Body problems of the 2004 Toyota Tundra - part 1

Frame rot on the original frame with a recall.

The warranty work done on the frame of my Tundra that has since failed. The bracket holding my swaybar has broken off the frame and, more importantly, the frame has rusted to the point where there is now a hole in it. These are areas where the warranty work occurred.

2004 Toyota Tundra’s frame is abnormally rusted. The paint and the mechanical function of the vehicle is pristine however the frame has corroded and rusted egregiously. There was a class action suit a few years back but they failed to notify me of the open recall to replace and even on file there was never any pending notice of such recall for my vehicle although it qualified and I have been the only owner of the vehicle.

I took my truck to a garage for simple tire repair. I had a slow leak. In the process of trying to lift my truck, the technician hear 'crumbling sounds'. They stopped the lift immediately. Upon looking at the my chassis frame, the technicians saw major rust damage. One technician used flashlight to tap against the frame and he poked through it. The technician stated that this was not the first time seeing this problem on this truck model style. I contacted a local dealership. The individual I spoke with at the dealership also confirm rusting issues on the frame of my truck style model. I researched this on the internet to find out multiple complaints concerning the premature rusting of these frames due to poor quality steel and inadequate rust prevention coating. I reached out to my vehicle manufacture "care line". They stated they could not help me. My fear is my frame could break while driving and cause a vehicle accident. The worst frame damage is near the front wheels, both sides. The body, engine, transmission and all other safety components are solid and working well. Side note: my dad owns a 1992 full size pickup truck (different manufacture). The frame is still solid. My truck is 10 years newer and the frame is falling apart due to manufacture using poor quality steel.

Noise in front end. Inspection reveals rust holes on the frame rail near the sway bar bracket. Multiple areas rusted through.

Informed by al serra at 4200 bay rd in saginaw, mi 48603 that there are holes present in the frame that pose a dire safety concern. This is a known issue with this model year, but Toyota says the recall is no longer valid.

When I was driving, the mount for the brake line dropped and twisted and damaged the steering rod. I drove straight to a mechanic, and he showed me that the frame was rusted out completely, and the truck is not safe to drive.

I have severe frame rot, holes forming in the frame!.

Frame is rotting for some reason and I take care of my vehicle. At some point in time it will be very dangerous to drive.

I inherited my father’s Tundra which now only has 95,000 and almost flawless body. As part of the recall for Tundra frames, I took it to the dealer and they wanted nothing to do with the frame replacement and only put on undercoating. This has made it worse. On my last inspection (may) I was told that this truck frame is failing and I won’t be passing another inspection. I called a different dealer in the area and they said they cannot replace the frame now because of the other dealer’s coating. Would it be possible to have Toyota still replace the frame because it’s a safety issue? there is no reason to scrap the truck seeing as the rest of it is fine. Please advise and thank you for reading this!.

Purchased new Toyota Tundra in 2004. Performed rust recall at dealer on 07/22/15. October 2016, brakes failed. Brake line completely rusted. July 26, 2021, Toyota Tundra rejected at state inspection for badly rusted frame. Inspectors were unable to get wheel off to inspect brakes because of rust damage. Took to Toyota dealer on March 9, 2022. They performed airbag recall. Unable to do front suspension lower ball joints recall. Dealer said frame could break when they put it on lift. Dealer said timeframe to repair frame had expired. Estimate to fix frame over $15,000; plus would need a lot more parts to go with replacement. Vehicle has approximately 68,500 miles on it.

I had my truck inspected for the frame recall a few years ago. My current mechanic says the frame should not look as bad as it does for the 125k miles it has on it. They have concerns that using a lift on it will damage the frame. This could make it nearly impossible to remove/change the tires. I look at other trucks from Ford/Dodge/gm near the same age and I do not see anything similar on the frames. More of a surface rust then flake. The body and engine look great. Suspect while everything looks good the frame will be unable to perform as designed. I have reached out to Toyota and they want me to contact local dealer. I am concerned as recently a brake line failed and I am not sure if this will cascade into a large repair bill due to rusted components.

The frame on my newly purchased 2004 Toyota Tundra is rotted through. The consumer protections Toyota claims to have taken to correct this, in this instance, the application of water seal to the frame in 2014 has trapped moisture and caused extensive corrosion rendering the vehicle unsafe. I have visited multiple Toyota locations received the same message. Toyota claims no responsibility for this course of events leaving consumers in my position with no recourse and with an unsafe vehicle we cannot use and in my case have spent almost eleven thousand dollars on. Where is the responsibility to consumer safety?.

Brought vehicle in for service and frame is completely rusted through in critical areas where suspension and body mounts are supposed to be mounted. The car is not road worthy and unsafe to drive. I came to understand that there was a recall for these truck frame, however my frame was never replaced. My frame was never treated for rust. This truck has always been maintained and serviced at a Toyota dealership. Now I'm told their is nothing they can do.

The frame of my 2004 Toyota Tundra sr5 has a big rutted hole on the bottom of the frame, right under the driver's door side. The hole is about 1. 5 ft long and 1 inch with. Now I feel unsafe doing anything on the truck since I don't know how big the problem is. These problems affect brakes, suspension, etc, I see many Tundra owners complaining about this problem. I don't know when the previous owner got the truck sprayed at the dealer but it didn't work. I'm very disappointed since it's a nice truck, Toyota should take action on this matter, it is very unsafe for many people on the road. Toyota needs to find a resolution.

2004 Toyota Tundra frame rusted out should have been changed years ago. Toyota of stamford covered it up says my truck is unsafe to drive. Toyota wont help me please help. Ive tried everything. Little guy like me cant take on Toyota. Toyota will win everytime.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for an unknown repair, the contact was informed that the sub frame underneath the vehicle was severely corroded. The dealer stated that it was too dangerous to go underneath the vehicle to complete the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was a 184,000.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle for state inspection, he was informed that the undercarriage and subframe was corroded and that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The contact drove the vehicle to fowler Toyota of tulsa (6868 east broken arrow, frontage road, tulsa, ok 74145) to be inspected. The mechanic confirmed the extreme rust condition and stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 156,000.

My vehicle frame has totally rotted out by rust.

Started hearing clunking noise in truck. Made appointment with ase certified mechanic and he asked us to come back to the shop. The structure of the frame that holds the rack and pinion steering and anti-sway bar mount was gone. Both of the tops of the frame of the cross member that goes under the engine was missing. The frame rail under the cab is separating. He advised that this condition was a massive safety issue and that I should contact Toyota and advise them. I called a dealership in zanesville and they advised they could not help because it was not a recall and Toyota gave me a case number and transferred me to someone else who told me they could not help me. He also got a second opinion from another individual who also said that this is a safety issue that should be addressed by the manufacturer. I have more photos and I now know I can not drive a truck that I spent $24,000 on June of 2019. I am glad I did not wreck my vehicle and hurt my family or anyone else because of this issue. Please help me repair my truck. When we purchased the vehicle the factory undercoating was still in tact and this was not visible underneath.

Our Tundra had a frame recall and it was the dealers decision on whether or not to replace dram or just cover up with undercoating. We disagreed with the decision to undercoat as the deal was showing signs of extensive rust. Now, our frame is extremely dangerous to the point of falling away from the body. Just about all parts under the truck have now suffered as well. We have never had the truck launch a boat, gone off road, or any other dangerous activities. Basically a train station and dump run vehicle. I am terribly disappointed with Toyota and their poor handling of the situation. Basically they told me that I would be responsible for the super expensive frame replacement; too bad. Engine, body, and interior are in great shape. I need help as I 1) cannot afford to pay for their mistake and 2) can't afford to replace this truck and it is vital for us. Just found out today that the frame is disintegrating quickly when we brought car to shop for a steering issue which we now find out was caused by excessive rust. Thank you.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that there were holes in the subframe and bumper of the vehicle caused by severe rust. The contact stated that the vehicle was diagnosed by her son; a certified mechanic. A dealer was not contacted or informed of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not subjected to a recall. A case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 55,729.

My vehicle has major frame damage. There are large holes near the front crossmembers on both sides. I was told by Toyota that the frame had been sprayed several years earlier. However, the frame has continued to rust severely and the coating has completely flaked off. The representative I spoke to stated that that was the only resolution, and that nothing can be done. My case is not the only one. Even the dealer located near me states that this is a well known issue. Several years received new or repaired frames for the same issue. How can it be, that the same generation vehicle one year later is not eligible? my child rode countless times in that vehicle. What if something had happened?.

I noticed the vehicle frame has 4 holes on the frame. The holes are on the passenger side and driver side near the exhaust manifolds. The holes are approximately 2 to 3 inches in length.

Tl- the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that a year go while driving 25 mph, and was going around a corner, the front end of the vehicle jerked, the contact lost control as a result, the vehicle collided with a tree. The contact did not sustained injuries and was able to continue driving. No police report was filed. The contact stated that the vehicle was later taken to for inspection at an inspection station. The contact was informed that the vehicle was unable to be inspected due to a hole in the frame and was corroded. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for a diagnostic testing. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle was not cover under the warranty and did not assist. The failure mileage was approximately 240,000. Aw.

I just purchased this vehicle on 11/16/2019 after doing research into the frame recall/limited safety campaign through Toyota. I did not find any results into the vehicles frame corroding or breaking therefore I purchased the vehicle. I then spoke with Toyota about the airbag recall on 11/18/2019 and 11/19/2019 and asked if there is/was a recall with the frame. They stated yes and there is nothing I can do because it has expired except for paying out of pocket for the replacement. Now, I noticed the frame has a large hole in it due to rust corrosion located behind the front left wheel. I called Toyota corporation twice (11/18/2019 and 11/19/2019) and they told me I have to pay out of pocket for the fix. I then asked why, after searching their website with the VIN , I was unable to locate the recall/limited service campaign. The representative stated " I can't answer that question". If I were able to see that the vehicle had that issue I would not have purchased it. Now the vehicle will not pass inspection and I cannot legally/safely drive the vehicle on the road. Toyota will not replace or fix the frame as they stated that it was a limited service campaign to have the frame sprayed with the anti-corrosion chemical and that the vehicle was not sprayed. Again I did not know this prior to purchase but now I am stuck with a vehicle that I just purchased and cannot drive it. Toyota has not offered a remedy for the situation I am in.

The frame of this truck is rusted so bad that it seems like it could be unsafe to drive. A couple months ago, the spare tire dropped on the ground due to the hook that keeps it pinned to the vehicle rusted out. Luckily this happened after I returned to my residence and off of the highway where there could have been a dangerous situation to other vehicles and the citizens driving them.

Tl-the contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact detected that the passenger side engine compartment had a hole and hairline crack. The fuel tank was falling apart and cross member was rusted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to carbone Toyota of bennington 751 n bennington rd, bennington, vt 05201 (802) 440-1854. Who stated the frame needed to be replaced but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but did not assist. The failure mileage was 222,877. Ap.

I have a 2004 Toyota Tundra limited 4wd in immaculate condition with 100,000 miles. The frame was sprayed with corrosion at a Toyota dealer in 2014. The trucks frame is now completely rusted and not safe to drive. I have called Toyota about the issue and they do not seem to care. They should have fixed the issue back in 2014 and this wouldn't have happened.

Purchased 2004 Tundra new . Never received a recall notice on frame. Have a popping noise underneath the truck. Toyota dealer just called to tell me that my truck would have to be condemned. Now I have no trade in , no vehicle. Thank you ,Toyota.

Popping and snapping when turning or going over bumps in road led to a mechanical inspection. Discovered the frame right behind both front wheels is rusted/rotted such that half or more of it is literally gone. The popping/snapping apparently is caused by the frame kinking and moving at the weakened point and front and back sections contacting each other. I fear that the front part of the truck frame with the wheels, engine, and suspension attached could break and cause loss of vehicle control on the highway.

2004 Toyota Tundra fame rust prevents vehicle from passing state safety inspection. Never received the "limited service campaign" notifications but Toyota will not stand behind their vehicle. "sorry, campaign has expired. We're not responsible for the us mail. ".

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated the sub-frame of the vehicle was corroded. The contact also stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA campaign number: 19v741000 (air bags) however, the dealer informed the contact that the frame was cracked in the process of completing the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but did not provide any assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 175,000.

04 Tundra had recall done 5/15, Toyota chapmanville wv said undercoating was all needed done. Tundra in another shop at independent shop, they inform me to make appointment with a Toyota dealer to have frame inspected ASAP, and do not tow anything whatsoever. Ball Toyota charleston wva refuse to look at, and said nothing they can do, recall has expired, sorry we can't help you.

I received a recall notice and had my vehicle frame inspected in 2014. I was told it was ok and an undercoating was spayed on the frame. On 11-23-2018 I was looking in the engine compartment and noticed a sizable hole in the frame of the vehicle on the passenger side behind the front wheel. I had took it to the dealership and they confirmed the rusted holes on the frame. I was advised it wasn't covered under any current recalls or campaigns and advised to call Toyota corporate to ask for assistance. I spoke to a representative and a supervisor and was given a flat no. My vehicle is not covered under any current campaigns or recalls and the repair would be an out of pocket expense. I was informed it is not safe to drive in the cure condition.