Toyota Tundras - Uh oh, where'd the frame go?

[Ranman]

Hahaha. This is a good one. Toyota truck frames rotting away and falling apart in the car wash. Also, the reality sounds like Toyota's customer service may not be so stellar.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/news/19294250/detail.html


BOSTON -- Toyota is hearing from truck owners about frames so badly rusted they can't be repaired nor replaced.

It's a problem Team 5 Investigates first uncovered last year with Tacomas. And now it appears to involve larger model Tundras as well.

"The frame is cracked," said Tim Gatzke, owner of a 2000 Toyota Tundra. "And down in the back here, the leaf springs on this side are so corroded that they're broken."


Tim Gatzke

He said the frame on his truck is being eaten away by rust. Driven only 89,000 miles, it no longer holds power steering fluid.

"In order to fix it, you need a power steering rack," Gatzke said. "But the corrosion is so bad, there is nothing for it to get welded back onto the frame."

Gatzke has pretty much stopped driving his truck.

Bob Malone

"It's aggressive corrosion that essentially makes the truck unsafe," he said. "I mean, the power steering rack at 70 mph. --- if that were to let go, that could be a really bad accident."

Bob Malone is another Tundra owner with the same complaint.

"You can see the frame rail is just orange with rust," he said.

Malone's 2000 Tundra -- driven just 72,000 -- essentially fell apart going through the car wash.

"I could literally just hear the metal chips flying off," he said, holding a rusted sheet in his hand. "This is the biggest piece I found out of the pile."

Tim Gatzke

Team 5 Investigates discovered more than two dozen complaints about 2000 and 2001 Tundras filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Drivers wrote, "Metal shearing off in large sheets"; "The rot caused the frame to break in half.".... (and) "Poked my finger right through the cross member."

Frustrated Tundra owners told NHTSA: "My truck is undriveable and unfixable." ... "It will not pass the next inspection." ... (and) "I cannot drive my car or even sell it as is."

"What needs to happen is, Toyota needs to recall these trucks," said Sean Kane, a national safety expert who believes the rust problem with older Tundras may be the same one plaguing more than 800,000 Tacoma trucks built between 1995 and 2000. As Team 5 Investigates first reported last year, those model years did not have adequate corrosion protection, causing the frames to disintegrate from rust.

Bob Malone

Toyota agreed --- and offered buyback deals for one-and-a-half times the vehicle's Blue Book value.

"Toyota really does need to step up here and extend that warranty beyond the vehicles that they've already covered to include any vehicles of theirs that has this kind of problem," Kane said.

In a written statement, Toyota told Team 5 Investigates that they've had only a small number of complaints and are investigating each one. They said, "using the information obtained from the Tacoma, we pro-actively investigate other vehicles of similar design and production elements." The company added, it "takes great pride in the durability and quality of our products."

Toyota wouldn't disclose how many rusted Tundras they've heard about or what they're doing for the owners.

"I'm pretty incensed," Malone said. "If you call them up, they just ignore you and hope you'll go away. I don't know what it's going to take."

[chappy]

I've got three friends that had problems with Tacoma frames, and Toyota gave them 150% of KBB value.

Seems like pretty good customer service, for them at least.

Hopefully Toyota will do the same with Tundra owners that have frame issues.

[BigGrizzly]

Report this to the Nhtsa. It is a safety issue and the feds will make them do it. At this point the feds are POed at Toyoda for sweeping stuff under the mat. After 24 years in the auto manufacturing industry This does work. Don't just complain to blogs write them, they keep records. Enough complaints and they will make Toy disclose all complaints of the problem.

[zelatore]

Funny thing is, despite this Mr. and Mrs. Average American will still think Toyotas are God's gift to reliable motoring and anything made by the big three is unreliable junk from the word go.

I should amend that. "Motoring" conjures up some sort of sporting image. Toyotas (and Toyota owners in general) are as anti-sporting as the design committee can possibly make them. And that's why I cheer every time the loose yet another F1 race despite the biggest budget in the field. :wink:

[Ed Donnelly]

Everytime I see The TRD on the Toyotas, I can't help but pronounce it

turd............Ed

[DonziJon]

I sold my 1995 Tacoma V6 4x4 Two years ago for $5000 with 141,000 miles on it. It turned out to have a rusty frame a year and a half later. Toyota bought the Taco back from the buyer for $8600.+ :bonk: The buyer works with my wife so I know. YUP. :yes: John (Of Anti Sporting ...Totally)

PS: I actually had a 1979 308 GTS in the garrage once. I hated it. :)

[HOWARD O]

Sounds like a problem, but does anyone else find it odd that there's only a couple dozen complaints filed with the NHTSA? :confused:

[Air 22]

Everytime I see The TRD on the Toyotas, I can't help but pronounce it
turd............Ed


Good One...:wink:

[BigGrizzly]

Some people love them and som will never own another one. Truth they are not going to beat the big three at their own game.

[BUIZILLA]

I sure don't see, nor have I EVER seen, any of the BIG 3 buy back any of their vehicles for 150% value, regardless of condition or mileage, to keep a customer happy, much less 10 years of age or older... the Vega and X cars, Pinto's, LeBaron's quickly but not exclusively come to mind... so I think Toyota deserves immense praise for doing what they did with the Tacoma incident(s).

[BigGrizzly]

Last night I found out that there is an investigation into this. BUIZ trust me this is common to TOY and other manufacturers of Foreign decent, to keep peace. Honda has don it for ever so has Yamaha and Suzuki. But you are right about the US manufactures.

[Ghost]

I sure don't see, nor have I EVER seen, any of the BIG 3 buy back any of their vehicles for 150% value, regardless of condition or mileage, to keep a customer happy, much less 10 years of age or older... the Vega and X cars, Pinto's, LeBaron's quickly but not exclusively come to mind... so I think Toyota deserves immense praise for doing what they did with the Tacoma incident(s).

Had exactly the same thought, big time.

[Tony]

Gold-n-rod Randy had this happen to him.
Seems like I remember he made out like a bandit! :pimp:

:beer:

[Cuda]

I have a two step cure.


Step one: Move where it doesn't snow
Step two: Look for a 35 year old Ford

(not Chebby my dad has claimed they are rust buckets for all my life. I only had to buy one 1972 3/4 ton to figure that out, I paid 600 for it, worked it for 11 years, before it was too rusty to keep the hinges for the doors in place with a welder. I had drilled a hole up through the side frame of the windshield, through the roof, stuck a long bolt though it, cranked it down with a nut, patched it with unsanded grout. I did all that because one time I was crossing the Skyway, and could see blue sky above the windsheild, as my speed increased. I fixed that problem, then had to wire the batter in with bailing wire because there was nothing left of the battery tray, the bed looked like it belonged to a broke back tile guy. But it was still running perfectly when I drove it across the HF Bridge to Tampa to sell it for $$400. That is that it was running perfectly on that trip, until I ran out of gas going up the high spot of the HF Bridge in a blinding lightning storm then had to wait for my buddy that was following me to finish going to Tampa, turn around, go back to St Pete, buy a gas can and gas, come back and I poured the gas in during the lightning storm and got it running. Other than that, it ran great! )

If I can't fix it, it ain't broke!

[Cuda]

As for Turdyota's, a long time hunting buddy of mine was here yesterday, and he reminded me of one time we stopped in Perry to get a bilge pump to empty the floorboard as we drove.

But you know me, I can't complain. :)

[Cuda]

As far as I know, the Yota is still running. Of course I sold it for half of what I paid for the Super Swampers alone that had maybe 500 miles on them.:shocking:

[mphatc]

this is an old known problem with the older imported Toyotas ..

any real New Englander would have never bought one . .

That said, I bought a new 2008 Tundra .. and then spent $500.00 on Wurth rust proofing materials and applied those myself . .

If I look under my 2000 F150 . . . the frame is also on it's last legs . . it's a POS! with 104K miles and more maintenance than I ever want to track.
( I own a specialty auto shop, so servicing my own stuff is easy, and a write off)
My Techs own Chevies, and they have to repair tons of rust at 70-80k miles, after 6-7 NH winters . . .it's all part of the climate and all the road salt.

Mario

[Cuda]

this is an old known problem with the older imported Toyotas ..
any real New Englander would have never bought one . .
That said, I bought a new 2008 Tundra .. and then spent $500.00 on Wurth rust proofing materials and applied those myself . .
If I look under my 2000 F150 . . . the frame is also on it's last legs . . it's a POS! with 104K miles and more maintenance than I ever want to track.
( I own a specialty auto shop, so servicing my own stuff is easy, and a write off)
My Techs own Chevies, and they have to repair tons of rust at 70-80k miles, after 6-7 NH winters . . .it's all part of the climate and all the road salt.
Mario
Hmm you must have missed the first step in rust prevention I mentioned.:shocking:
I had a 99 F 150, Lariat, 4x4, 5.4 that all I did was change the oil, and one fuel filter, had to change an alt (took ten minutes) and sold it to the first person who looked at it. That was after working out of it, hauling tile, pulling a travel trailer, and pulling overweight boats more times than I care to count, but maybe mine was a low mileage rarity. It only had 122,000 miles on it when I bought a 2002 F 250 diesel. That could explain the all the problems with the alternator, original belts, plugs, brakes etc. The only time I ever had to pop the hood was to give another truck a jump at the jobsite. I didn't even know which side of the truck to pull up.
Say what you want about Fords, but the next time you drive past a construction site, Fords will outnumber every other brand. That for people who depend upon their truck to earn a living. ALL other trucks are built for hauling post holes.
Flamesuit on. Btw, they could not pay me to buy a new Chebbie after the very first new truck I bought for 42k in 1996, but it sure did look pretty.

[gcarter]

I concur w/the climate thing, or the "GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WHERE THEY USE ROAD SALT" thingie.
We've used nothing but Toy trucks for 22 years in our business. Everyone of them have been good for 400,000 miles before they went out to pasture.
At this point I really like the two Tundras and the T-100 I still have. I'll probably buy another Tundra in the next year.

[Cuda]

I concur w/the climate thing, or the "GEOGRAPHICAL AREAS WHERE THEY USE ROAD SALT" thingie.
We've used nothing but Toy trucks for 22 years in our business. Everyone of them have been good for 400,000 miles before they went out to pasture.
At this point I really like the two Tundras and the T-100 I still have. I'll probably buy another Tundra in the next year.
I had an 86 yota I worked with briefly. It had 200k+ on it, still ran like a sewing machine, but I think the reason it didn't have any rust was due more to the constant oil leakage from the engine, than the climatic thing. Never did fiind that leak, but I don't recall looking once I decided it was either the front seal, the back seal, or something in that junk up front. Sold it for what I paid for it. $800, and it was six years old.

George, I thought you drove an Expedition or something.

[gcarter]

George, I thought you drove an Expedition or something.

Funny isn't it?
I'm not crazy about Toyota cars and SUV's so we (Elaine and I) drive Ford SUV's.
The earlier 2.4 L 22R engines did have a penchant for leaking at the front and back.

[Conquistador_del_mar]

I think every truck manufacturer has particularly good years of manufacture as well as not so good. I put 275,000 miles on my 1991 Chevy Siverado with a 5 speed without ever having to touch the engine or tranny guts, and gave it to my brother-in-law last year - still running fine. I can't talk better about my 2001 Tundra that was rebuilt after being in one of the big tornados in OKC. It drives like a dream, does not burn 1 oz of oil between oil changes, and I have had to spend absolutely nothing on it with 97,000 miles on it presently. My next truck will likely be a 5.7 Tundra. I hear that the southern vehicles bring a premium up in salted road states.

[Cuda]

I think every truck manufacturer has particularly good years of manufacture as well as not so good. I put 275,000 miles on my 1991 Chevy Siverado with a 5 speed without ever having to touch the engine or tranny guts, and gave it to my brother-in-law last year - still running fine. I can't talk better about my 2001 Tundra that was rebuilt after being in one of the big tornados in OKC. It drives like a dream, does not burn 1 oz of oil between oil changes, and I have had to spend absolutely nothing on it with 97,000 miles on it presently. My next truck will likely be a 5.7 Tundra. I hear that the southern vehicles bring a premium up in salted road states.

Then I've been very lucky with last 6 new Fords I bought.
Only took one new Chebby to see how well the Florida Lemon Law worked.

[Cuda]

Funny isn't it?
I'm not crazy about Toyota cars and SUV's so we (Elaine and I) drive Ford SUV's.
The earlier 2.4 L 22R engines did have a penchant for leaking at the front and back.
Yeah the 22R's wouldn't die. Trust me I overheated an 81 4x4 enough time to test it. I changed the head gasket time and time again, poured in ever kind of stop leak known to man, before I finally decided to check the aluminum head with a straight edge. Since I'd already gone that for, carb work, torque cam, header, and three angle valve job seemed in order. Not only did it have twice the power, it got 50% better mileage.:shades:

[Conquistador_del_mar]

Then I've been very lucky with last 6 new Fords I bought.
Only took one new Chebby to see how well the Florida Lemon Law worked.

I keep hearing that Ford trucks are very good. Over half of my boat stall renters drive them. In fact one of them drove up today to show me his new diesel 1 ton King Ranch - sweet truck! Bill

[Cuda]

I loved my 2005 Lariat, 4x4, srw, 4dr sht bd Psd better than any truck I've owned. I shoulda kept it. The King Ranch is just a different inteirior package.

[roadtrip se]

from another-wise dismal landscape where the government and the UAW think they can own Chrysler (Go Bondholders in BR court!)...

Ford out-sold Toyota in March. Think maybe people are starting to realize that a car or truck can be more than a transportation appliance again?

We shall see...

[Cuda]

You can blame all the financial woes on Earth with one word: Greed.

[zelatore]

Think maybe people are starting to realize that a car or truck can be more than a transportation appliance again?
We shall see...


Oh, it's too much to hope!

More's the pity about Chrysler. They had their problems, but they did turn out some interesting products. Ford has a solid line-up right now, but nothing really exciting.

Maybe, some day, if people start looking to cars as more than appliances we'll see more interesting products. But I think we've just come out of a 'high' on that front and we're headed for a 'low'. At least temporarily. Nobody's going to be rolling the dice on cool and interesting when they are too busy trying to stay in business.

BTW, what are the predictions for Chrysler? 10 years? Maybe?

[Ghost]

...But I think we've just come out of a 'high' on that front and we're headed for a 'low'. At least temporarily.

Agreed--it feels a lot like the end of the second muscle-car era, and we're heading for (ugh) another late 70s-80s.

[Cuda]

You can't tell me that Ford couldn't turn out a car with am radio, wind up windows, stick shift, no air,no gps, etc just as cost effectivelly and better than the did in 1960. That's eactly how much our new Ford was equipped in 1960,

What people don't understand, is that a mode of transportation is EXACTLY what cars were invented to be. They weren't invented to take the place of everthing in your house, electronically, and comfort wise. The were never meant to supplant the ability to read a map. Everyone has just gotten too spoiled, and now the bill has come due.

[BigGrizzly]

Well so much for the rust discussion. Like what has been said before, There qare good ones and poor ones. Engine wise they are all pretty good compaired to the 1960 and 1970s. Now today's truck rides and handles better then anything, cars or trucks, in the 1970 with better fuel economy. Now people are talking hundreds of thousands as opposed to the 60 thousands of yesterday. We have seen several Accords with over 1,000,000 miles on them without engine replacements I had a Dodge van with over 1,000,000 miles on it with only one set of cylinder heads.

[Cuda]

Well so much for the rust discussion. Like what has been said before, There qare good ones and poor ones. Engine wise they are all pretty good compaired to the 1960 and 1970s. Now today's truck rides and handles better then anything, cars or trucks, in the 1970 with better fuel economy. Now people are talking hundreds of thousands as opposed to the 60 thousands of yesterday. We have seen several Accords with over 1,000,000 miles on them without engine replacements I had a Dodge van with over 1,000,000 miles on it with only one set of cylinder heads.
I remember our second new wagon, dad special ordered it with a 390 4V engine that had THUNERBIRD on the valve covers. He said he was tire of the six getting mountain sick everytime we went to Grandma's in W Va. We had a below dash ac ordered too. Mom liked that! Paid $4200 for it brand new. Dad was real proud that it had over 140,000 miles on it without having the heads off. It's final resting place was after we drove it in a demoliton derby, and would have one that if a battery cable hadn't come loose. :(

[BUIZILLA]

Cuda... my dad had a '60 T 'Bird, white with blue guts, he liked it so much he special ordered a '61 Country Squire woody with a 390-4V for my mom, he HATED roof racks and it was the only Squire I EVER saw without one, which was why he ordered it, and he wanted the special 2 tone gold/medium brown interior instead of all the red or blue gut wagons on the lot, he thought the gold/brown interior better offset the woody panels, he also hated the gangsta wide whites so he got the Galaxie 500 deluxe full wheelcovers from the dealer and bought new blackwalls for it... pretty classy for a wagon in '61.. we were a two Ford family in '61, that was the real sh1t back then to have two a/c cars in the same family..

major hijack on this thread LOLOLOLOLOLOL >>>> :)

[zelatore]

You can't tell me that Ford couldn't turn out a car with am radio, wind up windows, stick shift, no air,no gps, etc just as cost effectivelly and better than the did in 1960.

Ah, you see, they could easily produce such a car but there are two problems. First, how many people would buy a stripper like that these days? Second, how would they make a profit - all the pork they pile on adds to their bottom line.

[zelatore]

Well so much for the rust discussion.


Say, I hear Toyota's have a frame rust problem....

(just for you, Griz)

[Cuda]

Ah, you see, they could easily produce such a car but there are two problems. First, how many people would buy a stripper like that these days? Second, how would they make a profit - all the pork they pile on adds to their bottom line.
Ford didn't go broke in 1960.

[Cuda]

Ah, you see, they could easily produce such a car but there are two problems. First, how many people would buy a stripper like that these days? Second, how would they make a profit - all the pork they pile on adds to their bottom line.
People are spoiled and greedy. After having to walk a few days, they will line up for a stripper, or would you rather walk?

[Cuda]

Cuda... my dad had a '60 T 'Bird, white with blue guts, he liked it so much he special ordered a '61 Country Squire woody with a 390-4V for my mom, he HATED roof racks and it was the only Squire I EVER saw without one, which was why he ordered it, and he wanted the special 2 tone gold/medium brown interior instead of all the red or blue gut wagons on the lot, he thought the gold/brown interior better offset the woody panels, he also hated the gangsta wide whites so he got the Galaxie 500 deluxe full wheelcovers from the dealer and bought new blackwalls for it... pretty classy for a wagon in '61.. we were a two Ford family in '61, that was the real sh1t back then to have two a/c cars in the same family..

major hijack on this thread LOLOLOLOLOLOL >>>> :)
Our 64 wagon was a Galaxie 500. I remember the wheels.:)
Mom wasn't happy when dad ran it at the drag strip in Panama City.:eek:

[zelatore]

People are spoiled and greedy. After having to walk a few days, they will line up for a stripper, or would you rather walk?

Right on both counts.

As for walking, I'll admit I probably SHOULD walk more places as I've noticed the scale moves around further than it used to...:boggled:

[HallJ]

When do we start talking about AMC's again?:)

Jeff

[FISHIN SUCKS]

I don't care what anybody thinks on this topic, I won't change anybodies mind for how I feel, and I'll never control how you spend your hard earned money, so here goes:

I think the tundra, ridgeline, and titan are some of the most butt ugly trucks on the road! People that own these probably feel the same way about my Corvette edition Avalanche. I have had the opportunity to ride AND drive all three and am not impressed. While I have not put them to the endurance test of mega miles, I do rent a lot of vehicles in a years time. Yes, I drove them all like l stole them, cause they're rentals! The ridgeline was actually not a rental (and didn't beat on it), but the other two were. My old roommate from college bought one and let me take the wheel. I put 121,000 on my old '03 Z71 and only replaced a wheel bearing at 83k. I put all the miles on myself and did a lot of trailering of the old Blackwidow as well as the Corvette all across the countryside.

I am actually renting a new Ford Expedition this week and actually kinda like it. Yes, I am whippin on it too, and holding up well. Even though I like my GM stuff, this Ford isn't bad.

To each their own, this is just my $.02. Remember, depending on how you approach me, I care about your opinion about as much as you care about mine......Kinda like freshwater fishin':)

[Cuda]

I don't care what anybody thinks on this topic, I won't change anybodies mind for how I feel, and I'll never control how you spend your hard earned money, so here goes:
I think the tundra, ridgeline, and titan are some of the most butt ugly trucks on the road! People that own these probably feel the same way about my Corvette edition Avalanche. I have had the opportunity to ride AND drive all three and am not impressed. While I have not put them to the endurance test of mega miles, I do rent a lot of vehicles in a years time. Yes, I drove them all like l stole them, cause they're rentals! The ridgeline was actually not a rental (and didn't beat on it), but the other two were. My old roommate from college bought one and let me take the wheel. I put 121,000 on my old '03 Z71 and only replaced a wheel bearing at 83k. I put all the miles on myself and did a lot of trailering of the old Blackwidow as well as the Corvette all across the countryside.
I am actually renting a new Ford Expedition this week and actually kinda like it. Yes, I am whippin on it too, and holding up well. Even though I like my GM stuff, this Ford isn't bad.
To each their own, this is just my $.02. Remember, depending on how you approach me, I care about your opinion about as much as you care about mine......Kinda like freshwater fishin':)
You've got to quit sugarcoating in and say exactly what you mean, lest you hurt some overpaid factory worker's feeling.:popcorn::shocking:

[FISHIN SUCKS]

LOL! So you mean, no more beating around the bush?