1998 Toyota Tacoma

DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELTS ARE ABNORMALLY FRAYED, BELOW THE BUCKLE. PASSENGER SIDE ARE SLIGHTLY FRAYED AS WELL, BUT NOT AS SEVERELY. DEALER INSPECTED AND SAID THERE ARE NO RECALLS. SIMILAR VEHICLES I HAVE OWNED THAT ARE OLDER AND HAVE MANY MORE MILES HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM, THEREFORE I AM SURE THIS IS NOT NORMAL WEAR AND IS LIKELY UNSAFE IF AN ACCIDENT SHOULD OCCUR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA EQUIPPED WITH GOODYEAR PACEMARK (N/A) TIRES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN HE NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A BLISTER ON THE SIDEWALL OF THE FRONT DRIVER'S TIRE. THE CONTACT EXAMINED EACH TIRE AND NOTICED THAT BLISTERS WERE PRESENT ON ALL OF THE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT HE MAY BE DRIVING OVER TOO MANY BUMPS ON THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS ALSO TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE BLISTERS WERE PRESENT ON THE INNER AND OUTER SIDEWALLS OF ALL TIRES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND ALSO OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE ON THE TIRES WAS 9,869. UPDATED 6/4/12 *CN THE CONSUMER HAD TO PURCHASE NEW TIRE EIGHT MONTHS LATER. UPDATED 06/11/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS CORRODED AND THE REAR AXLE HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000. UPDATED 05/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED TOYOTA PURCHASED THE VEHICLE BACK FROM HIM. UPDATED 05/22/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT BELT WAS SHREDDING AND TEARING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS WHERE THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE SEAT BELT WAS REPLACED AND AFTER THE REPAIR, THE SEAT BELT BEGAN TO SHRED AND TEAR AGAIN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT FURTHER REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

MY WIFE STOPPED AT THE EDGE OF OUR DRIVEWAY TO LET A PEDESTRIAN PASS AND THEN PROCEED TO ENTER THE DRIVEWAY BY MAKING A RIGHT TURN. AS SHE ACCELERATED TO ENTERED THE DRIVEWAY, THE TACOMA TOOK OFF WITH THE ENGINE SCREAMING AT A VERY HIGH RPM AND, DESPITE HER EFFORTS TO STOP THE TRUCK BY PRESSING HARD ON THE BRAKE, SHE CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE AND EAST WALL OF THE HOUSE. DESPITE THE ENORMOUS DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE, IT IS A TOTAL, I THINK, THE AIR BAGS NEVER DEPLOYED.OBVIOUSLY THE TACOMA SUFFERED FROM THE SAME ACCELERATOR PROBLEM THAT HAS PLAGUED TOYOTA UNITS. MY WIFE, THE DRIVER, SUFFERED BRUISED RIBS AND A HEADACHE. FIRE AND POLICE RESPONDED TO EMERGENCY CALL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT, THE CONTACT SMELLED A STRONG FUEL SMELL COMING IN THROUGH THE VENTS. THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE YET THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE CONTACT STATED SHE HAD SUFFERED VARIOUS RESPIRATORY COMPLICATIONS SINCE THE FAILURE BEGAN AND BELIEVED IT WAS CAUSED BY THE FUEL ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

LETTER FROM SENATOR CASEY ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE HIS 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DAMAGED ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND HAS A RECONSTRUCTED TITLE. TOYOTA RECALLED THE VEHICLE DUE TO A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT FOR FRAME RUST. TOYOTA DENIED THE RECOMMENDATION OF INCLUDING THE VEHICLE IN THE BUY BACK PROGRAM, DUE TO THE RECONSTRUCTED TITLE, EVEN THOUGH THE FRAME WAS CAUSED BY TOYOTA THREE YEARS PRIOR DURING THE MANUFACTURING OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

WHEN WEATHER TEMPERATURE DROPS TO 30 OR BELOW THE BRAKES START TO ACT UP. THERE ARE NO BRAKES UNTIL THE TRUCK IS WARMED UP. THE BRAKES SEEM TO GRAB ON FLAT ROADS BUT GOING DOWN EVEN THE SLIGHTEST HILL AND THE BRAKES LOCK. BEING A GIRL, I THOUGH I NEEDED NEW BRAKES. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND HAD A BRAKE JOB DONE. THE NEXT YEAR THE TEMPS DID NOT DROP TO 30 DEGREES . THE WINTER WAS MILD. THIS YEAR IT IS COLD AGAIN AND THE BRAKES ARE ACTING UP AGAIN. WITH ALL THE TOYOTA PROBLEMS, I THOUGH I SHOULD REPORT IT. ESPECIALLY AS BEING A GIRL, THE DEALER DOES NOT TAKE ME SERIOUSLY. I SEE ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS CONTINUED PROBLEM WITH MANY TOYOTA OWNERS. YOUR SYSTEM WILL NOT EXCEPT THE VN NUMBER, SO HERE IT IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR