the frame issues and made sure to get the recall letter from the previous owner. It says there is a 15 year extended warranty on the frame - and when I called the local toyota dealership they confirmed that I could bring it in anytime for the perforation test.

The previous owner had already gone in for the frame spray, but, I was definitely banking on being able to get a new frame if any further issues arose.

I haven't checked it that thoroughly, but, just the other day there's a piece at the very rear end of the frame that broke right off. Doesn't look to effect the integrity of the frame much but it doesn't bode well - it all looks pretty rusty in general.

I called the dealership and they said that the recall was closed on my vehicle b/c it was already sprayed. Has anyone else had this situation? Did you appeal to corporate? Anything to be done?

 

they lied or don't know what they are talking about, call back and ask to speak to the manager and if he wont help you tell him you are calling Toyota corporate office to report he is refusing to honor your Toyota warranty, he will quickly change his tone. if he is truly ignorant then have Toyota corporate call them and "educate" them on the warranty but if I were you I would try a better dealership.

as to the rust warranty, as I understand it, its not an extra 15 years but just 15 years from the truck date so that's 04 plus 15 or you have frame rust through coverage up until year 2019

 

Hey Trapper,

Seems like what keakar says matches up with what I've been reading in all the other frame rust threads. If the Tacoma had been brought in for the treatment, and the rust continues (as it generally does) after the treatment, then Toyota should inspect it for you. If the frame fails inspection and shows perforation, then they typically will tell you that it is unsafe and offer either to replace the frame or buy back your vehicle at 1.5x the KBB for your car (excellent condition). Assuming it is within 15 years of being put into service. It seems buybacks were more common in previous years of the Tacomas, and lots of folks are getting frame replacements for 2001-2004, albeit after waiting several months for their dealer to get the frame and additional parts.

I am in a similar but slightly different situation. I recently bought a 2001 regular cab prerunner. I thought the frame looked pretty good, and it showed the undercoating. I've only owned it for a couple of weeks now, and have been looking more closely underneath as I prep for some tweaks and minor fixes. Lo and behold, there is more rust and flaking, and even a decent sized perforation in the frame. I feel like an idiot for not having found this on my prepurchase inspection. I even passed on other prerunners I looked at for that very reason. I'm taking it to the dealer on Tuesday for the open recall on the spare tire carrier and to have them look at the frame. I am crossing my fingers that they offer to replace it or buy it back.

My question for everyone here is: Since the previous owner did not retain the info on having the frame coated by Toyota, is there a way to search my VIN to verify that the coating was applied? Or a sticker or something they would have placed when doing it? I want to be prepared when I go to the dealer to make the case for replacement if the frame fails. Thank you for your help. Bummed to have just gotten my first Taco and already face this situation.

 

yes, Toyota records it in your vehicle history report so any dealer can see everything ever done to the truck, including the frame inspection and coating

this also shows on your carfax

 

Thanks, keakar.

I spoke with the service folks from the dealer where it was originally purchased. They have no record of the original owner bringing it in for the treatment. I asked if they would also have access to the records for any dealers in case the owner had brought it elsewhere. They said if he brought it to a Toyota dealer, then it would have showed up in their search.

Given that it does have a protective coating, my best guess is that they must have gotten it from a non-Toyota location, such as Ziebart, etc.

Does anyone have experiences with Toyota replacing a perforated frame even if the coating had not been applied by Toyota? I'm freaking out at this point, thinking I may have to look at parting it out, 2 weeks after buying it. Terrible.

 

to the best I know of it has to be coated by Toyota or there is no extended frame warranty on it.

you said the PO had the recall letter but from how long ago and did he go in to get it inspected soon after getting the letter? did they have any frame inspection records on file? if it was inspected to comply with the recall requirements then you might be good even if they didn't do the coating on it.

can you find out from the PO if he brought it in for the inspection and who coated the frame and when?

 

It would all be a little easier if I had access to the original owner and records. Unfortunately, the original owner is deceased, the guy I bought it from bought it at an estate sale and only owned it for a month, and now I'm the owner. No records except what I've been able to dig up.

This is awful. I'm completely expecting the local dealer to simply tell me I am SOL. I am kicking myself over this whole fiasco.

 

What Toyota told me was that it had to inspected by a certain time to keep the extended warranty, but only if the truck is in one of the specified states. If it lives outside of those states then the warranty continues to apply even if the truck wasn't inspected.

What state is the truck in?

 

Indiana, one of the states included.

I guess if Toyota tells me I am screwed, I wonder what experiences other people have had? I'm not in a position to part it out, and I would never try to sell it without full disclosure of the perforation I found. From what I see, junking it would help me recoup some money but probably lead to the biggest loss.

 

Call Toyota USA. They were far more knowledgeable about it than my local dealer. They will also know whether it has been inspected previously or not.

 

I just thought I'd post an update for those who have participated in this thread:

I'm on my own with reference to the frame. I've decided to find a replacement and take on the frame swap as a winter project. And yes, I will thoroughly inspect and pretreat the replacement frame before the swap.

It sucks, it will cost me money, and it will take a lot of time. But thanks to the endless knowledge on the site, and the helpful nature of its members, I feel confident that I will be able to complete the swap and enjoy my Tacoma. And yes, I will document the process so that others can benefit from knowledge I gain along the way.

 

With the apparent poor quality of Toyota`s new frames .

Your not going to get a new one from them to all the warranty claims are done .

I asked !! To buy one I have a real good relationship with my dealer said more then likely a few years.

Your going to have to build your own

Most all the little parts like shock mounts etc can be bought.

 

Have a few that I am looking at now, from parted out trucks. Not trying to get one from Toyota.

 

I was advised i would receive a new frame in May and still have not received word that it has been received at my local dealer. On top of that, i was rear ended a few weeks ago. luckily the only damage was to the bumper, but I'm worried when I go to put on an after market low clearance bumper there will be issues due to the rot/rust at the end of the frame.

 

These are parted out trucks with new frames ??

Other wise you will do all this work and be right back where you are now.

 

I tend to agree ^^. Any type of body or frame cancer is relentless and it's best to start fresh and protect rather than buy a used frame you don't know 100% if it's good. Sprayed ones can cover up misery. Or save the frame.

In the meantime, you might poke at the rest of your frame. If it's just the one spot that's bad you might get a few more years out of it.

I find it odd that the dealer doesn't show a record of it being sprayed, but owners can be clueless sometimes and pay for stuff that's unnecessary simply by not knowing about TSBs or watching the mailbox for recalls. Example: I recently bought an Accord and the owner had an oil change place replace the power steering hose. Looked like ass (but didn't leak like the original one eventually did.) Took the car into Honda for something unrelated and the tech said, "Hey, there's a recall on a hose ..." Popped the hood, showed him the "handiwork" done by 'Oil Changes R Us' and he said, "Yeah we'll just go ahead and swap that out for you."

 

Thats BS guy.. Can't believe they told you that. If it was sprayed by toyota in 04 you have 15 years from the first application... So 2019... Mine is also an 04 i had my frame replaced a few months ago.