2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

TOYOTA ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE FRAMES OF THIS VEHICLE DUE TO THEM ADMITTING THAT THEY USED SUBSTANDARD METAL TO BUILD THE FRAME, THEREFORE, RESULTING IN ACCELERATED RUST AND CORROSION. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED THAT THIS WAS AN ISSUE, AND HAPPENED TO FIND OUT FROM A FRIEND THAT TOYOTA EXTENDED THE WARRANTY BECAUSE OF THIS. I TOOK THIS FRAME IN FOR AN EVALUATION ON 8/3/16 AND IT FAILED THE INSPECTION. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 40,000 MILES ON IT AND IS IN GREAT CONDITION OTHER THAN THE FRAME, WHICH WAS TOYOTA'S FAULT AND THEY NEED TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT TOYOTA OF MELBOURNE IN MELBOURNE, FLORIDA, TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD INSTALL A NEW FRAME, BUT I WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR ANY PARTS THAT MAY BE NEEDED TO DO THE INSTALLATION WHICH WILL BE AROUND $2,500. I THINK THAT THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL BECAUSE TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS SINCE 2008, BOUGHT BACK OVER 800,000 OF THESE TRUCKS, AND NEVER NOTIFIED ME THAT I NEED TO GET THIS FRAME INSPECTED. I CANNOT AFFORD TO PAY THAT MUCH MONEY FOR A REPAIR, SO I WILL BE DRIVING AROUND WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, BECAUSE TOYOTA REFUSES TO MAKE THIS A RECALL. THIS IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY, AND TOYOTA IS PUTTING THE SAFETY OF DRIVERS AT RISK BY FORCING THEM TO PAY MORE THAN THE VEHICLE IS WORTH FOR THE REPAIR. IN TODAY'S ECONOMY, NO ONE WHO IS DRIVING A 2003 VEHICLE CAN AFFORD A $2,500 REPAIR ON AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ISSUE! PLEAS WORK TO FORCE TOYOTA TO MAKE THIS A RECALL SO THAT NO DEATHS OCCUR WHEN THESE ROTTED FRAMES FALL OFF OF THESE TRUCKS WHILE THEY ARE BEING DRIVEN!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME PREMATURELY RUSTED WITH EXTENSIVE CORROSION TO THE POINT THAT THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER FRACTURED. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO SOLUTION. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

INTERMIDIOT LOSS OF THROTTLE RESPONCE, FROM STANDING AT LIGHT OR STOP SIGN AND FROM ACCELERATION. HESITATION DURING ACCELERATION UNTIL PEDEL IS PRESSED FULLY AND OSSULATION WHILE DRIVING AT A STEADY SPEED ON HWY. **NO WARNING CODES PRESENT**

RUSTING OF THE FRAME TO THE POINT OF MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE 150,000 MILE SERVICE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR AN UNRELATED REPAIR, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 157,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 75 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED; HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE PARKING BRAKE WAS ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS MANEUVERED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE FLUID RESERVOIR WAS EMPTY. THE CONTACT DISPENSED THE BRAKE FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME AND BRAKE POSITIONING VALVE EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION PROGRAM RELATED TO THE FRAME, WHICH EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

I WAS DRIVING MY VEHICLE 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA ON HIGHWAY 156 DOWNHILL TO HOLLISTER, CA I WAS GOING APPROX 65 MPH AND IT JUST JERKED BACK AND LOST POWER I WAS ONLY ABLE TO GO 40MPH NO HIGHER , THE ENGINE LIGHT HAS NOT TURNED ON AND IT SEEMS I AM GETTING NO KIND OF DIAGNOSTIC ERROR OF WHAT COULD BE WRONG.

WENT TO HAVE MY TRUCK INSPECTED AND WAS TOLD THE FRAME HAS RUST PRETTY MUCH ALONG THE WHOLE DRIVERS SIDE AND IT CAN'T BE INSPECTED

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INDEPENDENTLY PERFORMING REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE, CORROSION WAS NOTICED ON THE SUB FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INITIALLY STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD BEEN SPRAYED WITH AN ANTI-CORROSION AGENT UNDER A VOLUNTARY RECALL BUT THEN STATED THAT THE VOLUNTARY RECALL WAS NEVER PERFORMED. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO THE CORROSION, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES) COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

I DISCOVERED THAT BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME ARE BROKEN JUST AHEAD OF THE REAR AXLE. THE CAR REPAIR SHOP WHERE I TOOK IT SAID THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT THE BREAK DIDN'T RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND THE BODY LOOKS NEW. THE VEHICLE IS USED FOR COMMUTING TO WORK AND OTHER "LIGHT DUTY". THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY POOR QUALITY FRAME AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON IT. REGRETTABLY THEY SHOW LITTLE CONCERN FOR THE THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES STILL ON THE ROAD VULNERABLE TO FRAME BREAKAGE. MOREOVER, MOST PEOPLE DRIVING THOSE VEHICLES HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEIR VEHICLES COULD BREAK APART AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. JUST BECAUSE A RECALL ENDS (OFTEN PRIOR TO WHEN MANY WHO CAN ONLY AFFORD TO BUY USED VEHICLES ACQUIRE THEM) DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN FULLY RESOLVED. THIS REMAINS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS SIMPLY IGNORING (THEY TELL ME IT IS NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY!!!). I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOTICED THE BREAKAGE WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE.