Vehicle Undercoating

Permanent Waves said:
I hope this works for you. It absolutely did not for me and Toyota will not do anything about it. The backstory - 2006 Tacoma, mildly driven around town, 125k miles. Was undercoat treated around 2010 Due to recall. Rubberized type of treatment.

This past Dec, local shop was doing oil, tire rotate, etc, called me and said I had to come see the frame. Went down and watched tech stick his hand into multiple huge voids that had appeared in the side walls of the frame. The coating was still on the frame, but you could pull big chunks of the rotted frame off, all rusted on inside. Guy that owns the shop said, hey, no charge today, get this home, please don’t drive this.

Wife was beyond pissed. She pulled all the docs she had kept from recall and got on phone with Toyota dealer. This ended up with a manager who said they had inspected & taken pics of frame, all was good, then coated. Said we should take it up with Toyota, and quietly admitted we were likely screwed. Wife calls Toyota, and absolutely ran it up their flagpole as high as she could get - 4 different calls. Questioned every part of their process, even if the frame was fine then what did the coating do to the frame material, sealed in any water, etc, etc. They kept asking her, “you know how many frames we replaced?? We did what we needed to do.”

Long story short, Toyota said truck was 14, we got our use from it, they did their job, we would get no relief. They offered to replace frame, costing us $10k. That went over poorly… We currently have a perfectly good 2006 Tacoma in our driveway that has been taken off the road and we are not sure what to do with it. I had been in process of replacing headlights (originals were hazed) and making other reconditions to it, was one of my covid projects. Fun vehicle, wanted it to be around for at least 300k miles.

Good luck to you, and know Toyota will do anything they can not to remedy future frame rot issues You might encounter.
Click to expand...
You might want to dig more?
1995-2008 was the big problem years. Toyota extended warranty was 15 years from date of manufacture. So look at that sticker on drivers door and see what the date is.?
i will look to see if I can find the TSB at work maybe it was 10 years? I know the newer trucks 2008+ have some issues also but those they are undercoating. My 2000 was a mess, new frame 2012 with 150k , traded it in 2015 with 188k
Current 2011 is looking pretty good for a toyota frame? I have been running it through car was undercarriage wash with "rust preventive" option.
No idea if it helps.
 
Last edited:
I did a 1995 Wrangler years back with POR. 15. Did total prep first then painted frame and underside, still in perfect shape. Last year had my 2006 2500HD body done over at body shop but while bed was off I did the same on entire frame and cab. Prep is the key with any of these processes.
 
ThePreBanMan said:
I got the NH Oil on my 4Runneer last year. Will probably get it again before winter... and rinse / repeat annually.

It works, but the truck stinks for a week or two and drips for a week or two after... Park it in the street and not the driveway for the first couple weeks after you get it back. But it seems to work well...
Click to expand...
The Trick here is if you can work your schedule, is have the NHOU done in the Summer and find a dry dirt road and drive up and down it a few times.
 
AHM said:
Holding out for the inevitable Frog Lube endorsements.

(Applied during a heat wave,
so it penetrates the grain of the vehicle's metal).
Click to expand...
I think your on to something , might have found the only use for froglube
 
Had my '15 Tacoma at the dealer as part of their free maintenance deal in a little over a year ago and had a recall alert flag for the frame rust issue. They mentioned that it was happening from the inside out too. They treated it and hasn't been flagged since, though I haven't been back after they wanted to tack on $1k of work that wasn't covered...and forgot to do the oil change for free...

Aside, the issue can still effect years up to at least '15
 
No one has more lovey-dovey, gooey eyes than a Tacoma owner. These threads always bring me a laugh with all the frame swap talk. Toyota has turned a frame into a wear item that requires routine inspection. What is it 20 years of frame problems? Why do they keep asking Dana to build them if it's Dana's fault? Good truck.
 
mibro said:
There's a Fluid Film copycat now called Woolwax. Woolwax claims their product is more resistant to wash-off.

Welcome to Woolwaxusa - WoolWax Lanolin Auto Undercoating

Lanolin based products like Fluid Film and Woolwax require no prep, you can apply them right over rust as they creep and seal out the oxygen needed for further corrosion.


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qK2g3gjqTY
Click to expand...


I did Woolwax on my Tacoma last September. It was still on the truck when I traded it in April. It's a great product.

I bought this kit and ran it with a cheap harbor freight 6 gallon compressor. Only used two bottles. I did use Fluid Film on the door weep holes and in the tailgate.

Woolwax® Lanolin Undercoat Kit 4 quarts
 
Boghog1 said:
Because some people scream for American made and assume that means quality.
Click to expand...
Ok so Dana has made various parts for various manufacturers for decades but can't get this frame right. Something is wrong with the DESIGN. Which would be Toyota, take a deep breath, everyone makes mistakes.

It's ok, so every 5-10 years a Tacoma needs a frame. I can't wait for Rockauto to start shipping frames. Maybe the frame will be a suggested part when you buy a belt and cabin air filter. 🤣🤣
 
MagGus1820 said:
No one has more lovey-dovey, gooey eyes than a Tacoma owner. These threads always bring me a laugh with all the frame swap talk. Toyota has turned a frame into a wear item that requires routine inspection. What is it 20 years of frame problems? Why do they keep asking Dana to build them if it's Dana's fault? Good truck.
Click to expand...
I think the big issue is how many frames where pre made before assembly
Under cars/trucks now for 30 years.
The rust had always been a problem but in the last 15 years or so it seems to skip the rusting part and goes right to rot.
I tried posting a 2016 chevy yesterday to compare it to the 1990 chevy out back
Thats been sitting in the dirt for the 6 years. Frame is rusty not rotted like the 2016.
 
MagGus1820 said:
Ok so Dana has made various parts for various manufacturers for decades but can't get this frame right. Something is wrong with the DESIGN. Which would be Toyota, take a deep breath, everyone makes mistakes.

It's ok, so every 5-10 years a Tacoma needs a frame. I can't wait for Rockauto to start shipping frames. Maybe the frame will be a suggested part when you buy a belt and cabin air filter. 🤣🤣
Click to expand...
The fords and chevies are rotting out also, there just has not been a lawsuit that won and forced the manufacture to do something.
This was happening alot with the toyotas
 

Attachments

  • 18E88F2A-BF05-4FB1-B70A-E00EB5AA396B.jpeg
    18E88F2A-BF05-4FB1-B70A-E00EB5AA396B.jpeg
    101 KB · Views: 23
mac1911 said:
I think the big issue is how many frames where pre made before assembly
Under cars/trucks now for 30 years.
The rust had always been a problem but in the last 15 years or so it seems to skip the rusting part and goes right to rot.
I tried posting a 2016 chevy yesterday to compare it to the 1990 chevy out back
Thats been sitting in the dirt for the 6 years. Frame is rusty not rotted like the 2016.
Click to expand...
GM has crossmember rot issues, none of them are immune. The Tacoma's replacement frames are rotting out now, at some point you have to say there's a problem here. There's also a major difference in that the GM will rot the crossmember off, go 300k and you would never know if you didn't have to drop the fuel tank. I had this happen with a 2004, original fuel pump at 300k and I'm positive that crossmember was rotted but the tranny blew up at 301k so I'll never know. OTOH the Tacoma's are folding like a flip phone and on their 2nd frame.
 
mac1911 said:
The fords and chevies are rotting out also, there just has not been a lawsuit that won and forced the manufacture to do something.
Click to expand...
With how many more Ford and Chevy's there are on the road there should be piles of domestic frames on the sides of the roads. The Tacoma is top in its class but doesn't sell anywhere near what those guys move for Trucks. The "Its a tank" comments that kill me. Sure if you change the frame every 5-10 years. Which tanks are known for the frames falling out?

Its still wild to me that people shrug a frame off like its changing wiper blades but the GM's are junk because they need brake lines or a door handle. I'll take that stuff any day. Even engine work is easier than swapping frames. Its just crazy-talk. I know its human nature to defend your stance and what-not but its out of hand with the Tacoma's. The replacement frames are falling apart so I don't know if you can still say its a good product. Toyota may stand behind it, but that is because they have to or they would need to abandon #1 in mid-size truck sales status.
 
MagGus1820 said:
Ok so Dana has made various parts for various manufacturers for decades but can't get this frame right. Something is wrong with the DESIGN. Which would be Toyota, take a deep breath, everyone makes mistakes.

It's ok, so every 5-10 years a Tacoma needs a frame. I can't wait for Rockauto to start shipping frames. Maybe the frame will be a suggested part when you buy a belt and cabin air filter. 🤣🤣
Click to expand...

Agreed that there is likely a design issue with the Tacoma frame.

Still, it is really easy to keep them from rusting. I traded in my 08 in april and the only rust on it was a small spot inside the hitch.
 
MagGus1820 said:
GM has crossmember rot issues, none of them are immune. The Tacoma's replacement frames are rotting out now, at some point you have to say there's a problem here. There's also a major difference in that the GM will rot the crossmember off, go 300k and you would never know if you didn't have to drop the fuel tank. I had this happen with a 2004, original fuel pump at 300k and I'm positive that crossmember was rotted but the tranny blew up at 301k so I'll never know. OTOH the Tacoma's are folding like a flip phone and on their 2nd frame.
Click to expand...
I only have a handful of 2010 and older taco/Tuns that had frames put in left in the rotation no ROT yet. 2010 on the lift now
 

Similar threads

what do you all think about plastering your vehicle with pro-gun stickers?
2 3 4
Replies
109
Views
2K
Sterg
Sterg
Kentucky police officer shot with rifle while in vehicle, flown to hospital: Sniper shot him with high power rifle
Replies
29
Views
1K
timbo
timbo
State Rep. Demands Investigation After Seven Vehicles Carrying a Dozen ATF Agents with AR-15s and Tactical Gear Raided Gun Dealer's Home in Oklahoma
Replies
3
Views
641
safetyfirst2125
safetyfirst2125
Army testing electric powered vehicles.
2 3
Replies
68
Views
2K
MisterHappy
MisterHappy
Twitter: Woman Removes full auto M4 from Texas National guard vehicle
5 6 7
Replies
196
Views
9K
AHM
AHM
Back
Top Bottom