2001 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

ON 12/23/08 WHEN MY VEHICLE WAS IN FOR NORMAL SERVICE I WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER THAT MY FRAME WAS ROTTING AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD TO CALL TOYOTA CORP AND A CASE WAS ASSIGNED (200812230213). ON 12/24 A CASE MGR CALLED ME AND SAID THAT MY ENTIRE FRAME HAD TO BE REPLACED AND THAT THEY WOULD BE EXTENDING MY WARRANTY. HE STATED THAT THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND UNSAFE SO I WAS TO BE PROVIDED A LOANER FROM MY DEALER - BUT NOT A LIKE VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD I WOULD GET A LETTER OUTLINING THE PROGRAM TOYOTA WAS INTRODUCING. THE PROGRAM AS TOLD IS DIFFERENT THAN THE ONE TOYOTA HAS FOR PRE-2001 TACOMAS. I WAS TOLD THAT PROGRAM WAS DIFFERENT AND NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE PARTS (FRAME) ARE AVAILABLE. I SPOKE AGAIN WITH THE CASE MGR ON 1/6/09 AND WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE, HE COULD NOT PROVIDE ME THE LETTER DETAILING THE PROGRAM, AND I HAD TO WAIT. MY VEHICLE IS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE IT AT THE LOCAL DEALER YET THEY HAVE NOT PROVIDED ME DOCUMENTED DETAILS ON THE ISSUE OR THE PROGRAM TO REMEDY IT. THIS IS THE SAME ISSUE AS PRE-2001 TACOMA'S HAVE YET TOYOTA IS NOT OFFERING THE SAME PROGRAM. THEY HAVE NOW HAD MY TRUCK FOR 3 WEEKS AND WHEN I SPOKE WITH THE DEALER TODAY THEY THEMSELVES HAVE NOT GOTTEN OFFICIAL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA, HAVE NO IDEA OF PARTS AVAILABILITY, HAVE NOT BEEN TOLD WHAT PART NUMBERS TO ORDER, AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY MAY GET INFO. 3 WEEKS WITHOUT MY VEHICLE, IN A NON-LIKE REPLACEMENT, AND WITH NO DOCUMENTED INFO FROM TOYOTA IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. *TR UPDATED 02/05/09. *JB

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTD. CAB AND THE FRAME HAS HOLES ROTTED IN IT. OBVIOUSLY MY '01 DOESN'T QUALIFY FOR THE '95-'00 BUYBACK PROGRAM. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WILL REPLACE THE FRAME BUT I DON'T LIKE THIS OPTION. I PERSONALLY KNOW THE TRUCK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AND THE RESALE VALUE IS GOING TO DROP SIGNIFICANTLY. I WANT TO BE OFFERED THE SAME BUYBACK OPTION AS THE OLDER TACOMAS. *TR

TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON 95-2000 TACOMA PICKUP TRUCKS DUE TO FRAME ROT. I HAVE A 2001 TACOMA AND WAS CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED MY TRUCK AT 3 SEPARATE TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS TO "DOUBLE CHECK AND MAKE SURE" MY TRUCK WAS OKAY AND WAS ASSURED ALL THREE TIMES, BY THREE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, THAT NO SUCH ISSUE PERTAINED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT MY TRUCK WAS FINE. LAST FRIDAY (1-2-09) I WAS UNABLE TO PASS THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF FRAME ROT. THE DEALERSHIP CONFISCATED MY TRUCK BUT DID PROVIDE A RENTAL VEHICLE AND I AM NOW WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM TOYOTA ABOUT THE RESOLUTION FOR MY TRUCK. THE 95-2000 OWNERS WERE OFFERED A VERY FAIR BUY-BACK PROGRAM. THE 2000-2004 OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ARE IN A "GRAY AREA" RIGHT NOW. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP SAY THAT TOYOTA WILL BE REPLACING THE FRAMES OF THESE TRUCKS RATHER THAN "BUYING THEM BACK." ALTHOUGH THAT SOUNDS FAIR AT FIRST, WHEN NUMEROUS ASE CERTIFIED MECHANICS (MANY TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS THEMSELVES) ARE COMING OUT SAYING THAT THE FRAME REPLACEMENT IS A HORRIBLE IDEA, I HAVE A CONCERN. THEY CITE ONGOING PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR AS IS THE CASE WITH A MAJOR FRAME SWAP, MENTIONING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, MISALIGNMENT, UNEVEN WEAR, RATTLES AND SQUEAKS, ETC. THE TRUCK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. I PURCHASED A TOYOTA FOR THEIR RELIABILITY, DEPENDABILITY AND HIGH RESALE VALUE. THE KBB VALUE FOR MY TRUCK HAS PLUMMETED IN JUST THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, AND EVEN WITH A FRAME SWAP, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE VALUE WILL DROP STILL FURTHER, THUS MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT MY TUCK SHOULD BE WORTH. IF THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED MY INSPECTION HAD NOT INSPECTED THE FRAME AS WELL, I WOULD BE RIDING AROUND WITH THE POTENTIAL TO INJURE OR KILL MYSELF AND OTHERS WITHOUT KNOWING THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND HAS YET TO ISSUE ANY OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO OWNERS LIKE ME THAT A SERIOUS PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR

IN 2007 I NOTICED THE FRAME ON MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB LIMITED FOUR WHEEL DRIVE WAS RUSTING BADLY. I NOTIFIED THE GAULT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE I BUY ALL MY VEHICLES ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THEY WOULD MONITOR THE RUSTING ISSUE. ON 01/02/2008 I HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY ADVISED MY THE FRAME OF MY TRUCK WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THEY ARE NOW TELLING ME THAT THERE WAS A BUY BACK PROGRAM FOR THE RUSTED FRAMED VEHICLES FROM 1990'S TO THE YEAR 2000. I HAVE DONE SOME RESEARCH AND HAD FOUND A NUMBER OF TRUCKS LIKE MINE YEAR 2001 AND NEWER ARE ALSO RUSHING OUT. I WAS TOLD BY GAULT TOYOTA THE TOYOTA CO. IS LOOKING AT EACH INDIVIDUAL CASE AND THEY ARE MORE LIKELY ARE GOING TO REPLACE THE FRAME AND IT PROBABLY WOULD NOT BE BOUGHT BACK LIKE THE OLDER MODELS WERE. I FEEL THIS FRAME SWAP COULD CAUSE ME MORE PROBLEMS AND MORE MONEY LOSS. I DO NOT FEEL IT IS FAIR THAT TOYOTA IS NOT GIVING THE OWNERS OF THE NEWER VEHICLES THE OPTION TO HAVE THE VEHICLES BOUGHT BACK. THIS IS A PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED! *TR

HI I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA IN MINT CONDITION THAT HAS FRAME ROT I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF MY TRUCK NOW TOYOTA SAID ITS NOT SAFE AND I HAVE TO TAKE IT OFF THE ROAD . I NOW HAVE TO BUY A NEW CAR I CANT AFFORD I ONLY GOT 7 YEARS OUT OF MY TRUCK I COULD HAVE EASILY GOTTEN 15 I FEEL THIS IS WRONG AND TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE MY TRUCK. *TR

MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS FAILED A FRAME ROT INSPECTION BY TOYOTA THAT HAS BEEN OCCURRING IN TACOMAS SINCE 1995. A RECALL WAS ISSUED ON 1995 THROUGH 2000 TACOMAS HAS BEEN ISSUED AND TOYOTA IS BUYING BACK THE PICKUP AT 1 AND 1/2 TIMES THE SUGGESTED BLUE BOOK ON THE PICKUPS. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NO RECALL ON 2001 AT THIS TIME. I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AS THE 1995 THROUGH 2000 WHY SHOULD THEY NOT BE MADE TO RECALL THE 2001 TACOMA FOR AN OBVIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM. I HAVE DONE ALOT OF RESEARCH AND FOUND MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS WITH A 2001 TACOMA WITH THE SAME SAFETY PROBLEM HOW CAN TOYOTA ALLOW PEOPLE TO DRIVE A PRODUCT WITH SUCH A SAFETY PROBLEM. THE FRAME CAN SNAP AND THE CAB BECOME SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME. TOYOTA SHOULD BE MADE TO RECALL ALL THE TRUCKS WITH THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS ONLY A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE SOMEONE IS KILLED BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM. I AM IN THE FOURTH WEEK OF DEALING WITH TOYOTA ON THIS PROBLEM AND STILL HAVE NO ANSWER. I HAVE HAD TO RENT A CAR WHILE I WAIT FOR TOYOTA TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO WITH MY TRUCK WHICH THE DEALER SAID IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IF TOYOTA KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM HOW COME THEY ARE NOT MADE TO DEAL WITH THE 2001 OWNERS THE SAME AS THE 1995 THROUGH 2000 OWNERS I THINK THIS IS UNFAIR FOR A COMPANY NOT TO STAND BEHIND A SAFETY ISSUE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS SAFETY PROBLEM AS SOMEONE WILL BE HURT IN AN ACCIDENT IF TOYOTA DOES NOT OWN UP TO THE PROBLEM. *TR

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA NOT COVERED IN 1995-2000 FRAME RUST "SOFT RECALL" OF MARCH, 2008. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008 VEHICLE FAILED VT STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO PERVASIVE PENETRATING FRAME RUST. ALTHOUGH TOYOTA KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES PRIOR TO THE MARCH CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION, TOYOTA CHOSE NOT TO ALERT ME (OWNER OF A 2001 MODEL) OF THIS CONDITION. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2008 AND NOVEMBER 19, 2008, TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE STAFF VERIFIED THE RUSTED FRAME AND NOTED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE DIDN'T RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH, I AM CONCERNED OTHER 2001 OWNERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING TO ALERT 2001 OWNERS OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. WE'RE FINDING OUT ONE AT A TIME AS OUR VEHICLES FAIL SAFETY INSPECTIONS. BASED UPON MY OBSERVATIONS OF THE FRAME, I BELIEVE THE DEFECT IS NOT SIMPLY THE ABSENCE OF A CORROSION INHIBITING COATING, BUT RATHER INAPPROPRIATE METALLURGY - I.E. THE FRAME ITSELF COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED FROM THE CORRECT QUALITY OF STEEL FOR THIS TYPE OF SERVICE. *TR

THE FRAME ON MY TOYOTA TACOMA HAS EXTENSIVE RUST. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED VEHICLES WITH RUSTED FRAMES FOR THE YEARS 1995 TO 2000. THE SAME THING IS HAPPENING TO NEWER VEHICLES AND THE DANGER IS STILL THE SAME. RUST KEEPS GETTING WORSE AND SOON IT WILL BE A SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

PURCHASED A NEW TOYOTA TACOMA AND WAS TOLD OUR 2001 THAT WE WERE TRADING WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL FOR FRAME RUST. THE DEALER OFFERED US $1K FOR IT SO WE GAVE IT AS A GIFT TO OUR DAUGHTERS BOYFRIEND. IT NEEDED A NEW MUFFLER AND HE TOOK IT IN TO HAVE IT REPLACED ONLY TO FIND THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND IT DID NOT PASS INSPECTION. CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND GOT A CASE NUMBER BUT THIS POOR KID HAS NOW BEEN WITHOUT A VEHICLE FOR OVER A MONTH. CAN NOT GET A RENTAL AS THOSE FOLKS WITH 1995 TO 2000 GOT. SEEMS UNFAIR BUT MORE THAN THAT, WHAT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF ALL THOSE PEOPLE DRIVING AROUND IN 2001'S THAT HAVE NOT BEEN RECALLED!! *TR

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. RECENTLY I BECAME AWARE THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY 2001 WAS NOT COVERED BY THEIR CONSUMER PROTECTION PROGRAM THAT BOUGHT BACK 1995-2000 TACOMAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AT 150% OF THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WILL MAKE ME AN OFFER PROBABLY AT 100% OF THE KBB VALUE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN COLLEGE AND 529 PLANS ROCKED BY THE ECONOMY AND NO EXTRA MONEY TO SPARE. I WAS COUNTING ON THE 'BULLET PROOF' RELIABILITY CLAIMS OF TOYOTA AND TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I HAVE ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED THE VEHICLE UNTIL NOW AND CANNOT REPLACE THE TRUCK AT THE CURRENT KBB VALUE. I THINK THIS ISSUE HAS IMPACTED THE RESALE VALUE OF THESE VEHICLES. MORE IMPORTANTLY HOWEVER IS THAT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TOYOTA HAD NOTIFIED THE VEHICLE OWNERS OF THE 1995-2000 TACOMAS COVERED BY THEIR PROGRAM, OF THE POSSIBLE FRAME PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED ANY OF THE OWNERS OF THE NEWER VEHICLES THAT HAVE, OR MAY HAVE THE PROBLEM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FRAMES COULD BRAKE IN SOME INSTANCES WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURY. *TR