My 2002 Tacoma is having it's frame replaced
 

A few months ago, Toyota sends me a letter that states they're inspecting all Tacoma frames up to year 2003. They said that in high road salt areas, like we have in our New England winters, some frames rust and become "perforated". So I brought my truck in to be inspected. If it passed, they would spray the frame and undercarriage with some anti-corrosive material and I'd be on my way in a couple days. Mine didn't pass. It failed and they wouldn't let me drive the truck home. They gave me a rental on the spot, told me they'd replace the frame and it would take 3-4 weeks.
So, now, I'm planning to get the truck back tomorrow or thursday, and i'm a bit wary. They replaced the frame (which consists of lifting the body and motor off and swapping it to a new frame). I'm getting new leaf springs, new control arms, and some other stuff (ebrake cables, etc.).
I'm worried it will never be the same. a bunch of guys at my local toyota putting together a truck by hand is not the same as robots doing it on an assembly line.
i'm just curious if anyone else here had this done, or knows someone that had it done. i'm just wondering what to expect. to be honest, i'm expecting a lot of vibrations, rattles and squeeks that weren't there when i brought the truck in.
the good news is that this isn't costing me a dime, so there's that i suppose. i guess i'll find out in a day or two.

While at the dealer last with my Sienna, I saw this same procedure on what looked like a newer Tacoma. Looks pretty straight forward. The quality of the work unfortunately is in direct relation to the skill of the tech doing the job. The first sign of a problem I'd be right back there asking for it to be fixed.

I'm really beginning to rethink Toyota being such a great manufacturer. My Sienna (part of some 600k Siennas that underwent a "warranty enhancement") is getting new front doors due to welds failing. Now I'll have new paint that I'm sure will not match the rest of the shell.

I thought the deal was they buy your truck back and give you a generous price towards a new one. I wouldn't want mine striped down and reassembled either.

Dana frames.

yeah, that's what i thought too. and it was true for a lot of the older tacomas. i learned that for the trucks 2000 and earlier (i think, don't hold me to it) they were buying those trucks back at 1.5x the KBB private party value at excellent condition, regardless of actual condition. That was because those frames aren't being made anymore... it would be a special order to replace them. But from 2002 on, those frames are still in production and the frame manufacturer is providing Toyota the frame at half the cost. So it makes financial sense for toyota to fix the problem (replace the frame) rather than buy the truck back.
believe me, i'd much rather get the 1.5x the KBB. For a trade in, its the difference of getting $17K for my truck (at 1.5x) and getting $8800 (trade-in value, good condition).

What year Tacoma's are included in this recall?
Mine's a 2003 double cab.

new control arms and everything...hell, you will have all new bushing, and ball joints? please post a picture when you get your rig back. i am damn curious.

i bet they do it right, and you dont hear/feel a thing. my feeling is that toyota really stepped up and addressed this thing. i would love to see the price tag, afterwards.

i think it's at least up to 2003. 2004 is the new body style, right? not sure about 2004 and up.
i would call toyota and give them your VIN. They'll tell you if you need to do anything. I got a letter in the mail. Are you the original owner? If not, maybe that's why you haven't heard anything.

sure. i can post a few pics when i get it back. i'll let you know how it works out.

So much for that superior Toyota build quality.

I think you getting a good deal personally. Cheers to Toyota for standing by their product.

I don't think the frame being replaced should be an issue. If they were repairing part of a unibody car, then yeah, I would be more worried because automobile bodies are pre-stressed when constructed. Its near impossible to make them 100% right after they have been compromised.

They build untold 10s of thousands of vehicles with rusting out frames and they get a kudos?

LOL...wow.

I would never buy any truck that was not made in the USA.

Honestly other than a few little niggles Toyota's don't have that many problems and the stand behind their work. Would GM or Ford? Probably not.


I bet you will notice it. You will think you got a new truck with all those wear items replaced...

Here is a link that tells how I got my '99 Tacoma bought back by Toyota. It was a hell of a lucky deal for me. My replacement high mileage Tundra has been 100% trouble free for the past year.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/off-topic-discussions/410030-toyota-tacomas-breaking-two.html

Dude then you better buy Toyota. My dads Tacoma. Made in America. His 99 and 06 dodge. Both made in Mexico.



How's your foot taste?

A rotting out frame is a "little niggle"?

I fail to see it that way. To me that's a gihugic fk up that screams "poor quality".

Perhaps you should actually read what i typed before chiming in turtle boy. :D

Bought it new. Haven't gotten anything in the mail that i can recall.

well, i agree with the first part. toyota's not replacing 10s of thousands of frames, and buying back thousands of older trucks to "do the right thing". they're doing it to try and avoid a class action lawsuit when one of these things snaps on the highway killing people.

As far as the whole, "buy american" thing, my truck was built in CA while a lot of the GM counterparts were built in Mexico, so... i don't think location of the built has much of a correlation to quality. not nowadays anyway.

Sorry, the Tacoma's are not made in California. They are made close to CA, but not in it or the US for that matter.

I have been to the plant.