Replacement Frames already rotting.

[Frank Marino]

My '03 Tacoma has 83000 miles on it. Babied and hardly driven since I bought it new. Always garaged, occasionally under-sprayed with heavy oil. In 2013 I got notice of the frame recall program. While I could find no rot on my frame then, the dealership claimed it was rusty enough that it had to be replaced and replaced it. I think I had about 35K miles on it then.
Last year I returned to the same dealership for some other maintenance and they informed me that the replacement frame had now rotted through and the truck was no longer road safe. I think it had 75K miles +/- on it then.
I know the truck is over 20 years old so I do not need to here from all the keyboard cowboys about how vehicles should not be expected to last forever... troll someone else. Two rotten frames in 75K miles is outrageous... especially when the second frame had supposedly been improved to fix a rusting issue. The "improved" frames only last 40K miles?
Recall that Toyota replaced the original frames because they admitted that they had determined that "deficient steel" have been used. One would expect that they improved the steel quality when they went to the huge expense of replacing all these frames, but apparently (based only in my experience) the new steel was more deficient than the old. The original frame was in much better shape than the new frame was after about the same mileage. They had increased the rust-through warranty to 20 yrs / 100K miles, but at this time my truck had just passed the 20 years. But this problem is mileage related... not age related... a vehicle sitting in a garage isn't getting exposed to the elements.

I thought Toyota would be as shocked as I was about this... a truck babied like this was going through two frames in 75K miles, but they obviously see these trucks as a disaster they want to forget. The agent (who was great and very understanding) says the only possibility of getting any help here is if I can show that it was common that the replacement frames were rotting as bad as the originals... that they did not properly fix the original issue. He said I should try to find others with the same problem so that Toyota might re-open the original recall. But how many of these 20+ year-old Tacomas are still out there?
If you have a similar story please share it. But if you are just a clown with nothing to do but haunt forum threads with your unrequested opinion, please take a hike.

 

[JayQQ97]

I am shocked as well, Frank

 

[tacojoel]

Sounds more like the op had to vent.....one and done.
Btw, why should anyone be shocked that steel frames rust, especially if not treated well? You must of missed science class's to.

 

[JayQQ97]

Not that fast they are not supposed to...

 

[tacojoel]

BS, basic frame type steel begins rusting from the time it's exposed to air, and moisture. If not adequately treated you'll have the start of rust issues in less than 5 years. Thats just science one o one. Add salt, and brine to the mix, you have an accelerant, like adding gasoline to a fire. You live in places where it snows most of winter, your going to have vehicles that rust.

 

[JayQQ97]

So why don't body panel rott out faster
Much thinner sheet metal

 

[tacojoel]

So why don't body panel rott out faster
Much thinner sheet metal

No welded seams, plus they're treated at the factory for all sorts of corrosive exposure before their prepped, and painted.
Earlier frames were made at dana to toyota specs....average carbon steel, and didn't receive the same corrosion treatment as body panels did, just being painted black. Later toyota 3rd gen frames were manufactured from high tensile grade steel, at least thats whats been claimed more resistant to early frame rust.
Imo, unless treated those boxed in frame sections no matter what year tacoma are still prone to collecting water, and other crap that makes those frames rot from the inside out before their time.

 

[JayQQ97]

Many of the gen1 body panels rott right on through

 

[tacojoel]

What do you expect after 10 years, or more when driven in the rust belt. Its all your fault if you'd don't take some precautions using some sort of rust inhibitor.... Those factory treated body panels can only go so long before surface rust starts to get the best of them. Heck even a tin plated steel can will eventually rust.