2001 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK WAS SHOWING EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. I NOTICED THIS WHEN CHANGING THE OIL. I HAD MENTIONED THIS TO A FEW FRIENDS OF MINE WHO RECENTLY TOLD ME OF A RECALL FOR 1995 THROUGH 2000 TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK NEW IN NOVEMBER OF 2000. THE SERVICE MANAGER INSPECTED THE FRAME AND FILED A REPORT WITH TOYOTA. THEY SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR WHO LOOKED AT THE FRAME AND FILED A REPORT. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE IN CONTACT WITHIN 2 TO 3 WEEKS. AFTER NOT HEARING FROM THEM, I CALLED THE SERVICE MANAGER BACK AND ASKED IF HE HAD HEARD ANYTHING AT WHICH TIME HE HAD ME CALL THE CUSTOMER ASSISTANCE NUMBER FOR TOYOTA. THEY GAVE ME A CLAIM NUMBER AND SAID I WOULD BE HEARING BACK WITHIN 24 HOURS. I GOT A CALL FROM TOYOTA TELLING ME THEY WERE AWARE OF THE CLAIM, THAT MY TRUCK WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND SOMEONE MAY CONTACT ME BACK. WHEN I ASKED WHEN, THEY SAID THEY HAD NO ANSWER FOR ME. THEY ALSO TOLD ME MY TRUCK WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AT THIS POINT, WHICH I WAS ALREADY AWARE OF THIS FACT. MY TRUCK WAS INSPECTED OVER A MONTH AGO AND I HAVE RECEIVED NOTHING. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY TRUCK AND WITH WINTER COMING ON, I HAVE NO VEHICLE TO DRIVE IN THE SNOW. MY TRUCK HAS LESS THEN 100,000 MILES ON IT AND IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE OTHER THEN THE FRAME. TOYOTA NEEDS TO MAKE THIS RIGHT. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED IN HOW THEY ARE HANDLING THIS WITH THE OWNERS OF THE 2001 AND UP TRUCKS. THEY SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THESE VEHICLES IMMEDIATELY AND NOT BY SCREWING PEOPLE WITH OFFERS OF LESS THEN THEY ARE OFFERING THE OWNERS OF 1995 THROUGH 2000. THAT JUST ADDS INSULT TO INJURY. *TR

THERE HAS BEEN NO INCIDENT AS OF YET. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP AFTER WE WENT TO HAVE THE BRAKES FIXED AND WERE TOLD THAT THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK WAS RUSTING THROUGH. THE DEALER INFORMED US THAT THE RECALL ON OUR TRUCK WOULD NOT BE PUT THROUGH FOR ANOTHER 30 DAYS. AND THAT OUR TRUCK WAS SAFE TO DRIVE. HOW EVER I FEEL THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SINCE YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND THROUGH THE FRAME WHERE IT HAS RUSTED. THIS IS OUR ONLY VEHICLE AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER AT THIS TIME. THE TRUCK IS A 2001 AND THIS IS 2008, THIS TRUCK IS USED FOR DAILY NEEDS AND GENERAL RIDING. *TR

I WAS TOLD SEPT 11,2008 THAT MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS RUSTED OUT BEYOND BEING FIXED IN THE FRAME. I WAS CONTACTED AND MADE AN OFFER OF 100% KBB TO BUT THE TRUCK BACK FROM ME AND WHEN I TOLD THEM I OWED MORE THEN WHAT WAS OFFERED THEY REPLIED THAT I HAD TO SAY YES OR NO. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT TO DO. I DON'T HAVE THE EXTRA MONEY TO PAY THE LOAN OFF TO SETTLE. *TR

I HEARD ABOUT THE TOYOTA RECALL FOR FRAME 'PERFORATION' ON 1995-2000 TACOMA PICKUPS. I HAVE A 2001 AND DIDN'T THINK TO CHECK MINE UNTIL A FRIEND WITH THE SAME YEAR/MAKE/MODEL DISCOVERED HIS FRAME HAD THE SAME ISSUE. I CHECKED MY FRAME AND IT IS ROTTED IN THE EXACT SAME PLACE HIS WAS. I HAVE OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA (#200809250175) AND AM AWAITING RESPONSE. I AM ALREADY BEING MET WITH RESPONSES FROM TOYOTA LIKE "YOUR TRUCK IS OUTSIDE OF THE SERVICE BULLETIN" AND "YOU ARE NOT COVERED". MY TRUCK IS NEWER THAN THE ONES BEING COVERED AND HAS THE SAME ISSUE. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY IT WOULD NOT BE COVERED. SINCE THIS IS AN ISSUE WITH THE FRAME. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TRUCK. AS FAILURE OF THE FRAME COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH TO MYSELF OR MY FAMILY. *TR

FAX FROM SENATOR BERNARD SANDERS ON BEHALF OF HIS CONSTITUENT WHO HAS CONCERNS ABOUT THE RUSTED FRAME OF HER 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE. *JB

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WITH FRAME ROT. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN CONFISCATED AS IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT HAS BEEN 3 WKS NOW AND TOYOTA CAN'T EVEN GIVE ME A COMPLETION DATE. THEY ARE STILL INSPECTING THE VEHICLE. MY RENTAL COVERAGE IS ONLY GOOD FOR 30 DAYS THEN I NEED TO PAY FOR IT. TOYOTA IS TELLING ME TO BE PATIENT AS THEY NEED TO TEND TO THE 1995-2000 CUSTOMERS FIRST AS THEY HAD ISSUED A WARRANTY EXTENSION THAT DID NOT PERTAIN TO MY VEHICLE ALTHOUGH ITS THE SAME FRAME PROBLEM. MY FRAME WAS CORRODED AND WASN'T GOING TO PASS INSPECTION NOR WAS THE VEHICLE SAFE TO DRIVE. I AM LEFT PAYING ON A VEHICLE I NO LONGER HAVE IN MY POSSESSION AND CASE MANAGER TELLING ME TO BE PATIENT!!!! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO COVER THE ROTTING FRAME ISSUE IN ALL OF THEIR VEHICLES SINCE ITS TOYOTA'S PROBLEM, NOT THE CONSUMERS. PLEASE HELP ME!!!! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE SHOP FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRONT FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONCLUDED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERE FRAME CORROSION, THE VEHICLE WAS A SAFETY HAZARD ON THE ROAD. THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2001 TACOMA FRAME INTO THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 121,946 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 122,946. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/07/08. *JB

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE FRAME ON MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK-UP THAT WAS PURCHASED USED IN FEBRUARY OF 2007 WITH 102,000 MILES. A NYS INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED UPON PURCHASE. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 130K. SEPTEMBER 6TH, 2008, WHILE INSTALLING AT A LOCAL TIRE AND BREAK SHOP, THE TECH NOTICED SERIOUS FRAME ROT ON THE BACK PASSENGER SIDE OF MY TRUCK. THE SHOP MANAGER INFORMED ME OF A VOLUNTARY TOYOTA BUY-BACK FOR 1999-2000 MODELS, WARRANTY POLICY BULLETIN POL08-03, DATED 3/7/08. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND HAD THE TRUCK IMMEDIATELY INSPECTED BY LIA TOYOTA SERVICE OF COLONIE NY. I WAS INFORMED THE FRAME WAS SERIOUSLY ROTTED, AND THE TRUCK NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. I WAS TOLD THE FOLLOWING TO RECTIFY THE SITUATION: 1. THE DEALERSHIP COULD NOT 'GO TO BAT FOR ME' TO ASSIST ME WITH DEALING WITH TOYOTA FOR A RECALL REQUEST; 2. 2001 MODELS ARE NOT "USUALLY COVERED" IN THE RECALL. AND; 3. IF COVERED, I WOULD NOT GET A LOANER CAR; I WOULD NOT RECEIVE THE 150% VALUE AS IS STANDARD FOR 1995-2001 MODELS THIS IS A SLAP IN THE FACE. WHY SHOULD THE 2001 MODELS BE EXCLUDED FROM THE WARRANTY AND RECALL COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE 1995-2001 MODELS? MY TRUCK IS NEWER - YET IT HAS THE SAME FRAME ROT. THE FACT THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO ASSIST ME WITH THIS PROCESS IS ADDITIONALLY INFURIATING. TOYOTA HAS YET TO CONTACT ME VIA THE CASE MANAGER THEY HAVE ASSIGNED ME. I DON'T KNOW IF TOYOTA WILL PAY ME 100% OF THE VALUE OF MY TRUCK FOR MARCH OF 2008 OR AUGUST OF 2008. THE BLUE BOOK VALUE OF MY TRUCK HAS DROPPED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE THE RECALL WAS ISSUED. DEFECTIVE FRAMES ARE NOT EXCLUSIVE TO THE 1995-2000 MODEL YEAR TACOMAS - SO WHY IS TOYOTA EXCLUDING NEWER MODELS? THIS IS DANGEROUS, PERHAPS EVEN CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT. TOYOTA SHOULD BE RECALLING TACOMA TRUCKS MANUFACTURED AFTER 2000 THAT ARE EXPERIENCING MASSIVE FRAME RUST - WITHOUT DOING SO THE COMPANY IS ENDANGERING THE LIVES OF TACOMA OWNERS. *TR UPDATED 10/22/08*JB UPDATED 02/24/10

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP WITH RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME. TOYOTA HAS OFFERED TO BUY MY TRUCK BACK BUT AT A FRACTION OF WHAT THEY OFFERED OWNERS OF 1995-2000 LEAVING ME WITH NOTHING TO TRADE AND NOTHING TO PUT DOWN ON A NEW VEHICLE. *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS FRAME ROT. IN SOME PLACES ON THE FRAME THE ROT IS 8-10 INCHES LONG. THE ONLY THING THAT I HAVE DONE WITH THE TRUCK HAS BEEN DRIVING IT TO WORK ON A PAVED HIGHWAY. *TR