1996 Toyota Tacoma

SINCE THE DATE OF PURCHASE I SMELL GAS ON THE OIL STICK INDICATING THAT FUEL IS IN THE CRANK CASE (CONFIRMED BY DEALER). I WAS ADVISED (BY DEALER)THAT IT IS NOT ABNORMAL FOR VEHICLES MOSTLY DRIVEN SHORT DISTANCES, BUT I HAVE DRIVEN LONG DISTANCES HAD OIL CHANGED AND STILL HAVE PROBLEM. ALSO, I HAVE OWNED MANY VEHICLES, INCLUDING TOYOTA TRUCKS, AND HAVEN'T HAD THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. OCCASIONALLY I HAVE A STRONG SMELL OF FUEL FOR NO APPARENT REASON. I AM TRYING TO VERIFY IF THIS IS INDEED "NORMAL" OIL LEVEL DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE AFFECTED.*AK

I COMPLAINED OF A RAPPING, TAPPING NOISE IN ENGINE ON 8/26/97. TRUCK HAD 15877 MILES ON IT. WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF NOISE 1/29/98. TRUCK HAD 21851 MILES ON IT. SOUNDED LIKE TAPPING NOISE COMING FROM TOP OF ENGINE . SAME NOISE AS BEFORE. THEY SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG. AT 56500 MILES TAPPING GOT SLIGHTLY LOUDER. I AGAIN COMPLAINED OF NOISE AT BEGINNING OF DECEMBER 2001. I WAS TOLD THEY COULD HEAR IT THEN (AFTER WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED!) THEY TOLD ME I HADNT CHANGED MY OIL AND IT WOULD COST 4400 DOLLARS FOR A NEW SHORT BLOCK. I KNEW I WASNT AT FAULT. I REMOVED ENGINE SO I COULD DETERMINE CAUSE OF NOISE. THE PROBLEM IS A DEFECTIVE CRANKSHAFT. IT IS NOT MACHINED CORRECTLY. IT IS NOT DRILLED THRU TO ALLOW THE FLOW OF OIL THRU THE BEARING. I SHOWED THEM THE CRANK. THEY ADMITTED IT WAS A FACTORY DEFECT. THEY WILL NOT PUT IT IN WRITING. THEIR MAY BE THOUSANDS OF OTHER TRUCKS WHOSE OWNERS ARE GETTING RIPPED OFF FOR THE COST OF A NEW ENGINE. THEY WILL BE TOLD THEY DIDNT CHANGE THEIR OIL. TOYOTA WILL POCKET ALOT OF MONEY. THE OWNERS WILL BE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THIS MAJOR SCAM. TOYOTA MUST ADMIT IN WRITING THEY WERE MADE AWARE OF THIS. THEY MUST BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE ENGINE COULD FAIL IN TRAFFIC CAUSING SEVERE ACCIDENTS.*AK

CONSUMER STATED THE HEAD GASKET BEGAN TO LEAK RED FLUID, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT BOTH HEAD GAKSKETS WERE CRACKED, CONSUMER HAS SINCE RETURED TO THE DEALER ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS COMPLAING ABOUT AN ENGINE NOISE, CONSUMER THEN LEARNED THAT THE HEAD GASKET WAS NEVER REPLACED, CONSUMER FINALLY HAD THE GASKET REPLACED AND THE NOISE BECAME EVEN LOUDER, CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT AFTER HEAD GASKET WORK IS PERFORMED THAT POTENTIAL FOR LATER DAMAGE WAS COMMON.*JB