2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

THE METAL BAR INSIDE THE SEAT HEADREST IS COMING THROUGH THE CLOTH. THERE IS NO PADDING BETWEEN THE METAL BAR AND YOUR HEAD. IN A CRASH YOU WOULD HIT THE METAL BAR INSIDE THE HEADREST WITH YOUR HEAD. OTHER PEOPLE ON THE INTERNET HAVE COMPLAINED OF THE SAME PROBLEM.

THERE IS A SERIOUS HAZARD WITH THE THROTTLE BODY WHERE HITTING THE GAS PEDAL WHEN ACCELERATING WILL SOMETIMES CAUSE THE TRUCK TO ACT AS THOUGH YOU TOOK YOUR FOOT OFF THE PEDAL - TURNING LEFT WITH ONCOMING TRAFFIC ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT WHEN THE TRUCK DID NOT ACCELERATE AS YOU WOULD EXPECT WHEN PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL. I HAD MY MECHANIC TRY TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM BEFORE LOOKING UP THE SYMPTOMS ONLINE, AND HE TRACED IT TO THE ACTUATOR IN THE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM. RESEARCHING ONLINE AFTER DISCOVERING THIS, IT SEEMS THERE IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH THE 2003/2004 TRUCKS WITH THIS ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM HYBRID. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED BASED ON THE KNOWN ISSUES WITH TOYOTA'S THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEMS IN THE PAST. THE SYSTEM DOES NOT THROW A CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CODE WHEN THIS HAPPENS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHILE THE CONTACT WAS STEERING THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE SHOCK ABSORBER WAS NOT ATTACHED TO THE TRUCK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP. AS A RESULT, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN. UPDATED 09/10/15*LJ

IN MAY 2014 WHILE HAVING MY VEHICLE SERVICED BY A MECHANIC HE BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION A SERIOUS AND ONGOING ISSUE WITH THE FRAME OF MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. I AM EXPERIENCING A SERIOUS MATERIAL DEFECT IN THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE. THE PROBLEM I AM EXPERIENCING IS NOT NORMAL. I AM REFERRING TO A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN OF THE FRAME. I CONTACTED TOYOTA IN MAY 2014 TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT. TOYOTA INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR A DEFECTIVE FRAME BUT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. I INFORMED TOYOTA THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL FROM THEM AND REQUESTED THEM TO MAKE GOOD ON THE RECALL AND REPLACE MY FRAME. THEY AGAIN REFUSED MY REQUEST. ON MAY 22, 2014 I TOOK MY TACOMA TO MOTOR WORLD TOYOTA FOR A FRAME INSPECTION. THE INSPECTION FOUND PERFORATION ON THE LEFT REAR FRAME BY THE LEAF SPRING. THE INSPECTION ALSO STATED DUE TO FRAME PERFORATION THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MECHANIC THAT EXAMINED OUR TRUCK STATED THAT THEY WERE REPLACING FRAMES ON A LARGE AMOUNT OF TOYOTA VEHICLES DUE TO THE FRAME DEFECT. THE SERVICE MANAGER SAID HE WOULD REPORT HIS FINDINGS TO TOYOTA AND CONTACT US. A FEW DAYS LATER THE MANAGER CONTACTED US ONLY TO INFORM US AGAIN CORPORATE TOYOTA AGAIN REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FRAME. IN APRIL OF THIS YEAR I AGAIN CONTACT CORPORATE TOYOTA(CASE#1503280111) BY PHONE AND EMAIL TO REQUEST THEM TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE DEFECTIVE FRAME ONLY TO BE REFUSED AGAIN. I AM ASKING FOR ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN OFFER US. IT IS CRITICAL TO OUR FAMILY FOR TOYOTA TO HONOR THE RECALL ON THE FRAME OUR TRUCK. MY HUSBAND USES THE VEHICLE TO TRAVEL TO FREQUENT MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. HE HAS BEEN TREATED SINCE APRIL 2012 FOR METASTATIC MALIGNANT MELANOMA. WE HAVE BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH RADIATION, CHEMO, 3 SURGERIES AND FREQUENT APPOINTMENTS FOR CAT SCANS, PET SCANS ETC. WE DESPERATELY NEED THIS VEHICLE FOR CONTINUED TRANSPORTATION TO HIS MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A TURN, A CLICKING NOISE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BODY MOUNTS WERE CORRODED AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED PREVIOUSLY UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL FOR CORROSIVE PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 146,000.

2003 TOYOTA TACOMA, STARTED TO GET MY TRUCK READY TO GO TO WORK WHEN I FOUND A HOLE RUSTED THROUGH THE FRAME RIGHT WHERE LEAF SPRING BOLTS TO FRAME. FRONT OF THE LEAF SPRING DRIVERS SIDE. FRAME APPEARS TO ALSO BE CRACKED IN AREA OF RUST. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY FRAME AND THAT THE RECALL WAS NOW OVER AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MANY OF THE TACOMA FRAMES AND I HAD WATCHED MY MAIL FOR A RECALL NOTICE BUT NEVER RECEIVED ONE FOR MY TRUCK. THERE RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS SENT AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. AFTER TALKING TO TOYOTA I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND COULD FIND NOTHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR MY YEAR, I ALSO SEARCHED MY VIN ON THIS SITE AND NO FRAME RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR MY VIN INVOLVING THE FRAME. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A TRUCK I CAN'T DRIVE AND HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO WORK WITHOUT GETTING A RIDE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLUTCH WEAR, STICKING PARKING BRAKE, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I ALSO FOUND OTHER STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING CONTACTED FOR THERE FRAMES WITH THE SAME RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA, SORRY YOU MISSED IT YOUR OUT OF LUCK. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA 4 DR A FEW MONTHS AGO I'VE BEEN A TOYOTA OWNER FOR MORE THAN 6 YRS AS MY PREVIOUS TRK WAS ALSO A TACOMA THE BODY ON THIS TRK WAS SPOTLESS, NO RUST ANYWHERE, THE FRAME HAD SURFACE RUST BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK TOO BAD THE TRK NEEDED TIRES & A BULB FOR SAFETY. I FELT LIKE I HAD GOTTEN LUCKY TO GET A NICE DEPENDABLE TRK ON THE ROAD. WITHIN A MONTH I NOTICED THE TRK WAS RIDING ROUGHER. IT SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERYDAY. TACOMA DOESN'T HAVE GOOD SUSPENSION IN THE 1ST PLACE AS I HAD TO DO IT TWICE ON MY LAST TRK. THE TRK HAD SNOW BUILD UP FROM THE COLD WINTER WE WERE HAVING, SO I TOOK IT TO THE CAR WASH TO CLEAN IT UP BEFORE PUTTING `IT IN THE SHOP. WHILE WASHING IT I NOTICED SOME SCALE RUST CAME OFF UNDER THE DRIVERS FLOOR, I PULLED IT INTO THE SHOP OVER THE HOIST & WHILE SETTING THE LIFT ARMS I NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL HOLE IN MY FRAME. I LIFTED THE TRK TO FIND A PIECE OF THE FRAME STARTING AT THE LT FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNT HAD ROTTED AROUND THE WELDED SEAM & DISINTEGRATED. THE HOLE WAS15" LONG & ANOTHER 8" HOLE ON THE RT REAR IN FRT OF THE SPRING SHACKLE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WILL REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE HANGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE FRAME IS MY ISSUE AS I DID NOT HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED BACK IN 2010 TO EXTEND THE WARR. UNTIL 2017. I DID NOT OWN THE TRK UNTIL 2014. TOYOTA IS TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND A TECHNICALITY THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE NEW OWNER. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCESSIVE RUST ISSUE AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD TO RE-CALL OVER 160.000 UNITS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THEY FAILED TO USE ADEQUATE RUST PROTECTION IN THE 1ST PLACE. THIS TRK & MANY OTHER TOYOTA TRKS ON THE ROAD ARE A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP. THE WORLD NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF TOYOTA NOT BACKING THEIR WARR. & TRYING TO KEEP THE HUSH HUSH ON THEIR RECALL FOR RUST PERFORATION. TOYOTA CREATED THE PROBLEM, TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE STOPED SPINNING FORCING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE LEFT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

I LIVE IN NC AND I NOTICED THE FRAME OF MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUSH YOUR FINGERS THROUGH IT IN SOME SPOTS! I CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEY RAN THE VIN NUMBER ON IT AND TOLD ME IT NO RECALL IS OUT ON THE FRAME. BUT I HAVE SEEN ON SEVERAL WEBSITES WHERE SOME 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A NEW FRAME OR BEEN OFFERED BY DEALERSHIPS TO PURCHASE THE TRUCK BACK. MY QUESTION IS, THIS IS DIFFERENTLY A SAFETY HAZARD, AND FOR TOYOTA TO GO BY THE VIN NUMBERS OR STATE IN WHICH YOU LIVE IN. AND NOT THAT IT IS IN "FACT" STILL A TOYOTA TACOMA 2003 TRUCK WITH FRAME ROT, I FEEL IS A "DISCRIMINATING" OR A "DISCRIMINATION" ACT ON THERE PART. *TR