2006 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

SPARE TIRE CABLE SNAPPED ON THE MORNING OF 7/12/12.SNAPPING OF THE CABLE RESULTED IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECOMING AIRBORNE AND SHIFTING TO THE SIDE WHILE IN MID AIR. LUCKILY TIME WAS ON MY SIDE. I WAS WORKING NIGHTS AND HAD THIS INCIDENT UNFOLDED WHILE WORKING MY NORMAL DAY SHIFT, I AM POSITIVE THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN CONTACT BETWEEN MY VEHICLE WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE, OR ANOTHER VEHICLE WITH TIRE AND RIM ON ROUTE 287 NORTH IN NEW JERSEY AS THE ROADS ARE PACKED LIKE SARDINES IN A CAN YET MOVING AT A BRISK PACE. I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IS WAS AT FIRST BUT IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF INTO THE SHOULDER. FOUND THE WHEEL AND NOTICED THAT THE UNUSED SPARE TIRE IS NOW IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT AT A COST OF $180. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STARTED THAT THE IGNITION AND THE AIR BAG WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED UNTIL THE ENGINE WAS TURNED OFF. THERE WAS A RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 12V092000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE AUTHORIZED DEALER STATED THAT THE PART WOULD NOT BE AVAILABLE FOR THREE WEEKS AND THE VEHICLE MUST REMAIN AT THE DEALER DURING THAT TIME FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS DISPLEASED TO KNOW THAT THE VEHICLE HAD TO REMAIN AT THE DEALER AFTER WAITING FOR FIVE WEEKS TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 12V092000 (AIR BAGS:FRONTAL). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. AFTER REPAIR, ANOTHER WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED BUT THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE WHICH WARNING LIGHT THAT WAS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT FOR THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS ILLUMINATED SINCE THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED IT MAY BE RELATED TO THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER, BUT THEY REFUSED TO INSPECT AND REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ONLY TURNED OFF THE AIR BAG LIGHT. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

THIS COMPLAINT IS PRESENTLY FILED UNDER "SUSPENSION", BUT SHOULD BE FILED UNDER "STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS". THE FOLLOWING IS WHAT IS PRINTED UNDER THE "SUSPENSION" FILE: DESPITE WASHING, SCRAPING/WIRE BRUSHING, SPOT PRIMING AND PAINTING THE TRUCK FRAME ONCE PER YEAR, THE FRAME FROM JUST IN FRONT OF THE AXLE, ALL THE WAY FORWARD, BOTH SIDES, IS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE FRONT CROSS PIECE IS TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED. THE "INCIDENT" IS THAT THE CORROSION IS SO BAD THAT THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR MOUNT, DRIVER'S SIDE, HAS TORN AWAY FROM THE FRAME. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWS THAT THE FRAME IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA NEEDS TOTAL REPLACEMENT/EXTENSIVE REPAIR. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME FRAME CORROSION PROBLEM SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA IN THE 1990 TO 2004 VEHICLES. BUT TOYOTA IS NOT ISSUING RECALLS OR "CUSTOMER PROGRAMS" FOR 2005 TACOMA'S AND NEWER. SINCE THE BOX-SECTIONED FRAME RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT, THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM IS NOT APPARENT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE - WHEN A CATASTROPHIC FRAME FAILURE CAN HAPPEN - AS WITH THE FAILURE OF MY STABILIZER BAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS FRAME ISSUE IMMEDIATELY. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF AN AXLE MOUNT OR ENGINE MOUNT FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY? THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD, THIS IS INSANE! *TT

DESPITE WASHING, SCRAPING/WIRE BRUSHING, SPOT PRIMING AND PAINTING THE TRUCK FRAME ONCE PER YEAR, THE FRAME FROM JUST IN FRONT OF THE AXEL, ALL THE WAY FORWARD, BOTH SIDES, IS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE FRONT CROSS PIECE IS TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED. THE "INCIDENT" IS THAT THE CORROSION IS SO BAD THAT THE FRONT STABILIZER BAR MOUNT, DRIVER'S SIDE, HAS TORN AWAY FROM THE FRAME. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWS THAT THE FRAME IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA NEEDS TOTAL REPLACEMENT/EXTENSIVE REPAIR. THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME FRAME CORROSION PROBLEM SUPPOSEDLY ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA IN THE 1990 TO 2004 VEHICLES. BUT TOYOTA IS NOT ISSUING RECALLS OR "CUSTOMER PROGRAMS" FOR 2005 TACOMA'S AND NEWER. SINCE THE BOX SECTIONED FRAME RUSTS FROM THE INSIDE OUT, THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM IS NOT APPARENT UNTIL IT IS TOO LATE - WHEN A CATASTROPHIC FRAME FAILURE CAN HAPPEN - AS WITH THE FAILURE OF MY STABILIZER BAR. TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS FRAME ISSUE IMMEDIATELY. CAN YOU IMAGINE IF AN AXEL MOUNT OR ENGINE MOUNT FAILED ON THE HIGHWAY? THIS VEHICLE IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD, THIS IS INSANE! *JS

I HAVE AN 06 TACOMA PRE-RUNNER, WHICH I HAVE NOTICED TO HAVE SOME EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. AFTER HAVING SOME WORK DONE ON MY TRUCK, MY MECHANIC ASKED IF THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON THIS TRUCK FOR THE FRAME RUSTING, BECAUSE IT SHOULD NOT BE THIS BAD. AFTER RESEARCHING, I HAVE FOUND THAT THEY HAD RECALLED EARLIER MODELS FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. SO WHAT ABOUT THE NEWER MODELS? NOW I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THE FRAME. *TR

THE AIRBAG (SRS) LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. A LITTLE RESEARCH HAS UNCOVERED THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. I WOULD THINK A RECALL WOULD BE IN ORDER DUE TO THE POTENTIAL FOR SERIOUS INJURY IF THE SYSTEM DID NOT FUNCTION IN AN ACCIDENT. WHY HAS A RECALL NOT BEEN ISSUED? *TR

AROUND THE END OF APRIL MY TACOMA STARTED MAKING A HORRIBLE NOISE WHENEVER I BACKED UP. AFTER SOME SEARCHING AROUND I FOUND MY FAN WAS RUBBING ON ITS COVER. NEXT I LOOKED INTO WHY ON SOME FORUMS, SO AFTER SOME RESEARCH I DISCOVERED ITS DO TOO A BROKEN MOTOR MOUNT. I GOT UNDER MY TRUCK AND TRUE TO BEHOLD MY MOTOR MOUNT HAD COLLAPSED INTO THE FRAME. THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE WITH 05-06 TACOMA'S YET TOYOTA WONT DO ANYTHING. THEY SAY IM 100,000 MILES OUT OF WARRANTY. TO MAKE IT WORSE TOYOTA IS WELL AWARE OF THE MATTER BECAUSE ALL 07 AND NEWER TACOMA'S HAVE EXTRA SUPPORT PLATE WELDED ON THE FRAME TO PREVENT COLLAPSE. *TR

AIRBAG LIGHT ON. HAD VEHICLE DIAGNOSED BY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. SAID VEHICLE NEEDS NEW SPIRAL CABLE (CLOCK SPRING). CALLED DEALER FOR RECALL INFORMATION AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A PENDING RECALL OUT SOMETIME THIS SUMMER 2012 BUT IF WANTED TO REPAIR NOW WOULD BE AT MY EXPENSE. WHY NO ACTION ON KNOWN PROBLEM. THERE ARE EVEN ADS ON EBAY TO REPAIR THE SPIRAL CABLE AND/OR CONNECTORS. ONE SUCH VENDOR HAS DONE HUNDREDS OF REPAIRS. *JS

THE TACOMA INTERMEDIATE STEERING SHAFT IS UNPROTECTED AND EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS UNDER THE TRUCK, THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH ALL TACOMAS FROM 2005 TO PRESENT 1012 MODEL. MY STEERING BEGAN TO LOCK WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED GIVING THE FEEL THAT I COULD NOT TURN THE TRUCK. THE PROBLEM APPEARS SUDDENLY AND FOR A SHORT TIME SEEMS TO COME AND GO. ACCORDING TO NUMEROUS FORUM WEBSITES, THIS IS BECOMING A WIDE SPREAD PROBLEM. DUE TO ITS EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS, THE UNIVERSAL JOINT FAILS AND BINDS MAKING THE VEHICLE FEEL LIKE THE STEERING WHEEL IS LOCKING UP. SPRAYING THE JOINT WITH A PENETRANT WILL LOOSEN IT TEMPORARILY TO CONFIRM THAT THIS IS THE PROBLEM. IF NOT CORRECTED, THE UNIVERSAL MAY BIND COMPLETELY OR SNAP, THIS WILL UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSE LOSS OF STEERING OR CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEED. I RECENTLY HAD MINE REPLACED BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND I AM AWARE OF MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME ISSUE. THIS CAN BE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE RESULTING IN A CRASH OR EVEN DEATH! OTHER MANUFACTURERS THAT I AM AWARE OF COVER THEIR UNIVERSAL WITH A PLASTIC COVER DEVICE TO PROTECT IT FROM THE ELEMENTS, TOYOTA DOES NOT. MY VEHICLE HAD THIS FAILURE AT 164,000 MILES, BUT I KNOW OF FAILURES WITH AS LITTLE AS 60,000 MILES. *TR