2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Complaints

I PURCHASED A 2003 TACOMA IN APRIL OF 2016 FROM MATTHEWS MOTOR COMPANY OF COVINGTON, PA. FAST FORWARD TO 12/2017 AND THE FRAME NOW HAS A COUPLE HOLES IN IT NEAR THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WHERE THE GAS TANK ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. THERE IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE TRUCKS FOR THE FRAMES. CONTACTED TOYOTA TO HAVE IT ADDRESSED ONLY TO BE TOLD THE CAMPAIGN EXPIRED. THE TRUCK WAS INSPECTED IN 2011 (BEFORE I OWNED IT) UNDER CAMPAIGN "ZTH" AND NO RUST PERFORATION WAS FOUND, AND AS FAR AS I AM AWARE, AN UNDERCOATING WAS APPLIED AT THIS TIME. I AM TOLD HOWEVER THAT BECAUSE THE TRUCK WAS NOT UNDERCOATED / DIDN'T HAVE A CORROSION PREVENTION TREATMENT APPLIED UNDER CAMPAIGN "90D" THAT IT NO LONGER QUALIFIES FOR COVERAGE UNDER CAMPAIGN "ZTH." HOW CAN THE TRUCK NOT QUALIFY FOR THE CAMPAIGN NOW WHEN IT DID IN 2011? MOREOVER, I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANY LETTERS ABOUT THIS ISSUE SINCE PURCHASING THE TRUCK, DESPITE THE OBVIOUS SAFETY ISSUE PRESENTED BY A POTENTIALLY FAULTY FRAME. I WOULD HAVE TO INSIST THAT TOYOTA INSPECT MY FRAME, ACKNOWLEDGE IT IS PERFORATED FROM RUST FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND FOLLOW THROUGH WITH CAMPAIGN ZTH, NOT ONLY FOR MY VEHICLE BUT FOR THOSE IN SIMILAR CIRCUMSTANCE.

I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE TO INQUIRE IF MY TRUCK QUALIFIED FOR A FRAME RUST PROTECTION COATING OR REPLACEMENT UNDER THEIR 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY THAT WAS OFFERED FOR 2001-2004 TACOMAS. I WAS TOLD THAT MY TRUCK WAS "POTENTIALLY ELIGIBLE FOR FRAME REPAIR" VALID UNDER THE WARRANTY UNTIL THE END OF 2017 AND A CASE WAS OPENED. I WAS TOLD I NEEDED TO TAKE THE TRUCK INTO AN AUTHORIZED DEALERSHIP FOR A FRAME INSPECTION, AND THEN REGIONAL OFFICE WOULD MAKE THE DECISION TO COVER IT. I WAS ALSO INFORMED OF A RECALL ON THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER THAT WAS PRONE TO RUST AND POTENTIAL FAILURE. I BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN TO THE TOYOTA OF PORTLAND TO REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER AND INSPECT THE FRAME. WHEN I PICKED UP MY TRUCK THEY SAID IT FAILED THE FRAME INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND THAT THEY NEVER REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER BECAUSE THEY WERE WORRIED ONCE THEY REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER TO REPLACE IT WOULD FURTHER COMPROMISE THE INTEGRITY OF THE SURROUNDING AREA OF THE RUSTED FRAME. FINALLY THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE REGIONAL OFFICE DENIED MY FRAME REPLACEMENT BASED ON THE PHOTOS THEY RECEIVED. SUPPOSEDLY THE REGIONAL OFFICE SAID THAT THE RUST IS ONLY BAD ON THE CROSS SECTION AND THAT IS A REMOVABLE SECTION OF THE FRAME THAT CAN BE REPLACED SO THE FRAME ITSELF IS NOT DID NOT FAIL. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE AUTHORIZED TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER PAPERWORK SAYING MY VEHICLE FAILED THE FRAME INSPECTION, AND BASED SOLELY ON PHOTOS, AND WITH ONE MONTH LEFT OF MY WARRANTY, THE REGIONAL OFFICE DECIDED TO OVERRIDE THE DIAGNOSIS AND DENIED MY WARRANTY CLAIM. THE RECALLED SPARE TIRE CARRIER HAS STILL NOT BEEN REPLACED, AND IM WORRIED THAT ONCE IT IS IT WILL UNCOVER MORE CORROSION, BUT BY THAT TIME MY WARRANTY FOR FRAME REPLACEMENT WILL HAVE EXPIRED. I WANT TOYOTA TO HONOR MY WARRANTY AND REPLACE THE FRAME ON MY TRUCK LIKE THEY ARE OBLIGATED TO DO.

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY SHOT, STATING HE WAS NOT EVEN COMFORTABLE WORKING UNDER IT! THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN REASONABLE CONDITION, AND IT ONLY HAS 111,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC CTR, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BECAUSE THE AGENT EXPLAINED THEY HAD A "LIMITED SVC CAMPAIGN" TO ADD CORROSION PROTECTION, BUT INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD EXPIRED BACK ON 7/31/2014. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS CAMPAIGN. THE AGENT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FRAME WAS INSPECTED BACK IN 2012 (WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE YEAR I PURCHASED IT IN, SO I ASSUME THIS WAS DONE JUST PRIOR TO MY BUYING IT), AND PASSED STATING THERE WAS "NO" RUST -- WHICH IS FALSE! MISLED BY MANY AND SOLD FAULTY EQUIPMENT THAT COULD HAVE ENDANGERED OR KILLED ME AND OTHERS, I AM VERY UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THIS! RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS, BY FAR. SO, BASICALLY, WE'VE ALL THROWN AWAY MANY $1000'S AND CAN RECOVER NONE OF IT, NOR CAN WE DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT FEARING IT WILL, QUITE LITERALLY, FALL APART!

FRAME IS RUSTED AND GAS TANK STRAP BROKE OFF. WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THERE WAS RECALL FOR THIS BUT EXPIRED 2011. HOW CAN I GET THIS FIXED? THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE. IT WAS MY LATE HUSBAND'S UNTIL HIS DEATH IN APRIL 2017.

DRIVING TRUCK, ONLY 86617 MILES, HEARD DRIVE TRAIN NOISE, PULLED OVER, NOTICED FRAME RUST THROUGH AND TRUCK BENDING DOWN IN MIDDLE BESIDE THE GAS TANK. FELT UNSAFE TO DRIVE, HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. ARAPAHOE TOYOTA.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THE DRIVER SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE, BUT DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 108,094.

TAKATA RECALL I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHY THIS VEHICLE IS NOT ON THE RECALL LIST . DOES THIS TRUCK HAVE TAKATA AIRBAGS? DID TAKATA MAKE THESE BAGS SAFE BUT ALL OTHERS DEFECTIVE. THIS NEEDS TO BE CHECKED OUT AS WELL. I DO NOT FEEL SAFE BECAUSE WE HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THESE DANGEROUS AIRBAGS FOR YEARS YET THIS VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE THE RECALL. ARE YOU SURE OF THEIR SAFETY?!!

FRAME OF VEHICLE HAS CORRODED AWAY CAUSING FUEL TANK TO FALL OFF. THIS HAPPENED AS I PULLED INTO PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE KRAUSE TOYOTA OF BRINIGSVILLE, PADEALER DEALER FOR INSPECTION, BUT IT DID NOT PASS BECAUSE THE REAR END NEAR THE SPRING SHACKLE FOR THE SUSPENSION WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT, AS OF 2012, THEY WERE NO LONGER RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER OPENED CASE NUMBER: 1706010045. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE OF SEVERE CORROSION TO THE REAR SUSPENSION OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE RUST AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED CASE NUMBERS: 1075172502 AND 1705192164. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. UPDATED 06/29/17*LJ UPDATED 08/03/2017 *JS