1995 Toyota Tacoma

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, INCLUDING THE BALL JOINTS AND WHEEL, FELL UNDERNEATH THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL FOR THE FAILURE AND THE REPAIR WOULD BE THE CONTACT'S RESPONSIBILITY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 220,000.

1. TRUCK PRIMARILY USED AS A PASSENGER VEHICLE. ONLY INFREQUENT USE TRULY AS A TRUCK. 2. WHILE CARRYING A MODERATE LOAD ON THE HIGHWAY, A GRATING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE SPRING. THE LOWER LONG LEAF (2 LEAF + HELPER) HAD BROKEN OFF FORWARD OF THE DIFFERENTIAL AND DISLODGED ITSELF FROM THE ASSEMBLY SUCH THAT IT WAS RUBBING AGAINST GAS TANK SEAM. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I DISCOVERED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING WAS ALSO BROKEN BUT ONLY SLIGHTLY DISLODGED. BOTH HAD BEEN BROKEN FOR AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF TIME SINCE THE BROKEN ENDS WERE WELL RUSTED. 3. WAS APPROX. 200 MILES FROM HOME AND FORTUNATELY HAD A HAMMER TO FREE THE BROKEN SPRING FROM THE TANK. STOPPED EVERY 30 MILES TO CHECK IT. THE PROBLEM IS NOT YET CORRECTED AND STILL INSTALLED ON VEHICLE. THIS COULD HAVE POTENTIALLY CAUSED A FIRE IF THE TANK WAS RUPTURED. TOYOTA WAS CALLED TO SEE IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. THEY TOOK MY VIN NUMBER AND SAID THAT THERE WAS A RECALL BUT MY PARTICULAR VIN WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. IN TRYING TO OBTAIN USED PARTS FROM AUTO RECYCLERS, MORE THAN ONE HAS STATED THAT THEY HAVE HAD QUITE A FEW INQUIRIES FOR USED SPRINGS FOR TACOMAS. AND AFTER SEARCHING THE NHTSA DATABASE, I BELIEVE THAT THE PROBLEM IS MORE WIDESPREAD THAN IS REPORTED TO TOYOTA OR THE NHTSA.

SHORTLY AFTER PURCHASING THE USED 1995 TACOMA, UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, THE MIDDLE REAR DRIVER'S SPRING APPARENTLY BROKE AND CAME IN CONTACT WITH SHOCK, CAUSING HARD SQUEAKING. CHECKING WITH LOCAL SUSPENSION REPAIR SHOPS AND JUNKYARDS, ALL PARTIES INDICATE HOW COMMON AN OCCURANCE THIS IS. SEVERAL JUNKYARDS STATED THEY CANNOT KEEP ENOUGH OF THESE REPLACEMENT SPRINGS IN STOCK.*AK

TOM SCOTT MOTORS OF CALDWELL IDAHO SOLD ME A USED VEHICLE THAT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IN CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP THE PROBLEM IS STILL NOT RESOLVED AND THEY ARE WAITING TO SEE IF THEY CAN PURCHASE THE PARTS FROM A WRECKING YARD. THE DEALERSHIP KNEW THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED NEW LEAF SPRINGS ON THE REAR OF THE TRUCK( THIS IS EVIDENT BECAUSE THEY UNDER COATED THE BROKEN PARTS) THEY DID NOTHING TO FIX IT BEFORE SELLING IT AND ALLOWED ME TO PURCHASE IT AND DRIVE FROM CALDWELL IDAHO TO LA GRANDE OREGON WHICH IS ABOUT 140 MILES ONE WAY. *JB

MIDDLE LEAF IN BOTH REAR SPRINGS ON 1995 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 STD CAB WERE FOUND BROKEN IN TWO. BREAK IS JUST IN FRONT (TOWARDS ENGINE) OF AXLE U-BOLTS. DRIVERS SIDE FRONT BROKEN PIECE HAD ROTATED INWARD TOWARDS 18 GALLON GAS TANK (WITHIN TWO INCHES) AND PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BROKEN PIECE HAD ROTATED INWARD AND HIT AND DENTED SHOCK CASING. *NLM