2011 deemed junk by dealership

I'm stunned right now. I bought the 2011 Crew Max TRD 5.7 as a family car. Currently has 104,000miles. Never used for work, never used to plow, never used for off road fun. I'm in Maine and wanted a 4wd. I've had good luck with my 2001 Landcruiser so thought this was a good investment. The same dealership has done all the necessary work, maintenance, etc, etc. Today they announced it couldn't pass inspection and just a few of the things are: 1.totally rusted out rear frame; 2. exhaust system; 3. 4 brake lines; 4. rear bumber; 5. parking brake; 6. headlights; and a few other things. (they never mentioned any of this stuff last year) The glib guy said to me "well it is a 2011 after all", we don't recommend putting any money into it. Here's when I started shaking because I need it to last for full service for at least another 50 or 60k and this is just shocking to me. every little POS lasts longer than 100k miles without frame rust.

 

sorry, that sucks.

I’d contact Toyota USA and tell them it’s unacceptable. Did buy it new? Have you owned other Toyotas?

My 2006 Camry hybrid battery died a few months and thousand miles out of warranty as I have had lots of Toyotas going back to the 80s they good willed the battery which is north of 4K, I paid 500 labor.

good luck!

 

Thank you. Yes bought it new and had the same dealership maintain it. I'ts my 3rd Toyota. My Landcruiser has 250k on it.. no rust ever.

 

It’s impossible if they saw it last year and said nothing it became this bad in one year (It didn’t spend that year in the Atlantic right)?

They need to do something for you.

 

Sounds sideways to me....

 

HaHa, no dry land most of the time. That's what i kept asking them. The guy just kept saying he only joined 6 months ago and cannot speak to previous service. Unfortunately, I see a battle in my future. I'll try to find someone who knows the owner to speak for me.

 

Doesn’t make sense. How did all that go bad within a year?

 

Like @e30cabrio said, I'd reach out to Toyota... I mean if that's all you're going to get out of a Toyota why would you go back (brand or dealer)??? Also, just out of curiosity, did you have them physically show you the points that have made the truck non-serviceable? I'd tell have them put it on a rack and point out the specifics; take photos to document; and then make the call to Toyota. That way at least you'll have some depiction of what they are talking about for your own reference and to share w/Toyota.

 

Thank you! I'll do that. Haven't picked it up yet. I'll video the tech pinpointing all the issues. Great tip.

 

Is it possible they’re just trying to get you to buy a new truck? Maybe this is the new service guy’s tactic. Maybe he gets a little kickback from sales if they close a deal based on his awful assessment…

With the exception of the frame, that all sounds like easily fixable stuff…

 

Sounds like a guy who wants you to sell your truck to them so they can resell it-?

Can you take it somewhere else, get a second opinion?

 

THIS!!!!!

 

THIS!!

 

Ya know, I thought about the possibility that they just want my truck because it's so popular, the Crew Max. I'm going to video them pointing out all the problems and then take it elsewhere and then contact Toyota either way.

 

This sucks. You live in the rust belt though, Toyota rust problems are not new news. Have you had them perform any kind of rust protection? Whats your rust prevention strategy?

 

Post pics here of the frame...

 

Yep, take it somewhere else. And if true, then hit them up with why the hell didn't you say anything in the last 5 annual inspections. That amount of rust doesn't happen in 1 year.

 

^^^This. I’d do this immediately take it somewhere else. I’d also pull the service records assuming it’s all at the same dealer. If they passed it last year then there is a record of it.

 

I will post pics and follow up here, let you all know what happens. I haven't done any rust prevention to it, only what it came with. It's one of those things I expect my mechanic to advise me on and propose a strategy. This dealership has gotten 3 cars out of me. I've always spent money on prevention, all the recommendations, never shied away from anything they suggested so now I feel they should have seen the beginning of the rust and said something years ago.

 

Seems like you got a douchy tech also

 

Agree with this completely.

 

Why not actually get it inspected and see if it passes.

 

Will try to get it passed elsewhere, would make great ammo against this dealership but I don't want to get another shop hung-up.

 

Then take it to another shop for inspection without pointing out that this one failed the truck. No reason they need to know that. Let each business answer for their own practices.

 

Crawl down there with a light and see it for yourself. Show us some photos too.

 

OP did you disappear? Are you a Ford Bot trolling us?

 

Sounds suspicious, granted you are in the rust belt. But there's no way a 2011 is "unfixable". 11 years old is nothing on a Toyota, and none of those things sounds like anything to scrap the truck over. Take it to an independent shop and have them inspect it. Even a rusted out frame can be reinforced. The rest of the stuff... headlights?? $400 for a set of alpharex or whatever, check that one off. Sounds like they just want you to trade it in for pennies and buy a new/ used truck at inflated prices.

 

I wouldn't go to that dealer again. They very well might be right and the frame is too far gone but it's not like they didn't know that they should have been advising people on protecting the frame in previous years. After all it would have been mostly profit for the dealership since they have all the equipment from coating the frames that were rusty but not too far gone (as Toyota required).

Mileage has nothing to do with it unless you never drive it in the winter. Around here there's lots of every brand truck sitting parked for life or turned into a shop plow truck simply because the frame has rusted. When my 1st gen Tundra got a new frame a coworker with a 99 GMC just got the news his frame was too far gone and was pissed because GM would do nothing for him. My Tundra didn't stand a chance. The state switched to using brine. Following a plow truck putting it down is like bathing in a sea of salt. My '07 just doesn't go out on those days.

 

This thread is worthless without pictures.

 

If you plan another 50k 60k out of it, it's probably worth replacing the frame on with that low of mileage.... or unless you know you want to spend a hundred gazillion dollars on something else since that's the going rate these days lol