Supermoney
New member
Guy on Facebook at a local Toyota dealer just posted this, all the frames from the recalls
Rusted frames from recall
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JeepKiller
New member
Tundra recalls?
MStudt
official vendor
I guess mine missed that process.
BearsFanRyan
New member
My '02 Tundra had that recall, they just sprayed something on the frame that ended up falling off 6 months later, they didn't replace the frame. The bed ended up rusting out around all the bolts and cross members, they wouldn't do anything about it. It was almost to the point where the bed could fly off while driving down the road. Then it needed $5k in repairs, that's when I had enough and traded that and my crapolla in for my '15 4runner. 
JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
BAHAAHAHHHAHHA Good one!
shahsmerdis
New member
my 4runner disagrees...
My '02 Tundra had that recall, they just sprayed something on the frame that ended up falling off 6 months later, they didn't replace the frame. The bed ended up rusting out around all the bolts and cross members, they wouldn't do anything about it. It was almost to the point where the bed could fly off while driving down the road. Then it needed $5k in repairs, that's when I had enough and traded that and my crapolla in for my '15 4runner.
That's bs. Their undercoat is like a thick oil. Which is bs. They need to replace their frames. If a frame is rusted. Oil isn't going to STOP it from rusting out later on.
Ed_C
Senior Member
My '02 Tundra had that recall, they just sprayed something on the frame that ended up falling off 6 months later, they didn't replace the frame. The bed ended up rusting out around all the bolts and cross members, they wouldn't do anything about it. It was almost to the point where the bed could fly off while driving down the road. Then it needed $5k in repairs, that's when I had enough and traded that and my crapolla in for my '15 4runner.
I'm surprised they didn't replace the frame after that initial frame coating recall failed. Guess I was lucky,when I brought my 2000 Tundra in for the recall the frame was in such bad shape they had no choice but to replace it. No more North American built Toyotas for me, I'm sticking to ones with a "J" at the beginning of the VIN (made in Japan)
BearsFanRyan
New member
They told me to call corporate and deal with them, I never did and once other components started failing (differential, axle seals, whole brake assembly, and more, that's the $5k) I just got rid of it, wasn't worth all the hassle to me. It had 145k miles on it when I traded it in. The dealership said they were going to send it to auction for someone to part out. I got 12.5k in trade in from that and my '09 crapolla that had 70k miles.
The early Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia, had improperly made frames from Dana Corp. So they rusted much faster. Toyota won a lawsuit against Dana Corp. for those improperly made frames.
Hence why Toyota has replaced the frames on some of those vehicles.
The 4Runner has always been made in Japan, with properly made frames. However, anything made of steel can eventually rust, regardless of steps taken during the manufacturing process to resist corrosion, if it's neglected in a corrosive environment long enough.
The newest 3rd gen 4Runner is now 14 years old. Well past any corrosion warranty that Toyota had.
Living where the roads are salted heavily all winter long, I've seen vehicles from all manufacturers that have rusted to the point of being unsafe for continued use on the road, or have frames that have failed completely.
The best way to prevent that is cleaning the vehicle (especially the undercarriage) as often as necessary, if the vehicle is used in a highly corrosive environment. The Owner's Manual even says this specifically.
Most people neglect their vehicles. To them it is just an appliance. So in a few years when it starts having issues related to that neglect, they get rid of it.
My advice is to buy a new vehicle and maintain it, especially keeping it clean if you live in a corrosive environment. Or find a used vehicle from a region that doesn't salt the roads, and maintain it and keep it clean.
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willbgood
New member
This advise and information is good, but to it I add this fluid film...for you easterners, get dirty wire brushing and use a good rattle can coating to cover the bare metal spots, then add fluid film annually.
Fluid Film® | Corrosion Preventative, Lubricant and Rust Inhibitor
jeremyc74
Banned
I know a guy who worked at that Dana plant during that whole mess. He said the chemicals in the dip tanks weren't being properly controlled and that's where the problem came from. They fired a bunch of people over the whole thing. I work in the industry, and it surprised me because Toyota is usually pretty diligent (honestly they're a huge pain in the ass if you're the supplier) about inspecting supplier quality processes, especially on things like that where a problem isn't going to show up for years.
Toyota only got $25 million out of them, which is pretty low considering they recalled over 100k vehicles.
I was recently involved in a recall that was only about 150 vehicles and it cost the supplier over $3 million. Some of the cars had made it to the dealerships, but none had actually been sold to customers at that point.
willbgood
New member
This is a true fact that most folks do not realize.
I have skied my whole life and I have never had a rusty vehicle...but I am that guy who always washes his car in the winter.
Nevertheless, I consider fluid film underneath, and in the rockers, doors, between the fenders and the inner fender well, and inside the frame rails, is also a necessary and insurance cheap preventive against car cancer.
In years past I washed the undercarriage, and then used old motor oil in a sprayer. In spite of what folks say this is not environmentally unsound although it is illegal. Besides, fluid film is much more effective and not expensive if you consider the cost of terminal car cancer...
Ed_C
Senior Member
I agree with @02SE, [MENTION=71030]T4R2014[/MENTION], and [MENTION=130476]willbgood[/MENTION] about washing in the winter. I bought my 4Runner in 2011, the previous (original) owner must have been diligent with cleaning because there was no chassis rust. I only started getting rust issues this year when I neglected washing it last winter, pretty good track record IMO. Thankfully we're getting warm weather this weekend so I can finish with the rust cleanup.
The Tundra on the other hand, thanks to the crappy job from Dana, is another story. I'm the original owner and up until mid 2012 washed it practically every other week since the job had a car wash. I didn't wash it that frequently afterwards but would often run it through a car wash after heavy snow fall, frame was still FUBAR at the end.
The Tundra on the other hand, thanks to the crappy job from Dana, is another story. I'm the original owner and up until mid 2012 washed it practically every other week since the job had a car wash. I didn't wash it that frequently afterwards but would often run it through a car wash after heavy snow fall, frame was still FUBAR at the end.
Ed_C
Senior Member
Agreed. Why are we looking at pictures of frames from 1st-gen Tacomas and Tundras on a 3rd-gen 4Runner forum? Shouldn't this thread be on an Off Topic or General forum?
Supermoney
New member
Everyone knows the Toyota community revolves around the 3rd gen 4Runners.