2004 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

TAKATA RECALL? I HAVE A 2004 TACOMA PRE-RUNNER 4DR. V-6. MY AIRBAG WARNING LIGHT CAME ON APPROX. OCT. 2014 (50,000 MILES). ALL THAT I HAVE READ SO FAR IS THAT IT MIGHT BE A BROKEN "SPIRAL CABLE" WITHIN THE STEERING WHEEL. ALL AIRBAG PROBLEMS I'VE SEEN ARE WITH 2005 & NEWER VEHICLES? AS OF DEC. 2015 (60,K MILES),I STILL HAVE THE PROBLEM BUT HAVE NOT YET VISITED A DEALERSHIP TO IDENTIFY THE FAULT. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED CAUSING THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE TO DETACH FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM HAD FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND A CERTIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC SAID THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERALLY ROTTED AND WAS A SAFETY HAZARD AND WAS TOLD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE TRUCK IS STILL WORTH $8-10,000 AND WE ARE OUT THE MONEY. THERE WAS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, BUT NO SAFETY RECALL. WE DID NOT RECEIVE A LETTER ON EITHER. IF I DID NOT LOOK UNDER THE TRUCK TO INSPECT A NOISE, I WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THE FRAME WAS ROTTED TO THE DEGREE THAT IT WAS. (SEE PICTURES) I WOULD HAVE CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AND PUT MYSELF AND ANYONE ELSE ON THE ROAD IN HARMS WAY. THIS PROBLEM NEEDED TO BE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION; HOWEVER, NO ONE CAN TELL US WHY WE NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTIFICATION OF THIS DEFECT. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THIS SITUATION IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE A SAFETY RECALL WITH NO EXPIRATION. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED LETTERS AND PHOTOS OF OUR ATTEMPT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLE WITH NO RESULTS. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER AS WE FEEL IT CAN SAVE LIVES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND ATTENTION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE INSPECTED, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES) BUT THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUSTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,000.

EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND HOLES IN FRAME. CONTACTED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND TWO LOCAL DEALERSHIPS. NOTHING CAN BE DONE ACCORDING TO THEM SINCE THE UNDERSIDE WAS NOT SPRAYED, HOWEVER TECH AT HARTFORD TOYOTA INFORMED ME THAT THE SPRAY IS INEFFECTIVE. WILL NOT HONOR 15 YEAR FRAME WARRANTY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THE VEHICLE AND HAD PERFORATIONS ALL OVER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND REFERRED THE ISSUE TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO ADVISED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,000.

FRAME HAS BADLY CORRODED. TOYOTA HAS RECOGNIZED THE DEFECT IN THESE VEHICLES AND RECEIVED COMPENSATION FROM THEIR FRAME SUPPLIER, AND HAS EXTENDED WARRANTY TO 15 YRS UNLIMITED MILES. PREVIOUS OWNER BROUGHT VEHICLE TO WHITE RIVER JUNCTION TOYOTA (VT), AND THEY INSPECTED IT AND MADE RECORD OF ROTTING, BUT DID NOT SEE NEED TO TREAT IT OR REPLACE IT PER TOYOTA'S OWN PROGRAM GUIDELINES. NOW FRAME HAS COMPLETELY ROTTED THROUGH AND TOYOTA IS SAYING IT IS TOO LATE TO BE REPLACED UNDER THE PROGRAM.... EVEN THOUGH IT IS STILL WELL WITHIN THE 15 YR WARRANTY PERIOD. THEY ARE REFUSING TO HONOR THEIR WARRANTY. I DON'T KNOW IF THE VEHICLE IS SAFE TO DRIVE. INTERNET IS REPLETE WITH THOUSANDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE THROTTLE SUDDENLY STOPS RESPONDING FOR ABOUT 3-5 SECONDS, THEN RETURNS. WHILE IT IS UNRESPONSIVE, IT SEEMS TO RETURN TO A FULLY CLOSED POSITION AS THE VEHICLE STARTS SLOWING, THEN SUDDENLY REOPENS TO WHERE THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS BEING DEPRESSED, AND QUICKLY STARTS ACCELERATING. IT DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER WHAT TYPE OF ROAD I AM DRIVING ON OR AT WHAT SPEED. IT DOESN'T DO IT UNDER HARD ACCELERATION, ONLY NORMAL DRIVING. I SUSPECT IT IS THE THROTTLE BODY ITSELF THAT IS CAUSING THE PROBLEM AS INVESTIGATING HAS TOLD ME THAT OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THIS SAME EXACT ISSUE, ALL WITH A 2003 OR 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA WITH A 3.4L V6. I HAVE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THESE TWO YEARS A NEWER DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODY WAS USED, AND WAS CHANGED TO A DIFFERENT DESIGN IN 2005 AND NEWER TACOMAS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE PARKED, THE ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED A HOLE ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEAF SPRING AND IT WAS NOT CONNECTED TO THE FRAME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME HAD RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE METAL PLATE BELOW THE FUEL TANK WAS HANGING LOOSELY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 144,000. UPDATED 12/03/15*LJ