2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

DEALER DISCOVERED RUST ALL OVER MY TOYOTA TUNDRA TRUCK. HE SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN THAT. *TR

PARTS FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST...POWER STEERING RACK AND COUPLING ASSY. REAR AXLE HOUSING FAILURE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST . POWER STEERING LINES RUSTED OUT.2002 TUNDRA TRD...TOTAL REPAIR COST $3900.00 OVER 1 YEAR PERIOD. ---LAST REPAIR 11 SEP 2009...AL PAPER WORK ON FILE AT NASSIEF FORD & TOYOTA JEFFERSON,OH 44047--PH 4405761010. *TR

THE SPARE TIRE JUST FELL OFF THE TRUCK WHEN THE TIRE CARRIER RUSTED THROUGH. *TR CONSUMER IS ADDING PICTURE. 10/26/09. *NJ

FRONT DRIVERS SIDE SWAY BAR LINK IS CORRODED THROUGH. NO ACCIDENT OR INJURY BUT ONLY BECAUSE I KNEW WHAT WAS GOING ON AFTER I SAW THE BROKEN LINK AND DROVE ACCORDINGLY. AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION WE FIND THAT THE BRAKE CALIPERS ARE CORRODED BEYOND SALVAGE AND THE FRAME HAS HEAVY RUST IN A NUMBER OF AREAS. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS TRUCK WILL BE WORTHLESS IN A FEW YEARS DUE TO THE HEAVY CORROSION AND WE WILL ALL BE LUCKY IF SOMEONE IS NOT KILLED DUE TO CORROSION DAMAGE CAUSING SOMETHING TO FALL OFF AND CAUSE A WRECK. *TR

YESTERDAY, HAD $1300.00 WORK DONE ON MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. MECHANIC ADVISED ME THAT MY SPRINGS NEED REPLACEMENT AS THEY ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED. THIS EVENING, SUSAN WORNICK OF CHANNEL 5 INVESTIGATIVE TEAM, DID A REPORT ON TOYOTA TUNDRAS RUSTING OUT. SPECIFICALLY SPRINGS AND FRAME. MS. WORNICK INFORMED ANY OWNERS OF TUNDRAS (2000-2001 AND POSSIBLY 2002) TO FILE COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA. HENCE THIS EMAIL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE RECEIVING AN OIL CHANGE A TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. THERE WAS ALSO A FUEL LEAK ON THE SEAM OF THE FUEL TANK. THE SERVICE AND PARKING BRAKES WERE REPLACED. THE OXYGEN SENSOR FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD TO BE REPLACED TWICE. THE TECHNICIAN CONCLUDED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NON-REPAIRABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

I HAVE HAD THE TUNDRA AND 5TH WHEEL TRAILER COMBINATION SINCE THEY WERE BOTH NEW IN 2002 AND TOWING HAS BEEN EXCELLENT. THIS TRIP HOWEVER, I HIT A 'BUMP' ON RT. 93 SOUTHBOUND (HEAVY TRAFFIC) IN MEDFORD, MA AND THE SPARE TIRE BROKE OFF OF THE HOLDER. IT PROCEEDED TO BOUNCE UP INTO THE FRONT COMPARTMENT OF THE TRAILER AND THEN DROPPED DOWN AND LODGED BETWEEN THE TRAILER'S AXLES. AT LEAST NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT THE VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED. I HAD ABOUT $5,000 IN REPAIR BILLS RELATING TO THE 'ACCIDENT'. MY CONCERN IS THAT THE SPARE TIRE/WHEEL HAD NEVER BEEN OFF OF THE TUNDRA AND THEY WERE 'NEW' EXCEPT FOR THEIR AGE. IT APPEARS THAT THE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE TIRE HANGER BRACKET WAS A MAJOR CAUSE OF THE WHEEL DROPPING. I HAVE PICTURES AND THE REPLACED PARTS FOR YOUR INSPECTION IF DESIRED; YOU CAN SEE RUST-OUT HOLES RIGHT THROUGH THE BRACKET! I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS COULD BE HAPPENING TO MANY OTHER TUNDRA'S OF A SIMILAR AGE. I WOULD LIKE TO AT LEAST OFFER SOME FORM OF WARNING TO OTHER OWNERS. AFTER TOYOTA'S EMAIL RESPONSE, BASICALLY SAYING THIS WAS NEVER HEARD OF BEFORE AND CALLING THE HOLDER BRACKET A 'COVER', I SENT A SECOND EMAIL: MY CONCERN NOW IS THAT YOU HAVE REFERRED TO THE RUSTED-OUT BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE TIRE UNDER THE TRUCK'S BED (PART # 51900-0C010 ON MY REPAIR INVOICE.) AS A 'COVER, I'M HOPING THAT WE ARE SPEAKING OF THE SAME PIECE OF EQUIPMENT. MY SUGGESTION INVOLVES SAFETY MORE THAN WARRANTY OR MONEY. IF OTHER TUNDRA'S HAVE THE SAME ROTTING OUT OF THAT BRACKET, OTHER TIRES WILL FALL OFF OF THOSE TRUCKS. BY THE WAY, MY TUNDRA LOOKS LIKE NEW AND IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION; SO I'M PRESUMING THAT OTHERS MAY BE EVEN WORSE AND THAT MY VEHICLE IS LIKELY IN AVERAGE OR BETTER CONDITION. IF THIS TRULY IS A POTENTIAL ISSUE FOR OTHERS, AT LEAST WARNING THEM TO EVALUATE IT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE; I SURELY WOULD HAVE APPRECIATED IT! *TR UPDATED 03/25/10 *BF PICTURES RECEIVED. UPDATED 10/05/10

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT WAS PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE TO REPLACE THE SHOCK ABSORBERS WHEN HE DETECTED THAT THE MAIN FRAME EXHIBITED SEVERE RUST CORROSION. THE CORROSION PROGRESSED OVER A PERIOD OF TIME AND RESULTED IN THINNING AND WARPING OF THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD CONCERNS OF THE SAFETY RISK INVOLVED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

REPORT OF SEVERE RUST TO THE FRAME STRUCTURE OF TOYOTA TUNDRA PICKUP. UPON DISCOVERY OF CORROSION OWNER CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS ADVISED TO TAKE VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR FRAME INSPECTION. FRAME WAS INSPECTED AND ONE LARGE HOLE WAS MADE BY DEALER IN FRAME ON FRONT DRIVERS SIDE. UPON QUESTIONING OF DEALER OWNER WAS TOLD THAT THE HOLE WAS MINOR COMPARED TO HOLES FOUND ON OTHER TUNDRA PICKUPS. DEALER SAID TRUCK WAS OK TO DRIVE, BUT UPON DOING RESEARCH IT SEEMS THAT TRUCK WOULD NOT HAVE PASSED INSPECTION IF HOLE HAD BEEN VISIBLE 1 WEEK BEFORE. THERE IS A CLEAR ISSUE WITH FRAME CONSTRUCTION AND UPON CONTACTING TOYOTA AFTER INSPECTION TOYOTA CLAIMS THAT THERE IS NO PROGRAM TO ADDRESS ISSUE AND WILL NOT COMMENT ON VEHICLE SAFETY WITH THIS INTENSE FRAME CORROSION. AT THIS TIME THERE IS NO DOCUMENT PROVIDED BY EITHER DEALER OR TOYOTA THAT STATES IN WRITING THAT TRUCK IS ROAD WORTHY AND SAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA/SR5. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE LOWER BALL JOINTS SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE, WHICH CAUSED HIM TO CRASH INTO A DITCH. AS A RESULT OF THE CRASH, HE SUSTAINED MODERATE INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND REPAIRED ACCORDING TO RECALL# 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 50,000.