2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA Complaints

TAKARA INFLATORS AND DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY STREET AND HAD A DRIVER FLASHING HIS LIGHTS AT ME. I PULLED OVER TO FIND OUT THAT MY SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH MY TRUCK HAD FALLEN OFF AND BOUNCED INTO A BUILDING. I GO BACK TO GET IT AND NOTICE THAT IT HAD RUSTED AND FELL OFF. I'VE BEEN HAVING BALL JOINT ISSUES AND NOW MY RACK AND PINION HAS STARTED TO LEAK BECAUSE OF RUST. I'VE LEARNED ABOUT A RECALL ON MY FRAME HAS BEEN ISSUED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID MY TRUCK HAD BEEN LOOKED AT AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. I'VE GOT THE SPARE TIRE AND THE RUSTED BRACKET. I'M REALLY SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT,AND AIR BAG THEY WANT TO REPLACE IT BUT TO SCARED TO DRIVE IT

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING, THE TRAILER HITCH BECAME DETACHED. THE CONTACT COASTED THE VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED THAT THE HITCH DROPPED LOW TO THE GROUND AND WAS BENT. THE CONTACT USED THE TRAILER JACK TO LIFT UP THE TRAILER AND STRAIGHTEN THE HITCH TO THE RECEIVER IN ORDER TO DRIVE HOME. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRAILER HITCH WAS BOLTED TO THE REINFORCEMENT BUMPER, WHICH WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THE PASSENGERS IN THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BE PROTECTED IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH. THE CONTACT REMOVED THE TRAILER FROM HIS VEHICLE AND PLACED IT IN THE BACK OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO NEW COUNTRY TOYOTA OF SARATOGA SPRINGS (LOCATED AT 3002 NY-50 BUILDING # 1, SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY 12866, (518) 584-7272) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE REINFORCEMENT BUMPER WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 09V444000 (STRUCTURE). THE RECALL ONLY INCLUDED THE FRAME AND ALL THE CROSSMEMBERS; THEREFORE, THE DEALER COULD NOT ASSIST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1906120378. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 114,000.

FRAME RECALL INFERIOR STEEL USED ON THE FRAME HAS LED TO PREMATURE FAILURE AND ROT. TOYOTA APPLIED A SEALANT TO THE FRAME TO ADDRESS THE RUST ISSUE. THE SEALANT WAS ALSO AN INFERIOR PRODUCT AND DID NOT ADHERE TO THE FRAME. BECAUSE TOYOTA CONSIDERED THE RECALL CLOSED THERE WAS NO WARNING TO INDICATE A HAZARD COULD EXIST. A RECALL WILL NOT SHOW UP ON CAR FAX IF THE MANUFACTURER DEEMS THE RECALL IS COMPLETE. TOYOTA'S POSITION THAT ROAD SALT IS THE CAUSE OF THE PREMATURE FRAME ROT IGNORES THESE FACTS.

A FEW YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA TUNDRA WITH 70K MILES ON IT THINKING I WAS GETTING A RELIABLE VEHICLE WITH LOTS OF LIFE LEFT ON IT. WHAT I GOT WAS THE MOST UNRELIABLE EXPENSIVE PIECE OF CRAP I HAVE EVER OWNED. IT EVEN NEARLY RUINED OUR HONEYMOON. WE TOOK THE TRUCK ON A ROAD TRIP TO SEE THE SOUTHWEST AND KICK OFF OUR MARRIAGE. IT WAS VERY EXCITING THANKS TO TOYOTA. AT THE GRAND CANYON WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF HUNTING DOWN THE LAST OVERPRICED BOTTLE OF POWER STEERING FLUID. RATHER THAN RELAXING AT THE SOUTH RIM I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIMP THE TRUCK TO THE NEAREST SHOP. THAT WAS OVER $1200 OUT OF OUR BUDGET. THE NEXT OBSTACLE WAS EVEN MORE EXCITING. WE DISCOVERED THE BACK TIRES WHERE READY TO FALL OFF AND THE FRONT WHEELS HAD DEVELOPED SOME ISSUE ALSO. SO WE LIMPED THE TRUCK TO ELK CITY OKLAHOMA IN THE MIDST OF TORNADO WARNINGS. WE EVEN GOT TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN A RUN DOWN MOTEL 6. I THINK THEY RENTED ROOMS BY THE HOUR. THAT WAS ANOTHER $1400 OVER OUR BUDGET FOR A TWO DAY STAY IN SCENIC ELK CITY. AT LEAST WE GOT A FREE LOANER FROM THE FOLKS AT SMITH FAMILY NISSAN. IT'S MORE THAN TOYOTA HAS DONE FOR US. I HAD TO DRIVE UP TO KEENE TO JUST GET PUSHED RIGHT OUT THE DOOR POLITELY. THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST SAVED ME THE TRIP BY SIMPLY RETURNING MY EMAIL. WE GOT THE SAME TREATMENT FROM TOYOTA CORP. AND FOR A SOUVENIR WE ARE LEFT WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF SCRAP METAL IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH TOYOTA CHEEPED OUT ON THE STEEL FOR THE FRAME. CHEAP CHINESE STEEL. THE SOLUTION WAS TO SPRAY SOME CHEAP CRAP ON THE FRAME AND COVER UP THE PROBLEM. IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE IT BREAKS IN HALF JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. THANKS TOYOTA FOR ALL THE HELP AND THE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. YOU SURE KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF CUSTOMERS. THANKS TO TOYOTA'S PATCH JOB THE FRAME ISSUES DID NOT APPEAR IN A CAR FAX REPORT.

I HAD A SAFETY RECALL FOR CORROSION AND HAD IT REPAIRED AT THE DEALERSHIP IN JULY, 2015. RECENTLY I RETURNED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN EXHAUST LEAK. WHEN THEY PUT IT ON THE RACK THEY NOTED SEVERAL AREAS ON THE FRAME WHICH HAD RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE TRUCK WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD MY VIN WAS NOT PART OF ANY RECALL AND THEREFOR TOYOTA WOULD NOT REPLACE THE FRAME. I BELIEVE THE SAME INFERIOR STEEL WAS USED ON MY FRAME AS WAS ON THE RECALLED TOYOTAS. I LIVE IN VIRGINIA WHICH WHILE WE DON'T EXPERIENCE THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF SNOW HERE, WE ARE STILL CONSIDERED A NORTHERN STATE PER TOYOTA. THE TRUCK HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND WAS USED AS A DAILY DRIVER AND NOW WILL BE A TOTAL LOSS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL DRAGGING NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON EXITING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS RUSTED AND DETACHED. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT CALLED DON MOORE TOYOTA (4216 FREDERICA ST, OWENSBORO, KY 42301, (270) 926-2500) AND WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 129,000. *BF *JB

TAKATA RECALL, I WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION WITH MY TOYOTA TUNDRA WHEN A NISSAN ALTIMA FAILED TO STOP FOR A STOP SIGN. AT WITCH POINT MY AIR BAGS DID NOT GO OFF. THE TRUCK IS TOTALED AND SO WAS THE NISSAN! I WAS DRIVING EAST ON QUINCY AVE. AND THE NISSAN WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON B ST. WHEN SHE FAILED TO STOP AT THE STOP SIGN.

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA FRONT END MAKING A SEVERE GRINDING, SQUEAKING, AND KNOCKING NOISE. THE CV AXLE BOOTS ARE DESTROYED AND SEEMS LIKE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUB IS GOING OUT QUICKLY AS WELL. ALSO HAVE TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE AND NOISE WHEN TURNING. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 86,000 MILES ON IT.

THE FRAME BY THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL IS ALMOST BROKEN IN HALF...IT HAS A 2 FOOT LONG SECTION MISSING...OTHER STEERING COMPONENT AFFECTED STABLIZER BAR ALMOST RUSTED IN HALF..BRACKET AND BUSHING ALMOST NONEXISTENT...THIS IS MY DAILY DRIVER FOR ME,MY WIFE AND MY 10 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER...I FEAR FOR THEIR SAFETY SHOULD IT COMPLETELY LET LOOSE...I DRIVE VERY SLOW...I AM 59 YEARS OLD...PLZ HELP ME GET A NEW FRAMEFROM TOYOTA...THANX

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA EQUIPPED WITH DEFINITY DAKOTA H/T TIRES, SIZE: P265/70R17. THE CONTACT STATED THAT ALL FOUR TIRES WOULD DEFLATE RAPIDLY. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12T013000 (TIRES). PEP BOYS INSPECTED THE TIRES AND STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE CONTACT SHOWED PEP BOYS THE RECALL LETTER AND THEY KEPT IT, STATING THAT THEY HAD NO WAY TO COPY THE LETTER IN ORDER TO RETURN THE ORIGINAL TO THE CONTACT. THE VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000. THE TIRE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.