Outside of Frame Recall Limits

Has anyone ever had any luck with Toyota helping customers that are beyond the limits of the Frame Recall settlement?

So far I seem to be just getting the run-a-round getting anyone at Toyota to look logically at our particular situation. And what situation is that you might ask?

My elderly parents purchased their truck new in 2006. They live in central Pennsylvania and have taken the truck to their local dealership for service since new. My father ask the service department to pay particular attention to the frame since the settlement was announce publicly and had the Rust Prevention Treatment done in 2015 and I think the rear leaf springs were replace under recall some time after that. The truck is stored in a climate controlled garage and is rarely driven in the winter time. Last week my mother took the truck to the same local dealership for our yearly Pennsylvania State Safety Inspection. It failed because of frame rust. They neglected to tell my 79 year old mother that the truck fail the inspection but did tell her the frame has a crack in it from corrosion and billed her for the state inspection fees she owed. Later that day she contacted me to tell me about this. I hurried over to see what the issue was hoping that is was something we could get taken care of before it got too bad. That's when I found out the truck failed the inspection and we've got a problem.

So why do I think Toyota should help us? Well, this truck has less than 40K miles on it. It has had less than 500 miles on it in the past year, and only 400 miles on it the year before because my father was diagnosed with leukemia and died in 2022. My mother can't really drive the truck very well, so it just sits in it's comfy garage. I feel the dealership should have made my parents aware of a problem before it go so bad that the truck can't be driven. Now we're stuck.

I'm still fighting the fight but I feel like I'm losing.

 

I don't think there are any more frames available. If that's the case, what would the solution be?

 

Being in Williamsport I’m guessing they went to Ciocca? They did mine on my 09 in 2021 and I just made it by a month or 2. I haven’t had the truck back since but they were great for me at that time. Sad to see things changed, but it may be worth a call to corporate.

 

I hate to say it but your like 6 Years too late. It makes me sick to see a beautiful truck in this predicament.

 

Well, 2nd Gen Tacoma produced to 2015, add 12 years should make that frame replaceable until 2027.

 

The settlement is for 12 years from the date of first operation for the truck. Since yours is an '06, your window closed in 2018. How bad is it? You sent a picture of the body, but what does the frame look like? This could be fixable with aftermarket caps or similar depending on what the actual condition of it is

 

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but I've been through this myself and Toyota is not going to give you anything except maybe a complete waste of time runaround if you're lucky.

Toyota genuinely does not care and, sadly, they've gotten away with it.

Find a shop that does frame work and ask them about Saf-T-Caps ( http://www.autorust.com ) . If the damage isn't too bad it is your best bet to keep the truck on the road at a reasonable cost.

 

We need pics of the frame. Can't say one way or the other without them.

 

The dealer seems to be the issue here in your story.

If you have full documentation of service records and inspections with that dealer (or even multiple dealers) your position of 'they didn't do their job' is seems reasonable.

If you have a lawyer friend, get them to send a letter outlining the case, pointing at negligence on their part and requesting remedy. Maybe you have one of those local TV stations that like to investigate things like this too?

Toyota Corporate isn't going to play here, because the 12 yr window closed 8 years ago for this truck.

The 'why you missed it' won't matter much to them, as they have to put a line in the sand somewhere. They let you over, and dozens of other stories will appear, some of which may be true, many of which won't.

Pursuing the dealer is your prime hope.

Best of luck.

 

Is the frame rotted from rust or cracked from a collision? The frame campaign was to address rust, but you stated that your mothers truck was damaged in a collision.

 

He said

both start with co, end with ion, and have 9 letters. But different meanings

 

yep, you are correct. Still, a crack from corrosion sounds different than rotted out.

 

No Tacoma before 2012 has any form of frame coverage anymore. Period. It’s a class action and there is no good will.

 

Toyota won’t do anything for you

sell it as is, will be the simplest out. Does your 79 year old mother really need a truck? It will still sell fine, someone will fix it

otherwise fix or replace the frame on your (her) dime. It’s almost 20 years old, you’re on your own

 

It appears to be a pretty good low mileage truck...I think it would be worth it to have a body/frame show take a look at it...You have a good truck there.

 

Frames are still available. The truck is - unfortunately - well out of the widow for free replacement. As has already been said, Toyota will not - nor are they legally required to - do anything. Sorry.

 

I'll echo the Saf-T-Cap method or even look into paying for a swap maybe. If you can find a good used frame this might be well worth it

 

18 plus year old truck,Toyota is not doing anything for you.