2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

INFO COPY LTR FWD TO TOYOTA REGARDING FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL, CUSTOMER DISSATISFIED W/QUALITY OF CURRENT TOYOTA VEHICLES. *TS **REFERENCE 10140998*** THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL IT KEPT GOING, THE CONSUMER OVER STEERED TO TRY AND THE VEHICLE TO TURN, HOWEVER THE VEHICLE WENT TOO FAR IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, CROSSED THE CENTER LINE, HIT A CULVERT WENT AIRBORNE AND HIT A DIRT DITCH. THE INSURANCE COMPANY TOTALED THE VEHICLE. *JB

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING POWER STEERING FLUID, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STEER. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW AND WAS DRIVING AT LOWER SPEEDS HEAR A NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THERE WAS A LOUD GROWLING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE SERVICE DEALER REPLACED THE HIGH AND LOW PRESSURE LINE POWER STEERING PUMP, AND THE POWER STEERING SWITCH. THESE COMPONENTS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY, AND THE CONSUMER WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE REPAIRS. *AK

I HAVE A 2003, TOYOTA TACOMA, V6, 4X4, TRD PACKAGE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND EVERY NOW AND THEN IT IS LIKE I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS BUT I DIDN'T! IF I STEP ON IT, IT IS FINE. *JB THE PROBLEM: IS THROTTLE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODIES ON 03 AND 04 TACOMAS. THE ACCELERATOR PETAL POSITION SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAS A SHAFT ONTO WHICH THE LEVER FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE IS MOUNTED WITH SOME RETURN SPRINGS. THIS SHAFT ALSO TURNS THE POTENTIOMETER. THIS LEVER (A PLASTIC PIECE) LIMITS THE TRAVEL OF THE ASSEMBLY, SO THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RESISTANCES OF THE POTENTIOMETER ARE NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THE POTENTIOMETER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE POTENTIOMETER CAN ALSO TURN IN THE ASSEMBLY, LOOSING ITS REFERENCE TO THE ARM AND LEVER. THEN THE RANGE OF RESISTANCE THAT IS POSSIBLE CAN BE CHANGED. IF IT TURNS TOO FAR ONE WAY, THE HIGHER RESISTANCE WILL BE SUCH THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT VOLTAGE SENT TO THE ECU TO INDICATE THAT THE PEDAL HAS BEEN DEPRESSED. CONVERSELY, THERE IS A POINT AT THE OTHER END OF THE PETITIONER WHERE THE FULL VOLTAGE IS APPLIED AND THE ECU SEES THIS AS A FAILURE AND CLOSES THE THROTTLE BY RELEASING THE THROTTLE CONTROL MOTOR'S CLUTCH. NOTHING HAS BEEN TO DONE TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA OR DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC CAN NOT REPLICATED PROBLEM. SUGGESTED I REPLACE BRAND NEW THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS ABOUT $600

FAULTY APPS (ACCELERATOR PEDAL POSITION SENSOR). VEHICLE IS DESIGNED WITH A COMBINATION OF MECHANICAL AND DRIVE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODY. WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOPPED POSITION ACCELERATOR PEDAL IS DEPRESSED WITH NO RESPONSE TO ENGINE OR VEHICLE MOVEMENT. THIS POSES A SAFETY THREAT IF DRIVER IS IN A LIFE OR DEATH SITUATION AND CANNOT MOVE VEHICLE OUT OF HARMS WAY.

DIFFERENTIAL MADE A BAD NOISE AT 21,221 MILES CHECKED GEAR LUBE ONLY TO FIND IT EMPTY. TOOK IT TO TOYOTA CITY WHERE THEY SAID IT WAS FINE. TOOK IT TO INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP, SAID OBVIOUS LEAK ON PASS. SIDE END OF DIFF, AXLE. I HAD 15,000 MILE SERVICE DONE AT TOYOTA CITY ($165.00), THEY NEVER CHECKED THE DIFF, GEAR LUBE EVEN THOUGH THE OWNERS MAINTENANCE BOOK SAYS TO INSPECT DIFF, GEAR LUBE. (NO REPAIRS WERE EVEN ATTEMPTED AT TOYOTA CITY). BROUGHT THE MISSED DIFF. FLUID CHECK TO CUST. SERVICE REPS ATTENTION, SAID SHE WILL TALK TO SERVICE DEPARTMENT, A MONTH LATER, AND STILL NO REPLY . *NM

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING DRIVEN IT BEGAN TO DEVELOP ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS. ULTIMATELY THE ELECTRICAL PROBLEM DEVELOPED INTO A FIRE THAT DAMAGED COMPONENTS UNDER THE HOOD AS WELL AS CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGES. AT THE PRESENT TIME THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN ITS POST FIRE CONDITION AWAITING REPAIR. THE VEHICLE INVOLVED IS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB, IT WAS PURCHASED NEW AND WAS AND IS UNDER FULL FACTORY WARRANTIES. AS OF YET NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE BY TOYOTA OR BY THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM AND TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. INSTEAD, BOTH TOYOTA AND THEIR LOCAL DEALERSHIP HAVE REPEATEDLY INSTRUCTED ME TO ABSORB THE PROBLEM MYSELF BY TURNING IT INTO MY INSURANCE COMPANY. THIS THEN EXPOSES ME TO COSTS OUTSIDE OF THE WARRANTY, MAKES THE INSURANCE CARRIER RESPONSIBLE FOR A DEFECT THAT SHOULD BE COVERABLE BY WARRANTY AND DOES NOTHING TO ASSURE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS FOREVER CORRECTED TO PREVENT A RE-OCCURRENCE TO EITHER MYSELF OR TO OTHERS WHO MAY SUFFER THE SAME PROBLEMS. *JB

TRUCK ALWAYS PULLED TO THE LEFT SINCE NEW, TOOK IT IN TO TOYOTA DEALER 4 TIMES, THEY SAID NOTHING IS WRONG WITH IT. AT 21,000 MILES I HEARD A BAD NOISE COMING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL, I PULLED OVER AND REMOVED THE FILL PLUG ONLY TO FIND NO OIL IN IT.SO I PUT IN 4 OZ. SHORT OF A QUART OF 80W90 GEAR OIL. (PULLED TO LEFT BECAUSE A WHEEL BEARING WASN'T GETTING AND LUBRICATION). RETURNED TO DEALER, THEY SAID WE CAN'T FIND A LEAK, 50 MILES LATER I PULLED THE FILL PLUG AND FOUND THE OIL TO BE BLACK AS CAN BE WITH METAL IN IT. DEALERS ANSWER IS TO COME BACK WHEN IT BREAKS. SO NOW I AM STUCK WITH A 2003 TACOMA WITH A 200,000 MILE DIFFERENTIAL. (WHAT A SHAME).

IN THE MONTH OF JUNE I TOOK MY TRUCK INTO A REPUTABLE SERVICE CENTER FOR OUR STATES REQUIRED STATE SAFTY INSPECTION. DURING THIS INSPECTION THE TIRES MUST BE REMOVED FOR THE BRAKE INSPECTION. WHILE THE INSPECTER WAS PLACING THE TIRES BACK ONTO THE TRUCK, TWO OF THE WHEEL STUDS BROKE ON THE FRONT HUB. HE BROUGHT THEM IN TO SHOW ME THE PROBLEM AND STATED THAT THIS HAPPENS ON ALMOST EVERY 2000 - 2003 TOYOTA PICKUP THEY WORK ON. HE EVEN SHOWED ME THAT THE STUD WASN'T CROSS THREADED AND REMOVED THE STUD FROM THE LUG NUT USING A PAIR OF PLIERS. THE STUD CAME RIGHT OUT WITH LITTLE PRESSURE. THE STUDS WERE REPLACED WITH NEW STUDS FROM A LOCALE AUTO PARTS STORE. THE OLD STUDS WERE THROWN IN THE TRASH.

ONCE IN A WHILE WHEN I AM DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA VIN [XXX] IT STARTS GOING OFF THE LANE AND REQUIRES EXTRA POWER TO GET BACK ON TRACK. THIS HAS HAPPENED 3 TIME SO FAR ON THE LOCAL SURFACE STREETS HERE IN TEMPE. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THIS BEHAVIOR ON HIGHWAY. ALSO AFTER THAT THE HAND-BREAK LIGHT WILL COME ON AND IT WILL NOT GO OFF. I DID NOT EVEN PUT HAND BREAK. THE HAND-BREAK LIGHT WILL GO OFF AFTER A WHILE. *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

AT ANY TIME, MY 2003 TOYOTA DOUBLE CAB 4X4 TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK WILL LOSE ALL POWER AS IF I HAVE REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN IN FACT I HAVE NOT. THIS WILL CAUSE MY TRUCK TO DRASTICALLY DECREASE SPEED UNTIL I PUMP THE GAS PEDAL UNTIL IT DECIDES TO WORK AGAIN AND PICK UP SPEED AGAIN. I HAVE DONE MUCH RESEARCH ON THIS ISSUE AND HAVE FOUND THAT THE CAUSE IS A FAULTY "DRIVE BY WIRE" THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS CAUSING THIS. THE THROTTLE BODY ON THESE TRUCKS ARE COMPUTER CONTROLLED. YOU CAN ONLY OPEN THE THROTTLE BODY BUTTERFLY THE FIRST 25% WITH THE PEDAL THEN THE COMPUTER OPENS IT THE REST OF THE WAY. THESE THROTTLE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODIES ARE CRAPPING OUT LEFT AND RIGHT AND TOYOTA IS TRYING NOT TO REPLACE THEM UNDER THE POWER TRAIN WARRANTY. THEY ARE CLAIMING IT IS COVERED UNDER THE 3/30 BUMPER TO BUMPER WARRANTY AND NOT THE 5/60 POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS IT CAUSES ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OVER THE VEHICLE AND IT IS PUTTING MYSELF, PASSENGERS AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD IN DANGER. WHAT IF THIS HAPPENS IF I PULL OUT IN FRONT OF A DUMP TRUCK? WHAT IF IT HAPPENS WHEN I AM CROSSING A TRAIN TRACK?? I THINK IT IS A SERIOUS LOSS OF CONTROL ISSUE AND IT SHOULD BE A RECALL ITEM PURE AND SIMPLE.