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Dana Corp ordered to pay Toyota $25m for frame rust issues

Dana Corp of beautiful Maumee, Ohio has been ordered to pay $25 million to Toyota for problems with parts provided by Dana to Toyota which resulted in the 1995-2000 Tacoma pickup frame-rust recall.

Dana is best-known for their rear differentials and axle assemblies but for the 1995-2000 Toyota Tacoma, Dana provided the frame that was found to rust excessively, causing Toyota to issue a recall on 110,000 pickups built during those six model years. This recall affected mostly those who lived in areas with harsh winters and the rust problem was accelerated by the use of road salt.

Toyota was Dana Corp’s second largest customer in 2009, with 6% of their business coming from the Japanese automaker; second only to the 20% of business that Ford Motor Company provides. This $25 million payment will be charged against the earnings of 4th quarter of 2010 and while it sounds like a tremendous amount of money, Dana reported $6.1 billion in revenue during 2010 – meaning that the $25 million fine is likely only a small portion of the money made off of Toyota throughout their relationship.

Dana Corp sold the plants responsible for the faulty Toyota Tacoma frames that were affected by the recall in March 2010 but as part of the settlement between the two over the frame rust recall issue, Dana will shell out the cash as the plants were in their ownership when the problematic parts were produced.

Other Toyota News:
Subaru To Unveil Toyobura, Impreza and Trezia Concepts at Geneva Show
Toyota expanding marketability of Prius at 2011 Detroit Auto Show
Seven insurance companies suing Toyota for unintended acceleration accidents

Source: Reuters

Automotive News
Toyota

Comments

Patrick (not verified)    July 17, 2014 - 7:04PM

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2005 Toyota Tacoma has major issue of frame, skidplate and tailgate is rusted!
Frame is rusting inside and out, needs to be recalled.

Jeff zelasko (not verified)    October 28, 2015 - 12:45AM

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My Toyota 97 frame is rusted out is not safe to drive make it fall apart any time and I called Toyota and they said tough I think you should be called a national recall because of all this Ross and other vehicles also and mine was treated with under

Eric (not verified)    February 25, 2020 - 10:18AM

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Toyota has had rust problems on its trucks since it started importing trucks to the U.S. in the 1960's and Dana was not the frame supplier then. More recently, the 4Runner has had frame rust problems and that is made in Japan with a Japanese frame supplier. Dana (Parish Div.) has been making frames for over 80 years and supplying many truck companies without all the rust problems that Toyota has been having. Toyota seems to be at fault here through poor design of its frames. Blaming Dana does not pass the smell test.