Anybody have this problem.

[Raymond Ballweg]

First I have to get it back to the dealer. Only had the truck almost a year.
I have been seeing these little rust spots all over the truck. Do you think they will give me a problem on not redoing paint.
Also when you are going more than 40mph and have to hit the breaks it sounds like the bottom of the truck is going to fall out. Bad sound and rumbling.
Any suggestions?

[Greg]

Mike,
Sounds like you have had some real disappointments with your tundra. I am planning to keep the truck until the 36,000 mile warranty is up. I'll keep it if it is running fine. I was concerned about 4 years ago when Toyota started making more cars and trucks in the U.S. Don't get me wrong, I love this country, but somewhere along the line American Made pride disappeared. I still have faith in Toyota and the Americans that are making them. I am proud to say that my tundra has more American made parts than the Dodge Ram. I think that us 07 tundra owners got the short end of the stick. Hopefully Toyota will make everything right. There was a guy at Hesser named Mike. If he still works there, then he is the service advisor to see. I plan to be up that way next month and will take my tundra in---I want them to list all the TSB's for the 07 and check them out. They are still a small dealership and have to be nice, especially in a General Motors town. I am glad that they are giving you new bumpers without a fight. My lugs are rusting too, but I decided to avoid that battle.

[mike k]

I just feel that in order to make a truck a true truck, Toyota should have done a better job designing and testing certain parts of the truck before production. I guess that is why a lot of people say never to buy a first year production new vehicle design. If it wasn't for the poor fitting door, rusted bumpers/lug nuts, bad drivers seat, that odd stinky smell I have experienced a few times running the A/C and defroster, poorly designed oil filter built above skid plate, and the way too thin sheet metal to support any true weight on the tailgate, the Tundra would have been a true good truck to me. I really do like the handling, braking, and power compared to my past Silverados, but I guess no truck can be everything to everybody. I guess I missed my true calling and should have become a design engineer because items like the thin metal tailgate and poor fitting door was known by me when I checked out the new Tundras because every 07' Tundra I looked at had these 2 problems before I took delivery of my Tundra. Anyways, I'm glad you enjoy your Tundra even though you have had also your fair share of problems as well. Ask your selling dealer or Hesser where you got the bumpers replaced to take off the rusted lug nuts and see if they will polish them since they already know you have had rusted bumper issues already. For me, if you are going to spend 27-30K on a new vehicle, you better get your money's worth and to have had that many problems in the first 2 years is way too high even with the warranty. What happens when the warranty runs out and every 2 years you have to replace rusted bumpers, belts, seats, interior components? Not what I expected from Toyota.

[mike k]

Greg,

Don't settle that your lug nuts are rusting and nothing can be done about it. Go back to your selling dealer like I did after they polished them and still showed rust spots at corners and the service mgr. said he is aware the chrome is too thin and will file a complaint with Toyota on my truck along with a few other customers complaining that even after lug nuts were replaced, 6 months later the new ones are all rusted again. I asked how much to replace all 20 lug nuts and he said almost 300 bucks - WOW! You can bet before my warranty is up if nothing happens, I will go back and demand replacement, but he said his hands are tied with Toyota until more customers complain and demand their Toyota dealer file complaints for them to Toyota and only then with 1,000 of complaints will they issue a recall or service bulletin to replace them under warranty for either the 1st or 2nd replacement. I let is slide for now I told him, which I shouldn't, but after replacing the rear step pad above the rear bumper last week due to rust, I have to go back to them since I noticed this weekend the black plastic step pad above rear bumper is not fastened down and can be lifted up a few inches by hand. I think they missed some clips holding it to the bumper underneath. Yet again 10 bucks of gas out of my pocket for something that should have been fixed right the first time. So, please do not avoid the battle of rusted lug nuts - Toyota dealers in the midwest know that is an issue and unless you want to look at rusted lug nuts on a 25K truck and have 300 bucks to replace them, demand replacement.

[OCSR507]

Can you guys post some pictures of the rust spots? This will certainly help the rest of us ID the problem.

[mike k]

Here are a few pics if they show up. There are several more on the rear bumper, but you get the idea. They are about 1/4" to 1/2" in diameter.

[mike k]

bumpers were replaced under warranty along with my serpentine belt showing severe cracks all over at 21K. Dealer had to replace the belt for fear it would break well before my warranty expired in a little less than 1 year from now. They polished my chrome lug nuts, but can still see on the corners all the rust just on the corners still, but it does look better. I have to get about 2 feet from the lug nuts to notice the corner rust spots, but I'm sure the spots will grow back to normal next winter and probably even worse than before. I guess we'll see what happens? I asked a salesman about the chromed outside bumpers rusting and he knows of about 10 people he sold the 07 and 08' tundras to that had both bumpers replaced at his dealership. He even asked me about the lug nuts rusting and I did not say a word first. He knew those were also a problem just by word of mouth from his past tundra customers. So, at least I am not alone.

[Greg]

Mike,

I agree with you 100% about purchasing the first model year of a production vehicle. This is the first new vehicle that I saved up to pay in full. I was planning to keep it forever. I have 20,000 miles of warranty left and a tough decision to make at that time. If I decide to sell it, then it is a car payment again. I am crossing my fingers that it will have no more problems. Are the new Sequoias having the same issues? Maybe the tundra was the testing subject for the sequoia. I still have faith in toyota, but would go to a 4runner again. Good luck with your tundra too.

[jonathan]

Toyota just relpaced my front bumper. The rep told me that that some bumpers only got a single plating when they should of had two.

[mike k]

Anyone with either 08' and for sure 07' tundra double cabs that live in the midwest where there is winters, please double check the very back, bottom corner behind and 1-3" below both sides of your rear access doors. I checked a couple days ago and all the paint is gone in a 1 x 2" area in the corner of the frame and showing rust already. I will be going yet again into my selling dealer next week to remedy the situation along with trying to get them to stand behind my lug nuts still showing rust after Toyota denied warranty replacement even though the dealership polished them and the rust was still there after polishing. Dealer is aware there is an issue with lug nuts rusting in less than 1 winter season and even told me they replaced one set on a person's tundra and in less than 6 months later, the rust was just as bad on a new set so replacing does not do any good. I bet the majority (over 50%) of 07' tundra double cabs with 16K or more mileage has the rust spots with no paint left directly below the back corner of both rear access doors on the body of the truck. It is about 1" below and 1" to the left(front) of where the clear film tape is to protect the finish. I guess Toyota should've put tape 2" upfront more and 2-3" below this area to protect the paint from being gone in less than 2 years and 16K. Ticking me off to no end!