rust on the rear door sill. - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

PaulW · 09-28-2011, 10:01 AM

I'm curious if anyone else has this problem.

My daughter uses the rear passenger side door to get to her car seat. She's six so she has to step on the plastic cover that's on the threshold (and straddles the body seam, door gasket etc).

This has been causing rubbing on the paint that's underneath that plastic cover and now it's rusting. It seems like a really poor design to me and I'd imagine that there's plenty of Highlander owners with small kids who do the same exact thing.

GregC6 · 09-28-2011, 11:01 AM

yeah, same here, i sanded it down, touched it up, and put double sided tape on them to prevent direct impact with rocker panel

Sky1111 · 09-30-2011, 01:22 PM

It is VERY frustrating to discover rust on such a young vehicle... I just discovered that my hitch glass strut support mounts (the angled black piece of metal which connects the tube to the body) started rusting!!!!

TOYOTA, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? My 98 Camry only started getting rust after being 10 years in service, WHY these 3.5 year old vehicles start rusting so early?

The part in question is actually hiding behind the rear glass, wasn't scratch and it is not really exposed to elements. Real shame.

tagheuer · 09-30-2011, 01:25 PM

we have a 2011 and I haven't noticed this (we have little kids)

I noticed that the plastic part does not entirely cover the painted metal, there is may a 1/4" wide strip facing outside of body that is not covered by plastic.

Is that what you are talking about?

Or do you mean metal under the plastic itself?

If so, how did you / would you discover the problem? Should I remove the plastic to check mine?

PaulW · 09-30-2011, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sky1111

It is VERY frustrating to discover rust on such a young vehicle... I just discovered that my hitch glass strut support mounts (the angled black piece of metal which connects the tube to the body) started rusting!!!!

TOYOTA, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU??? My 98 Camry only started getting rust after being 10 years in service, WHY these 3.5 year old vehicles start rusting so early?

The part in question is actually hiding behind the rear glass, wasn't scratch and it is not really exposed to elements. Real shame.

It gets worse. A friend has a 2010 4Runner and he found rust on his tailgate. It was where the trim piece above the license plate (the part that has "Highlander" embossed on ours) meets the painted sheet metal. It rusted because Toyota was supposed to have a rubber gasket between the piece and the sheet metal and the forgot it when it was built.

9volt · 10-01-2011, 08:51 AM

I just had some rust fixed on our 08 under the Toyota rust warranty. This is what is looked like:

I called Toyota and the guy i talked to confirmed something like this would be considered perforation and should be fixed under warranty.

PaulW · 10-01-2011, 08:53 AM

9volt, my wife's had the EXACT same rust spot.

Toyota is really not doing well lately.

highlander123 · 10-01-2011, 06:11 PM

I seen a lot the rust on the brake rotors after the one night raining.

PaulW · 10-01-2011, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlander123

I seen a lot the rust on the brake rotors after the one night raining.

The brake rotors on pretty much all cars (short of Astons, Ferraris, high end Porsches, etc) are bare cast iron. There's nothing wrong with seeing rust on them and a short drive will get rid of it.

Rust on the painted metal body is a much bigger concern.

highlander123 · 10-01-2011, 09:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 9volt

I just had some rust fixed on our 08 under the Toyota rust warranty. This is what is looked like:

I called Toyota and the guy i talked to confirmed something like this would be considered perforation and should be fixed under warranty.

How the dealer fix it, I think they just use touch up paint to fix it...

9volt · 10-05-2011, 01:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlander123

How the dealer fix it, I think they just use touch up paint to fix it...

They painted the hatch after fixing the rust.

rupert08 · 10-08-2011, 09:10 PM

I have small kids have haven't had a problem with rust on the rear door sills however Toyota did repaint my rear hatch because of rust in the same location as the photo above and many other locations all isolated on the rear hatch. The first dealer I took it to refused to repaint it but the dealer I purchased it from did repaint it without hesitation.