1996 Toyota Tacoma

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR DOES NOT HAVE A SAFETY CRASH BAR. WHEN REPAIRING A BROKEN LOCK, THE REPAIR SHOP STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD NO SAFETY CRASH BAR INSTALLED IN THE DOOR. PRESENTLY, NO FAILURE HAS OCCURRED. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 190,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS INAPPLICABLE. UPDATED 02-01-08. *KB

INITIALLY FELT A VIBRATION IN MY STEERING WHEEL AND ACCELERATOR PEDAL. WAS TRYING TO DECIDE FROM WHERE THE PROBLEM CAME WHEN MY LEFT REAR TIRE BLEW IT'S ENTIRE TREAD, WHICH THEN WRAPPED AROUND MY AXLE, CAUSING ME TO SPIN 360 DEGREES AND OFF THE HIGHWAY AND DOWN A GRASSY SLOPE, WHICH, FORTUNATELY, WAS SOFT ENOUGH TO STOP ME WITHOUT MAKING ME FLIP OVER. DAMAGE: WHEEL RIM AND COVER, WHEEL WELL LINER RIPPED OFF, THEREBY BENDING IT'S REAR BRACKET, WHICH IN TURN PULLED MY FENDER IN. TREAD WRAPPED AROUND AXLE BENT, BUT DID NOT CRIMP, MY HYDRAULIC BRAKE LINE. I MANAGED TO GET THE VEHICLE TO THE ASPHALT TO CHANGE THE TIRE, BUT IT CAME TO A HALT BECAUSE OF THE AXLE BEING WRAPPED. WAS UNABLE TO PUT ON SAFETY BRAKE UNTIL I LIFTED THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO UNWRAP THE TREAD FROM THE AXLE. HAVE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH FIRESTONE AND EXPECT THEM TO PAY FOR MY DAMAGES. THEIR POLICY IS TO DEMAND THE OLD TIRE BACK BEFORE ANY PAYOUT CAN BE MADE AND I INTEND TO FIGHT THAT, SINCE THE DEALER HAS ALREADY DISPOSED OF THE EVIDENCE. MY FEELING IS THAT THE DEALER WAS EITHER IGNORANT OF THAT POLICY OR NEGLIGENT IN TELLING ME OF IT OR THAT FIRESTONE INSTRUCTED THEM NOT TO TELL CUSTOMERS OF THAT REQUIREMENT. I DID TELL THE DEALER THAT I INTENDED TO FILE A CLAIM WITH FIRESTONE. DEALER AS MUCH AS ADMITTED A FAULTY PRODUCT SINCE THEY DID NOT CHARGE ME FOR A NEW TIRE. THEY DID, HOWEVER, CHARGE ME LABOR. ROTATION AND COURTESY CHECK WERE PERFORMED BY DEALER ON 20 JULY 2005 AND THEY STATED THEY HAD CHECKED TIRE PRESSURE. *NM *NM

MY VEHICLES ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH A FEW DAYS AGO AND WE BEGAN TROUBLE SHOOTING TO FIND THE CAUSE. WE PULLED THE SPARK PLUGS AND FOUND RUST AND WATER ON ONE PLUG. WE CLEANED THE PLUG UP AND REINSTALLED IT AND RAN THE VEHICLE TO TEST IT. IT RAN SMOOTH FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES THEN BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AGAIN. WE HAVE DETERMINED THAT THE HEAD GASKET HAS FAILED. WE WENT ON THE INTERNET AND LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR OUR VEHICLE BACK IN 1999 AND AGAIN IN 2001. THE LAST ONE HAD AN EXPIRATION DATE OF NOVEMBER 30, 2004. I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2002 AND WAS NOT AWARE OF THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN UNTIL WE FOUND IT ON THE INTERNET YESTERDAY. WE NOTIFIED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD US THERE WAS NO RECALL OR CAMPAIGN FOR OUR VEHICLE. WE HAVE DOUBLE CHECKED THE VIN NUMBER WITH THEIR CAMPAIGN NOTICE AND IT IS A MATCH. WE HAVE NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE AS WE FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD MAKE IT RIGHT DUE TO NO NOTIFICATION WHEN THE CAMPAIGN WAS ONGOING.*JB

RIGHT SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE IN HALF AT 79,000 MILES. RODLAND TOYOTA IN EVERETT, WA. STATED THIS IS NOT COVERED UNDER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT DID NOT MENTION THIS AS A KNOWN PROBLEM. NO OFFERS WERE EXTENDED TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. NO MENTION WAS MADE WHEN I PURCHASED THE TRUCK 6 MONTHS AGO (OCT. 03). TRUCK WAS SAID TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.