2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

AS I WAS TRAVELING AT A SLOW SPEED WHEN I BECAME AWARE OF A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHICH HAD SUDDENLY BEGAN AS I TURNED ONTO A SIDE STREET. I STOPPED VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY AND GOT OUT TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. I DISCOVERED THAT MY FUEL TANK WAS DRAGGING BENEATH THE TRUCK. THE METAL STRAPS THAT HELD TANK TO FRAME HAD RUSTED THRU CAUSING TANK TO FALL TO ROAD SURFACE. ALL THE CONNECTIONS TO FUEL TANK WERE RIPPED FROM TANK. TOYOTA IS WORRIED ABOUT THE SPARE TIRE FALLING DOWN DO TO RUSTED FRAME MEMBERS BUT I FEEL THEY SHOULD BE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THEIR FUEL TANKS FALLING OFF. IF I HAD BEEN TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS I HATE TO THINK OF WHAT CONSEQUENCES MIGHT HAVE BEEN. *JS

MY WIFE AND I WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON HWY 49 FROM OAKHURST TO MARIPOSA, CALIFORNIA. THE HIGHWAY SURFACE WAS WET AND SLICK AS WE HAD JUST EXPERIENCED OUR FIRST RAIN OF THE SEASON. OUR TOYOTA TUNDRA TRUCK WENT INTO A SKID ON A CURVE, CLIMBED AN EMBANKMENT AND ROLLED ONE FULL TURN TO THE LEFT. WE HIT A MANZANITA TREE AND A FENCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP AND ROLLING. THE AIRBAGS WERE EXAMINED BY TOYOTA 9-24-2013 IN RESPONSE TO A RECALL AND WERE CLEARED . IN THE ACCIDENT THEY DID NOT DEPLOY. MY WIFE AND I EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS INJURIES INCLUDING BROKEN RIBS, COLLARBONE AND SEVERE WHIPLASH. WE ARE SENIOR CITIZENS AND ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THESE INJURIES AND DEALING WITH OUR INSURANCE COMPANY. WE WROTE TO TOYOTA 5-21-2014 TO REPORT THIS AIRBAG FAILURE. TO DATE WE HAVE RECEIVED NO RESPONSE.

FRAME RUST THROUGH.TOYOTA CLAIMS RUST HOLE IS NOT IN THE CORRECT LOCATION ON THE TRUCK.SAYS THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. *TR

HELLO, I AM HAVING A REALLY STRANGE PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 TUNDRA, THE REAR AXLE IS ACTUALLY RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING GEAR LUBE! I LIVE IN A SNOW AREA AND DROVE THE TRUCK FOR A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE NOTICING THE OIL ON GROUND AFTER SNOW MELTED, NOW IT IS TOO LATE AS THE REAR AXLE IS NOW MAKING A NOISE AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL I REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE HOUSING! YOU CANNOT HEAR IT IN THE CAB UNLESS WINDOWS ARE DOWN! I HAVE TAKEN EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND ALL MY CARS, WASHING AND WAXING FREQUENTLY EVEN IN WINTER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN BACK FOR RUST INSPECTIONS AND FRAME COATING BUT NOTHING FOR THE AXLE! I HAVE ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS THAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME WITH THEIR TUNDRA! ACTUALLY THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE BEARINGS SEIZE FROM NO LUBRICATION AND CAUSE THE TRUCK TO LOCK IN THE REAR! I REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THIS ERROR! I REALLY CANNOT AFFORD THE 4-5 THOUSAND REPAIR ON THE TRUCK! I HAVE HAD MANY NEW TOYOTA CARS AND TRUCKS STARTING IN 1984 WITH AN ALL WHEEL TERCEL FOLLOWED BY 5 TACOMAS, EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS, A PREVIA, A SIENNA AND IN 2009 A CAMRY HYBRID. I WAS GOING TO SELL IT TO MY SON AND BUY ANOTHER TUNDRA BUT I AM NOT SO SURE NOW. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD COVER THIS STRUCTURAL DEFECT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OTHER CAR OR TRUCK THAT ACTUALLY RUSTED THROUGH THE AXLE HOUSING! ALSO THE FLOOR OF THE BED IN THE TUNDRA WHERE THE CROSS BRACES ARE WELDED TO ARE RUSTED THROUGH AS WELL, THIS STARTED WITHIN 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP! I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT ALL THE OTHER TUNDRA OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE! I HAVE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF TOYOTA BUT MAYBE THAT IS COMING TO AN END! *TR

AFTER PUTTING THE VEHICLE IN GEAR AND STARTING THE DRIVE, A GRINDING/SQUEALING SOUND STARTED COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE WHEEL. THIS SOUND CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE COULD BE PARKED AND TAKEN TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP TO BE LOOKED AT (PARKED WITHIN 1 MILE OF ORIGINAL STARTING POINT). THE REPAIR SHOP DEEMED THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO A FAILED WHEEL BEARING. THE REPAIR SHOP HAD A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE WITH A PREVIOUSLY WORKED ON TOYOTA PRERUNNER WHERE THE SAME INCIDENT OCCURRED, BUT THE DRIVER CONTINUED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE TRUCK WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED BACK TO THE SHOP AFTER THE WHEEL BECAME COCKED AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE WHILE THE DRIVER WAS ON THE ROAD. *TT

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO AIR BAG RECALL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED ABOUT AN HOUR AFTER PICKING UP THE VEHICLE, HE STARTED THE ENGINE AND NOTICED THE AIR BAG LIGHT WAS ON. ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICE, THE AIR BAG ISSUE WAS THE TARGET OF THE RECALL. THE CONSUMER RETURNED TO THE SERVICE AREA, AND THE TECHNICIAN PUT A COMPUTER DEVICE ON THE VEHICLE AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. THE CONSUMER LEFT THE DEALER AND ABOUT HALF WAY HOME, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER DID NOT BELIEVE THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED.*JB

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLE UNTIL MY FIRST CROSS COUNTRY RETIREMENT TRIP IN SEPTEMBER 2013. MY PLANNED TRIP WAS FROM TENNESSEE TO CALIFORNIA. WHEN I REACHED KINGMAN, ARIZONA (ABOUT 1200 MILES INTO THE TRIP), I WAS TRAVELING UPHILL ON INTERSTATE 40 WHEN SUDDENLY THE TRUCK ACCELERATED ITSELF TO A HIGH RPM AND SPEED. I APPLIED THE BRAKES BUT THEY DID NOT RESPOND OR SLOW THE TRUCK DOWN. I TRIED TO MAINTAIN STEERING CONTROL, BUT IN A SPLIT-SECOND, I WAS THROWN OFF THE HIGHWAY AND INTO THE HILLSIDE, TREES, AND BUSHES. THE TRUCK COMPLETELY ROLLED OVER, FLIPPED UPHILL, AND COME TO A STOP FACING TRAFFIC. THE LANDED DRIVER SIDE DOWN, AND WAS COMPLETELY TOTALED. THE TRUCK ONLY HAD 79,000 MILES ON IT. A MONTH LATER I LEARNED THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL DONE FOR THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM, BUT DID NOT INCLUDE THE 2003 MODEL. I NOW WONDER HOW MANY OTHERS WERE INJURED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM. I TOOK MANY PICTURES OF THE DAMAGES. *TR

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A PENDING RECALL NOTICE STATING A DEFECTIVE WAFER POSSIBILITY IN AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE RECALL WAS NEVER ADDRESSED. HOWEVER, HE WAS GIVING A LIST OF SUGGESTED REPAIRS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER, THEY HAD SOME TYPE OF COMPUTER ISSUES, AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PERFORM THE WORK.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES CORRODED THROUGHOUT THE FRAME. THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER'S RECALL THAT HAD EXPIRED FOR THE FRAME FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 56,000.

MY 2003 TUNDRA SR5 4X4 ACCESS CAB BROKE DOWN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP DURING INTERSTATE DRIVING IN 2WD AT THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT. UPON A LENGTHY AND EXPENSIVE TOW TO MY MECHANIC, I WAS ADVISED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAD FAILED DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST NOT ONLY ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER, BUT OVER THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY. THE RUST WAS SO PERVASIVE IT ALLOWED DIFFERENTIAL FLUID TO LEAK FROM THE CARRIER ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN HEAT AND FRICTION LEADING TO THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE DIFFERENTIAL GEARS. THE TRUCK HAS JUST OVER 48,000 MILES ON IT AND HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN RECALLED FOR REPLACEMENT OF RUSTED FUEL TANK STRAPS. I RECEIVED NO SATISFACTION FROM ANY TOYOTA DEALER EXCEPT TO BE REFERRED TO TOYOTA USA. AS SUCH, I CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR SALES, USA DIRECT ON OCT. 28, 2013 AND WAS ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER (INCIDENT: 131027-000079). AS EXPECTED, TOYOTA'S ORAL REPLY ON OCT. 29, 2013 FAILED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE EXCESSIVE RUST THAT IS PLAGUING MANY TUNDRA OWNERS AND IS RESULTING IN EXPENSIVE REPAIR COSTS THAT WOULD ORDINARILY BE UNNECESSARY HAD THE VEHICLES BEEN PROPERLY MANUFACTURED. RATHER THAN SIMPLY APOLOGIZE FOR THE INCONVENIENCE AND ADVISE THE MATTER WOULD BE ELEVATED TO MANAGEMENT AND RATHER THAN HIDE BEHIND WARRANTY EXPIRATION EXCUSES, TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF ITS MALEFICENCE AND IN THE INTEREST OF MAINTAINING ITS REPUTATION AND OWNER BASE, DO THE RIGHT THING AND CORRECT THIS WELL DOCUMENTED DEFICIENCY. TOYOTA'S RESPONSE IS TYPICAL OF WHAT OTHER OWNER'S ARE REPORTING ON VARIOUS WEB SITES INCLUDING "TUNDRA SOLUTIONS" AND OTHERS. THIS IS A SERIOUS DEFECT FOR WHICH TOYOTA SHOULD ACCEPT FULL RESPONSIBILITY. THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE LED TO A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD THERE BEEN A REAR END COLLISION OR HAD CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE BEEN LOST WHILE STEERING INTO A MUDDY MEDIAN WHERE ROAD CONSTRUCTION WAS IN PROGRESS. *TR