2004 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4WD. I PURCHASE IT NEW. THE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT TERRIBLY AND THE MUFFLER SYSTEM HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND ROT FLAKING OFF OF THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THE TACOMA ON THE HIGHWAY DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. I LIVE IN MASSACHUSETTS AND I HAVE BEEN ADVISED THAT TOYOTA MAY RECALL THIS YEAR AND MODEL FOR FRAME ROT. I AM FACING A $500+ BILL TO REPLACE THE MUFFLER SYSTEM. PLEASE ADVISE. *TR

2004 TRD TACOMA TRUCK BRAKES NOT GOOD I HAVE PROBLEM WITH BRAKES SINCE I PURCHASE TRUCK. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 COMPLETELY STOCK TOYOTA TACOMA THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD WITH 36000 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING COLUMN UPPER SHAFT AT THE SLIP JOINT BELOW THE TILT BALL JOINT HAS BECOME LOOSE. THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING NOW CAUSING CONTROL OF THE TRUCK TO BECOME LESS AND LESS PRECISE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT ON MANY DIFFERENT TOYOTA TACOMA FORUMS. PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER STEERING SHAFTS BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES USUALLY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL AND REDESIGN A MUCH STURDIER PART THAT KEEPS THE STEERING PLAY AT ORIGINAL SPECS FOR CONTROL AND SAFETY. *TR

2004 TOYOTA TACOMA X-TRA CAB, 4CYL. WITH A/T DEVELOPED POWER STEERING LEAK AT 51K. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM AS BAD SEALS IN THE RACK AND PINION. WHEN I REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION, I DISCOVERED THAT A PINCH BOLT IN THE STEERING COLUMN HAD RUBBED A HOLE IN THE METAL POWER STEERING FEED LINE GOING TO THE RACK AND PINION. THIS ISSUE WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALERS ATTENTION BUT THE DEALER REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND I HAVE BEEN WITHOUT THE USE OF MY '04 TOYOTA TRUCK FOR 5 MONTHS. *TR

EMERGENCY FLASHERS COME ON BY THEMSELVES. UNABLE TO DISENGAGE SWITCH AND TURN SIGNALS WILL NOT WORK. *TR

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER RECEIVING A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT FRAME RUST, WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE REQUESTED INSPECTION. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE FRAME HAS SOFT SPOTS AND THAT TOYOTA RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE FRAME. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. HOWEVER, WE QUESTION THIS KIND OF INVASIVE REPAIR. WE WANT TOYOTA TO BUY THE TRUCK BACK GIVEN THE NATURE OF THIS SAFETY DEFECT. TOYOTA HAS A DEFINED HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE FRAMES IN THE TACOMA: THEY BOUGHT BACK MANY 1995-2000 TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON. SINCE THE 2001-2004 TACOMAS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT -- A VERY SERIOUS ONE -- TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND PROPERLY COMPENSATE OWNERS LIKE US BY BUYING THEM BACK. WE REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO REQUIRE TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER BY RECALLING ALL AFFECTED TACOMAS SO THESE VEHICLES CAN BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE INJURY AND DEATH RESULTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER. *TR PETER SPANGENBERG

1) POWER STEERING FLUID BEGAN TO LEAK FROM AREA OF RACK AND PINION. 2) TOYOTA DEALER MIS-DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS LEAKING SEALS IN RACK AND PINION. 3) LEAK OCCURRED IN METAL POWER STEERING LINE (ROUTED TOO CLOSE TO STEERING GEAR) , WHERE FRICTION FROM PINCH BOLT IN STEERING GEAR HAS WORN A HOLE IN METAL POWER STEERING LINE. 4) THIS CAUSES ALL FLUID TO LEAK FROM POWER STEERING SYSTEM. 5) 2004 TACOMA SR-5 XTRA CAB, 2.4 LITRE 4CYL./AUTO TRANS, 51K. *TR

VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES ENGINE POWER, USUALLY WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, STARTING FROM A STOPLIGHT OR ATTEMPTING TO PASS ON THE FREEWAY. IN ALL CASES RESULTING IN DANGEROUS SITUATIONS. THE DEALER ATTEMPTED TO FIX THE ISSUE ONCE, ACKNOWLEDGING IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE VEHICLES THROTTLE BODY SYSTEM. AFTER $1000 WORTH OF PARTS THE PROBLEM IS BACK, THEY REFUSE TO WARRANTY ANYTHING PAST THE 3YEAR/36MILE PERIOD. IN RESEARCHING ONLINE THIS APPEARS TO BE AN EXTENSIVE ISSUE WITH SIMILAR TACOMAS. I'VE CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT DIAGNOSING THE PROBLEM, THEY REFUSE TO LOOK AT IT CITING THE NEED FOR ANOTHER $1000 WORTH OF PARTS NEEDED. *TR

I HAVE A RUST PROBLEM IN THE BED OF MY 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA AND I HAVE A 5 YEAR WARRANTY AGAINST MANUFACTURE DEFECTS THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT HONOR AND THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE STEERING WAS VERY TIGHT. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE FELL OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE AUTO SHOP AND REPAIRED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE MANUFACTURER TOOK A REPORT AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT HE WOULD BE NOTIFIED BY A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 77,000.