2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

2003 TUNDRA SUBJECT TO FRAME RUST DETERIORATION RECALL WHICH ENDED THIS YEAR 2019. THIS VEHICLE UNDERWENT THIS RECALL INSPECTION AT TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD "PAINT WITH RUST INHIBITOR WILL SOLVE PROBLEM". RECENT INSPECTIONS X2 BY FRAME MECHANICS (NOW A FEW YEARS LATER) RESULTED IN IMMEDIATE RECOMMENDATION TO NOT DRIVE DUE TO DANGER OF IMMINENT FRAME COLLAPSE. THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 118,000 MILES AND IS OTHERWISE IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. I AM SURE MANY OTHERS ARE IN SAME CONDITION - NOT HAVING FRAME REPLACED BY MANUFACTURER, OR MISLED BY MANUFACTURER'S SERVICE CENTER. MANY ACCIDENTS LIKELY WILL OCCUR IN FUTURE. OWNERS OF THESE VEHICLES NEED TO BE WARNED OF THIS DANGER.

THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT THE TRUCK CANNOT EVEN BE JACKED UP. IT HAS BEEN MAINTAINED AND GARAGE KEPT,IT IS NOT DUE TO A LACK OF CARE FOR THE VEHICLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING DIFFERENTIAL FLUID FROM THE HOUSING WALL OF THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR END HOUSING NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO CONTINENTAL TOYOTA (6701 SOUTH LA GRANGE ROAD, HODGKINS, IL 60525, (708) 716-4497) WHERE IT WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED PER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V444000 (STRUCTURE). THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DENIED ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED - TO MY SHOCK AND I JUST FAILED INSPECTION BUT THE TRUCK IS GORGEOUS AND RUNS GREAT WITH ALL NEW TIRES. I'M CURRENTLY LOW INCOME AND WONDER HOW THE FRAME RECALL WAS MISSED BUT THE AIRBAG WAS REPLACED. PLEASE ADVISE AND THANK YOU.

FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. CAR HAS ONLY 130K MILES. TOYOTA DENIES CULPABILITY, FRAME IS MADE OF INFERIOR MATERIAL NOT ABLE TO WITHSTAND USE.

A RECALL LETTER WAS SENT FOR 2003 TUNDRA FOR UNDERCOATING. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS THERE FOR THREE DAYS. I WAS TOLD NOTHING ELSE WAS NEEDED. I BROUGHT ATTENTION TO DEALERSHIP ABOUT FRAME RECALL. I WAS TOLD MY VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER THAT RECALL ALTHOUGH THE YEAR AND MODEL WAS ON THE SITE. SECOND ISSUE OF CONCERN, ENTIRE STEERING LINE REPLACED. THERE WAS A LACK OF POWER STEERING. VEHICLE HOUSED FOR THREE DAYS AT DEALERSHIP. FAST FORWARD TODAY, 25 SEPTEMBER WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY SERVICE MANAGER OF LARGE AMOUNT OF FRAME RUST AND VEHICLE WAS NOT ROAD WORTHY. LAYERS OF RUSTED METAL CRUMBLED IN MANAGER'S HAND. AS A CONSUMER PREVENTIVE MAINTENANCE REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. I HAVE ASKED THE DEALERSHIP FOR HELP TO RESOLVE ONGOING CONCERNS. I AM A FEMALE RETIRED VETERAN PLEADING FOR HELP. I LOVE MY VEHICLE PERFORMANCE IS THE REASON THE MILEAGE IS 260,000 (+). YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS CONCERN WOULD GREATLY BE APPRECIATED.

SEAT BELT REPEATEDLY UNHOOKS AFTER YOU INSERT BUCKLE IN TO LOCKING MECHANISM. SEAT BELT WAS SECURED IN LOCKING MECHANISM AND VERIFIED BY PULLING ON STRAP AFTER LOCKING IN PLACE. LATER AS YOU DRIVE AROUND THE BELT UNLOCKS BY ITSELF. I HAVE INVESTED AND DISCOVERED THAT THE SPRING LOCK IS WEAK, DEFECTIVE AND WILL NO LONGER STAY ON THE PROPER LOCK POSITION. IT SEEMS THE INTERNAL SPRINGS ARE BROKEN OR AT BEST WEAKENED AN CAN DISLODGE FROM THE LOCKED POSITION AT ANYTIME IN A FEW SECONDS OR HOURS AFTER IT WAS SECURED. THIS PROBLEM GIVES YOU A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY. THIS IS AN IMMEDIATE SAFETY AND LIFE THREATENING ISSUE. THE UNLOCKING CAN HAPPEN IN THE PARK POSITION, DRIVING ON A STREET OR DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. THE PROBLEM CAN BE DETECTED BY THE RED 'PRESS' BUTTON SHOULD BE ALL THE WAY EXTENDED WHEN THE LATCH IS NOT IN PLACE. IF THE LATCH DOES NOT EXTEND FULLY AND IT'S NOT FLUSH WITH THE EDGE OF THE BUCKLE THEN IT IS DEFECTIVE. LOCK BUTTON CAN BE MANEUVERED INTO THE LOCK POSITION BY WIGGLING IT, BUT IT WILL NOT HOLD IN PLACE.

FRAM EXCESSIVE RUST . "RECALL" , YET TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGED , TREATED , THEN DENIED THE RECALL REPLACEMENT .KINDLY ADVISE .

EVERY TIME I GO ON A TRIP THAT REQUIRES THE TRUCK TO BE RUNNING FOR LONGER THEN 20 MIN OR SO IT BEGINS TO MAKE A REALLY LOUD GRINDING CLUNKING SOUND AND YOU CAN FEEL IT. IT'S SEEMINGLY COMING FROM THE BACK AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE MOVING OF THE TIRES. MY BUDDY THINKS IT IS THE TRANSMISSION BOX AND THAT IT IS STUCK BETWEEN FOUR WHEEL DRIVE AND REG. IT ALSO WON'T GO OUT OF FOUR LOT AND FOUR HI WHEN I WANT IT TO.

I WAS IN MOTION AND DRIVING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, WHILE OPERATING VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF ACCIDENT. AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. THE TAKATA AIRBAG WAS REPLACED BY THE AUTO MANUFACTURER (TOYOTA DEALERSHIP) PRIOR TO MY ABOVE MENTIONED ACCIDENT. THE AUTO ACCIDENT OCCURRED FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, POSSIBLY BRAKE FAILURE OR UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION OF THE CAR ENGINE.