2001 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE SUSPENSION BALL JOINT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

I TOOK VEHICLE IN FOR RECALL FOR TIRE PLATE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE CASES HAVE COME TO LIGHT WHERE THEY RUST AND FALL OUT ALONG WITH TIRES. AT THE SHOP THE MECHANIC DETERMINE THE VEHICLE IS DANGEROUS FOR DRIVING AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO LIFT TRUCK TO REPLACE PLATE BECAUSE CHASSIS IS NO LONGER GOOD BECAUSE OF RUST AND ITS RUSTED OUT; NO STABILITY. THEY ALSO ADVISED TOYOTA HAS A RECALL FOR CHASSIS AND ITS ALSO ON THE WEBSITE NHTSA RECALL # 12V542 AND MANUFACTURE RECALL # COV WHERE THEY WILL REPLACE , CORRECT OR BUY BACK VEHICLE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY STATED ITS NOT A RECALL ITS ONLY A CAMPAIGN AND THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO ASSIST MY VEHICLE EVEN THOUGH IT ITS A RECALL. I SPOKE TO CRYSTAL FROM TOYOTA AT 800-331-4331 CASE # 1505272075. PLEASE ASSIST I NOW HAVE A PERFECT VEHICLE THAT IS NO LONGER GOOD AT ALL.

THE ENGINE REVED UP AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK PRESSED DOWN. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT IN THE WAY. I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND PULL OVER. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE BACK ON, THE RPMS WERE STILL EXTREMELY HIGH, SO I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR OVER 5 MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE THEN. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO A MECHANIC WHO CAN NOT GET IT TO REPEAT FOR HIM. THIS IS VERY SCARY. THE GOOD THING IS THAT THIS IS A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, SO NEUTRAL IS EASY. IT IS VERY UNSAFE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENS.

MY SON WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I45 FROM HUNTSVILLE, TX TO FORT WORTH, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM. HE WAS DRVING APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH NEAR MM159 WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD THUD NOISE COME FROM UNDER HIS TRUCK. HE IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND UNDER THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED A BURN TO THE LOWER PORTION OF HIS LEFT LEG. SECONDS AFTER HE EXITED THE VEHICLE, THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A TEXAS STATE TROOPER WAS PASSING SHORTLY AFTER MY SON EXITED THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARAMEDICS. (PHOTOS TAKEN).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE REVERSING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE SEPARATED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO CORROSION AROUND THE ATTACHMENT AREA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 6/25/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL, UNLESS HE PAID $ 147 EACH TO REPLACED TWO METAL TIRE HOLDERS. THE DEALER STATED THE METAL RODS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE SPARE TIRE WAS RUSTED FROM BEING IN THE CARRIER. THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE CARRIER AND THE CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY RAN OVER IT. UPDATED 05/10/16.*JB

I BOUGHT THE TRUCK DEC 9,2014 IN IL. I BOUGHT IT FROM A USED DEALERSHIP. MID JAN I NOTICED THE CAR PULLING TO THE LEFT. I GOT THE TIRES ROTATED, LOWER BALL BEARINGS REPLACED AND GOT AN ALIGNMENT. ALL A COUPLE WEEKS APART. STILL PULLED TO THE LEFT. I WENT TO ROTATE THE TIRES AGAIN FIGURING I WORE THEM FUNNY. THE FRAME SNAPPED WHERE THE LEAF SPRING MOUNTS TO THE FRAME. THE FRAME COMPLETELY BROKE. THE ONLY THING HOLDING MY REAR LEFT TIRE ON WAS THE TRUCK BED. ON TOYOTA'S WEBSITE YOU CAN LOOK FOR RECALLS. I TYPED MY VIN IN AND IT SAID THE ONLY RECALL WAS FOR THE SPARE TIRE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY OPENED A CASE (#1503310201). THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME THAT HAD ISSUES WITH RUST. THE RECALL WENT TO 2011. I WAS TOLD SINCE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DIDN'T ACT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE FRAME BROKE BECAUSE OF A DEFECT I WAS UNAWARE OF AND UNABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT. IT WAS NOT A SMALL FAILURE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. ANYTIME A FRAME FAILS A LIFE CAN BE LOST. THIS IS NOT A SMALL REPAIR OR FIX. IT IS A DIRECT DEFECT TO THE SKELETON OF THE TRUCK. THERE IS KNOW WAY TO KNOW OF THIS DEFECT WITHOUT CALLING AND REQUESTING THE INFORMATION. IT IS NOT ON THERE WEBSITE WHEN LOOKING FOR DEFECTS. I BELIEVE THEY ARE %100 PERCENT AT FAULT FOR NOT MAKING THIS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THEY SHOULD BE %100 ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS OR REPAIRS NEEDED BECAUSE OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT IN THERE TRUCK. A TEN YEAR LIMIT SHOULD BE THE LIMIT ONLY IF THEY DON'T EXPECT ANY OF THERE FRAMES TO LAST THAT LONG. WHEN PURCHASING A NEW OR USED TRUCK ONE WOULD NEVER ASSUME THE FRAME WOULD SNAP IN TEN YEARS. I DID INSPECT THE FRAME AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. IT LOOKED GREAT. HAS A NICE UNDERCOAT. PURCHASED IN IL WHERE THEY DO NOT USE SALT ON THE ROAD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK FROM THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN FROM THE DEALER. I DO HAVE PICTURES. *TR

MY ODI # 10703114 IM SURE AS YOU ARE THE FEDERAL SAFETY ADM. ,, YOU HAVE ALREADY READ THE STUDY , WHERE A GROUP OF REALLY SMART ENGINEERS & ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE 2001 TO 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME FAILURE WAS FROM THE BOX DESIGN COUPLED WITH LOW GRADE STEEL & INSIGNIFICANT RUST PREVENTIVE , RESULTED IN POTENTIAL CATASTROPHE FRAME FAILURE LEADING TO A POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS SITUATION!!~!!! BUT IF YOU DEEM IT NOT TO INFORM THE US CONSUMER --- FAR BE IT FOR ME TO SUGGEST HOW YOU SHOULD DO YOUR JOB ! MY APOLOGIES. *TR

WAS DRIVING ABOUT 45 MPH - HIT A POTHOLE & THE FRAME BROKE ON BOTH SIDES , BEHIND THE CAB !!! ALMOST AN ACCIDENT FRAME WAS ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE !!!! BUT I WASN'T ON INTERSTATE AT THE TIME I CALLED TOYOTA U.S.A. ----THEY SAID -NOT THEIR PROBLEM !!! I WOULD NOT WANT SOMEONE DRIVING ON CONGESTED FREEWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED & THIS HAPPENED SOMEONE COULD BE KILLED !!!!! *TR