Newbie needing some advice - Pics included

Hey everyone!

I recently traded in my old vehicle for a used 2015 4Runner Limited, & I’m starting to panic a bit ha. I could really use some opinions on a few pics.

Quick background on the vehicle:

2015 4Runner Limited
Mileage @ 84,000
It was first owned for 3 years in Indiana, where a total of ~ 30,000 were put on it. It then mades its way to central Arkansas (current location).
I purchased the vehicle for ~ $25K.

Here is my concern. I wanted out of my European made car, in hopes to get into something that was more reliable. After some reading, I settled on the 4Runner.

So what’s my worry? Rust!
I’m embarrassed to say I did not realize I needed to check the frame for rust. I obviously should have done my homework better, but alas the deal has been made.

I have attached a few photos & was hoping you knowledgeable & wonderful people could give me an “assessment” on if I need to be worried or not. I truly am a newbie & don’t have the slightest clue how to assess rust damage. I greatly appreciate any advice you have to offer!

 

Looks like surface rust at this point, got to get after it though. A good undercoat is in order. Research local shops with good reviews for undercoating jobs, or if you’re handy, you could buy some wool wax or whatever you desire and do it yourself. A car lift is highly recommended. Good luck and Welcome to the forum!

 

Thank you so much for taking the time to offer some advice. I came across a company nearby that does NH-Oil undercoating. I obviously don’t know much about it, but will definitely be reaching out to them. Thank you again!

 

Welcome & congrats on your 4Runner,

You’re gonna love it!!!

 

welcome

 

Hello and welcome to the forum Blue22. Congrats on your 2015 Limited 4Runner. I agree with Gary in that the rust appears to be on the surface. You may want to consider running it through a car wash to clean the underbody (unless you have an attachment for your pressure washer) and then once everything is dry, apply Fluid Film Rust and Corrosion protection Spray (or a similar product) that will stop the rust and prevent any further rust. Below is a link to the Fluid Film product on Amazon. My 4Runner does not have any rust but I used this process on my daughter's Subaru Forester and it worked well.

Just a suggestion.

Take Care.

Robert


Link to Fluid Film:

$60 Fluid Film Rust & Corrosion Protection, Metal Surface Penetrant & Lubricant, Marine, Automotive, Industrial, Home, 11.75 Oz Aerosol Spray (Pack of 6)

https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Film-1...mzn1.fos.18ed3cb5-28d5-4975-8bc7-93deae8f9840

 

Welcome. I see nothing to worry about in those pics. I have a 2007 at 245K, fortunately never in a salted roads state. Mine was similar to yours when I bought it in 2014 with 96K mikes. I took a wire brush and a can of Rustoleum Rust Reformer paint, brushed off the loose rust, and painted over the spots. The paint actually chemically transforms the rust so it’s not like some paints or undercoating products that can worsen rust underneath. I look every time I work on my truck and hit any rust I see the same way. It’s still clean.

These frames rust from the inside out and I had always wondered how to get a look in there, assuming an endoscopic camera would be ridiculously expensive. Nope, I just bought one for ~$25 on Amazon and it works surprisingly well. This is a test shot, I will put an LED light through one of the holes farther down to get a deeper field of view next time.

 

Welcome

 

Welcome from Wisconsin! That rust isn't that bad... yet. Several rust inhibitors on the market, or see if your local mechanics want to tackle it, good luck.

 

Robert,

Thank you for the suggestions! Do you think I should just go with the Fluid film and Corrosion protection spray, or spring for the NH-Oil undercoating given my inexperience? Just curious on your opinion. Thanks again for your time & advice!

 

Russell,

Thanks for helping put my mind at ease! Once I got it home and started finding the rust, I truly began to panic thinking I had made a major mistake. I'm glad to hear from you and others the rust appears to be "ok" at this point. Also, great idea on the endoscopic camera! I was just thinking last night about how to possibly check for rust INSIDE the frame. That's a great idea!

 

Thanks Jeff!
Just curious, and I apologize if this is a silly question. Do most guys get undercoating done up North?

 

@Blue22 - You’re very welcome. Forum tip, you can tag people using the @ along with their exact username as I did above. That will trigger a notification to them.

I hope you won’t have to buy another vehicle for many years but if you do, consider making the deal contingent on having a mechanic conduct an inspection. I was in the same boat as you when I bought my truck used at 96K miles in 2014 - I had no idea that 4Runners, especially 4th Gens, are rotting right out from under their owners. I didn’t check but the mechanic did and luckily, it was clean.

The cost is a small investment when weighed against the potential cost of a problem. Mine had a stuck 4WD actuator, a $2200 repair at the dealer. Long story short, the dealer replaced it and we split the $1300 actual dealer cost. I was very happy b/c they had given me a terrific sales price and they handled the situation with integrity.

 

About the undercoating.. We have bought new vehicles and always have some sort of rust inhibitor/undercoating done on them. As for the rest of the people, according to my son-in-law, a salesman at a dealership, it's about a 50/50 split when it comes to undercoating. I have bought used vehicles that were undercoated from new, and the old Trailblazer I drive was not, big difference.

 

Welcome and congrats on the 4R.

Not to panic, just get it cleaned and brushed off well, and then a nice undercoating done by professionals and with good products should take care of it.

 

Welcome from the center of the bourbon universe.

Makes me think I'll go ahead and get my 2019 undercoated.

 

@Bluesky 07 Thanks for the forum tip!

Also, great advice on having a mechanic conduct an inspection prior to purchase. I purchased a home within the last year, and of course made an offer contingent on the home inspection. Why in the world this never crossed my mind to do before purchasing a vehicle is beyond me. That is definitely a major lesson learned, and one I won't forget going forward.

 

@ChessGuy
Any advice on the best way to go about cleaning the frame. I have attacked the rust spots with a wire brush so far. But was curious if I needed to do anything else like trying to power wash it? Also, I noticed parts of the frame where there are long stretches of what appears to be some type of "coating" covering the frame. I am not sure if this is just gunk/road buildup over the years, or maybe an old rubberized coating? Although I would not even know what a rubberized coating would look like ha. I currently don't have a way to jack up my vehicle, so I have just been crawling underneath with a wire brush doing the best I can.

 

1. I haven't tried the Salt Shift Chassis Flusher personally but it's intriguing. Trying to get feedback from anyone who's used it before buying, no luck yet. Right now I use my pressure washer with a pivoting nozzle, which is very helpful. I've found that the tip will fit through some of the frame and skid plate holes. Took several minutes to get to clear water when I first flushed out my gas tank skid. LOL

2. Can you post pics of this? I have some thoughts but would prefer to see it first. Have you poked these areas with a screwdriver or anything?

 

Welcome here and great purchase!
To help out your mind at ease as some have said, that rust isn't bad at all, I have much more on my 2016 Trail Edition. However I do live near the ocean and mountains,and British Columbia uses a liberal amount of road salt. Don't kick yourself too much, I bought brand new and didn't start rust prevention until last year, oops!
Cheers