2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A TURN, I HEARD A SOUND FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON INVESTIGATING THE NOISE, I FOUND THE REAR STRAP THAT SECURES THE GAS TANK TO THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH. THE GAS TANK WAS LEFT HANGING BY ONLY THE FRONT STRAP. WHAT HAPPENS IF A GAS TANK FALLS OFF A VEHICLE? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FRAMING MEMBER HAD ROTTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,300.

AS PART OF A RECALL, MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA REQUIRED FRAME REPAIR FOR DAMAGE DUE TO RUST/CORROSION, THE STRAPS HOLDING THE GAS TANK WERE RUSTED AND ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. WHEN THE REPLACEMENT OF THE STRAPS WAS MADE, THE GAS TANK WHICH WAS ALSO RUSTED AND NOT REPLACED AS PART OF RECALL WAS DAMAGED AND A GAS LEAK OCCURRED. I HAVE ALREADY BEEN FACED WITH AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION DUE TO THE FAILURE OF A CROSS BRACE WHICH CAUSED THE SPARE TIRE TO RELEASE ON THE HIGHWAY; NOW I AM CONCERNED THAT THE FAULTY GAS TANK WILL CAUSE A FIRE. I HAVE CALLED AND VISITED TOYOTA NUMEROUS TIMES TO REQUEST ASSISTANCE BUT NO REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT HAS BEEN OFFERED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS FRACTURED AND THE CV JOINT WAS DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MILD BACK PAIN FROM THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, A LOUD BANGING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE METAL FUEL TANK STRAP HAD FRACTURED AND WAS MAKING CONTACT WITH THE DRIVE SHAFT. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER, WHO DISCOVERED SEVERE RUSTING OF THE FRAME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED IN NOVEMBER OF 2011 AND A CORROSION PROTECTION COMPOUND WAS APPLIED TO THE FRAME BUT IT DID NOT PREVENT THE DEFECT FROM OCCURRING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND NO SOLUTION WAS OFFERED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000. *TR

LAST YEAR MY SPARE TIRE AND HOLDING BRACKET TORE LOOSE FROM THE FRAME AND ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I WENT TO A LOCAL GARAGE TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME IS SO CORRODED IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. LATTER WE LEARNED THAT THERE HAD BEEN TWO MAJOR SAFETY RECALLS ON THE 2002 TUNDRA.MANY WERE NOTIFIED OF THESE RECALLS AND HAD NEW FRAMES INSTALLED BY TOYOTA AT NO COST TO THE OWNERS. WE WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THESE RECALLS BY THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK NOR BY TOYOTA CORPORATION.IN NOVEMBER 2013 WE WENT TO SHEPARD TOYOTA IN ROCKLAND WHERE WE BOUGHT THE TRUCK AND THEY TOLD US THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED.I THEN SENT A LETTER BY CERTIFIED MAIL TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER ON DECEMBER 30, 2013. THEY DID NOT REPLY. THERE WERE 2 MAJOR SAFETY RECALLS ON MY TRUCK AND I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACTED STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR FRAME WAS DETERIORATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIRS. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME FAILED INSPECTION AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN A MANUFACTURER'S SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN HOWEVER, THE MANUFACTURER DENIED REPAIRING THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,000.

I NOTICED A POOL OF OIL UNDER MY REAR AXLE. I INSPECTED IT AND SAW THAT THE WELDS WERE FAILING DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. I HAD THE FRAME AND BRAKE LINES REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL AND THIS IS CLEARLY RELATED TO THE RUST PROBLEMS (I HAD THE POWER STEERING RACK REPLACE LAST MONTH DUE TO RUST) BUT TOYOTA WON'T FIX IT UNTIL THERE IS A RECALL. I HAD IT REPAIRED (THE WHOLE AXEL REPLACED) AT A LOCAL GARAGE FOR APPROX. $2,340. WITH THE POWER STEERING RACK REPAIR THAT COMES TO ~ $3,300 IN LESS THAN 2 MONTHS. THE GARAGE SAID THEY SEE THESE PROBLEMS ALL THE TIME ON THE TUNDRAS WITH THE FRAME RECALL. *TR

THE REAR TRANSAXLE HUB DOES NOT HAVE A BOLT ON COVER, BUT IS WELDED SOLID TO THE AXLE CASTING. I NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND AND INVESTIGATION REVEALS THE HUB COVER HAS RUSTED THRU, ALLOWING OIL TO RUN OUT. IF ALL OF THE OIL HAD DRAINED OUT AND THE VEHICLE DRIVEN,THE AXLE COULD HAVE SEIZED UP,CAUSING A SERIOUS VEHICLE CRASH AND PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH.TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED VIA LOCAL DEALERSHIP, AND THEY DENIED ANY COVERAGE. BETWEEN THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT AND THE SAFETY ISSUE,AND THE FACT IT IS NOT REPAIRABLE, MAKES ME WANT TO COMPLAIN. THE LEAK WAS TEMPORARILY PLUGGED WITH EPOXY, BUT HAS RECENTLY FAILED AGAIN. NOVEMBER 23,2013 .CHECKING VARIOUS INTERNET WEB PAGES, THIS APPARENTLY IS A COMMON PROBLEM ACROSS ALL TOYOTA TRUCKS AND MOST YEAR MODELS, NOT JUST TUNDRA.WITH THE FRAME RUST THRU AND CROSS MEMBER RUST THRU RECALL,ALL OF THESE RECALL AREAS ARE WITHIN INCHES OF MY RUST THRU / PERFORATION OF EVEN THINNER SHEET METAL IN A CRITICAL LOCATION. PLEASE REVIEW . *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE LEANED OVER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE, WHERE THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT NUT WAS SHEERED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.