2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

The local dealership Cloninger Ford /Toyota told me that I need to replace the airbag ECU and Pretensioner on drivers side. The cost estimate was $1,500.00. I have seen that Toyota has given recalls on other models for this defect. I have a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. I am submitting this complaint with hopes for my case to be considered. The airbag light cam on on my truck 2 months ago and Cloninger Toyota replaced the front seat belt assy. and erased dics. This cured the problem (light on) for a few weeks. Please consider this issue for recall further than you have at this point.

Truck crashed into rocks on shoulder and rolled over. Driver side Windshield and roof crushed. Air bag did not deploy. Sheriff took a report of crash.HI213530034 Greenspot road. Highland , CA. Vehicle is in possession of coparts authorized by USAA insurance

While driving, on the highway, the rear shock absorber support mount came loose, allowing the truck bed to come loose from the frame/chassis. Fortunately only the passenger side came loose, keeping the truck's bed attached to the rear of the truck I later found that this particular model has a problem with Frame rot which generated a Toyota bulletin. I bought the truck from Toyota, as a used truck in 2011, but received no notifications of this potentially hazardous vehicle. If the bed had come loose at highway speed, any vehicle following the 2003 Toyota Tacoma truck would have been severely damaged or potentially resulted in the death of the people in the cars following behind me and the truck. There was a Toyota bulletin issued previously which was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. The vehicle has been in Toyota shops regularly for inspections, maintenance and other repairs but the shop never mentioned anything about a "rusty" frame. Upon further research, I have found multiple Toyota Tacoma owners with similar issues with the frame. I believe Toyota knowingly manufactured and sold a defective product with serious potential safety issues. This vehicle either should be banned from the road for the safety of all drivers.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while changing the oil, he noticed that the undercarriage of the vehicle was rusted which resulted in the sub-frame being compromised. The vehicle was diagnosed but not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of failure of the failure but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN THE GARAGE, RODENTS ATE THE FUEL LINE CAUSING A FUEL LEAK. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HALEY TOYOTA OF ROANOKE (1530 COURTLAND RD NE, ROANOKE, VA 24012) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED WITH THE FUEL LINE NEEDING TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN REPAIRED TWICE HOWEVER, THE ISSUE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 75,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE CHECK UP AT LITHIA TOYOTA OF REDDING (250 E. CYPRESS AVE, REDDING, CA 96002, (530) 250-3207) THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED HIM THAT THE SPARE TIRE HAD SEVERE CORROSION, AS WELL AS THE REAR SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED DUE TO PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 450,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

ONCE YOU FASTEN THE SEAT BELT, IT TIGHTENS WITH ANY MOVENT AND RESTRAINS THE BODY TO THE POINT THAT DISABLES MOVEMENT OR EVEN BREATHING. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE.

I NOTICED A SMALL HOLE UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME JUST IN FRONT OF THE LEAF SPRING AND NOW THE HOLE HAS GROWN TO THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THERE IS ALSO QUITE ALOT OF RUST UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK AS WELL AS THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER. I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND THIS TRUCK WAS PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN PENNSYLVANIA. THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION. SINCERELY,[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHEN I WENT TO THE GARAGE FOR THE YEARLY INSPECTION, I WAS INFORMED BY THE MECHANIC THAT THE FRAME ON MY TACOMA WAS RUSTED SEVERELY WITH MAJOR HOLES AND COULD NOT BE INSPECTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME FOR SUCH ISSUES AND THAT I SHOULD CALL THE DEALER WHO SOLD THE TRUCK. BEING AS THE DEALER WAS NO LONGER OPEN (RETIRED), I WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK TO HIM. II CALLED THE TOYOTA COMPANY, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL WAS NO LONGER IN EFFECT AND THAT THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. I ASKED WHY I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT THIS RECALL AS I WAS THE REGISTERED OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, I WAS TOLD THAT "EVERYONE THAT OWNED ONE SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN A NOTICE." I WROTE A LETTER TO THE TOYOTA COMPANY IN JANUARY 2020 AND DID NOT RECEIVE A REPLY.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 123,208.