2001 Toyota Tacoma

I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA AND THE FRAME IS BROKEN IN TWO ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE TRUCK AND RUSTED IN TWO ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I AM LEARNING THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TRUCKS FOR FAULTY FRAMES. I HAVE ALSO LEARNED THAT THEY STOPPED THE RECALL IN 2012 BEFORE I OWNED THE TRUCK. HOW IS THIS GOING TO HELP ME IF I BOUGHT THE TRUCK AFTER THE RECALL IS OVER BUT THE ISSUE JUST HAPPENED? I PAID TOO MUCH FOR THIS TRUCK TO ONLY GET TO USE IT FOR A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THE FRAME FELL APART. THIS IS A RECALL THAT SHOULD NEVER BE DISCONTINUED, IF I WAS NOT TOLD OF THIS PROBLEM BY MY MECHANIC SOMETHING BAD COULD HAVE HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. I AM UNSURE HOW THE FRAME BROKE BUT I WAS TOLD ABOUT IT AFTER I TOOK IT TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE BRAKES WORKED ON. THE SPOT THAT IS BROKEN ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS NOT EVEN RUSTY JUST BROKE LIKE IT WAS A WEAK FRAME. MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME TO NOT EVEN DRIVE IT HOME SO I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED HOME ON A FLATBED.

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS RECALLED IN 2011 DUE TO RUST/CORROSION OF THE VEHICLE FRAME. WE PROMPTLY FOLLOWED ALL RECALL INSTRUCTIONS AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER IN RESPONSE TO THE RECALL. TOYOTA TREATED THE FRAME WITH A SOLUTION AND WE WERE ADVISED THE THE ISSUE WAS RESOLVED. THE VEHICLE FRAME RECENTLY COLLAPSED / BROKE IN TWO. I NOTIFIED TOYOTA OF THE ISSUE AND WAS ASSIGNED A CASE #1606222761. I WAS NOTIFIED TODAY BY TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE FRAME WARRANTY HAD BEEN EXTENDED BUT THAT THE WARRANTY EXPIRED 11/7/2015. THEY ADVISED THAT THERE IS NO APPEAL PROCESS AND NO SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE IS NOT DRIVEABLE ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE IS IS PERFECT RUNNING ORDER AND IN VERY GOOD CONDITION (OTHER THAN A BROKEN FRAME). THE BROKEN FRAME WAS NOT A RESULT OF ABUSE OR A SPECIFIC MOMENT IN TIME - IT JUST COLLAPSED DUE TO CORROSION - THE VERY ISSUE OF THE 2011 RECALL THAT WE WERE TOLD HAD BEEN RESOLVED.

TOYOTA TACOMA 2001 HAS SEVERE FRAME AND SUSPENSION CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, AND WITHOUT EVEN INSPECTING THE TRUCK, I WAS ADVISED TO CONTACT TOYOTA CORP OFFICE, WHICH I HAVE NOT DONE YET. BUT WILL DO TODAY. I TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC TO GET HIS OPINION...HE ADVISED THAT IT WAS SEVERE AND WOULD NOT PASS ANY INSPECTION.

WHILE DRIVING THE TRUCK WE HEARD A RUBBING AND CLANKING NOISE. THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER SUPPORT ,ON THE PASSENGER SIDE, COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY ALONG WITH THE FRAME AND IS NOW RESTING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK BED. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHO INFORMED US THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME IS PERFORATED WITH HOLES, THE FRAME ON THE DRIVERS FRONT IS EXTREMELY DAMAGED AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WERE TOLD THEY WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE THE FRAME IS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 46 DAYS.

RUST SEEMS TO BE COMING OFF BY THE HANDFULS AND PIECES THICK ENOUGH THAT I AM CONCERNED. I LOOKED UNDER MY TRUCK AND AMONG OTHER THINGS, METAL LINES (BRAKE, STEERING, NOT SURE), THE GAS TANK, AND STEERING LINKAGE BECAME MY BIGGEST CONCERN. BY THE THICKNESS OF RUST I HAVE GOTTEN FROM MY VEHICLE I AM CERTAIN IT IS NOT SURFACE RUST. HOW MUCH WILL SOMETHING RUST BEFORE IT BECOMES A FAILURE, ESPECIALLY WITH A LINE UNDER PRESSURE SUCH AS BRAKE LINES? THE LAST TIME I FILLED UP I NOTICED GAS LEAKING ON THE CONCRETE. I AM NOT SURE IF IT IS COMING FROM THE TANK ITSELF OR NOT.

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A USED 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA AND NOTICED IT NEEDED TO GO IN FOR A RECALL FOR THE SPARE TIRE BEING IN NEED OF REMOUNTING. I NOTICED THE FRAME RUST WAS BAD. AS IN FIST SIZE HOLES ALL DOWN THE FRAME. I CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE RECALL AND MENTIONED THE FRAME RUST AND THE RECALL ON THE FRAMES. I WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULDNT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THE RUST. IM NOW STUCK WITH A VERY UNSAFE TRUCK FOR ME AND MY CHILDREN TO BE IN AND A COMPANY THAT FLAT OUT MADE A MISTAKE AND WONT OWN UP TO IT. I WILL UPLOAD DETAILED PHOTOS OF THE DAMAGE LATER ON.

WHILE I WAS DRIVING THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL COMPLETELY BUCKLED UNDER THE TRUCK. LUCKILY, I WAS ONLY DRIVING 15 MPH. HAD THIS BROKEN WHILE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN INJURED OR INJURED SOMEONE ELSE. AS A RESULT, THE MECHANIC FOUND THAT BOTH BALL JOINTS WERE BAD SO BOTH WERE REPLACED. THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND THE SPARE TIRE CANNOT BE REMOVED. NO NOTICE WAS EVER GIVEN TO US OR THE PREVIOUS OWNER BY TOYOTA, REGARDING THE PROBLEMS STATED ABOVE.