Some great news for third gen 4runner owners and frame rust!

[IAmTodd]

Replacing frames on 20 year old vehicles in the rust belt...

How do other vehicles fair? Are Ford Exploder frames lasting 20 years in the rust belt?

They get bad frame rust too. My friend's is covered in surface rust and I hear about the rear shackle mounts rusting through. The rockers in front of the rear wheel wells also collect a sh!tload of salt which leads to a giant gaping hole on the rocker. They all get that. I still see plenty around since they sold so well and because parts are everywhere.

I've owned 4 Explorers over the years and the worst was my latest which was a '94 with 170k on it. The frame was covered in surface rust but after spending 20 years in Pennsylvania there was nothing close to having a hole through the frame. The shackles did need replaced and the body was sadly beginning to lose it's battle to salt.

Unfortunately the notoriously terrible transmissions landed them in the scrap heap which was great for when I was rebuilding mine.

 

[Johnate0]

To help the cause, take 10 minutes to contact the links below - you might get a new frame out of it -

call or email the Toyota customer hotline ------
Support | Toyota.com

Tried to email Toyota. Have you tried using their online form? It's all messed up. It gives you a bunch of boxes to fill out your info, but it doesn't label which box is for which info, and even if you put everything you can imagine they'd need, it says "please fill out required fields"... :/

 

[patrickgraven]

It would be nice if this is true. Although my 4 runner started and is currently in CA, it spent about 6 years in Virginia and has a lot of rust on the frame. I'm finding replacing parts are a pain in the ass. I ended up just replacing my rear sway bar as i couldn't remove the end links.

 

[CallMeAnEngineer]

I googled it and the only thing that came up was your post. I'll await proof from Toyota.

 

[THatfield]

I hope this is true.:keyboard:

 

[Ghostrider]

That's the first place my mind went also. Once this is confirmed, I'd buy a few and try to flip them.

If they do like they did for the Tacoma - you have to have owned it for something like the previous six months

 

[kolelt]

It would be nice if they really did this.

Curious, are the 4runners known to have rot on their frames like. The tacomas are ?

I know a guy who had his toyota sequoia frame replaced and it was a disaster. Bolts were missing, alligment wasn't done, things werent tighten , the car was pulling to the side it drove like shit after.

Then my other friend with 97 Tacoma and the frame was so bad they just bought of him for $7500, plus he got to keep his lift, tires and more. Plus it had a blown rear.

So it will be interesting to see how they approach this, if the frame is really bad will they just buy it of you ? Or Will they replace it? Will it even be the same ? How will they approach people with aftermarket parts ?

 

[SweetWaterSurprise]

I want it replaced regardless.

 

[2KT4R]

Would that recall on replacing the frame be in CANADA too?

Where would someone find more about this....

I was literally looking into reconditioning my frame and underneathe and getting it undercoated.... If this is true I'll def hold off....

 

[Benski]

I just rotated my tires and found them stuck on by salt corrosion. I took a ski trip up to Vermont and the truck got covered in salt. I wire brushed it off and rinsed them. I also found rust on various places on the frame and hitch. I scraped off the rust and used a rust neutralizer to stop it, and then moved to Utah!

 

[wc11]

If this actually comes to fruition, it would be unprecedented.

I've never heard of an auto company doing something like this on what could possibly be 20 year old vehicles.

Most companies would hope vehicles affected wouldn't even exist any more and have passed on to iron ore heaven.
But our trucks can 4run 4ever if properly maintained.

Kudo's to Toyota if this happens.
And if it does, the middle thee better take note.

 

[mtvp]

IF this is true, which I do not believe it is. I'm willing to stay open at this point. I wonder what the cost per vehicle is to preform such a job?
Would it be cheaper to just offer you say some unbelievable amount. An amount like $7,500 discount on a new Toyota.
Like cash for clunkers. You give up your title and they crush your baby.
Who wants that deal?

 

[Brique]

It sounds too good to be true, so it probably is. My frame isn't too bad. If they did it, I'd settle for a rust scrubbing and undercoating.

 

[Nelsonmd]

Yeah, I don't see Toyota recalling a part on a 20 year old vehicle. Especially since the problem only occurs in the rust belt, where this kind of thing is expected.

Not that I wouldn't take advantage of the chance to get a free new frame, plus any other components that they can't salvage in the process.

 

[woodro]

I already repaired my frame , I probably be exempt from any help. Not that I believe it is going to happen .

 

[papapoopski]

You give up your title and they crush your baby.
Who wants that deal?

I just shivered and shed a tear reading this. Like watching someone get kicked in the balls.

 

[THatfield]

Like cash for clunkers. You give up your title and they crush your baby.
Who wants that deal?

They do this on 96-04 Pathfinders and QX4's with rotted front strut towers. Nissan buys it back from you. You take the cash and run like hell before the dealer you're at tries to get you to use that check on a new 4X4 Frontier or Xterra. I took mine and ran like hell into a T4R. :lookout:

 

[chimpy]

It sounds too good to be true, so it probably is. My frame isn't too bad. If they did it, I'd settle for a rust scrubbing and undercoating.

If there is rust on the outside of the frame then there is rust on the inside as well so a rust scrubbing and undercoating would be nothing more than just a Band-Aid. If this event comes to be, I will take a new frame thank you.

 

[004wd]

This would be too good to be true I juts started por 15 my 2000 would be really awesome if this is true I love my truck and want it to last forever!

 

[Yotacollector]

Yeah, I don't see Toyota recalling a part on a 20 year old vehicle. Especially since the problem only occurs in the rust belt, where this kind of thing is expected.

Not that I wouldn't take advantage of the chance to get a free new frame, plus any other components that they can't salvage in the process.

Why did toyota recall the tacoma, sequoia and tundra then? This isnt just a "part" this is the main component that holds the vehicle together and its deteroriating unusually fast. My 15 year old tahoes frame has some frame rust but no where close to the holes present on my 4runner. Once the rust starts from the inside, you may as well kiss ur frame goodbye bc by the time u catch it its already deteroriated from the inside.

Its funny bc I posted this exact same thing on the sequoia forums and everyone said exactly whats being said here with me not having hard proof. Call me crazy, call me a liar. Yes i have no proof other then a verbal statement from the GM as to what was said at his meetings.. Is he full of crap?? Well hes been right on my last two vehicles before the release came out.

I just thought i would be of some help by mentioning what I heard but now its backfiring. And to the two people who private messaged me accusing me of lying. Grow up. This was simply meant to help people