1998 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS DAMAGED TOO SEVERELY TO BE REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THEY OFFERED HER APPROXIMATELY $7,000 TOWARDS A TRADE-IN. THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 53,000.

TL*- THE CONTACT HAS ASKED FOR THE EXACT VERBIAGE OF HIS EMAIL ENTERED AS HIS COMPLAINT: TOYOTA HAS INSTITUTED A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM FOR 1995-2000 TOYOTA TACOMAS FOR FRAME RUST. TOYOTA IS BUYING BACK THE TRUCKS BECAUSE OF SAFETY PROBLEMS. THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS ACCIDENTS RESULTING FROM COLLAPSING FRAMES THAT HAVE RUSTED OUT. THEY ARE DOING THIS TO AVOID A NHTSA RECALL. MY TRUCK HAS A TITLE THAT LISTS PRIOR DAMAGE, AND THEY WILL NOT TAKE MY TRUCK BACK. THEY CLAIM THAT THE TRUCK HAS BEEN ALTERED. THE TRUCK WAS REPAIRED USING TOYOTA TACOMA FACTORY PARTS, AND NOT AFTERMARKET PARTS. THE TRUCK WAS REPAIRED IN YEAR 2002, BUT THE INSURANCE COMPANY CHOSE NOT TO SPEND THE MONEY ON REPAIRS. IF MY TRUCK WAS NEWER, THE INSURANCE COMPANY WOULD HAVE SPENT THE MONEY ON REPAIRS, THE REPAIR WOULD NOT APPEAR ON THE TITLE, AND TOYOTA WOULD QUALIFY THIS TRUCK FOR BUY BACK. THE ONLY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MY TRUCK AND A NEWER TRUCK RECEIVING THE SAME REPAIR IS THAT ONE IS OLDER THAN THE OTHER, AND THE INSURANCE COMPANY CHOSE TO REPAIR THE NEWER VEHICLE. MY 1998 TACOMA WAS PROFESSIONALLY REPAIRED AND INSPECTED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS POLICE. THE TRUCK LOOKS BRAND NEW EXCEPT FOR THE FRAME RUST. I BELIEVE THAT TOYOTA IS TRYING TO AVOID A NHTSA RECALL BY THIS WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM. STILL, THERE ARE MANY VEHICLES LIKE MINE ON THE ROADS WITH FRAME RUST WAITING FOR AN ACCIDENT THAT TOYOTA CHOOSES TO IGNORE. UPDATED 07/15/08 *BF UPDATED 07/15/08

FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED WHILE IN OPERATION. RESULTING IN SEPARATION FROM THE KNUCKLE, CAUSING A COLLAPSE IN THE SUSPENSION AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. THE COLLAPSE HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE INCLUDING DRIVE SHAFT AND TIRE DAMAGE. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE LAST YEAR. I HAD IT REPAIRED/REPLACED AT A LOCAL SPRING SHOP. NOW THE SAME SPRING ON PASSENGER SIDE HAS BROKE AT THE SAME PLACE. THIS AFFECTS HANDLING OF VEHICLE AND LEAVES THE SPRING HANGING BY A FACTORY CLAMP WHICH IF IT BREAKS THE REST OF THE WAY COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *TR

I WENT TO GET MY TRUCK INSPECTED AND THEY REFUSED TO DO SO, BECAUSE THE FRAME ON MY TRUCK HAS CRACKED. THEY STATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE VEHICLES AND TO CHECK INTO IT. MY DEALER STATED THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE THE TRUCK IS SO OLD. I STILL OWE MONEY ON IT. WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO NOW. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME DETERIORATED ON HIS VEHICLE. HE WAS ABLE TO PICK OFF CHUNKS OF THE FRAME AND IT EVENTUALLY CRACKED AND SPLIT IN HALF. HE CONSULTED TOYOTA FOR APPROXIMATELY TWO AND A HALF YEARS, BUT WAS NOT OFFERED ANY RECOURSE; THEREFORE, HE SOLD THE VEHICLE. MOST RECENTLY, THE CONTACT WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT A BUYBACK OF 813,000 TOYOTA TACOMAS, MODEL YEARS 1995-2000 FOR THE FRAME. HE WAS OFFERED $675 FOR HIS VEHICLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 86000. UPDATED 5/20/08 *CN UPDATED 05/20/08

I OWNED A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. RECENTLY TOYOTA DIDN'T PERFORM A RECALL BUT A GOOD FAITH SERVICE FOR RUSTING AND BREAKING FRAMES. MY FRAME HAD RECENTLY BROKE CAUSING ME TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE, TOYOTA AND I HAVE WENT BACK AND FORTH ON THIS SINCE MAY OF 2005. IN FEBRUARY OF 2008 THEY HAVE CAME OUT AND SAID THAT THEIR 1995-2000(170,000 TOTAL) TOYOTA TACOMA'S DID NOT HAVE THE PROPER RUST PROTECTOR AND IT WAS CAUSING MASS DETERIORATION AND POSSIBLE FRAME BREAKING. *TR

1998 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP WITH MAJOR ROT ON FRAME. A 2 FOOT PIECE OF FRAME FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE WHEEL WELL AND THE OTHER SIDE WAS CRACKED ALMOST THROUGH. THE TRUCK WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. *TR

I TOOK MY TRUCK FOR PA INSPECTION AND I GOT A CALL AT WORK THAT MY TRUCK HAD FAILED DUE TO THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND THERE IS A LOT OF SURFACE RUST. THE REPAIR FACILITY CUT OUT THE PIECE OF FRAME AND REPLACED IT WITH NEW METAL. *TR

FRAME OF 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA SPLIT DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST ON UNDERSIDE OF TRUCK. TRUCK WAS IN OTHERWISE VERY GOOD CONDITION. I HAD TRUCK CHECKED BY 2 MECHANICS WHO ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE IT AND THAT IT WAS NOT WORTH FIXING. I ENDED UP SELLING IT AT JUNKYARD FOR $700. I WAS STILL MAKING PAYMENTS AT THE TIME. *TR