2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

MY 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA WAS INSPECTED AT PORTSMOUTH TOYOTA IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND DEEMED UNDRIVEABLE DUE TO A CORRODED/RUSTED/ROTTED OUT FRAME. *TR

I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA 4X4 TRUCK. THERE IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FRAME ON THIS VEHICLE. THE FRAME HAS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF HAVING HOLES. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF DRIVING THIS VEHICLE, AS FRAME FAILURE MAY OCCUR AND CAUSE INJURY OR LOSS OF LIFE. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THAT WOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE PROBLEM. IN RECENT PAST, TOYOTA RECALLED THE TACOMA FOR A SIMILAR PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE FOR THIS PROBLEM TO BE ADDRESSED BY TOYOTA AND CORRECTED IN AN APPROPRIATE MANNER. *TR

THE RUST ON MY 2000 TUNDRA EXTENDS TO MORE THAN JUST THE REAR CROSS MEMBER THAT MY LOCAL DEALER REPORTED AND TOYOTA IS WILLING TO REPLACE. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK TODAY AND A LOT OF THE FRONT END IS RUSTED AWAY. THE STEERING RACK HAS RUSTED TO THE POINT OF HAVING A HOLE IN IT THAT PUMPS POWER STEERING FLUID ONTO THE ROAD. VERY DANGEROUS. *TR

MY 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA, V8 ENGINE, AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION, HAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL NOT WORKING WHEN THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. THIS USUALLY HAPPENS IN COLD WEATHER (BELOW FREEZING) SEVERAL TIMES A YEAR, AND THE CHECK ENGINE DASH LAMP COMES ON. THIS REQUIRES THAT I STOP THE TRUCK, TURN OFF THE ENGINE, WAIT APPROXIMATELY 15-20 SECONDS, THEN RESTART THE ENGINE. ONLY THEN CAN I CONTINUE TO DRIVE. THIS SITUATION HAS RESULTED IN THE FOLLOWING: 1. BEING STALLED IN A INTERSECTION WITH A RED LIGHT AND CROSS TRAFFIC COMING AT ME AND NOT BEING ABLE TO MOVE. 2. ENTERING A HIGH SPEED HIGHWAY AND NOT BEING ABLE TO ACCELERATE, AND HAVING A SEMI TRUCK ALMOST REAR END ME. THEN HAVING TO STOP TRAFFIC UNTIL I COULD DRIVE OFF. THE TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED THE ELECTRONIC ACCELERATOR MECHANISM UNDER WARRANTY IN 2002, BUT THIS DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER SAID THERE IS NO RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM, AND THEY DON'T KNOW HOW TO FIX IT. THE INCIDENTS ARE RECORDED ON THE TRUCK'S ONBOARD COMPUTER. *TR

TOYOTA VEHICLES HAVE ANOTHER SAFETY FLAW THAT SEEMS TO BE SYSTEMIC ACROSS MANY MODELS. MY 2000 TUNDRA HAS A BRAKING QUIRK WHERE THE BRAKES UNDER LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING CAUSE A PULSATING SHUDDER IN THE VEHICLE. MY WIFE'S 2001 AVALON DOES THE SAME THING AS DID HER 1993 CAMRY. SEVERAL FRIENDS WITH TOYOTA OR LEXUS VEHICLES HAVE REPORTED SIMILAR EXPERIENCES. THE QUIRK ISN'T CONSISTENT, AT TIMES IT ISN'T NOTICEABLE AND AT TIMES IT FEELS LIKE YOU COULD LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER THE RESPONSE IS THAT IT IS THE TIRES, OR MAYBE THAT THEY TURNED THE ROTORS BUT THE END RESULT AFTER BALANCING TIRES, REPLACING THEM OR TURNING THE ROTORS THE QUIRKS REMAINS. IT MAY APPEAR TO GO AWAY FOR A WHILE BUT RETURNS. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA. HE STATED THAT HE COULD FEEL A DIFFERENCE IN HOW THE VEHICLE WAS FUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH AND VARIOUS SPEEDS. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME RAIL COVERED WITH RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED HIM THAT HIS VIN WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN 09V444000, STRUCTURE FRAME AND MEMBERS, UNDERBODY SHIELDS PERTAINING TO RUST ON THE REAR CROSS-MEMBER. THE DEALER ALSO REFUSED TO INCLUDE THE ACTUAL FRAME RAIL COMPONENT IN THE RECALL REPAIR AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, DEEMING IT AS "UNSAFE." NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE NUMBERS WERE 160,259.

I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY AT THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN MIDDLETOWN, CT. THEY INSPECTED MY VEHICLE AND TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS AN 8 INCH HOLE IN THE FRAME CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE RUST, AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. THEY RECOMMENDED I CALL TOYOTA TO LET THEM KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND TO SEE WHAT/IF THEY WOULD DO ANYTHING TO HELP ME. I TRIED TO REACH THEM BY PHONE, BUT I WAS ON HOLD FOR 1 HOUR AND 45 MINUTES AND NEVER MANAGED TO GET THROUGH. WHEN I TRIED TO CALL TODAY, THE CALL WAS NOT ACCEPTED DUE TO HIGH CALL VOLUMES. I SENT AN EMAIL TWO DAYS AGO AND HAVE NOT HAD A RESPONSE OTHER THAN AN AUTOMATED ONE. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN NOVEMBER OF 2007 FOR $10, 300 AND IT HAD 133,000 MILES ON IT. IT CURRENTLY HAS 143,000 MILES ON IT. I AM WRITING TO THE NHTSA BECAUSE IN CONDUCTING SOME RESEARCH ONLINE I SEE THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING A SIMILAR PROBLEM AND I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS ANYTHING YOUR AGENCY COULD DO TO PRESSURE TOYOTA TO COMPENSATE OWNERS OR INITIATE A RECALL TO GET THESE UNSAFE VEHICLES FIXED OR OFF OF THE ROAD. THE CURRENT RECALL FOR THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WHICH HOLDS THE SPARE TIRE IS NOT ADEQUATE BECAUSE IT DOES NOT ADDRESS FRAME ROT. BY THE WAY, MY SPARE TIRE BROKE AWAY AND WAS HANGING FROM THE SUSPENSION WIRE JUST 2 INCHES OFF OF THE ROAD WHILE I WAS PULLING A TRAILER THIS PAST AUGUST. I WAS VERY LUCKY TO HAVE DISCOVERED IT BEFORE IT FELL COMPLETELY. *TR

I WAS DRIVING 35 MPH DOWN A SMOOTH STREET IN AUSTIN, TX. IN MY 2000 TUNDRA PICKUP TRUCK. THE ENTIRE RIGHT WHEEL ASSEMBLY FELL OFF CAUSING $3000 DAMAGE TO MY TRUCK. THE DAY PRIOR, I WAS DRIVING IN THE COUNTRY AT 70 MPH, WITHIN THE SPEED LIMIT. I HAD 1000 LBS. OF GRAIN IN MY TRUCK. IF THE WHEEL HAD COME OFF THAT DAY, I WOULD LIKELY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED. I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD: "YOU ARE OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE IS NOTHING WE CAN DO." THE TRUCK HAD 56 000 MI. ON IT AND WAS TRULY OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS EVENT WAS SO SIGNIFICANT, I FELT THAT SOME ACKNOWLEDGEMENT AND REMEDY SHOULD HAVE BEEN OFFERED. IF THERE ARE OTHER TUNDRAS OUT THERE, 1999 ONWARD, THIS REPRESENTS A VERY BIG POTENTIAL HAZARD. I GOT NO RESPONSE FROM THE DEALER EITHER. WHEN I SUGGESTED TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER "SERVICE" REPRESENTATIVE THAT I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THIS, SHE SIMPLY SAID" "IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY". I SUGGESTED THAT TOYOTA DID NOT CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS AND WAS TOLD "IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY". I SUSPECT THAT THERE ARE OTHER TUNDRAS WHOSE WHEELS HAVE FALLEN OFF. APPARENTLY THE PROBLEM IS AN "L BRACKET" THAT WAS MADE OF TWO PIECES OF STEEL, INSTEAD OF PRODUCED AS ONE SINGLE PIECE. *TR

WE BOUGHT NEW REAR TIRES FOR THE TRUCK 12/17/2009 AND WHEN THE TIRE PROVIDER PUT IT UP ON THE RACK TO DO THE TIRES THE RUST FELL OFF THE FRAME IN BIG PIECES. WE THEN LOOKED ON INTERNET TO FIND THEY HAD ISSUED A RECALL ON 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRAS FRAMES. CALLED DEALER AND GOT IT IN 12/21/2009 THEY HAVE YET TO TELL US WHAT THEY ARE GOING TO DO. THEY DID NOT TELL US NOT TO DRIVE IT BUT I AM AFRAID DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES. WE EVEN BOUGHT AN EXTRA CARE TOYOTA CERTIFIED PACKAGE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. *TR

I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA. YESTERDAY I WAS CHECKING MY TIRES AND GASPED IN ABSOLUTE DISBELIEF. MY FRAME BEHIND MY AXLE WAS BROKEN IN 2 PLACES. I WAS ABOUT 100 MILES FROM MY HOUSE SO I DROVE TO TOWN CAUTIOUSLY AND WENT TO SEE MY FAMILY MECHANIC. HE COULDN'T BELIEVE WHAT HE SAW. POINTING OUT THE 2 SPOTS WHERE THE FRAME HAD CORRODED SO BAD THAT IT SNAPPED , HE ALSO NOTICE THAT IT LOOKED CRACKED BEHIND THE SPOT IT WAS BROKEN, AND WAS DEVELOPING A CRACK OVER THE AXLE. I WENT HOME AND IMMEDIATELY CALLED TOYOTA OF NORTH AMERICA AND MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER AND I AM WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO CALL ME BACK. I ALSO WAS RESEARCHING AND FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAMES WERE MADE IN THE SAME PLACE AS THE RECALLED TACOMA FRAMES WERE MADE. SO IT IS OBVIOUS JUST BY READING ON THIS SITE ALONG WITH MANY OTHERS THAT TOYOTA HAS A MAJOR PROBLEM ON THE HORIZON. THESE TRUCKS NEED TO BE RECALLED AND OFFER THE SAME THING AS THE TACOMA OWNERS WERE GETTING. I REALIZE THAT ANOTHER RECALL WOULD KILL TOYOTA BUT THAT IS BETTER THAN SOMEONE'S SPARE TIRE TO FALL OFF, OR THERE BRAKE LINE TO RUST AWAY ( MINE DID OVER THE SUMMER ), OR HAVE THE FRAME COLLAPSE AND CAUSE A MAJOR ACCIDENT ON OUR ROADWAYS. TUNDRA OWNERS MUST COME TOGETHER AND PUSH FOR THIS RECALL TO HAPPEN BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC HAPPENS. *TR