Severe Frame Rust is Not Acceptable

[JohnsD90]

Do other trucks have the same type of issues? What about Ford/Chevy/Honda ect. ... I am curious if this is just normal for truck that are 10+ years old and in the rust belt or abnormal.

Bodies go on the chevy/dodge/fords before the frames do, I feel manufacturers should make cars that will last 20-25 years, but that doesnt really attract new buyers does it? My buddy has an F150 its a 96 the body has some rot on it, and the frame has not a spec of paint left on it, all surface rust, but it is probably more solid than the frame on my 100% rust free 4runner.

 

[larrylegend]

and I get that, and agree to a point. My whole point is, is that 3rd gen 4Runners haven't been produced in over 11 years. Couple that with the fact that most of our runners are over 100k, the liability on Toyota has long since passed. 4runners that are in hot climates like AZ, So Cal, and Nevada have clear coat peeling issues, but you don't hear anyone *****ing about toyota quality paint, do you? No, because people chalk it up to the climate, and accept it. So why do people that live in the salt belt complain about rust? It's just the nature of the beast man, and there's nothing, IMO, that Toyota should be liable for.
FWIW, my truck hasn't been driven at all in the last week. Last Saturday, I took it to the car wash and tucked it back away in the garage. This morning, (keep in mind, it hasn't been driven the entire week) I took it to the car wash AGAIN for another wash and undercarriage blast. Overkill? Maybe, but my frame doesn't have gigantic holes rotted in it, and I'm not on an iterweb forum *****ing about a problem that could have been prevented, and I'm sure as hell not blaming Toyota for the little bit of rust my truck does have.

I do not agree that Toyota owes me or any other owner anything. I am not on here *****ing. I am just making a point that the metal underbody components on these vehicles seem to rust faster than many other vehicles. It seems like this is one of the weaker points on 4Runners and other Toyota trucks in general. I think that the frames and other metal components are simply not on par with the durability of other components of these vehicles.

 

[blain_gatterdam]

Mine made it to 248k miles and 17 years. Got great use out of it, and after the frame is repaired will get many more years out of the original drivetrain.

It would be cool if toyota replaced my frame, they arent going to. Am I going to hold this against them? Hell no I bought a new camry last month to replace it. In 17 years my next car may be a flying saucer.

My whole point is, is that 3rd gen 4Runners haven't been produced in over 11 years. Couple that with the fact that most of our runners are over 100k, the liability on Toyota has long since passed. 4runners that are in hot climates like AZ, So Cal, and Nevada have clear coat peeling issues, but you don't hear anyone *****ing about toyota quality paint, do you?

^this guy gets it

 

[BlazeRunner]

In the top left corner of this picture I think I have some rust.
Damn you Toyota!

 

[paddlenbike]

Without pointing fingers, anyone that lives in the rust belt that wants to keep driving their 10+ year old vehicle (any vehicle) should plan on doing a little extra rust prevention. I think this is the solution for the problem area near the rear control arm bracket.

Eastwood internal frame coating:

It's a few bucks and and a few minutes of your time. If that's too much to ask, well...

I live in virtually rust-free California, but I still check my frame and do a little paint touch-up every couple of years.

 

[MStudt]

Without pointing fingers, anyone that lives in the rust belt that wants to keep driving their 10+ year old vehicle (any vehicle) should plan on doing a little extra rust prevention. I think this is the solution for the problem area near the rear control arm bracket.

Eastwood internal frame coating:

It's a few bucks and and a few minutes of your time. If that's too much to ask, well...

I live in virtually rust-free California, but I still check my frame and do a little paint touch-up every couple of years.

This isn't a fix, it's just a band aid. You might be able to slow it down, but you're not going to stop it unless you remove it.

 

[T4R2014]

Without pointing fingers, anyone that lives in the rust belt that wants to keep driving their 10+ year old vehicle (any vehicle) should plan on doing a little extra rust prevention. I think this is the solution for the problem area near the rear control arm bracket.

Eastwood internal frame coating:

It's a few bucks and and a few minutes of your time. If that's too much to ask, well...

I live in virtually rust-free California, but I still check my frame and do a little paint touch-up every couple of years.

Bad idea. These are frames that have 12+ years and many miles of exposure to the elements. Unless you remove the body you will never be able to fully clean the inside of the frame. There is no way of telling that it is 100% clean. If you spray that stuff in there you could be painting over dirt and salt. That product is more for frame-off restos. A better alternative is to clean out the frame as well as possible and inject it with an anti-rust wax such as Waxoyl or Fluidfilm. Used motor oil is good if you want to save a few bucks too.

 

[vic2000]

Frame Rust

Everyone that owns a 4runner should contact NHTSA and FTA and file a complaint for frame rust. tacomas, tundras ans sequias are being recalled but 4runner owners are being screwed. file a complaint on line it only takes a minute.

 

[Hepar]

Everyone that owns a 4runner should contact NHTSA and FTA and file a complaint for frame rust. tacomas, tundras ans sequias are being recalled but 4runner owners are being screwed. file a complaint on line it only takes a minute.

Why would I file a complaint when my frame has zero rust on it?

 

[T4R2014]

Everyone that owns a 4runner should contact NHTSA and FTA and file a complaint for frame rust. tacomas, tundras ans sequias are being recalled but 4runner owners are being screwed. file a complaint on line it only takes a minute.

Did you really just join this forum to bump every frame rust thread telling all members to file complaints for frame rust? If your frame is rusted then it was caused by lack of maintenance.

 

[02SE]

Everyone that owns a 4runner should contact NHTSA and FTA and file a complaint for frame rust. tacomas, tundras ans sequias are being recalled but 4runner owners are being screwed. file a complaint on line it only takes a minute.

Translation: I didn't take proper care of my 4Runner, and wash off salt as spelled out in the owners manual. Now I'm looking for someone to blame because of my own negligence..


The Tacoma, Tundra, and Sequoia frames were improperly made by Dana Corp. They are much more susceptible to rust.

4Runners have always been made in Japan. The frames are much more corrosion resistant. Of course when neglected by owners that didn't read their owners manual, or that apparently lack common sense, they can rust away given enough time and neglect, too.

My 4Runner has spent it's entire life in a State that heavily salts the roads, all winter long. If I had neglected to clean my 4Runner as needed (sometimes several times a week) during all those salt-encrusted Winter's, it would have rusted away long ago. As it is, it is in great shape, because I put in the effort to keep it that way.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Everyone that owns a 4runner should contact NHTSA and FTA and file a complaint for frame rust. tacomas, tundras ans sequias are being recalled but 4runner owners are being screwed. file a complaint on line it only takes a minute.

Right. You have 10 posts and everybody here is going to follow your stupid (and misguided) advice.

Don't go away mad. Just go away.

 

[hearno]

Translation: I didn't take proper care of my "x." Now I'm looking for someone to blame because of my own negligence..

Slightly modified but that's the American way. Get on board!

 

[02SE]

Did you really just join this forum to bump every frame rust thread telling all members to file complaints for frame rust? If your frame is rusted then it was caused by lack of maintenance.

It appears he did. I decided to take a couple minutes to reply to his misguided campaign.

If I had Salt covering my 4Runner, I would have used that time to wash it off.

 

[02SE]

Slightly modified but that's the American way. Get on board!

As sad as it is, you're right. There is a lack of personal responsibility that is all too common, these days.

 

[KidVermicious]

My 4Runner has spent it's entire life in a State that heavily salts the roads, all winter long.

This. Our third gen has spent every year since 1999 in SALT LAKE CITY. The 100 miles west of the metro area are nothing but salt pan. We have salt on the roads in the summer, for hecks sake. And yet somehow our truck does not have catastrophic frame rust.

Must be we're just lucky I guess.

 

[gamefreakgc]

Maybe he was looking for some sort of multi-million dollar lawsuit for "emotional hardship"? Then again, he should have driven it till it did fall apart then he might have had a better chance at it.

Makes me glad I live in California, I drive on salted roads by choice, not necessity.