2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ROTATE THE TIRES, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED IN THE REAR DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE TIRES. IN ADDITION, THERE WERE HOLES ON BOTH SIDES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

BOTH SIDES OF MY FRAME ARE RUSTED IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEELS . THE LEFT SIDE HAS A LARGE RUSTED CRACK WHERE THE LEAF SPRINGS CONNECT TO THE FRAME. THE RIGHT SIDE HAS A ROASTED WHOLE LARGE ENOUGH THAT I CAN PUT MY HAND INSIDE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WERE VERY SORRY BUT ALL THEIR CAMPAIGNS WERE EXPIRED AND THEY HAD TO TELL THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE THE SAME THING. VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND COULD CAUSE ME OR SOMEONE ELSE HARM AT ANY TIME. IF TOYOTA HAS TALKED TO THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT THE SAME PROBLEM, IT SEEMS TO ME THEY SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR FAULTY EQUIPMENT . UPDATED 11/19/15.*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE MECHANIC OBSERVED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY TRUCK FOR POTENTIAL FRAME CORROSION. I NEVER RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF THIS ISSUE FROM TOYOTA AND DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM UNTIL MY MECHANIC WARNED ME ABOUT FRAME ROT. I BROUGHT MY TRUCK TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE BUT INFORMED ME THAT I HAD MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY DEADLINE FOR THE REPAIR. I HAVE CONTACTED THEIR US CORPORATE OFFICE AND BEEN GIVEN THE SAME REPLY. THEY CLAIM TO HAVE SENT ME THE RECALL NOTICE BUT I MAINTAIN THAT I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION. I AM WONDERING IF I HAVE ANY RECOURSE IN THIS MATTER.

OWN A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. RECEIVED TOYOTA RECALL LETTER REGARDING FRAME CORROSION RUST ISSUE IN 2009. BROUGHT TACOMA TO JAFFERIAN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN HAVERHILL, MA ON 6/20/09 WHERE THEY INSPECTED TACOMA AND SAID IT PASSED FRAME INSPECTION. BROUGHT TRUCK TO LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE CHECK WHO SAID THAT THE BACK END OF THE FRAME WAS TOTALLY CORRODED BY RUST AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CALLED JAFFERIAN TOYOTA WHO WE PURCHASED TRUCK FROM AND ASKED IF THEY COULD REPAIR THE FRAME AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET THE TRUCK SPRAYED FOR RUST. APPARENTLY TOYOTA SENT OUT A SECOND RECALL LETTER TO DEALERS AND OWNERS THAT THEY SHOULD GET TRUCKS SPRAYED FOR RUST WHICH WE NEVER RECEIVED. WE ALSO CONTACTED TOYOTA USA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND SPOKE TO THE "RECALL TEAM" AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE SECOND LETTER REGARDING SPRAYING FOR RUST AND THEY SAID NO.

WHILE REPLACING SOME PARTS OF THE TRUCK (2003 TOYOTA TACOMA), THE EXHAUST AND SHOCKS, I NOTICED RUST HOLES ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE FRAME NEAR THE REAR TIRES. ALSO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTED AND BROKEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THEY AGREED TO INSPECT THE FRAME. WHEN THEY LOOKED UP THE VEHICLES VIN, THEY NOTICED THAT THE WARRANTEE HAD EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2011. I HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN FEBRUARY OF 2011 AND HAD BY NO MEANS RECEIVED A LETTER OR ANY MEANS TO COMMUNICATE TO ME THAT THIS WARRANTEE WAS GOING TO EXPIRE. THE NOTICE THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED THE PREVIOUS OWNERS TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED/ SERVICED. DESPITE THIS, THE DEALERSHIP WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE FRAME HOLES AND SEND A CLAIM TO TOYOTA. A WEEK LATER, THE DEALER CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT MY CLAIM WAS DENIED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTEE FOR UP TO 15 YEARS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATIONS FROM TOYOTA IN THE 7 MONTHS THAT I OWNED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS "WARRANTEE" HAD EXPIRED, TOYOTA SAID, "SORRY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO". REALLY? SO BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIGN FLAWS, AND THE FACT THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICES, AND NOW MY TRUCKS FRAME IS ROTTING, IT IS MY FAULT? WHAT ADDRESS DID THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ON FILE IN 2011? WHY DID I NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICE?

SPARE TIRE CARRIER PART #04002-11104 HAS BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF RUST ON THE LIFT PLATE (CAMPAIGN #12V54200). THE LIFT CABLE (WHICH ATTACHES TO THE LIFT PLATE) IS CORRODED AND APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE STRANDS OF THE CABLE ARE BROKEN, MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO ATTACH THE SPARE TIRE TO IT. SHOULD THIS BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A STOP LIGHT ATTEMPTING TO SHIFT INTO ANOTHER GEAR, THE SHIFT LEVER FAILED TO CHANGE GEARS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO SHIFT. THE FAILURE RECURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE CENTER FORCE CLUTCH FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 86,000.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY, I MOVED INTO THE LEFT LANE TO PASS ANOTHER CAR. WHEN I STEPPED ON THE ACCELERATOR THE NOSE PITCHED FORWARD AND THE ENGINE FELT LIKE IT WAS NOT GETTING ANY GAS. I WAS ABLE TO PRESS THE ACCELERATOR NEARLY ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR TO CONTINUE GETTING POWER TO THE ENGINE, BUT THE FIRST 2/3 OF THE PEDAL STROKE WERE COMPLETELY UNRESPONSIVE. A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED AS A THROTTLE BODY ISSUE. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH, THIS SEEMS TO BE A WELL DOCUMENTED ISSUE ON A NUMBER OF TACOMA FORUMS. THE COST TO REPLACE WILL BE $1400 DOLLARS NEW OR $400 DOLLARS USED. I AM SKEPTICAL TO PURCHASE A REFURBISHED PART DUE TO THE KNOWN ISSUE WITH IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED A TOTAL OF 6 TIMES IN 3.5 YEARS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE AND SEEMS TO OCCUR IN COLDER WEATHER. TYPICALLY AFTER PULLING OVER AND SHUTTING THE CAR OFF FOR 30 SECONDS, THE ISSUE IS GONE. IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY HAPPEN AGAIN, BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN.