Hilux early chassis fail: rust perforation after 7 years and just 44k miles of road use in U.K.

[zambezi]

I bought a Hilux new in 2016 from my local U.K. dealer because of its acclaim on multiple continents by a range of users and media reviewers.

Since new, I have completed 44k miles [average of 6.4k p.a.] almost exclusively on tarmac in the U.K.

Out of the blue, the vehicle was declared to have failed its 4th MOT due to rust perforation of chassis within 40cm of a suspension point. The dealership and Toyota Customer relations are not interested in considering this to be a premature failure. CR make the point that the Toyota warranty is only for painted body sections. [see below]

I am disappointed in equal measure that (1) the failure could occur in so short time frame due to such benign usage (2) that the dealership that serviced the vehicle from new and who performed every MOT failed to flag the onset of rust at a point at which prevention could happen and (3) Toyota CR have no desire to make good.

If you buy a second hand Hilux, check the chassis. In particular, the OSR section.

 

[John Gryphon]

I think that a letter from your legal man might sway them.

 

[Andy seatrout]

They’ve acted unreasonably….. ;

1) For a vehicle from new to have suffered that level of failure is highly unusual…… I’d trawl the internet for similar cases…. This is surely poor materials / construction of the vehicle. I’ve friends who’ve worked for VW, Bentley - there are ‘bad batches’ of cars where known problems exist

2) given they’ve serviced it consistently how have they failed to spot the rust before it became significant to create an MOT failure…. Lack of duty of care on their part…..

Do a bit of research, look for recalls and other owners with similar claims- you’re looking for precedent…. Then go to a solicitor and make a claim

 

[zambezi]

I’d trawl the internet for similar cases

I did. Usual forums. Including U.S. Tacomas. Seems Toyota do not take ownership of early chassis fail, anywhere.

they’ve serviced it consistently how have they failed to spot the rust before it became significant to create an MOT failure…. Lack of duty of care on their part…..

I agree. That point is in my letter to the dealership and Toyota. Toyota have replied, still waiting for some dealership response. But not hopeful: When they failed the MOT they showed be the rust...and then the door. I.e. nothing to do with them: "try xyz fabricators down the road".

 

[Husky]

A colleague of mine whose 2014 Hilux suffered a snapped chassis due to rust had a similar response from the dealer and Toyota.
He ended up getting a mobile welder/fabricator to repair the chassis.

 

[Tim.243]

I bought a Hilux new in 2016 from my local U.K. dealer because of its acclaim on multiple continents by a range of users and media reviewers.

Since new, I have completed 44k miles [average of 6.4k p.a.] almost exclusively on tarmac in the U.K.

Out of the blue, the vehicle was declared to have failed its 4th MOT due to rust perforation of chassis within 40cm of a suspension point. The dealership and Toyota Customer relations are not interested in considering this to be a premature failure. CR make the point that the Toyota warranty is only for painted body sections. [see below]

I am disappointed in equal measure that (1) the failure could occur in so short time frame due to such benign usage (2) that the dealership that serviced the vehicle from new and who performed every MOT failed to flag the onset of rust at a point at which prevention could happen and (3) Toyota CR have no desire to make good.

If you buy a second hand Hilux, check the chassis. In particular, the OSR section.




View attachment 292705

Cut it out and plate it up...

 

[Sealgair nam fiadh]

Your reply from Toyota says " unpainted metal part ", no mention of body, surely Toyota paint the chassis ?

 

[zambezi]

surely Toyota paint the chassis ?

It was certainly uniformly black when new. And most of it still retains whatever that coating is called. But note Toyota UK's very explicit exclusion of the Hilux in warranties:

Toyota Warranty | Toyota Car Warranty | Toyota UK

At Toyota, we take great pride in the quality and reliability of our vehicles. Discover Toyota Relax - up to 10 years (100,000 miles) Toyota warranty.

www.toyota.co.uk

The mechanic that fixed the rust-induced chassis perforation with plating yesterday said he had not seen a fail like this before on so new a vehicle.

On the upside, his adjudication was that the rest of the chassis was pretty sound. Surface rust on some surfaces, but nothing like the failure point. His take? Wire brush the surface rust away and apply after market chassis coating to the rest of the chassis and I should be good to go for many years.

 

[Foxyboy43]

Damnable performance for a lightly used vehicle and pretty poor show from dealer and Toyota.
My jeep failed the MOT last year for the same reason - mind you it is a 2005 Jimny with 120k on it. Still damned annoying though.

 

[User00047]

Zambezi, I see you are from Devon. Are you fairly coastal or no?
Do you use the truck for launching boats into the sea or anything like that?

 

[Lever357]

A friend of mine bought a HiLux about 6 or 7 years ago, brand new and took it to a bodywork company a few days later to have a tipper fitted. The mechanics lifted the rear tub off when he was there, only to reveal the base of the cab body was rusted because it was not painted. Weeks of phone calls and emails later, Toyota's response was it was not company policy to paint parts of the vehicle the customer did not see!!

 

[Sealgair nam fiadh]

It was certainly uniformly black when new. And most of it still retains whatever that coating is called. But note Toyota UK's very explicit exclusion of the Hilux in warranties:

View attachment 292720

Toyota Warranty | Toyota Car Warranty | Toyota UK

At Toyota, we take great pride in the quality and reliability of our vehicles. Discover Toyota Relax - up to 10 years (100,000 miles) Toyota warranty.

www.toyota.co.uk

The mechanic that fixed the rust-induced chassis perforation with plating yesterday said he had not seen a fail like this before on so new a vehicle.

On the upside, his adjudication was that the rest of the chassis was pretty sound. Surface rust on some surfaces, but nothing like the failure point. His take? Wire brush the surface rust away and apply after market chassis coating to the rest of the chassis and I should be good to go for many years.

I would still email Charlotte Dulake at Customer Support and inform her that her reply states " unpainted metal" and that your chassis was painted.
See what she has to say about that.

 

[StephenToast]

Is there any chance this is due to the Covid vaccine? Must be a link somewhere...

 

[Kalahari]

Probably Brexit!

David.

 

[zambezi]

Are you fairly coastal

Yes, I live in a coastal town in North Devon. But the Hilux has never been near the water and I do not own or launch boats.

I am certain there are Dacias on the roads of North Devon that have not suffered this failure.

 

[Koenig]

Is there any chance this is due to the Covid vaccine? Must be a link somewhere...

Hahaha.

 

[Otto68]

Have two hilux to repair at moment, one a 2011
Other a 2012, fuel tank fell out one, two crossmembers knackered, other one is similar, with the spring hangers also f@#€ed.
£800 odd for crossmembers & tank straps & fittings.
The other one is mine & will be getting fabricated crossmembers.

 

[zambezi]

Have two hilux to repair at moment, one a 2011
Other a 2012, fuel tank fell out one, two crossmembers knackered, other one is similar, with the spring hangers also f@#€ed.
£800 odd for crossmembers & tank straps & fittings.
The other one is mine & will be getting fabricated crossmembers.

If a vehicle has a hard life in an agressive environment [like boggy land/sea/beach] then accelerated corrosion is to be expected.

Were the two you are looking at subjected to tough environs? Or mostly normal road use like mine?

I wonder if the Hiluxs made [in South Africa] for the UK market are getting appropriate chassis prep for gritted roads?

 

[Utectok]

Happened to a friends toyota hylux too. Similar story of use age… he ended up getting a second hand replacement chassis and on my advice getting it galvanised prior to fitting. These things rust from the inside so you often don’t see it till to late

 

[Otto68]

One has hardly ever been off road, guy had it since new, the other one I got for my daughter 4 years ago, so don’t know history.
They should not be corroding on chassis’s at that age, problem is that they have next to no protection from new.
14 plate farm Navara recently split at chassis ( back of cab). I do believe that Nissan will at least have a look at it.