2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

I WAS DRIVING ABOUT 30 MILE PER HOUR WHEN MY BRAKE STARTED TO VIBRATE VIOLENTLY. AFTER CAREFULLY INSPECTED, I FOUND THAT THREE STUDS WERE BROKEN, TWO FROM THE FRONT LEFT AND ONE FROM THE FRONT RIGHT. A FRIEND OF MINE, AN AUTO MECHANIC, SAID THAT THE STUDS MIGHT HAVE BEEN BROKEN DUE TO UNEVEN WEAR OF THE ROTORS AND LOOSEN OF THE NUTS. WELL, I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT MY ROTORS WARPING TOO FAST TO THE DEALER, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT BRAKE SYSTEM IS NOT COVERED BY THE WARRANTY. I BROUGHT THIS PROBLEM UP SEVERAL TIME, BUT THE SAME THING ANSWER WAS GIVEN TO ME. RECENTLY, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALER AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER ABOUT THE INCIDENT. THERE I FOUND OUT THAT ALL THE COMPLAINTS I MADE TO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WERE NOT DOCUMENTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THEY ONLY DOCUMENTED IF WORK ORDERS WERE WRITTEN. THAT MEANS I HAVE TO PAY THEM TO DOCUMENT. THE MANAGER SAID HE MAY CONSIDERED REPLACING MY BRAKE SYSTEM IF THE PROBLEM WAS DOCUMENTED BEFORE. TOYOTA HAS HEARD AND READ HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS BRAKE PROBLEM. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND IT SHOULD NOT BE IGNORED. *NM

2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. BRAKES ARE NOT BIG ENOUGH FOR TRUCK. TRUCK VIBRATES BADLY WHEN STOPPING. THIS WILL BE MY FOURTH SET OF BRAKES IN LESS THAN 92,000 MILES. TOYOTA KNOWS THEY HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES BUT REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. SOMETIMES I WONDER IF THE TRUCK WILL STOP WHEN I LEAVE THE INTERSTATE. *NM

SHIFTING LEVER BROKE OFF INSIDE COLUMN WHEN SHIFTING FROM REVERSE TO PARK. I WAS NO LONGER ABLE TO SHIFT TRANSMISSIONS. *JB

THANK YOU FOR TAKING THE TIME TO TELL US OF YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH THE TRANSMISSION ON YOUR HUSBAND'S 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. I READ YOUR E-MAIL WITH GREAT INTEREST. AS YOU KNOW, MONITORING AND PROMOTING BOTH THE QUALITY AND SAFETY OF AUTOMOBILES IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF OUR MISSION. WE VALUE YOUR HELP IN THIS EFFORT. YOU HAVE PROVIDED US WITH IMPORTANT FEEDBACK ON THE 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA, FOR WHICH I THANK YOU. BECAUSE OF THIS, I HAVE PERSONALLY FORWARDED YOUR E-MAIL TO OUR AUTO TEST AND EDITORIAL STAFF FOR THEIR REVIEW AND CONSIDERATION FOR OUR FUTURE REPORTS. I AM SURE THAT THEY, TOO, WILL FIND YOUR E-MAIL TO BE OF VALUE. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO SHARE YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THE FOLLOWING ORGANIZATIONS, WHICH MAY BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOU WITH INFORMATION AND/OR OFFER ASSISTANCE: CENTER FOR AUTO SAFETY, 2001 S. STREET, NW, STE. 410, WASHINGTON, DC 20009-1160. THE CASE COMPILES INFORMATION ON DEFECTIVE AUTOMOBILES, RANGING FROM TRANSMISSIONS PROBLEMS TO PAINT PROBLEMS. IF YOU WISH, YOU MAY SEND THEM A LETTER SHARING YOUR EXPERIENCES WITH THEM. SHOULD THEY HAVE ANY INFORMATION ON YOUR PARTICULAR AUTOMOBILE, THEY WILL FORWARD IT TO YOU, ALONG WITH HELPFUL INFORMATION AND ADVICE WITHIN 10 DAYS FROM DATE OF RECEIPT OF THEIR LETTER. THEY ASK, BUT DO NOT REQUIRE, A $.60 SASE TO HELP KEEP THEIR COSTS DOWN. OR, YOU CAN VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.AUTOSAFETY.ORG. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 400 SEVENTH STREET, SW, WASHINGTON, DC 20590, 1-800-424-9393 OR 1-202-366-0123. THE NHTSA ASSURES COMPLIANCE BY DOMESTIC AND FOREIGN MOTOR VEHICLE AND EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS WITH MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS, AUTOMOBILE RECALLS, AND AIRLINE PROBLEMS. YOU MAY WISH TO VISIT THEIR WEBSITE AT HTTP://WWW.NHTSA.DOT.GOV THANKS AGAIN FOR YOUR INTEREST IN CONSUMERREPORTS.ORG. *JB

ABOUT TWO MONTHS AFTER PURCHASE. THE VEHICLE WOULD SHAKE WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER; A SERVICE TECHNICIAN SAID THE REAR DRUMS WERE PROBABLY OUT-OF-ROUND. DRUMS WERE RESURFACED AND BRAKES WERE GOOD - FOR ABOUT TWO MORE MONTHS. PROBLEM RECURRED - TAKEN BACK TO DEALER. SHOES REPLACED. BRAKES GOOD FOR 2 MORE MONTHS. PROBLEM RECURRED - DEALER WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING SINCE OUT OF WARRANTY. TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP WHERE DRUMS AND ROTORS WERE MACHINED. BRAKES WERE GOOD FOR ABOUT TWO MORE MONTHS. TRUCK AGAIN SHAKES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. THE PROBLEM IS ONGOING. *JB

THE SHIFT LEVER BROKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN WHILE I WAS SHIFTING FROM PARK TO DRIVE. THE METAL SUPPORT SURROUNDING THE STEERING COLUMN BROKE. THE TRUCK WAS TOTALLY DISABLED AND NEEDED TO BE TOWED. THE SHAFT SUB-ASSEMBLY, THE TUBE SUB-ASSEMBLY, THE SUPPORT TILT STEERING ASSEMBLY, AND SOME SCREWS, BOLTS AND WASHERS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I ASKED TO SAVE THE OLD PARTS. *NM

OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL-TOYOTA RECALL ON BALL JOINTS. *TS THE BALL JOINT AND SPINDLE ON THE FRONT DRIER'S SIDE FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ENDED UP IN A CULVERT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOYOTA SERVICE FACILITY WHO INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BALL JOINT HAD BEEN RECALLED. THE CONSUMER NEVER RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. *NM

MY BRAKES HAVE HAD SQUEALING AND SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED. I WAS TOLD IT WAS DIRTY ROTORS AND IT COULDN'T BE FIXED. AT ABOUT 12,000 MILES IT BEGAN TO VIBRATE WHEN BRAKING. I WAS TOLD THE BRAKES WERE SHOWING SOME WEAR, BUT IT WAS NORMAL. AT THE 15K MILE CHECK I AGAIN REPORTED THE VIBRATION. AGAIN I WAS TOLD IT WAS NORMAL WEAR. NOW AT 23,000 MILES I LEARNED OF A TSB ISSUED FOR THE VIBRATION PROBLEM ON MY VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER I WAS TOLD I NEED A BRAKE JOB, BUT THE TSB ONLY COVERS VEHICLES UNDER 36,000M AND 3 EARS. MY VEHICLE IS OVER 3 YEARS SO I AM TOLD THE TSB DOES NOT APPLY. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE FRONT DISC ROTORS ARE DEFECTIVE. THE ROTORS OVERHEAT AND WARP. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REPAIRED TWICE. THE FIRST TIME THE ROTORS WERE REPLACED. THE SECOND TIME THE ROTORS WERE TURNED. WHEN THE BRAKES ARE APPLIED THE WHOLE FRONT END VIBRATES. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THERE WAS A SERVICE BULLETIN OUT TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM WHICH CONSISTS OF REPLACING THE CURRENT ROTORS WITH BIGGER ONES, BUT THE REPAIR ONLY APPLIED TO VEHICLES UNDER WARRANTY, THEREFORE NO REPAIRS WERE MADE.

VEHICLE PURCHASED 4/22/2002. ALL OF THE PULSATING, VIBRATION WHILE BRAKING DOWNHILL (AS DESCRIBED BY SO MANY IN THE PRECEDING 21 COMPLAINTS UNDER "COMPONENT" SERVICE BRAKES. HYDRAULIC), OCCURRED ON: 8/20. 2002-WARRANTY WEEK., 5/1, 2003-MORE WARRANTY WORK, FINALLY ON 1/5/2006 WENT TO NAPA AUTO REPAIR AND FINALLY PAID FOR A SENSIBLE ANALYSIS OF THE PROBLEM AND SO FAR A GOOD BRAKING EXPERIENCE. CURRENT MILEAGE IS 35,800 MILES!! I HOPE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THIS COMPLAINT I WILL BE ABLE TO SHARE THE REASONED ANALYSIS BY NAPA REGARDING UNSIZED FRONT PADS BEFORE I RUN OUT OF SPACE: LARGER PADS FOR SEQUOIA INSTALLED. SEQUOIA HAS 4 WHEEL DISC BRAKES-CURB WT. 5280. TUNDRA-CURB WT. 4518. TUNDRA REAR BRAKES-DRUM. SMALLER PADS IN FRONT THAN SEQUOIA. INITIAL PROBLEMS SEEMINGLY DEVELOP WHEN REAR DRUM SHOES WEAR DOWN UNEVENLY THEREBY PUTTING MORE WEAR ON SMALL FRONT DISCS. NO "FAILURES" OR "DEATHS OR "INJURIES" TO REPORT--(SORRY) BUT ONLY BECAUSE MOST OF US SLOW DOWN BEFORE THE INEVITABLE OCCURS! WARRANTY WORK ON THE TWO DESCRIBED OCCASIONS IS LISTED AS:"F. DISC 1-SD GND COMB:OPPOSITE SIDE REAR BRAKE DRUM (ONE SIDE) R&R OPPOSITE SIDE" IN MAY, 2003 AT 11,611 MI.: "REPLACED CALIPERS PER TSB, RESURFACED FRONT ROTORS, REAR BRAKE DRUM R&R, STRUT SET (2) PARKING BRAKE. REPLACED REAR BRAKE DRUMS". I HOPE THAT MY EXPERIENCE WILL GENERATE SOME MANUFACTURER RECOGNITION AND ADMISSION TO THEIR PROBLEM. THANK YOU, I.L. TURNER. *JB