2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

I WAS PULLING OUT OF MY DRIVEWAY AND EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN, STOPPING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. ONE OF THE CONNECTIONS ON THE POWER STEERING RACK HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED DUE TO RUST AND THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS POURING OUT. IF I HAD BEEN GOING AT HIGHER SPEEDS (SUCH AS DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY OR TAKING AN OFF RAMP) IT WOULD HAVE BEEN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AS IT WOULD HAVE BEEN HARD TO IMPOSSIBLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. THE RUST IS CLEARLY EXCESSIVE AND HARD TO BELIEVE IT IS NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL THAT COVERED THE FRAME AND BRAKE LINES (WHICH I HAD REPLACED UNDER THE RECALL A FEW YEARS BACK AFTER SOME TROUBLE WITH THE DEALERSHIP CLAIMING IT DID NOT QUALIFY). A LOCAL GARAGE REPLACED THE STEERING RACK AT A COST OF OVER $900. I TOOK PHOTOS OF THE FAILED RACK. I CALLED THE NATIONAL TOYOTA NUMBER AND HAD A CASE MANAGER ASSIGNED TO MY COMPLAINT. THE BEST THAT TOYOTA OFFERED WAS TO HAVE ME TOW IT AT MY EXPENSE TO THE DEALERSHIP 40 MILES AWAY TO HAVE THEM INSPECT IT WHILE THE DEALER WAS TELLING ME THEY HAVE SEEN A NUMBER OF THESE FAIL AND TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN ADMITTING THAT THE PROBLEM WITH THEM IS THEIR FAULT. I HAVE A 1998 COROLLA THAT HAS NO RUST ISSUES AT AFTER THE SAME CONDITIONS FOR MORE YEARS. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BECAME DETACHED UNEXPECTEDLY FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID 35-40 FEET BEFORE PROCEEDING TO STOP. THE VEHICLE THEN COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, IN WHICH BOTH INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 09V444000 (STRUCTURE) AND 05V225000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

I HAD RECALL FOR MY TUNDRA BED AND THERE WERE GOING TO RESOLVE THE RUST ISSUE AT NO CHARGE. I TOOK MY TRUCK TO BOBBY REHAL TOYOTA IN MECHANCISBURG PA. THEY BROKE A PART THAT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. THEY TOLD ME AND IF I WANTED MY TRUCK BACK I HAD TO PAY FOR IT. I TRIED TO RESOLVE WITH BOBBY REHAL AND TOYOTA MAIN OFFICE AND THEY TOLD ME TO PAY IF I WANTED MY TRUCK AND THE PART THEY BROKE WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I EXPLAINED I DIDN'T NEED OR WANT THIS RECALL BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS A NO COST RECALL BY LETTER. I PAID IT BUT NOW I JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL FOR AIRBAG BUT HOW CAN I TAKE MY TRUCK TO TOYOTA NOT KNOWING THE OUTCOME OF THE RECALL SO I MAY CHOOSE TO DO NOTHING BECAUSE I CANNOT BE SURE THEY WON'T MAKE ME PAY AGAIN FOR SOMETHING I DIDN'T WANT/NEED IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANKS. *JB

WE HAD TAKEN OUR VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL TO OUR LOCAL DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE FRAME OF OUR VEHICLE WAS NOT BAD BUT THEY DID THE UNDERCOAT OPTION. THAT WAS LESS THAN A YEAR AGO AND NOW OUR FRAME ON OUR VEHICLE IS SEVERELY RUSTED AND THEY ARE SAYING THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE THE TIME HAS EXPIRED. WE ALSO CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT IT WAS EXPIRED AND IT IS UP TO THE DEALERSHIP TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO. IN OUR OPINION THEY SHOULD HAVE JUST DONE THE FRAME REPLACEMENT AT THE TIME OF THE FIRST VISIT! IF THE UNDERCOATING WAS TO TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE WHY NOW ARE WE HAVING ISSUES!! WHAT IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE SAFETY OF A CUSTOMER AND THE PEOPLE SURROUNDING THEM WHEN THEY DRIVE!!! *JS

SEVERELY RUSTED FRAME. MAY IMPACT STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. JUST LEARNED THAT A NEIGHBOR HAD THEIR FRAME REPLACED RECENTLY, AND DISCOVERED MY FRAME IS SEVERELY RUSTED TOO. TODAY TOYOTA DEALER SAID THERE WAS A RECALL (BUT IT ENDED LAST YEAR). I NEVER GOT A NOTIFICATION (LETTER) OF THE RECALL. DEALER COULD NOT MAKE THE REPAIRS FOR ME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, A LOUD NOISE DRAGGING NOISE WAS HEARD. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS DRAGGING ON THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT HAD BECOME FRACTURED AND AS RESULT, THE DRIVE SHAFT AND FUEL TANK WERE DROPPED. THE CONTACT DECIDED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A SECOND DEALER FOR AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A "VERY" STEEP GRADED AND WINDING GRAVEL ROAD THAT REQUIRED CONSISTENT BRAKING AND AS I WAS MAKING A TURN TO NEGOTIATE A RIGHT TURN ON A CURVE, MY STEERING ALL OF A SUDDEN FAILED TO EXIST. THE STEERING WHEEL SERIOUSLY RESISTED MY TURNING IT. I WAS FORCED TO APPLY THE BRAKES QUICKLY TO ATTEMPT GOING OVER THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND DOWN A DEEPLY SLOPED RAVINE OF ABOUT 20 FEET OR SO. THE TRUCK STOPPED WITH THE FRONT WHEELS "JUST OVER" THE EDGE BUT DID STOP BEFORE GOING "OVER". LUCKILY I HAD A "COME-ALONG" WITH ME AND WAS ABLE TO CRANK THE TRUCK BACKWARDS ENOUGH TO GET THE FRONT WHEELS BACK ON TO THE ROAD SURFACE. I HAVEN'T CARRIED THAT WITH ME IN YEARS ! I HAD TO BABY THE TRUCK ABOUT A MILE AT VERY LOW SPEED TO GET BACK IN TO TOWN. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS/IS VERY DIFFICULT TO TURN. I "COULD NOT" MAKE A TYPICAL TURN AT VERY SLOW SPEED AND NOT USE THE OPPOSING SIDE OF THE ROAD. I GOT THE TRUCK HOME AND SHUT IT DOWN. I SUSPECTED A POWER STEERING LEAK AND CHECKED TO FIND IT WAS OUT OF FLUID. I USED MY FRIENDS VEHICLE TO BUY POWER STEERING FLUID, FILLED IT, CHECKED AND FOUND FLUID SPRAYING OUT OF BOTH ENDS OF WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE "RACK" OR TUBE? IT TOOK LESS THAN A FEW "SECONDS" FOR IT TO DRAIN TOTALLY. I CHECKED THE INTERNET TO LEARN THIS IS NOT UNCOMMON. I DID A CLOSE PHYSICAL INSPECTION TO FIND MUCH CORROSION. THIS TRUCK WAS THE SUBJECT TO THE RECALL FOR AND RECEIVED A NEW CHASSIS AS A RESULT OF EXCESSIVE CORROSION. I CONSIDER MYSELF VERY LUCKY. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE ! *TR

WHILE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP AT OR BELOW 10 MPH, THE ANTI SKID SYSTEM BEGINS TO PULSE THE BRAKES WHICH IS FELT AT THE BRAKE PEDAL. NO WARNING LIGHTS OR SYSTEM ERRORS NOTED BY TOYOTA OF ROCKWALL, TEXAS. SERVICE MANAGER ADVISED THE OWNER/OPERATOR OF THE 2002 TUNDRA TO "DRIVE IT UNTIL A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATES ON THE DASH". *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE I MADE A SUDDEN LANE CHANGE TO AVOID AN OFFICER I BELIEVE WAS RETURNING TO THE HIGHWAY AND A CAR SUDDENLY CAME TO A STOP IN FRONT OF ME. I ATTEMPTED TO GO AROUND THE CAR BUT IT MOVED IN MY PATH AGAIN AND WE HIT AT FULL SPEED. I HIT MY NOSE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND TOTALED THE OTHER CAR. I AM BOTHERED BY THE FACT THAT MY AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THESE ARE ORIGINAL AIRBAGS. I DRIVE IN FEAR OF ANOTHER ACCIDENT THAT COULD SAVE MY LIFE AND THE AIRBAG DOES DEPLOY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKES, THE BRAKES EXHIBITED AN ABNORMAL INCREASE IN STOPPING TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED THAT THE CABLE FOR THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, CAUSING THE REAR BRAKES TO FAIL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 135,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. *TR