Tacoma: Optional Skid Plate Cracked! (05 Tacoma)

[TacomaOffRoadGrl]

Ok I have an 05 Tacoma DC Shortbed and I have the optional skid plate. I have had issues with it vibrating since I had it put on. Well I was getting ready to make an appointment with the dealership because the vibration has gotten worse. It used to only vibrate when I got caught in crosswinds and such but lately it has gotten so much worse. To the point where it was vibrating so much I went to take the d!%& thing off myself when I got home tonight. I crawl down and I'm like WTF! It's cracked!!! No wonder it has been vibrating so bad! It is going to the dealer in the morning! I know the crack is recent because I was just looking at the skid plate and the entire underbody last week when I changed the oil. I love this truck but WTF is up with the skid plate. Sorry but I am ticked off about this! I have never been off roading, not even over a curb in this truck, in fact I admit it....I pamper the darn thing! Here is a pic of the crack.

[mike.elmes]

Is it possible something hit it from the freeway? Maybe something came off the back of some semi, and made contact with your skid plate? Hopefully the dealership will just replace it as a stress crack.

[xyourlocaldjx]

looks like something hit it... unless you used a sharpie to make those marks

[Tiggyboot]

I'd lay a fiver on it that the black liquid stuff you see is oil that dripped out when she changed the oil. Either it came from the drain plug or it came from the oil filter when she took it off. I have the same skid plate. Once the weather turns around, I will either take mine off and weld some reinforcement in it...or drop it off on Toyota's doorstep.

This weekend I am going to the Canadian International Autoshow. It's not Detroit but it is actually the largest auto show in North America. Toyota will be there in full force. You can bet your *** I will be all over them like sh$t to a flannel blanket about the problems.

That crack is obviously from metal fatigue. Aluminum, especially cast aluminum is very brittle. I get the nasty vibration on the highway, especially in a cross wind. So now that we've seen what can and will happen to them all eventually, take it one step further and picture when this thing lets go and comes off the truck at 50 some odd mph. Can you say crash, damage underneath your truck...maybe sever brake lines? killing someone behind you?

time for recall folks



MK

[TacomaOffRoadGrl]

I would think that if something hit it hard enough to break it I would have heard it at least. But even if something did hit it, is it weak enough to break!? I've never had a plate break before....dent maybe but never break.

Anyway, the plate is aluminum right? So what is the black stuff running out of it?

[TacomaOffRoadGrl]

Originally Posted by Tiggyboot

I'd lay a fiver on it that the black liquid stuff you see is oil that dripped out when she changed the oil. Either it came from the drain plug or it came from the oil filter when she took it off. I have the same skid plate. Once the weather turns around, I will either take mine off and weld some reinforcement in it...or drop it off on Toyota's doorstep.

This weekend I am going to the Canadian International Autoshow. It's not Detroit but it is actually the largest auto show in North America. Toyota will be there in full force. You can bet your *** I will be all over them like sh$t to a flannel blanket about the problems.

That crack is obviously from metal fatigue. Aluminum, especially cast aluminum is very brittle. I get the nasty vibration on the highway, especially in a cross wind. So now that we've seen what can and will happen to them all eventually, take it one step further and picture when this thing lets go and comes off the truck at 50 some odd mph. Can you say crash, damage underneath your truck...maybe sever brake lines? killing someone behind you?

time for recall folks



MK

Nope the black stuff is not oil. It's comepletely black and completely dry. Not oil at all. Don't know what it is....

[que]

maybe the black stuff is road grime that has gotten wet and leached out the crack. you aren't alone with the craked skidplate. mine is ok but I am checking it and waiting. they had one come in that was cracked where I bought my Tacoma at. before they found the problem they replaced the driveshaft thinking it was warped. Toyota has a new design for the skidplate that allows more airflow..... so it appeared to me. no reports of the new design cracking. be sure when you get it replaced it isn't the same plate as your current design.

[dmode101]

I asked this same question on a previous post. I bought my Tacoma 3 weeks ago and it did not have the skid plate on it. As a matter of fact, NONE of the Dealer’s Tacoma's had the skid plates on them. I asked the Dealer about mine and he said they are being re-designed and that they would contact me when they get them in. It could be weeks or months…he didn't know for sure. So the Dealer either took them off their new inventory or they are coming like that from the factory. So Toyota knows about the problem. Does any one have a picture of what the new ones look like? Does any one happen to have the new ones on their trucks now? I wonder if they haven’t even been shipped due to them being re-designed and tested.

[05TRD]

Had the same thing happen to me, but mine cracked across instead of down. Pretty much in the same place. When I took it to the dealership they tried to charge me but I pulled the BS flag and then the manager looked at it and fixed it for free like they should. In another post on this site or on Toyota nation there has been talk of a redesign of the skid plate, and it was not released yet so people were having problems getting them. When I asked at my dealership they knew nothing of it. So I dont know what is going on. If I find that post I will put the link on here.

[05TRD]

sorry should have read all of the post above my first one.

[TacomaOffRoadGrl]

Originally Posted by 05TRD

Had the same thing happen to me, but mine cracked across instead of down. Pretty much in the same place. When I took it to the dealership they tried to charge me but I pulled the BS flag and then the manager looked at it and fixed it for free like they should. In another post on this site or on Toyota nation there has been talk of a redesign of the skid plate, and it was not released yet so people were having problems getting them. When I asked at my dealership they knew nothing of it. So I dont know what is going on. If I find that post I will put the link on here.

Thanks for the input. My cracked across too. It just looks like it goes down from the angle that I took the picture. I'll post a follow up to what the dealer says. They are also looking at the windshield leak issue so don't know how long they will have it.

[Ground Up]

One of the dealers near me does not have any skid plates on their trucks.

Hmm.

[dmode101]

I did a "search" on this forum and found this:





http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forum...idplate+recall



There is an offical complaint regarding the skid plate. Here is the copy of text from the NHTSA web site:

Make : TOYOTA Model : TACOMA Year : 2005
Manufacturer : TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC.
Crash : No Fire : No Number of Injuries: 0
ODI ID Number : 10105999 Date of Failure: December 26, 2004
VIN : 5TETU62N85Z...
Component: STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
Summary:
2005 TOYOTA TACOMA ACCESS CAB WITH THE TRD PACKAGE AND SKID PLATE 2W DRIVE. E SKID PLATE CATCHES AIR AND CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO VIBRATE VIOLANTLY AT 75 MPH AND HIGHER, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE THE LOSS OF CONTROL. WE REMOVED THE PLATE AND NOW THERE IS NO VIBRATION. PEOPLE WILL THINK IT IS THE TIRES BEING OUT OF BALANCE, BUT IT IS THE PLATE. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REDESIGN THIS PLATE AND CHECK THINGS IN A WIND TUNNEL.*AK

[05Prerunner]

I think that skid plate is cheap and fake looking any way. I say you give it back to the dealer and have them give you your money back. I dont under stand why ppl want that any way because the skid plate that comes on all the tacomas protects every thing.

[J45p3r]

It may not be fuctional but I think it makes the truck look tough.