1998 Toyota Tacoma

The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the subframe was severely corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Customer Satisfaction Campaign: 10030357-0006 (Frame Corrosion-Preventative Compound); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 164,000.

The contact owns a 1998 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while inspecting the subframe of the vehicle, he noticed that there was a hole in the rear passenger side wheel well. The contact stated that the failure had increased significantly. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure and informed the contact that they could not assist as an unknown recall had expired. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

MY SON WAS DRIVING HIS 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA DOWN THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRAME SEPARATED IN HALF. LUCKILY HE WAS ABLE TO SLOWLY PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE AND GET IT OFF OF THE ROAD WITHOUT HARM TO HIMSELF OR OTHERS. THE TRUCK WAS LATER TRAILERED TO A FRIENDS HOUSE WHERE A TEMPORARY BRACE WAS WELDED ON. WE LATER BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A DEALERSHIP WHO TOOK ONE LOOK AT THE FRAME AND SAID WE WERE NOT DRIVING THAT TRUCK HOME IT WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED BEYOND ITS YEARS. THE DEALERSHIP GAVE US A RENTAL CAR FOR THE EVENING UNTIL THEY HEARD BACK FROM TOYOTA WHO REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FRAME BECAUSE THE PROGRAM HAD EXPIRED. UNFORTUNATELY I AM ON ABLE TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE FOR MY SON. I DID MY DUE DILIGENCE WHEN I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND PULLED A CARFAX ON IT AND THERE WAS NO REPORT OF A RECALL, I DID NOT LOOK UNDERNEATH TO CHECK FOR FRAME DAMAGE AS THE TRUCK HAD A CLEAN TITLE AND THERE DID NOT SEEM TO BE A REASON.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE SUBFRAME BETWEEN THE REAR AXLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED BY THE MANUFACTURER OF A BUY BACK PROGRAM, WHICH HAD EXPIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED CASE NUMBERS: 1505202202 AND 1602030551. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 132,238.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT MY 98 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTENDED CAB 44. I KNEW NOTHING OF ANY FRAME RUST PROBLEMS OR ANY OTHER PROBLEMS THAT TOYOTA'S HAD. NOW I AM THE PROUD OWNER OF A GOOD LOOKING TRUCK THAT I JUST FOUND OUT IS NOT ONLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE OFF ROAD BUT ON ROAD ALSO.YESTERDAY I FOUND THAT THE REAR SHOCK,WHERE IT MOUNTS ON TOP,HAD BROKE THROW THE FRAME AND AFTER INSPECTING AND DOING A QUICK WELDING REPAIR JUST TO MAKE IT HOME,THAT THE FRAME HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN REPAIRED IN OTHER PLACES BUT ONLY WELDED NEW METAL OVER THE EXISTING RUSTING FRAME.NO ONE HAS MADE ANY ATTEMY TO INFORM ME OF ANY PROBLEMS AND FROM WHAT I'M SEEING NOW IT'S PAST THE 15 YR DEADLINE. I BOUGHT A TOYOTA BECAUSE OF ITS DEPENDABILITY BUT WHAT GOOD IS IT TO HAVE A DEPENDABLE ENGINE WHEN THE FRAME WASN'T PREPARED TO HOLD UP TO NORMAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT RUSTING INTO.

THE TACOMA HAS DEVELOPED SIGNIFICANT RUST AROUND THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR LEAD SPRING BRACKET. THE BRACKET IS BEGINNING TO PULL AWAY FROM THE FRAME AND THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER USABLE AS A RESULT, THIS IS VERY DISCOURAGING AS THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN MAINTAINED WELL AND CURRENTLY HAS 250K MILES ON IT. ALL OTHER PARTS OF THIS VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD SHAPE.

FRAME PERFORATION AKA RUST THROUGH PROBLEM FAILED PA INSPECTION THIS WEEK. GARAGE NOTIFIED ME OF KNOWN TACOMA FRAME RUST PROBLEMS. TOYOTA DEALER SAYS ITS TOO LATE BUT I WAS NOT AWARE OF THIS HAZARD THAT TOYOTA SEEMS TO BE WELL AWARE OF. BODY SHOP WILL NOT TOUCH THIS PROBLEM OF RUST THROUGH ABOVE SPRING LEAF MOUNTS DUE TO LIABILITY CONCERNS. THIS SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA'S PROBLEM TO SOLVE. PLEASE HELP!