Rust on 6 month old 4Runner

2 colorado winters and mine looks like this. I`d go to the dealer and rise hell about it.
 

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Jetrider said:
So I bought a new 2012 4Runner Trail last November. Today was just loading stuff in the back and saw some rust under the truck. Looked under to see pretty much everything is covered in rust. Does Toyota have some new car rust policy or am I stuck with it. Thanks

mwhR9RR.jpg
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My truck is 2 years old and pretty much the same as yours.
 
1engineer said:
Your gonna call me out with one example of your old Ford truck? At least give me a reason, something like:

SNIP.
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Reason its simple, Ford used better corrosion protection on that models frame than Toyota did on the 4runner.

The thread was about corrosion on the 4runner frame and suspension components. You make the statement that it is due to material manufacturing methods and material alloy.
I do understand that different alloys have varying levels of corrosion resistance, yet in all your wisdom you make no comments or take any consideration on corrosion protection.

Are you excusing Toyota for not providing adequate protection blaming the alloy?
My 4runner at 2000 miles exhibited what I would conciser above average corrosion.

I guess that only HSLA steal on a Honda can be properly protected yet the steel (regardless of the type) frame on the 4runner cannot.
 
ZO6_Vette said:
Reason its simple, Ford used better corrosion protection on that models frame than Toyota did on the 4runner.

The thread was about corrosion on the 4runner frame and suspension components. You make the statement that it is due to material manufacturing methods and material alloy.
I do understand that different alloys have varying levels of corrosion resistance, yet in all your wisdom you make no comments or take any consideration on corrosion protection.

Are you excusing Toyota for not providing adequate protection blaming the alloy?
My 4runner at 2000 miles exhibited what I would conciser above average corrosion.

I guess that only HSLA steal on a Honda can be properly protected yet the steel (regardless of the type) frame on the 4runner cannot.
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Really I have no worries seeing rust underneath my vehicle. What is most important to me is the RATE at which it is rusting. Now, if you guys showed me pictures of corrosion underneath that has pitted the steel considerably and not the surface rust that is shown then I would be concerned and looking for an alternative fix. My truck underneath looks like the OP's picture. I figure it will go a long time before rust causes any problems other than cosmetic.

I consider the material spec to be much more important for corrosion resistance (underneath) on a vehicle of this type than any type of spray on coating. Even in the short time I have had my newest 4Runner (6 months) I have lots of scratches from rocks and debris that I doubt seriously any coating would have withstood. I understand that for some people this is important to be rust free and if you have a 4Runner in most of NA you will be rust free. If you live in the snow areas of the east and you want to be rust free then you will have to spray on some type of coating and reapply it if you go offroad. To me, having driven many miles in my 34 years I have had a license over snow and salted roads, this is normal and no cause for concern. I have no rust on the actual body components like the floor pan, only the iron and steel suspension and frame components. Materials.
 
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Purely anecdotal but up here Ford F series truck underbodies do seem to fair better in the salt than Toyota trucks in general.

Unibody vehicles from any make don't seem nearly as prone to it.
 
1engineer said:
Really I have no worries seeing rust underneath my vehicle. What is most important to me is the RATE at which it is rusting. Now, if you guys showed me pictures of corrosion underneath that has pitted the steel considerably and not the surface rust that is shown then I would be concerned and looking for an alternative fix. My truck underneath looks like the OP's picture. I figure it will go a long time before rust causes any problems other than cosmetic.

I consider the material spec to be much more important for corrosion resistance (underneath) on a vehicle of this type than any type of spray on coating. Even in the short time I have had my newest 4Runner (6 months) I have lots of scratches from rocks and debris that I doubt seriously any coating would have withstood. I understand that for some people this is important to be rust free and if you have a 4Runner in most of NA you will be rust free. If you live in the snow areas of the east and you want to be rust free then you will have to spray on some type of coating and reapply it if you go offroad. To me, having driven many miles in my 34 years I have had a license over snow and salted roads, this is normal and no cause for concern. I have no rust on the actual body components like the floor pan, only the iron and steel suspension and frame components. Materials.
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This is a real good point, OP, what types of roads do you normally drive over? Gravel? Actually, looking back at your picture, it looks like you're parked in a gravel lot, lol.

If you knock off the frame paint from road debris, it's only a matter of time before it starts to rust, and judging by your pictures the most severe spots of rust seem like right around where debris would kick up and chip off the paint...

I wouldn't lose sleep over it, Toyota offers a corrosion protection warranty for a reason right? :)
 
We live in Canada... Rust is inevitable.

My province is known as the worst place in North America for rusting vehicles... Nova Scotia is second on that list. Not only do they coat the roads with a salt/sand mix that turns the roads, sidewalks and your lawn into a disgusting mess 5 months of the year, we're surrounded by salt water. Stop by a U-Wash once a week and give your underbelly a good spraying. Gets rid of some of that salt before it does too much damage. Mine made out well this winter, but I see others around town with rusted hitches, so I can only imagine how bad it is up under.
 
Newf4R said:
We live in Canada... Rust is inevitable.

My province is known as the worst place in North America for rusting vehicles... Nova Scotia is second on that list. Not only do they coat the roads with a salt/sand mix that turns the roads, sidewalks and your lawn into a disgusting mess 5 months of the year, we're surrounded by salt water. Stop by a U-Wash once a week and give your underbelly a good spraying. Gets rid of some of that salt before it does too much damage. Mine made out well this winter, but I see others around town with rusted hitches, so I can only imagine how bad it is up under.
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Not sure if you went into the dealership when yu were in Hali, but I got them to throw in that black wax-like undercoating by Permashine that they try to sell to you for $500. They also did did all around the doors, edges, panels etc. With a wax-like coating. No drilling (to my knowledge). Really glad I went with it. They had a Corolla flipped on it's side in the show-room showing what it looked like in the show-room. I looked under the 4Runner before I drove it off the lot (before they treated/undercoated) and there were a few specs of rust on the frame, and even a spec on the hitch. I just sanded the spot on the hitch and painted it with my leftover Jeep (black) touch-up paint. No big deal.
 
Lolrax said:
By the time our frames rust through we will probably have flying cars. Its just surface oxidation.
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Have you seen the rusted frames on the 95-2005 Tacomas, 2000-2005 Tundras and Sequoias? There is no excuse for a truck under 10 years old to have its frame rusted out so badly its unsafe to drive and needs replacement. Toyota is doing something wrong here for sure.

My 80s era ford trucks which I still own have the bodys rusted and the frames covered in rust but they are solid.

You can feed me any line you want about alloys but seeing these cars driven in the same area and only seeing the frames and axles rusted out on the toyotas makes it look like Toyota is cutting a corner somewhere. If it was just the salt here, every Ford, Chevy, Dodge and Nissan truck around here would need the frame replaced but they don't only the Toyotas.
 
JayceeP said:
Not sure if you went into the dealership when yu were in Hali, but I got them to throw in that black wax-like undercoating by Permashine that they try to sell to you for $500. They also did did all around the doors, edges, panels etc. With a wax-like coating. No drilling (to my knowledge). Really glad I went with it. They had a Corolla flipped on it's side in the show-room showing what it looked like in the show-room. I looked under the 4Runner before I drove it off the lot (before they treated/undercoated) and there were a few specs of rust on the frame, and even a spec on the hitch. I just sanded the spot on the hitch and painted it with my leftover Jeep (black) touch-up paint. No big deal.
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Permashine does a pretty sweet job. My first job out of University was actually selling Toyota's at that exact dealership back in '06. They were selling it than and I remember how impressed with product I was. Good work on getting it thrown in. I sprung for the electric start when it came down to that part of negotiations. I could always rust check but I hate the mess it makes. I'll likely trade-in for a newer 4Runner before I ever see rust... Or at least I hope so!
 
Mudman4901 said:
Have you seen the rusted frames on the 95-2005 Tacomas, 2000-2005 Tundras and Sequoias? There is no excuse for a truck under 10 years old to have its frame rusted out so badly its unsafe to drive and needs replacement. Toyota is doing something wrong here for sure.
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About 4 years ago Toyota spent a small fortune recalling all 90s Tacoma on the road in Atlantic Canada. I'm not sure the exact model years, or how far across Atlantic Canada the recall stretched, but the rusting was so bad because of our environment they recalled trucks well over 10 years old. The than used some crazy calculation likes 3x's the book value and bought them from the owners. I had buddies get upwards of $18k for an old rusty Tacoma. Obviously liability was a concern.
 
Newf4R said:
Permashine does a pretty sweet job. My first job out of University was actually selling Toyota's at that exact dealership back in '06. They were selling it than and I remember how impressed with product I was. Good work on getting it thrown in. I sprung for the electric start when it came down to that part of negotiations. I could always rust check but I hate the mess it makes. I'll likely trade-in for a newer 4Runner before I ever see rust... Or at least I hope so!
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Ah, nice to have first hand confirmation (you're not much older than me btw unless you went to school late). Really good to hear. I thought it looked pretty decent but just wouldn't pay for it. When it got down to the point of them saying no multiple times on any further movement on price and trade-in, I asked for the perma-shine, mud flaps, and $450 price reduction since no running boards came with it. Done deal and glad I can feel a bit better about my undercarriage not rotting out as I have no idea how long I will keep it!
 
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