Toyota Tundra Problem?

[IslandTractor]

> Here is a couple of pics of the truck in question.

Yep, that is what my friend's bed looks like. Not really related to scratched paint. More like the attachment points is where the rust starts.

Toyota didn't offer to replace the bed but it can be done for something like $1500 as I recall or lower if you can get a good used one from a junk yard. It also wouldn't be that hard to cut out the rust and weld in new steel so long as you covered it with a liner afterwards for cosmetic purposes. Hard to weld in new steel to match as there are too many curves.

 

[Diamondpilot]

<img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=422050"/><img src="http://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=422051"/>

Here is a couple of pics of the truck in question.

Wow, that's awful. That truck can't be more than 8 years old.

Chris

 

[dodge man]

Wow, that's awful. That truck can't be more than 8 years old.

Chris

That's why I posted this question, I was shocked how bad it looked on what was otherwise a normal looking truck for wear and tear.

 

[GManBart]

It appears to have a spray on berliner...if they didn't get it properly cleaned before spraying, that sort of rust can happen. I had the bed on mine done with Line-X when it was only a few days old, and before anything even went in the bed. It's still perfect after almost 7 years.

 

[dodge man]

It appeared to me like the rust started from the bottom of the bed and came up through it. There is also a pattern to the rust, like there are cross members or mounting points where its happening. My pic shows the drivers side of the bed the passenger side has rust spots in the same exact pattern, I don't think its from bad prep on the bed liner.

 

[IslandTractor]

It appeared to me like the rust started from the bottom of the bed and came up through it. There is also a pattern to the rust, like there are cross members or mounting points where its happening. My pic shows the drivers side of the bed the passenger side has rust spots in the same exact pattern, I don't think its from bad prep on the bed liner.

That is exactly what my neighbor's truck bed rust is. You can see it from the bottom too. Starts at the mounting points.

 

[GManBart]

It appeared to me like the rust started from the bottom of the bed and came up through it. There is also a pattern to the rust, like there are cross members or mounting points where its happening. My pic shows the drivers side of the bed the passenger side has rust spots in the same exact pattern, I don't think its from bad prep on the bed liner.

Got it...hard to tell from the pictures, but that makes total sense. I guess I'll crawl underneath mine this weekend to take a look just in case

 

[crazyal]

It looks like the bed was damaged in some way that left bare metal exposed on the underside of the bed. It could be possible that the factory missed putting the sealer on the bed. The old 84~88 had 3 piece side panels on their beds. Where the lower panels were spot welded onto the main panel Toyota used a rubbery seam sealer. After years of use it would get hard, crack, and allow water to get to the bare metal. Toyota has a very good track record of having a very consistent assembly line so I would think it would be unlikely that it's a factory defect. Was the truck bought new or second hand?

 

[dodge man]

I'm a land surveyor and was shooting too in a parking and noticed it. I have no idea any history on the truck. Since there is a TSB from Toyota on it I assume they know there is a problem.

 

[Diamondpilot]

To me it looks as if the factory did a poor job of painting the hard to reach spots under the bed where cross members are.

Chris

 

[Btown]

Looks like typical Toyota truck quality there. I remember seeing all the crushed 1995-2001 Tacomas from the rusty frame issues. Toyota seems to have major rust issues with their trucks. Not sure why but they still continue. Ford, Chevy and Dodge also have rust issues in the rust belt. But the big 3 have never had to buy back tens of thousands of trucks and crush them from frame rot. We will see in time how the new ones are.

 

[breadtrk]

Looks like thay had a problem, admitted to it, and offered to make it right for the effected trucks.


Ain't never heard, even from internets liars that the Big 3 ever offered to replace a single body panel much less a lower cab panel on not one made in Canada or Mexico American Branded truck.


Not bashing American products, just stating my observations. I'm all about the "buy American", but when I can buy something that someone stands behind, that fed American workers, I'm down.

 

[aczlan]

Looks like typical Toyota truck quality there. I remember seeing all the crushed 1995-2001 Tacomas from the rusty frame issues. Toyota seems to have major rust issues with their trucks. Not sure why but they still continue. Ford, Chevy and Dodge also have rust issues in the rust belt. But the big 3 have never had to buy back tens of thousands of trucks and crush them from frame rot. We will see in time how the new ones are.

Ummm, the big three (ESPECIALLY Dodge) have the same issues in the rust belt. Good luck getting any of them to warranty a 12-25 year old vehicle for frame rot though...
We had a 2002 Caravan with ~140k miles and it had softball sized holes from one end of the rocker panels to the other.
By comparison, my brothers 1993 Volvo 940 (with ~240k miles) has a few patches of surface rust starting...

Aaron Z

 

[Fordman1981]

Ummm, the big three (ESPECIALLY Dodge) have the same issues in the rust belt. Good luck getting any of them to warranty a 12-25 year old vehicle for frame rot though... We had a 2002 Caravan with ~140k miles and it had softball sized holes from one end of the rocker panels to the other. By comparison, my brothers 1993 Volvo 940 (with ~240k miles) has a few patches of surface rust starting... Aaron Z

It's all in how you take care of your vehicle. We have a 2003 ram 2500 bought new that has spent it's whole life in Iowa. Not a spec of rust on the truck body. Frame doesn't have any rust either. Take care of your vehicle and it will last.

 

[aczlan]

It's all in how you take care of your vehicle. We have a 2003 ram 2500 bought new that has spent it's whole life in Iowa. Not a spec of rust on the truck body. Frame doesn't have any rust either. Take care of your vehicle and it will last.

We bought the Caravan from my grandparents who kept it in the garage, it was well cared for and came with all maintenance/fuel records showing every gallon of gas and every thing that was done with it. It was just rusted to pieces.
The Volvo was fairly well cared for, but it never saw a garage or a carwash from what I could see.

Aaron Z

 

[Fordman1981]

We bought the Caravan from my grandparents who kept it in the garage, it was well cared for and came with all maintenance/fuel records showing every gallon of gas and every thing that was done with it. It was just rusted to pieces. The Volvo was fairly well cared for, but it never saw a garage or a carwash from what I could see. Aaron Z

When I say it's how they are taken care of I include being washed. My dad sold a 1997 ram 3500 drw just couple of years ago the was never under roof. Again no rust to body or frame. I see all makes with rust through. The ones rusted trough I say have not been taken care of the ones that have no rust have been.

 

[Diamondpilot]

It's all in how you take care of your vehicle. We have a 2003 ram 2500 bought new that has spent it's whole life in Iowa. Not a spec of rust on the truck body. Frame doesn't have any rust either. Take care of your vehicle and it will last.

Not true. I wash all my vehicle every week minimum. We have had upto 4 different vehicles by 3 manufacturers at one time and there is definitely a difference brand to brand all getting the same care.

It can very year to year. Manufacturing facility to facility. Metal prep and paint process is the key. Some are just better at this.


Chris

 

[Fordman1981]

Not true. I wash all my vehicle every week minimum. We have had upto 4 different vehicles by 3 manufacturers at one time and there is definitely a difference brand to brand all getting the same care. It can very year to year. Manufacturing facility to facility. Metal prep and paint process is the key. Some are just better at this. Chris

I stand by what I said. I've seen you and other people talk about how bad dodge trucks rust. Well my family and I take care of our vehicles. I've yet to have a vehicle I've bought new show any rust. Take care of your vehicle and they will last.

 

[aczlan]

Not true. I wash all my vehicle every week minimum. We have had upto 4 different vehicles by 3 manufacturers at one time and there is definitely a difference brand to brand all getting the same care.
It can very year to year. Manufacturing facility to facility. Metal prep and paint process is the key. Some are just better at this.
Chris

Ayep. The rockers on the Caravan rusted from the inside out. Not much you can do (as a consumer) to prevent that...

Aaron Z

 

[Btown]

Ummm, the big three (ESPECIALLY Dodge) have the same issues in the rust belt. Good luck getting any of them to warranty a 12-25 year old vehicle for frame rot though... We had a 2002 Caravan with ~140k miles and it had softball sized holes from one end of the rocker panels to the other. By comparison, my brothers 1993 Volvo 940 (with ~240k miles) has a few patches of surface rust starting... Aaron Z

I stated that the big 3 have body rust issues, but not frames on a 5-10 year old vehicle. Toyota had these problems in 2006 on the 1995-2001 Tacomas. Heck my 01 super duty sits on a gravel driveway and hardly gets moved only have 68K on it. Frame has minor surface rust. Doors have some rust. The bed around the wheel wells had typical ford rust. I think it was either Ford or Dodge that had problems with rear axles on minivans snapping in half from rust. Not good while you are driving. My point is that trucks are supposed to be strong. Especially the frame. What would happen if you hook up a 8-14K trailer or 1-2K in the bed to a truck and have the frame snap in half is unacceptable. They stepped up to fix them or buy them back to avoid huge, huge lawsuits.