Engine Under Cover Sub-Assembly Holding Water

I have an 2014 Tacoma V-6 4x4. I've noticed that after it rains,upon lifting the hood and looking down and 12" or so beyond the radiator that the "Engine Under Cover Sub-Assembly" is holding water.Quite alot in fact. Seems there should some drain holes in it. To those that are not familiar w/ the "Engine Under Cover Sub-Assembly" it is the formed sheet metal fastened to the frame with 4(four) bolts and is the first thing you see when looking below the truck at the very front.(sits below radiator and front bottom of engine).It seems to me this will be a prime spot for salty snow,slush and rain to sit inevitably leading to pre-mature rust through!
I have not decided to just remove the Under Cover and drill a couple of drain holes(and paint it of course) or is this a faulty part that needs to be brought to Toyota's attention and replaced? If anybody else has this problem please respond. Thanks.

 

This is the type of issue your paid the dealer for. Bring it back and ask/show them. It's made to specs or wrong. Plus you documented in the Toyota system if it should start rusting you have better recourse. JMHO

 

Hum my 94 had one too the truck is still running it's rusted pretty bad but the lower skid plate is still fine.

 

The skid plate?

 

What ever you want to call the plate kind of keeps things from bashing the parts underneath doesn't it.

 

The reason I joined this forum was to possibly save some time by not going
to the Toyota Dealer I purchased truck from. Sitting around the dealership
for a couple hours and then having them tell me "we could not find anything" is not my idea of a day in the woods. I guess I should rephrase
my post "...if anyone out there has had and/or had the same problem please respond how they solved it".

 

It is not the "skid plate". I do not have a skid plate on my truck. It is
called the "engine under cover plate". The engine under cover plate is what is installed on my truck. The "engine under cover plate" stamping
has a lip(for strength) approx. 0.2500" formed up toward the engine. This
is why it holds water. Once you drive the truck,of course the water from
just the air turbulence will blow it off. But nontheless, living in the NorthEast where roads are heavily salted in winter, this poses a premature
rust problem. Standing (salty) water is not good anywhere on/in a vehicle. It just accelerates the inevitable..Faulty engineering design!!!

 

A "skid plate" is not the same as a "engine under cover plate". The
skid plate is larger and I would think a heavier guage steel than the engine
under cover plate.

 

lolz

 

Well excuuuuuuuuuse us.

 

Pithy abbreviated comments are a waste of space and time on a truck
forum such as this. Sit back and learn. If you can teach us, focus
on a cognitive response to a resolution of the question at hand.

 

Hey hotshot, you seem to be kind of a DB right outta the gate.
TIP: It's not a good attitude to have around here.

Some food for thought....
Since 2005 to 2013, over 1.2 million Tacomas were produced. They all have a "potentially problematic water holding' sub cover you're asking about, but I have never heard of any failure... rust or otherwise about these covers.

Enjoy your truck and rest easy as the masses will say there is no design flaw in the area your concerned with.

 

toyota calls them engine undercover in the manuals

sales and marketing call them a skid plate

it is the same thing
-----------------------
about the problem

they are painted, the part facing the engine usually doesn't rust,
the part facing the ground does rust if you bang around on rocks and scrap it

otherwise, just driving and taking a few corners tosses any water aside

take the thing completely off if you don't go offroad, all it is, is weight

it has zero function other that keep sticks from popping up under there and something
to rub some rocks against when you are on a bony road

 

1. We call it a skid plate. It's not much of one but it is none the less. There is also a Factory skid plate that goes over that but it's even less functional (I have one)

2. You came here for answers not the other way around

3. Don't be a dick

 

"poses a premature rust problem. Standing (salty) water is not good anywhere on/in a vehicle. It just accelerates the inevitable..Faulty engineering design!!!"


It wouldn't be a Toyota with out a premature rusting problem, now would it? Its part of a signature toyota feature.

 

Drilling two(2) 0.250" holes on each side of plate is what I decided to do.
Will just remove the four(4) bolts securing the plate,drill,prime and paint the area around the holes and re-install.
Thanks for the help.

 

So what you're saying is that you just drilled the holes in the skid plate that didn't need to be done anyway and pretty much shit canned the warranty on it if it would have rusted. Whether you like it or not that is a skid plate under your truck. It has been since the 80's (was on my '83) that I know of. They have a flimsy metal cover that goes over it to "dress it up" and they call it a TRD skid plate. Regardless it is a factory skid plate. Do you go into the dealer to try and get something done on good faith from them with the same attitude as you came in here with?

 

I will try to show good mannerism here. You are a new member. Coming in and making assumptions on things, then bashing long standing members is never a good way to get things started. We are a very welcoming bunch, but even then, we do not care to get bashed around. Yes, some members do get a little brash. As for your specific part you are talking about, yes, they are called "skid plate" and "engine under cover" since there is a TECHNICAL difference. However the GENERAL term used for it is "skid plate" We would sound like a bunch of strange people calling it an "engine under cover" when just a generic term of "skid plate" can be used. Either way, it is ALSO commonly called a skid plate, even if that is not the technical term that Toyota uses for your specific application.

The problem you are having is unfortunate, but to date I have not heard of them rusting out. Mine has been in use since 1997, and it is clean and rust-free, and has the same general design that likes to catch water and hold it if not moving. Granted is it not a 2nd gen, but I have been working on both models, and they are near identical in design for the plate/cover referenced. I hope you will come in and join in the conversations that are not skid plate in subject, and hopefully be able to enjoy your time here.

 

I see you decided to not take my advise. I think I can speak for most here in saying good luck with any future questions you may have. There is a polite, non-confrontational way to ask a question or.... there is a way to come across as a "Richard Head".

You chose the latter.

 

For what it is worth, I call the engine undercover plate a splash shield. It is black steel sheet metal, and is not designed to protect against any significant impact.

Because the 4WD bumper is high, this leaves the splash shield vulnerable to damage. That is why I purchased the TRD skid plate. It is silver, and made of 1/8" aluminum. I have no plans of going off-roading, but the extra protection could come in handy if I hit a standing groundhog.

The TRD skid plate is not a splash shield. It goes on below the splash shield. The splash shield is not removed when the TRD skid plate is installed.

I hope this helps to clarify matters.