Home and Auto Toyota Tundras frames rusting, guess they need to made from real steel. - Page 2

**HemiEd** · 01:34 PM

This happened on the T-100 also.

http://www.thebostonchannel.com/inve...50/detail.html

Team 5 Discovers More Rusted-Out Frames On Toyotas
Owners Said Trucks Can't Be Repaired Or Resold
POSTED: 10:47 am EDT April 26, 2009
UPDATED: 8:24 am EDT April 27, 2009

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.

Click To Comment | See A Slideshow Of Trucks

"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."

Watch Report

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."

El Jefe · 05-04-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

All over. I've seen a few sidelined with it here in Kansas.
It’s probably worse in the Rust Belt though.

Good Lord, I did a horrible repost, but in my defense I had not read the whole thread. Great minds think alike

.

**HemiEd** · 05-04-2009, 02:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

That’s what killed Welding Buddy’s Toyota.

Yeah, on on of my Mopar sites, one of the salvage guys was saying they can't pick them up with a forklift because they will break in two pieces.

ModSocks · 05-04-2009, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Yeah, on on of my Mopar sites, one of the salvage guys was saying they can't pick them up with a forklift because they will break in two pieces.

Damn, that's crazy. What the hell did they use as a liner?

**Skip Towne** · 05-04-2009, 02:30 PM

This can't be true. Jap stuff is waaay better than American. I read it here all the time.

CoMoChief · 05-04-2009, 02:37 PM

I've seen this issue many times. We send CRASH reports to the manufacturer on this and sometimes have subrogation rights against Toyota in some cases.

MagicHef · 05-04-2009, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CoMoChief

I've seen this issue many times. We send CRASH reports to the manufacturer on this and sometimes have subrogation rights against Toyota in some cases.

Do you see this in cars, too, or just trucks?

CoMoChief · 05-04-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicHef

Do you see this in cars, too, or just trucks?

I've only seen this is the Tundra specifically, which is why I commented on the thread.......havent really paid attention to what other vehicles have this issue. I just remember an auto clm i ran into lately involving a Tundra.

**HemiEd** · 05-04-2009, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Detoxing

Damn, that's crazy. What the hell did they use as a liner?

What liner are you referring to? I don't understand your question.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MagicHef

Do you see this in cars, too, or just trucks?

I doubt it, since almost all production cars are uni-body, not having a frame like a pick up.

**CrazyPhuD** · 05-04-2009, 02:53 PM

Must have used american steel....if they used the japanese stuff they wouldn't have had this problem.

Radar Chief · 05-04-2009, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrazyPhuD

Must have used american steel....if they used the japanese stuff they wouldn't have had this problem.

**HemiEd** · 05-04-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Radar Chief

Not sure he really is kidding. Is there such a thing as Japanese steel? I think they are very lacking in natural resources, and import most everything except sushi.

**Bugeater** · 05-04-2009, 03:24 PM

Heh, I'm glad I bought a Dodge.

**HemiEd** · 05-04-2009, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bugeater

Heh, I'm glad I bought a Dodge.

Wouldn't it suck to stop in for an oil change, and have this happen?

Radar Chief · 05-04-2009, 03:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HemiEd

Not sure he really is kidding. Is there such a thing as Japanese steel? I think they are very lacking in natural resources, and import most everything except sushi.

I just thought it was an odd statement to make.
American steel is highly sought after for all forms of fabrication and construction.
Anecdotal story: Welding Buddy worked for a local manufacturer that was making big industrial radiators. They bought some Chinese steel because the American stuff was so expensive but the first tube they tried to bend exploded in the bender. So they shipped it all back and waited until they had American steel to fill their order.

LaChapelle · 05-04-2009, 03:29 PM

The import snobs don't care. If it says Toyota or Honda on it They'll pay out the nose for one of those brands even with 315,000+ miles. Just cause it says Toyota or Honda. People are idjits.

05-04-2009, 01:06 PM
HemiEd Supporter Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Ozarks Casino cash: $3290564	Toyota Tundras frames rusting, guess they need to be made from real steel. This happened on the T-100 also. http://www.thebostonchannel.com/inve...50/detail.html Team 5 Discovers More Rusted-Out Frames On Toyotas Owners Said Trucks Can't Be Repaired Or Resold POSTED: 10:47 am EDT April 26, 2009 UPDATED: 8:24 am EDT April 27, 2009 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. Click To Comment \| See A Slideshow Of Trucks "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." Watch Report 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." Last edited by HemiEd; 05-04-2009 at 01:34 PM..
Posts: 33,418

05-04-2009, 02:30 PM	#19
Skip Towne Supporter Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: T-Town Casino cash: $10004900	This can't be true. Jap stuff is waaay better than American. I read it here all the time.
Posts: 69,689

05-04-2009, 02:37 PM	#20
CoMoChief Mahomes Dynasty Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Parts Unknown Casino cash: $8052254	I've seen this issue many times. We send CRASH reports to the manufacturer on this and sometimes have subrogation rights against Toyota in some cases.
Posts: 39,156

05-04-2009, 02:53 PM	#24
CrazyPhuD Meow Join Date: Jun 2005 Casino cash: $10005050	Must have used american steel....if they used the japanese stuff they wouldn't have had this problem. __________________ "Political correctness is a doctrine, fostered by a delusional, illogical minority, and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t*rd by the clean end"
Posts: 8,523

05-04-2009, 03:24 PM	#27
Bugeater The Maintenance Guy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Renovated Bugeater Estate Casino cash: $6252680	Heh, I'm glad I bought a Dodge.
Posts: 70,443

05-04-2009, 03:29 PM	#30
LaChapelle Banned Join Date: Mar 2009 Casino cash: $10004900	The import snobs don't care. If it says Toyota or Honda on it They'll pay out the nose for one of those brands even with 315,000+ miles. Just cause it says Toyota or Honda. People are idjits.
Posts: 8,588