1997 Toyota Tacoma

I NOTICED BUBBLING OF THE COATING APPLIED TO THE FRAME BY THE MANUFACTURER AND WHEN I POKED AT IT THE METAL UNDERNEATH FELL AWAY. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH ON CORRODED TACOMA FRAMES AND DISCOVERED I WAS NOT ALONE AND IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED I WANTED TO ADD MINE. THE FRAME IS CORRODED IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS AND WITHOUT REPAIR COULD FAIL IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE FRAME REPAIRED BY HAVING NEW METAL WELDED IN. I REALIZE THE VEHICLE IS TEN YEARS OLD AND MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS I FOUND ONLINE REFERENCED THE NINETY-NINE MODEL YEAR. I SHOULD ADD UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO I HAD A 1967 DATSUN 1300 PICKUP AND ITS FRAME WAS INTACT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL CORROSION! *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AXLE FAILED ON MAY 29, 2007. HE CALLED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHO LOOKED UP HIS VIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALLS ISSUED FOR OLDER MODELS OF HIS VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S INSURANCE AGENCY REFERRED HIM TO NHTSA. THE ENGINE SIZE WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 201,000. THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FAILED. UPDATED 07/06/07. *JB

I PURCHASED A USED 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA ON 3/15/07 WITH A ROTTED FRAME. FORTUNATELY I HAD ANOTHER GARAGE CHECK OUT THE TRUCK WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE WHILE WARRANTY FROM DEALER WAS STILL IN EFFECT. I WANT TO REPORT THIS SO THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL NOT BE PURCHASED BY ANYONE. IT WAS NOT NY STATE ROAD WORTHY, PER STATE INSPECTION CRITERIA. THE VEHICLE WAS GREEN, 4WD, EXTEND CAB. PURCHASED IN ROCHESTER, NY. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN IT FOR A FULL REFUND, BUT WANT TO BE SURE THE CROOKED DEALER WAS NOT RESELLING THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO HAD ANOTHER BLACK TACOMA, 1998 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BOUGHT BOTH OF THEM AT AUCTION. *JB

(1) NORMAL USE. (2) CLUTCH PEDAL ASSEMBLY/BUSHING FAILED, SQUEAKING NOISE PRESENT WHEN CLUTCHING. (3) PARTS REPLACED ~$250-$315 TO REPAIR/REPLACE PARTS. AFTER REPLACING, PARTS LASTED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 TO 2 YEARS AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT AGAIN. NO UPDATED PARTS/RECALL AVAILABLE FROM TOYOTA, WAS TOLD BY SEVERAL TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENTS IT IS A "COMMON PROBLEM". NO AFTERMARKET OPTIONS AVAILABLE. *JB

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 LX. I HAVE EXPERIENCED SUSPENSION PROBLEMS FOR THE LAST 6 YEARS. THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS WILL NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE STOCK VEHICLE. I HAVE TRIED SEVERAL TIMES TO GET TOYOTA TO REPLACE THEM WITH LARGER SPRINGS. TOYOTA HAS TURNED THEIR BACK ON ME AND SEVERAL FRIENDS THAT HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. I INSTALLED AFTERMARKET HELPER SPRINGS AND ONE OF THEM BROKE AS IT WAS OVERLOADED BECAUSE OF THE WEAK FACTORY SPRINGS. I NOW HAVE A DRIVETRAIN NOISE BECAUSE THE DRIVESHAFT IS AT AN IMPROPER ANGLE DUE TO THE SAG IN THE LEAF SPRINGS. *NM

1 PARKED WITH TRUCK IN 1ST GEAR 2 TRUCK CAME OUT OF GEAR 2 TIMES. I STOPED THE TRUCK 1 TIME, A TREE STOPPED IT THE 2ND TIME. 1 YEAR LATER, THE TRUCK POPS INTO NUTURAL WHILE DRIVING. I PUT IT BACK IN GEAR, I SOMETIMES HOLD THE SHIFTER TO KEEP IT IN GEAR. 3 I HAVE NOT TRYED TO FIX THE TRANSMISSION, BUT I ALWAYS SET THE PARKING BREAK.