2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

DT: THE CONSUMER COMPLAINED ABOUT A BRAKE PROBLEM. AT FIRST THE FRONT BRAKES CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUTTER WHEN THEY WERE APPLIED. THEN THE BRAKES FADED OUT, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO NOT STOP IN TIME. THE CONSUMER FELT THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE WAS TOO MUCH FOR THE BRAKES. THE CONSUMER FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO THE BRAKES WEARING OUT TOO QUICKLY. THE FRONT BRAKES HAVE BEEN REPLACED ONCE UNDER WARRANTY. ALSO,THE ROTORS AND PADS WERE REPLACED. THE PROBLEM FIRST STARTED IN JUNE 2004 AND AT 15,000-20,000 MILES. THE PROBLEM ALMOST CAUSED SEVERAL ACCIDENTS. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED FIVE TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS (TSB) FOR THE FRONT BRAKES. THEY HAD A BRAKE UPGRADE AVAILABLE FOR THE VEHICLE. THEY REFUSED TO FIX THE VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY. *AK (11/15/05) *SC

VEHICLE VIBRATES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. DESPITE REPEATED TIRE BALANCING, REPLACEMENT AND ALIGNMENT. VIBRATES BETWEEN 50 AND 80 MPH. DEALER STATES IT IS BECAUSE OF STANDARD 17 INCH WHEELS ON THESE VEHICLES. *NM

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA FRONT TIRES HAD EXCESSIVE OUTER TIRE WEAR.*MR THE TIRE WERE ROTATED AND NOW ALL FOUR TIRES HAVE EXCESSIVE WEAR. *NM

THE BUSHINGS USED TO ATTACH THE RACK AND PINION STEERING TO THE FRAME IS TOO SOFT, CAUSING THE STEERING LINKAGE TO MOVE. THE STEERING LINKAGE IS NOT PROPERLY SECURED TO THE FRAME AND I HAVE TO OVERSTEER AND IT CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO HAVE THE FEELING OF FLOATING. *JB

BRAKES GRAB WHEN VEHICLE HAS COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED THERE SEEMS TO BE MOVEMENT FROM EITHER THE STEERING ASSEMBLY OR AXLE. *JB

PREMATURE TIRE WEAR, THE DEALER DID NOT KNOW WHAT IS CAUSING THE FRONT TIRES TO SHOW PREMATURE WEAR. THIS IS ON A 2003 TUNDRA T-3 WITH DUNLAP TIRES. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS TYPE OF TIRE WEAR, IT STARTS ON THE VEHICLE AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED AFTER ABOUT 45 MINUTES OF DRIVING, AND IT WAS BETWEEN THE CAB AND THE BED OF THE VEHICLE. OWNER CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD LOOK IN TO IT. *AK.....*AK

THE FRONT ROTORS AND PADS HAVE HAD TO BE REPLACED FOUR TIMES BECAUSE OF VIBRATION. CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN A REAR END COLLISION BECAUSE OF THE BRAKES.*AK *TT

I AM A CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIAN. I ASSISTED A CLIENT TODAY WITH THE INSTALLATION OF A GRACO "CARGO" CHILD RESTRAINT MODEL # 8487BEL EDOM 08/31/04. IN TRYING TO INSTALL THE SEAT IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR OUTBOARD LOCATION OF A TOYOTA TUNDRA ACCESS CAB TRUCK, I FOUND IT ESSENTIALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO SECURE THE TETHER (TOP STRAP). THE VEHICLE MANUAL IS POORLY ILLUSTRATED AND THE PATH FOR THREADING THE STRAP BEHIND THE SEAT IS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE TYPICAL 2 INCH HOOK TYPE TETHER. PLEASE REVIEW THE MANUAL & CHECK THE VEHICLE. I EVENTUALLY INSTALLED THE SEAT IN THE CENTER WITH GREAT DIFFICULTY USING THE INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE CENTER TETHER INSTALLATION. THESE INSTRUCTIONS ARE REALLY UNACCEPTABLE.*AK

RECEMT RAINY WEATHER IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA HAVE SHOWN THE OEM TIRES B.F.GOODRICH TIRES 265/70R16 RUGGED TRAIL ON MY 2003, TOYOTA TUNDRA TO BE DANGEROUS. THESE TIRES NOT ONLY SHOW SIGNIFICANT WEAR, AT ONLY 17000 MILES, BUT DANGEROUSLY SLIP AND SLIDE ON WET ROADS. ON 2 SEPARATE OCCASIONS, IN WET CONDITIONS, MY TRUCK SLIPPED OFF THE ROADWAY. ONE OCCASION, RESULTING IN DAMAGE TO MY FRONT BUMPER. AT FIRST OPPORTUNITY I REPLACED THESE TIRES WITH BRIDGESTONE, DUELER AT REVOS, AN EXCEPTIONAL TIRE IN WET CONDITIONS. TOYOTA SHOULD BE ALERTED TO (1) THE RAPID WEAR CONDITION OF THESE OEM TIRES AND (2) THE POTENTIAL DANGER IN WET CONDITIONS. *AK