2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

THE WHOLE CHASSIS FRAME FOR MY TRUCK IS SIGNIFICANTLY AND DANGEROUSLY RUSTED AND IT IS BREAKING APART WHICH IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME, MY FAMILY, AND OTHER DRIVERS. THIS ALSO HAS LEAD TO MY BREAKS LINES FAILING DUE TO RUST WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT DUE TO ME NOT BEEN ABLE TO STOP ON A RED LIGHT. THERE IS SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO THE CHASSIS FRAME AND IN SOME PARTS OF THE CHASSIS FRAME THAT WERE WELDED FROM FACTORY HAVE BROKEN OFF. IN OTHER SECTIONS OF THE CHASSIS FRAME PIECES HAVE STARTED TO FALL OFF AND THERE ARE HOLES THROUGH THE CHASSIS FRAME WHERE THERE SHOULD NOT BE HOLES. PARTS THAT SHOULD BE SOLID STEEL HAVE HOLES THROUGH IT. THE RUST IS SO BAD ON THE CHASSIS FRAME THAT IT HAS RUSTED OUT THE FUEL LINES AS WELL JUST LIKE IT DID THE BRAKE LINES. SECTIONS WHERE THE ENGINE MOUNTS GO IN THE CHASSIS ARE ALSO HEAVILY DAMAGE DUE TO RUST. THE RUST IS SO BAD I HAVE STEP THROUGH PARTS OF THE BED OF THE TRUCK WHEN STANDING ON IT. THERE ARE ALSO HOLES ON THE BED OF THE TRUCK WHERE YOU CAN SEE THROUGH THE GROUND DUE TO THE RUST DAMAGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR A ROUTINE CHECK, THE MECHANIC BECAME AWARE THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,000.

THE FRAME IS ROTTING PREMATURELY. THERE IS MULTIPLE HOLE DEVELOPING IN A COUPLE SPOTS OF THE FRAME. VEHICLE WAS AT THE GARAGE FOR A BRAKE JOB AND WHILE ON THE LIFT THE MECHANIC NOTED THE FRAME ROT.

I RECENTLY HAD AN EXHAUST LEAK ON MY TRUCK AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY HEAR SOME CLUNKING NOISES UNDER THE VEHICLE. I WENT UNDER THE TRUCK TO INVESTIGATE THE EXTENT OF THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE SWAY BAR LINKS WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED AND THAT ONE END WAS RUSTED OFF. I ORDERED REPLACEMENT PARTS AND TRIED TO JACK THE VEHICLE UP UNDER THE FRAME AND I HEARD CRUNCHING AND SAW THE JACK PRESSING INTO THE FRAME FROM THE BOTTOM AND CRUMBLES OF RUST CAME SHOWERING DOWN. I RELOCATED THE JACK TO A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THE FRAME AND CONTINUED TO JACK IT UP AND MORE CREAKING OF THE FRAME AND RUSTY PARTS BROKE FREE AND FELL TO MY DRIVEWAY. THE FRAME BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL IS BADLY RUSTED AND HAS LOST ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL 5"+ HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL "CUTS" INTO THE FRAME BOTH ON THE SIDE AND BOTTOM SURROUNDING THE NEARBY FRONT CROSS-MEMBER. THIS EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION COMPROMISES THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY, STABILITY, AND CRASH-WORTHINESS. WE CAN NO LONGER USE THIS TRUCK FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OF HAULING A HEAVY PAYLOAD OR TOWING A TRAILER WHICH WERE ENGINEERED BY TOYOTA. THIS HAS ALSO GREATLY AFFECTED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN WESTMINSTER, MD AND THEY PERFORMED THE ANTI-RUST SPRAY TREATMENT TO THE FRAME IN 2010 UNDER THE LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN WHICH OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK. THE EXTERIOR PAINTED SURFACES OF THE BODY ARE ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AS I APPLIED A COATING OF WAX AT LEAST ANNUALLY. THE TRUCK HAS JUST NOW REACHED 90,000 MILES AND I DON'T FEEL THAT I GOT THE VALUE OUT OF THE TRUCK FOR WHAT I PAID BRAND NEW FOR IT BACK IN 2003 WHEN I TRUSTED THE TOYOTA NAME. I RECENTLY CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALER IN WESTMINSTER, MD AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL FOR THE FRAME EXPIRED IN 2012 AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO.

IN MID DECEMBER, 2019, I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE SPARE TIRE DROPPED FROM UNDER MY 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. FORTUNATELY, NO VEHICLES WERE BEHIND ME AT THE TIME. I WAS SO SURPRISED TO SEE THAT TIRE BOUNCING DOWN THE ROAD BEHIND ME! THAT SPARE TIRE HAD NEVER BEEN TAKEN FROM THE CARRIER. I MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH A TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION/RECALL IN EARLY FEBRUARY. THEY SAID THE CORROSION ON THE CROSS-MEMBER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BUT THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER CORROSION ISSUE CAUSING THE TIRE TO DROP WAS ONLY FOR RECALLS ON THE TACOMA MODELS, I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE ISSUE. I FEEL THIS IS A TOYOTA MANUFACTURING SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. DO I HAVE ANY RECOURSE?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE HAVING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ON THE FRONT WHEEL BEARING, THE FRAME CRACKED INTO TWO PLACES BEHIND THE CAB WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS UN-DRIVABLE. THE CONTACT CALLED GRAHAM TOYOTA (1515 W 4TH ST, MANSFIELD, OH 44906 (419) 529-1800) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED WHO PROVIDED CASE 2001 021145 HOWEVER, NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 126,000.

ON 12/05/11 NEWARK TOYOTA COMPLETED RECALL SSC90M PHASE 2-CRC APPLICATION TO MY RUSTED FRAME. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY I NOTICE A BONDING FAILURE AND DELAMINATION OF THE CRC APPLICATION. BY NOVEMBER OF 2013 I ASKED THE SAME SERVICE LANE MANAGER, BILL C. AND THE TECHNICIAN THAT PERFORMED THE WORK TO INSPECT THE FAILED APPLICATION. I ASKED THE TECHNICIAN WHY IT FAILED AND HE STATED "I DID NOT PREPARE THE SURFACE CORRECTLY BEFORE I PLACED THE APPLICATION". I APPRECIATED HIS HONESTY BUT WAS TOLD THEN THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO ABOUT IT. MY FRAME IS NOW VERY RUSTED SO I ASKED BILL C. TO REINSPECT MY FRAME ON 12/5/19 WHILE MY TUNDRA WAS IN FOR A TAKATA AIRBAG RECALL. WILLIAM TOLD ME THAT HE HAD A MANAGER INSPECT MY FRAME AND THAT NO PERFORATIONS WERE FOUND (PLEASE SEE ALL ATTACHED PHOTOS). THEY DID NOT MENTION THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE FRAME C CHANNEL LOWER FLANGES. THIS EXPONENTIALLY EXPANSIVE CORROSION HAS REACHED THE LEAF SPRING BRACKET FLANGE RIVETS (SEE PHOTO 8810); CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF THE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY WILL RESULT. I AM A MECHANICAL ENGINEER WITH EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE IN CORROSION RELATED FAILURE. THIS FRAME AND VEHICLE ARE UNSAFE! ON 12/21/19 I EMAILED THIS INFORMATION, INCLUDING THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND COPIES OF ALL SERVICE RECORDS, TO THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE CENTER. THEY EMAILED ME BACK ON 12/28/19 AND ASKED ME TO CALL THEM. THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE, JEFFERY M., CALLED MY DEALERSHIP AND TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME WAS NOT PERFORATED SO I AM NOT ELIGIBLE FOR THE FRAME REPLACEMENT RECALL. I ASKED JEFFERY MULTIPLE TIMES IF THE DEALER SAID THE FRAME IS SAFE OR NOT. HE REFUSED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION AND WOULD ONLY STATE THAT MY FRAME IS NOT PERFORATED. THE NHTSA/TOYOTA 10MM PERFORATION CRITERIA IS INADEQUATE AND THE PHASE 2 APPLICATION BONDING FAILURE EXACERBATED MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT RETENTION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT FAILED TO LATCH. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED FOR HER SAFETY AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO MOLLE TOYOTA (601 W 103 RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114, (812) 942-5200) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PART NEEDED TO BE ORDERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 273,000.

TWO ITEMS HERE: FIRST I WENT TO CHANGE MY TIRE WITH MY SPARE AND IT WAS MISSING. THE TIRE SERVICE COMPANY SAID THE TIRE MUST HAVE FALLEN OFF SOMEWHERE AS THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE WAS RUSTED OFF. 2ND, I HAD MY TUNDRA PUT UP ON A LIFT TO SEE WHAT THE BANGING SOUND WAS. ONE OF THE SHOCK'S CONNECTIONS WAS RUSTED OFF AND JUST HANGING. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WHOLE FRAME AND CRANKCASE ON THE REAR DRIVE AREA LOOKED LIKE "BARK ON A TREE" AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA SHOWING SEVERE SIGNS OF FRAME RUST AND CORROSION DAMAGE RENDERING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE ON A PUBLIC ROADWAY. THIS VEHICLE IN EVERY OTHER WAY GAS BEEN MANUFACTURED TO PERFORM FOR MANY MORE YEARS EXCEPTING THE FOUNDATION OF THE VEHICLE, THE FRAMEWORK. MANY, MANY OF THESE VEHICLES ARE IN USE ON AMERICAN STREETS BY INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES WHO ARE IN DIRE RISK AND POSING A LIFE THREATENING RISK TO ALL OTHER DRIVERS ON THE ROAD.