2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

ON SEPTEMBER 14 2019, I TOOK MY TRUCK (2003 TOYOTA TACOMA) TO JERRY TOYOTA DEALER FOR A SERVICE. THEY FOUND A CRACK ON THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK AND THEY TOLD ME IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK, BUT THEY DIDN'T OFFER ANY REPAIR. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALLED FOR THE FRAME WAS EXPIRED ON 2018.

AT APPROXIMATELY 128K MILES, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND WILL NOT GO OUT. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTICED WHILE DRIVING, BUT NOTHING HAPPENED TO THE VEHICLE THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN AN OBVIOUS CAUSE. ADDITIONALLY, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CONTINUALLY GARAGED SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW IN 2003.

POWER STEERING PUMP HAVING ISSUES I CAN FILL IT UP TO THE FULL LINE AND IT WILL GO DOWN TO HALF EMPTY EVERYTIME I'VE DONE IT THEREFORE STEERING IS VERY TIGHT AND DIFFICULT, THE TRUCK BED HAS HUGE HOLES RUSTED/CORROSION COMPLETELY THROUGH IT ON BOTH SIDES, THE SPARE TIRE MECHANISM IS RUSTED SO BADLY IT DOESN'T WORK AND HALF OF IT IS MISSING DUE TO RUST/CORROSION AN HAS FALLEN OFF, AND THE FRAME BROKE COMPLETELY IN HALF ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TRUCK WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AN CAUSED THE DRIVE SHAFT TO HANG ON THE GROUND AND IT KNOCKED A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK BEFORE I COULD GET THE TRUCK STOPPED, ALSO THE SUSPENSION ON THE REAR OF THE TRUCK IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME ON THE TOP UNDER THE BED JUST ATTACHED TO THE FRAME ON THE BOTTOM.

COMPLETE RUST WITH THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THERE WAS A VOLUNITARY RECALL BY TOYOTA BUT I NEVER RECEIVED THIS RECALL NOTICE. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE CAN BREAK IF HALF. THIS IS ALSO WHY THERE IS A RECALL ON THE SPARE TIE HOLDER. BUT CAN NOT GET THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER FIXED WHAT TO THEY FIX IT TO A RUSTED UNDERCARRIAGE. I HAVE CALLED AND COMPLAINTED IN THE PAST.

BROUGHT TRUCK INTO BODY SHOP IN JUNE 2019 TO HAVE WORK DONE. THEY TOLD ME THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK WAS SEVERELY RUSTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THEY SAID IT MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IN 2016 (ABOUT 2.5 YRS AGO) I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE FRAME INSPECTED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE. AT THAT TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME WAS OK. IN ADDITION THE TRUCK WAS AT THE DEALER IN 2018 FOR ANOTHER RECALL FOR LEAF SPRINGS. AT THIS TIME THEY REPLACED LEAF SPRINGS BUT DID NOT REPORT ANY PROBLEMS WITH FRAME RUST. THE ORIGINAL BODY SHOP AND MY LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST DAMAGE ON THE TRUCK INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME AND WERE SURPRISED THAT IT HAD PASSED TOYOTA DEALER FRAME INSPECTION. I CALLED TOYOTA NATIONAL LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT FOR FRAME REPLACEMENTS FOR MY TRUCK THE PROGRAM ENDED IN JANUARY 31 2019. SUBSEQUENTLY I TRIED TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY HAVE ALSO TOLD ME THAT NATIONAL TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP. CLEARLY THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS) INDICATES THAT THE RUST DAMAGE WAS HAPPENING OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND TOYOTA WAS NEGLIGENT IN REPORTING THIS TO ME. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING THE FRAME SINCE CLEARLY THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED LONG BEFORE THE JANUARY 31 2019 DATE AND I HAVE FOLLOWED UP ON ALL THE RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS TRUCK.

BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED, FRAME RUSTED, FROM COLD WEATHER STATE, HEARD LOTS OF TRUCKS DID THIS, RUST SO BAD AFRAID TO DRIVE IT,EVERYTHING ELSE ON TRUCK GOOD, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT'S HAD 5 RECALLS, NOT ONE DONE BY FORMER OWNER, INTERNET WEB SITE SAID FRAMES WERE NOT COATED RIGHT, FACTORY DEFECT, WANT TOYOTA TO FIX ISSUE AS IT'S THEIR FAULT THIS HAS HAPPENED, IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, A NOISE EMERGED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED ON BOTH SIDES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 46,733.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE SUB FRAME EXPERIENCED EXTREME RUSTING. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 155,000.

FRAME IS ROTTEN AND BROKEN, SHOCKS RIPPED OFF OF FRAME. UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND STILL NEED TO USE DAILY.

FRAME IS RUSTY AND I AM AFRAID THAT THE PART MAY BREAK AND CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH TO ME OR ANY OTHER PERSON IN MY VEHICLE.