Problems with 2004 Toyota Tundra STRUCTURE

There is extensive corrosion damage to all metal fittings and metal fuel and hydraulic lines. the rear axle is severely corroded and leaking oil through the casting requiring replacement. there is a fuel line failure next to the exhaust manifold. the corrosion damage to the steering system fittings requires replacement of the rack assembly although the system operates properly. there is corrosion damage to many of the suspension connection points to the frame including rear springs. dealer deems the vehicle unsafe in it's current condition and recommends it be sold for salvage. there is little to no corrosion damage to the body that can be seen from a visual underside inspection and vehicle looks in excellent condition from the outside. vehicle was dealer maintained per the manufacturer's maintenance schedule.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated the he took his vehicle in for a check up and was informed that his subframe was corroded and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 67,500. *tr

While driving the spare tire fell off of the truck due to a badly rusted spare tire wench, as i looked under the truck to see if their was any other damage i noticed a lot of rust on the frame. most notably around the suspension. *tr

The frame of my 2004 toyota tundra is rusting so bad that i wrote a letter to toyota and sent them pictures of the truck, they had a recall for rust in frames with 2003 tundras and i believe that i have the same problem but toyota does not want to assume responsibility for it. also i already replaced several parts do to rust. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that while driving approximately 50 mph, the spare tire dislodged from the spare tire well and onto the road. the failure was contributed to the under carriage being excessively corroded. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the defect. the approximate failure mileage was 80,000. the vin was unavailable.

I took my truck to the toyota dealer because of a noise in the front end. it turns out the frame at the attachment points for the stabilization bar was badly rusted. there are rust holes in the frame and the attachment point on the left side had rusted free of the frame and the other side is not to far behind. toyota has a history of rusted frames but according to the vin number it is not part of the current recalls. i was told sorry we can't fix it. this is not right!!!! can you help. *tr

Massive generalized rust under vehicle. this is affecting the frame, suspension, all lines, exhaust, all metal fittings, wheels, brakes, spare tire. my mechanic does not know how to proceed and suggested we no longer drive this vehicle. toyota dealer said this is not included in the rust recall which is in effect for tundra trucks exactly like this one , but off by a couple months by manufacturing date. our toyota dealer did not have a suggestion or answer for how to fix this, other than to ask if we were interested in buying a new car. we bought this truck new and have taken excellent care of it. the inside and upper body looks new. *tr

Brought my truck in for an oil change. i was called at work by my garage, they told me the truck was unsafe to drive due to several holes and cracks in the frame due to severe rust. i brought the truck to the dealer i purchased it from and they agreed that the truck was not drivable. toyota has said the 04 model is not part of the recall, and i appear to be in limbo. it has been 3 weeks and this issue is still unresolved. the only certainty is that the truck will need many new frame components for it to be road worthy again. *tr

The frame has severe rust. also rear differential is leaking fluid through the steel bowl. *tr

Frame is badly rusted in many areas including where suspension and brake components mount. i am concerned a major failure could lead to injury to myself or a member of my family. i understand there was a recall for 2000-2003 tundras for the same issue but my 2004 was not included in the recall. *tr

6/13/13 vehicle did not pass inspection major frame perforation toyota performed limited frame replacement at their cost after much discussion . not all severely rusted parts were replaced only the major assembly mounting piece items that were disassembled and couldn't be reused were replaced. no sub pieces of the major assembly were replaced. if the were rusted they were reinstalled. 8/4/14 vehicle did not pass inspection major rust failure deformation and leaking of steering rack housing that was severely rusted and not replaced when frame was replaced. rack was replaced by owner at owners expense. 4/15/15 rear differential housing rust thru and housing failure. housing was severely corroded when frame was replaced. owner was informed it was not part of the frame replacement . toyota does not have any recall bulletin issued despite the numerous complaints found on the internet. replacement will be at owners expense. brake backing plates and axle mounting hardware that were severely corroded when frame was replaced are not salvageable and will require replacement as well in order to replace the rear axle housing. *tr

*the rear differential and brake housing left and right are rotting from the outside. large parts of the differential housing are already missing! *the front transfer case and transmission are perfect! *the entire rear trans-axle is rotting from the outside. *the emergency brake adjustment turnbuckle is rotting. *structural mounts for the emergency brake are rotted. *the steel in the frame and most factory welds are de-laminating. *brackets holding the brake line and junctions are rotting. *capture plate and hardware holding spare tire in place are rotted. i will need a cutting torch to remove the spare tire. i have excellent photos to send. respectfully, *tr

2004 toyota tundra taken in for service on 05/18/13. well cared for vehicle and serviced faithfully at every interval.told by service manager that the frame has a hole in it.this is a known problem by toyota. frame is very rusty and was part of a problem toyota had with a bad batch of metal used for frames.service manager could offer no relief for this problem and referred me to toyota customer care. customer care complaint number [xxx]. customer care advised they could do nothing about this and basically have a nice day. service manager advised that i should be careful when going over bumps. what should be a 14 to 16 thousand dollar vehicle is now worth nothing. shame on toyota for selling faulty and unsafe equipment. accident waiting to happen. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Frame rotted through. dealer stated( approx) 75 percent of frame where swaybar was welded to frame is gone..swaybar is rotted off passenger side frame. advised not to drive anymore. took to dealer as requested by toyota motor corporation. they took pictures and sent them to toyota representative. *tr

Frame appears to be excessively rusty. when i had tires replaced at tire dealer, they raised vehicle and it sounded like frame was going to break a lot of cracking and loud popping sounds. is there any recalls for my vehicle?

noticed extreme rust on frame and other metal parts flaking and falling off. condition appears unsafe to drive. tr

During our 2013 inspection we were told we have severe corrosion in the under carriage... we took it to the toyota dealership where we were told there has been a recall on 2000,2001,2002,2003. not 2004. our tundra was built in march 2004 and has the same corrosion. however, no recall yet. we just had our 2014 inspection done and the vehicle failed. we can no longer put it on the road...so- we have a 10 year old vehicle, 30,800 miles and if we want to have the corrosion repaired it will cost approx. $10,000... is there anything you can do to help? are there any class action law suits we could join? i'm sure there are other similar makes and models on the road with this very issue. unbelievable possibility of accidents. we even had to take the spare tire off from under the vehicle as we feared it would fall off on the highway... *tr

My 2004 tundra has a rusted frame that is not safe. the truck has 48,000 miles on it and the frame has rust holes through it. this is not normal surface rust. the truck has no other rust issues. toyota needs to recall this vehicle. *tr

Severe frame rust. will not pass inspection. local dealer took pictures and forwarded them to local field rep. toyota has recalled tundras from 2000 to 2003 for this same problem, replacing the frames. my vehicle, although a 2004 model, was assembled in december of 2003. *tr

Frame rusting and rear differential rusting out. frame is corroding from rust. rear differential has several pin holes causing fluid to leak. these are both known problems with the gen 1 tundra's. contacted toyota customer care and basically told me there isn't anything they can do since the frame recall campaign ended in 2015. i never received notification of the frame recall. i was told that there wasn't any recall fro the differential but that is a very common problem for tundra's used in ne usa whereby road salt is used in winter. the salt causes frame and differential rust because material used by toyota is of poor corrosion resistance quality. the consumer iis on their own. toyota won't do anything even though it's their failure to build the vehicle fit for it's intended use.

Noticed small oil spot in driveway. the differential was leaking. i took it to colonial toyota in smithfield, ri and they checked it for a recall and told me there was none. they did note the axle was not in good shape and should probably be replaced as the differential is part of the housing. not ready to drop 3k for a poorly made product. research and other recalls tell me that the metal used was of an inferior quality and will not hold up in the northeast. toyota of course, wants no part of this and will not take responsibility for anything. also had spare tire fall off on highway due to severe corrosion. i cannot understand how this vehicle is not on any recall list, i guess no one has been killed yet. leak progressively getting worse. *tr

2004 toyota tundra. consumer writes in regards to frame rust. *tgw the consumer stated there is currently a recall for the 2001-2003 later models. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that while replacing the front passenger side tire, it was noticed that approximately six inches of the frame was extremely rusted. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 157,000. the vin was not available.

At the service center i was advised that my truck had extensive frame rust. i contact local toyota dealership (wappingers dch) and service manager said it is know problem with this generation tundra. toyota currently buying back 2000-2003, but my 2004 was not yet included. he advised that i wait to hear back. contact toyota and was told maybe, but i needed to wait. i was also told that there was an inspection recall and frame repair option for this, but they did not have me on file as owner, so i was not contacted. i have owned this truck for 4 years and serviced it at a registered toyota dealer. they were not able to answer what happened and recommended that i wait. now i can't pass inspection or drive my truck and i'm stuck. please advise. *tr

The undercarriage of the truck is completely corroded. cannot remove the spare tire, the parts holding it will fall off. the truck is unsafe due to the possibility of the undercarriage and crossbars falling off. same issue as the recall of the 2003 thunderous. called toyota local, regional, and us customer service who keep telling me the truck is not part of the recall therefore they cannot help me. the truck was purchased in ri, moved to nc in october 2012. local toyota dealership also contacted customer service with no luck.

My vehicle needs an alignment. i was told by the toyota dealership that the frame on my vehicle is rusted and needs to be replaced. toyota tundras do have a recall for the rusted frame but my vehicle isn't part of this recall since its 3 months newer. i was told by the toyota service rep at the dealership that my vehicle is unsafe to drive. i contacted toyota and they claim that they cannot do anything about this. *tr

I had the check engine lite checked at the toyota dealer. the tundra required a complete exhaust system including catalytic converters at a cost of $4000.00. the dealer found that the frame was rusted through and notified toyota. toyota will pay to replace the frame. however the 2004 model year is not part of a recall. *tr

Main frame support front of vehicle ; wholes have rusted through. supports engine! *tr

Excessive rust throughout underbody and drive train components. porous, rusted through differential now leaking oil. rust issues started while vehicle still under 3/36 warranty. belt tensioner bracket, bracket mount and ball joints at 33,921 miles, sway bar linkages rusted through at 45,168 miles. both issued repaired as warranty matters. toyota claims current problem not covered but admits defective material and offers to provide replacement parts only, requiring estimated $770 to complete the repair. have initiated complaint with toyota, file number available upon request. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for unrelated repairs when the mechanic informed the contact that the entire frame was corroded. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a complaint was filed. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 130,000.

During the course of routine service at independent garage mechanic pointed out three major components with severe corrosion issues that need to be addressed immediately: 1) frame severely rotted by rust, a perforation was identified on front driver's side 2) rear axle body severely corroded by rust, not leaking yet but likely will soon 3) power steering rack severely rotted by rust on passenger side, not leaking yet but likely will soon, described by mechanic as "tender" failure of any of these items could cause an accident leading to serious injury. *tr

The 2003 tundra have reported frame rust the 2004s are the same we need help in getting toyota to do something they are good trucks an mine can be fixed if it is done early the rust is falling off in my driveway this is a real problem so if we owners can get help from the gov. to get this addressed thank you. *tr

Rear end leaking oil. mechanic able to put finger through housing due to severe rusting. entire rear end replaced under extended warranty i purchased. entire frame rusted heavily. all welds severely rusted. frame integrity gone. front arm rusted so badly mechanic says it will not pass inspection in october, 2012. front arm so rusted it is likely to collapse. emergency brake not functioning due to heavy corrosion...advised to replace. body immaculate. no rust anywhere but frame. *tr

Excessive rust accumulation on frame of truck. recall campaign # 09v444000 states toyota will initiate a field action on 2004 through 2006 models. call to toyota customer relations (case # [xxx]), proved to be useless. no action being taken by toyota. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

My 2004 toyota tundra limited, purchased in 2004 directly from toyota dealership for 39000 dollars has an extremely rusty frame. the steel peels away in layers at the welds. the proliferation can be described as "layers of a biscuit flaking a part." the dealership pounded on the frame with a tool and said that it did not fail the "toyota frame tool" test and since the vehicle is a 2004 they would not do anything about it until it fails or becomes part of a recall. i haul a travel trailer with my family and i feel that it is extremely unsafe. how can a 7.8 year old truck rot out this quickly? there has a to be an issue here that toyota is not willing to acknowledge. please advise. *tr

After a scheduled oil change the mechanic suggested i take my truck to a toyota dealer to check out the undercarriage rust. when to massey toyota, white oak, pa . they said i need to deal with it but it would cost several hundreds of dollars because toyota doesn't have a recall on 2004. i've talked to other tundra owner with the same problems. when is toyota going to acknowledge this manufacturing problem as you did previous models? i currently own two toyota's: tundra and camry. *tr

Our 2004 toyota tundra has such excessive rust on the undercarriage that the rear axle housing which holds the gears has rusted through, causing fluid to leak. toyota says there is nothing that can be done for us. *tr

[xxx], the owner of toyota 2004 tundra vehicle id [xxx] for toyota case #[xxx]. as reported to the toyota customer experience center (center) on march 7, 2011, [xxx] and his vehicle were involved in a very frightening and traumatic incident on march 3rd. the front arm, joint, and wheel of the vehicle suddenly broke apart and fell off the vehicle while driving 65 mph on the highway. with other drivers watching, [xxx]was able to control and maneuver this crippled vehicle 2,000 feet - from the inner most lane to the shoulder of the road without causing injury to him and others, drivers/vehicles. as stated by the police at the scene and others witnessed the incident, it was simply a miracle. information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6). *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that the spare tire fell from the vehicle due to the carrier being rusted. in addition, he noticed that the frame was severely rusted. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised him that the carrier was rusted and needed to be replaced. also, the frame was not completely corroded. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000. the current mileage was approximately 123,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that the frame was severely rusted and could possibly fracture in half at any time. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for diagnosis however, the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the vin was unavailable. the failure and current mileage was 55,000.

I own a 2004 toyota tundra pickup truck. the bottom of the truck in the rear has rusted and the shock mount broke off. the piece that broke off also has the brake lines attached. this can potentially lead to the lines snapping and failing. i saw a recall on this for 2000 to 2003 years but not for 2004. the problem identified in the recall is the exact problem i am having. i am also concerned that the mount for the spare tire will continue to rust and fall off. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that the entire frame exhibited severe flaking rust, which separated in chunks. the corrosion became progressively worse over a period of time. the vehicle was inspected by an authorized dealer who stated that the frame rusted without any perforation. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the problem. the approximate failure mileage was 30,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that upon inspection, it was determined that the frame was rusted. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the frame was perforated due to rust. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was contacted. the failure mileage was not available.

Excessive rust pretty much everywhere. just had to replace the rear differential and associated parts because rust caused differential leak. cost was over 3,500. replaced rusted brake lines and calipers. tailgate wire rusted and broke. opening mechanism to tailgate is rusted and is extremely difficult (if not impossible) to open/close. rear bumper is rusted through, and not safe to step on. hitch receiver is completely rusted and cannot remove hitch now. skid plate and brackets rusted through - skid plate fell off. dealer just inspected the truck and will be replacing the entire frame because of excessive rust. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tundra. the contact stated that the frame exhibited an excessive amount of rust that was surrounding the rear tires and the fuel tank. the contact did not take the vehicle to a dealer or mechanic for inspection. the contact called the manufacturer regarding the rust issue and the manufacturer advised the contact that rust was not covered under any specific recall. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 113,369.

Frame rust. *tr

2004 toyota tundra double cab had severe rusting which caused the emergency brake cable and pin attachments to break. when the dealer fixed the brake, i was told that the problem was caused by very rusted parts which then led me to discover that the entire frame of the truck is heavily rusted. dealer called it flaking. i contacted toyota and the dealer was instructed to inspect the truck and send results to toyota. they now call it surface rust. i asked the dealer to put in writing that the truck was safe but they did not. i am now concerned that with the frame, bolts, nuts and joints so rusty it will soon become a safety issue. i have looked at other tundra's the same age and the undercarriage appears to have an undercoating that i do not. i am not satisfied with the answer that toyota has given me which states that it is only surface rust. *tr

My 2004 toyota tundra double cab has an excessive amount of rust on the undercarriage. because of this rust, the camber bolts cannot be removed to properly align the vehicle. i have been told that they will have to use heat to remove them, along with a lot of force, and in turn may do frame damage in the process. i have been quoted by my dealer $5,200 to fix the problem which initially started with a small shimmy in the steering wheel which grew into a big shimmy especially while towing. that quote does not include any possible charged from the body shop if damage to the frame should occur. i do not have $5,200 so i ended up with a new set of tires and half of an alignment because the camber bolts were not able to be removed. here i am months later and my new tires are so bald on the front that i am actually seeing the tread showing through. i have always loved my tundra, but all of this rust on the frame and undercarriage is very concerning regarding the longevity of my vehicle. i was told that toyotas last forever. at this point i feel that my truck is dangerous to even drive but it is my only vehicle. i have owned and maintained many vehicles and never had rust issues like this, nor have i ever been faced with such a costly repair on a not so old vehicle. i am stuck in a bad place and just don't know where to go or what to do. i desperately need my truck. without it i lose my source of transportation as well as my ability to earn a living. i just simply cannot afford... meaning i just do not have this kind of money to bring my truck back to health. all of this stress and frustration is a result of this excessive rust. included in the estimate is remove and replace camber bolts $1,957 --- steering rack boots 400.00 alignment 90.00---- driveshaft assembly $2,003---- rear u-joint $433.00---- differential fluid $330.00 it does not include any possible damage to the frame/body in their attempt to remove the camber bolts or another brand new set of tires. *tr

Vehicle frame and undercarriage seems to have an excessive amount of rust and deterioration. as i perform maintenance on the vehicle, i am replacing rusted parts including bolts, drain plugs as well as spraying the undercarriage with wd-40, 3m undercoating spray and corrosion stop. this issue is an on-going fight to keep the rust at bay. *tr

Rust on everything under the truck as well as the rear bumper. parts that have had to be replaced because of rust and/or rust perforation or need to be replaced: 1) entire frame ' perforation greater than 10mm found on passenger siderail 2) rear differential (leaking from rust perforation) 3) brake lines 4) power steering line (leaking from rust) 5) skid plate (support brackets rusted - fell off while driving) 6) brake calipers (multiple times) 7) coil springs 8) axles (front and back) 9) control arms 10) cv- joint 11) boots 12) hitch receiver 13) exhaust 14) muffler 15) camber bolt 16) multiple sets of tires (unable to align tires properly due to rusted/seized camber bolt) causing premature tread wear. 17) brake drums (warped and pitted) 18) wheel bearing 19) truck tailgate support wires ' wires rusted and broke. tailgate won't open/close without extreme effort because it is not aligned properly. 20) shocks/struts 21) seals, brackets, nuts and bolts - the parts listed above is not complete. basically, everything you see under the truck is suffering from extreme rust and/or perforated. *truck has had a horrible shimmy for years that no one has been able to figure out, particularly bad when towing. steering wheel shakes violently as well as the entire truck. improved slightly when rear differential and axles were replaced. most likely related to frame warp or instability. *truck has had issues with getting in and out of 4wd. inconsistent with how long it takes to get in and out of 4wd. there is a loud and jarring clunk when engaging or disengaging 4wd. *truck feels like it is on the verge of going out of control when a hole or bump is hit. the truck will literally jump sideways. *traction stability control comes on randomly when hitting a bump or hole. another mystery to mechanic. *tr