1999 Toyota Tacoma

I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5 XTRA CAB, WITH AN IMMACULATE BODY, HOWEVER THE FRAME RAILS HAVE ROTTED OUT SO BADLY THAT YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGER THROUGH THE RAIL IN SOME PLACES. THE FRAME IS UNSAFE AND A FAILURE COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. THE MOST SEVERE LOCATION OF THE ROT IN JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME. *JB

TL*- THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF TRUCK WAS RUSTED ,AND THE MOUNT TO THE CAB WAS RUSTED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AS WELL. SEARS SERVICE CENTER ATTEMPTED TO DO A WHEEL ALIGNMENT WHEN THEY SAW THE RUST UNDER THE VEHICLE, BUT WILL NOT ALIGN THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE DAMAGE. HE THEN CALLED THE TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS, AND THEY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND THEY WERE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE CONTACT WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THE VEHICLE, HE OWNED IT FOR THREE YEARS. *AK

CORRODED FRAME RAILS ON A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 WITH XTRACAB. PURCHASED USED FROM A PA USED CAR DEALER WITH 120K MILES. WHILE REPLACING THE REAR SHOCKS, I NOTED SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION OF THE FRAME RAILS AND CROSS MEMBERS ON THE FRAME OF THIS TRUCK. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION, I NOTED SEVERAL AREAS WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD REPAIR PATCHES WELDED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME TO BEEF UP THE WEAKER AREAS. THIS INCLUDES THE DRIVER'S SIDE FROM THE FRONT WHEEL TO THE REAR JUST BEYOND THE REAR WHEEL. THE PASSENGER SIDE ON THE REAR AREA BETWEEN THE SPRING MOUNTS. THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME RAILS ARE FILLED WITH CORROSION AND LARGE PIECES OF THE FRAME THAT HAVE FLAKED OFF. RUST PROOFING WAS APPLIED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME TO PROTECT/HIDE THE REPAIRS. THIS VEHICLE WAS OWNED IN COLUMBUS, OHIO IT'S FIRST YEAR, AND THE REMAINING TIME IN W. VA, ACCORDING TO CARFAX. NO ACCIDENT DAMAGE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE BODY IS IMMACULATE. FAILURE OF THE TRUCK'S FRAME COULD CAUSE LOSS OF CONTROL AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I AM GOING TO ASK OTHERS VIA VARIOUS WEB PAGES TO REPORT THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THEIR VEHICLES FROM 96-04 MODEL YEARS. *NM

I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM BLAISE ALEXANDER FAMILY DEALERSHIP ON OCTOBER 19 2005. I BOUGHT IT WITH 80K MILES ON IT. I PAID ROUGHLY 13,500.00 FOR IT. MY LOCAL MECHANIC TOLD ME THAT HE NOTICED A SMALL RUST HOLE IN THE FRAME ON THE DRIVERS SIDE APPROXIMATELY 5 MONTHS AGO. WELL A FEW MONTHS LATER I HAD NOTICED A HUGE HOLE HAD APPEARED IN THE AREA OF THE LEFT REAR SHACKLE. SINCE IT WAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL WELD SHOP. HE AGREED TO TRY AND FIX IT. UPON REMOVING THE BOX, THE GAS TANK HE NOTICED HE HAD OPENED A MAJOR CAN OF WORMS. BOTH SIDES OF THE TRUCKS FRAME WERE SHOT FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAB TO THE BACK BUMPER. HE IMMEDIATELY CALLED ME WITH THIS PROBLEM. SINCE THIS WAS MORE THAN I COULD HANDLE I THEN TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I HAD BOUGHT IT ON OCTOBER 17 2006 AND SHOWED THEM PICTURES OF THE TRUCK THEY HAD JUST SOLD ME LESS THAN A YEAR AGO. THE GENERAL MANAGER JOHN PANKO SAID HIMSELF THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT ROAD WORTHY. WELL A LONG STORY SHORT... TOYOTA CORP WAS CALLED IN TO INSPECT THIS VEHICLE AND OFFERED TO GIVE ME $2000.00 TO FIX IT. A SERVICE MANAGER SAID IT WOULD COST ABOUT $6000.00 TO FIX. WELL NEEDLES TO SAY I AM NOT PAYING ANOTHER 4K ON A VEHICLE THAT I ALREADY OWE $11,500.00 ON. I HAVE NO WARRANTY LEFT TO DATE ON THIS VEHICLE, AND EVEN IF I DID, THE FRAME WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE ALEXANDER DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT GIVE ME A LOANER CAR, OR HELP ME IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM. THEY HAVE GIVEN ME THE RUN AROUND LONG ENOUGH. I HAVE CONTACTED A LAWYER AND PLAN ON FILING A COMPLAINT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR PENNSYLVANIA. ALSO THE DEALERSHIP NEVER GAVE ME ANYTHING IN WRITING FROM TOYOTA SAYING THEY AGREED TO PAY. HOW DO I EVEN KNOW IF AN INSPECTOR CAME OUT OR NOT. ALEXANDERS COULD BE SAYING THIS TO SHUT ME UP. ANOTHER PROBLEM I NOTICED THAT MANY OTHERS HAVE IS A SHIMMY IN THE FRONT END. I ALSO HAD 2 SETS OF NEW TIRES PUT ON IN THE SAME WEEK. CAN SOMEBODY PLEASE HELP ME?*JB

TRUCK SHAKES AT ABOUT 45 MPH AND CONTINUES TO SHAKE THROUGH HIGHWAY SPEEDS. WHEN LOOKED AT FOR INSPECTION I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY BOTH TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE CENTERS AND INDEPENDENT GARAGES THAT THE PLAY IN THE RACK AND PINION IS CAUSING THE SHAKE AND THE PLAY IS TO SIGNIFICANT TO PASS INSPECTION. AS I WRITE, MY TRUCK IS AT A TOYOTA DEALER HAVING THE 4TH RACK AND PINION INSTALLED. THE SHAKE CAUSES SEALS IN THE RACK TO WEAR AND BREAK. WHEN THESE SEALS BREAK IT WILL QUICKLY EMPTY THE POWER STEERING PUMP OF FLUID CAUSING LOSS OF POWER ASSIST STEERING. I HAVE BEEN FORTUNATE TO HAVE BEEN AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND NOT TO HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. *JB

DRIVING TO MY HOME ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, I HEARD A RAPPING NOISE START IN MY ENGINE. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE GARAGE (D&J AUTO) THE FOLLOWING DAY. UPON THERE INSPECTION, THEY FOUND A HOLE IN THE BLOCK OF MY ENGINE. AFTER SWAPPING ENGINES OUT OF MY VEHICLE, I HAD FURTHER INSPECTED THE OLD ENGINE. I HAD A CERTIFIED MECHANIC FRIEND HELPING ME TO TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE TO FIND WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WE HAD FOUND THAT A CONNECTING ROD HAD SHATTERED INSIDE THE ENGINE (ARM THAT CONNECTS PISTON TO CRANK SHAFT). I HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. AND A FEW SERVICE MANAGERS IN MY AREA TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE METAL CASTING OF THE CONNECTING ROD WAS FAULTY, I THOUGHT TOYOTA WOULD WANT TO VERIFY THIS BY INSPECTING THE PIECES THEMSELVES. I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AS OF YET AND IT HAS BEEN THREE WEEKS AND THE SERVICE MANAGERS KEEP SAYING; " THE ENGINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME". IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THIS PROBLEM WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY OR ACCIDENT TO ME OR OTHERS. I FELT SINCE THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ME, IT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO YOU. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE DAMAGE WITH DIGITAL PICTURES AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE PIECES ANALYZED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE EXACT REASON FOR THE FAILURE. *NM