Toyota Tacoma 2004 and Earlier Frame Problem

karst1

I found this message board because I'd like to get another Toyota truck, but am apprehensive due to the well documented frame issues. I've owned 4 trucks from '87 to '94 and one parts truck. I'm seriously considering switching brands because I don't want to be stuck with a problem. Reading all of these posts really has me leaning towards getting something else, at least until Toyota decides to issue a formal recall. I wish you all good luck with getting some recompense.

popsavalon

I think the "frame rot" problem seems to be only vehicles that have been driven in areas of chemically treated winter roads (the Rust Belts). I have never seen a complaint from vehicles driven exclusively in the southern and western states. I live in MS and had never heard of rusty frames prior to this forum. There are a lot of really old Toyota pickups still running around down here.

qwkrngr

I just got a check for mine on Friday 13 of Sep 2013. Mine had a few small holes rusted through the bottom of the frame and mechanically was perfect and the body didn't have any rust. I asked if they would just replace the frame and no was the answer since mine was a 2000 model.

casndoob

Hey gwkrngr, I was wondering if you had to do anything special to receive the check, or if you simply called the dealership about it? I also have a 2000 tacoma, but the rust problem is pretty severe. Thanks!

qwkrngr

I called the dealership and asked about it initially they said it was outside of the warranty. I told them I had heard it was 15 years from in service date. The service manager talked to me and asked me to bring it in and they inspected it and failed it. Within two weeks Toyota was in touch with me and sent me paperwork. All they needed was a current registration and copy of my title. They offered a loaner vehicle until all the paperwork went through but I just took my truck home since I still had a bunch of personal stuff in it. The Toyota rep met me at the dealership and I got the check directly from him and left the truck there.
I will definitely be purchasing another Toyota in the future!!!

sweetd8943

Same exact process I went fhrough. Warranty should be from 15 years from initial vehicle purchase date when new. Toyota can obviously look that up. Keep escalating until you get it resolved. I also had the 2000 Tacoma and they gave me almost $15k for it. Good luck.

ekg35

hey everyone, my father just purchased a 2002 tacoma without carefully inspecting the truck. He bought the truck at night and couldn't see clearly. The truck's previous owner told him that the recall and undercoating had all been taken care of and my father believed him. Once he got the truck home I inspected it in the daylight and found sections of the truck completely rusted through. I called our local toyota dealerships and they verified that none the recalls had been done by previous owner and that the expiration had past and there is nothing they can do. I saw your post VERMONTMONTY and was wondering if you can provide more details on the process your niece when through with your dealership. I would greatly appreciate any assistance as I am getting no where with anybody. If you can provide a name of the service manager or anyone that assisted at the dealership it would be great thanks.

vermontmonty

My niece got her help through the Toyota dealer in Rutland, Vermont, they did over 12K, worth of work for free! She is so blessed to have had this help, with her very first vehicle purchase. I hope that you are able to get some assistance by looking up this dealer, and calling the service manager there. The name of the family who had this done just last month is Lambert. If you need to contact me for more information you may use my email address: vermontmonty @ yahoo
.com Anne

vermontmonty

Find your closest dealer at this website: http://www.toyota.com/owners/web/pages/parts-service
The helpful dealer in Vermont is called, Alderman Toyota, the telephone number is (802) 776-6000, the service managers' name.is Don (I think)....and they were very helpful to us. Part of this might have been that my niece was only the second owner.........she had the truck just 3 days when the problem was discovered during state inspection. She got a no, at the first try, you may need to ask for area representative where you live, they usually show up at the dealership on certain dates, ask to be there and see that person, if need be. Good luck, Anne

pufferfish

Hey gwkmgr,

what state are you in that this process went so smoothly for you? I have a 2002 Tacoma that i bought in New York but i live in Maryland.

drfunker

Anyone have an idea if the trade in value increases after the replacement of a frame? Does anyone have any experience with this?

rcummelin

I hope a forum moderator reads this. This thread is posted on the 4Runner forum, but has NOTHING to do with the 4Runner. 4Runners are built in Japan--not Texas or Mexico--and do NOT share the same frame or frame supplier with the Tacoma. There is no evidence that the 4Runner has a rusty frame problem--that is unique to the Tacoma AFAIK. Please remove this thread from the 4Runner forum. Thanks!

KCRam

@rcummelin said:
I hope a forum moderator reads this. This thread is posted on the 4Runner forum, but has NOTHING to do with the 4Runner. 4Runners are built in Japan--not Texas or Mexico--and do NOT share the same frame or frame supplier with the Tacoma. There is no evidence that the 4Runner has a rusty frame problem--that is unique to the Tacoma AFAIK. Please remove this thread from the 4Runner forum. Thanks!

Certainly used to say Tacoma! That has been repaired - thanks for the heads-up.

matthewota

I use my '97 Taco in the Los Angeles, CA basin. No problems with rust living here.

greg128

I'm glad that Toyota trucks don't have a frame rust problem.

matthewota

After driving for 13 years and over 250,000 miles, my '97 Taco is history. An idiot medical transport driver T-boned me on June 28, 2017 and totally wrecked the truck and my life too. Hit on the right side, the frame crumpled and the window shattered. I was ambulanced to the hospital and released the next day. I am still hurting. The idiot that hit me, well it is likely he will lose his job as he ran a red light and was talking on his cell phone.

kyfdx

Sorry to hear that. Hope your recovery goes well.