2003 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE INDEPENDENTLY PERFORMING REPAIRS ON THE VEHICLE, CORROSION WAS NOTICED ON THE SUB FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHO INITIALLY STATED THAT THE SUB FRAME HAD BEEN SPRAYED WITH AN ANTI-CORROSION AGENT UNDER A VOLUNTARY RECALL BUT THEN STATED THAT THE VOLUNTARY RECALL WAS NEVER PERFORMED. IN ADDITION, THE DEALER STATED THAT DUE TO THE CORROSION, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES) COULD NOT BE PERFORMED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.

I DISCOVERED THAT BOTH SIDES OF THE FRAME ARE BROKEN JUST AHEAD OF THE REAR AXLE. THE CAR REPAIR SHOP WHERE I TOOK IT SAID THAT I WAS LUCKY THAT THE BREAK DIDN'T RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. THE VEHICLE HAS RECEIVED EXCEPTIONAL CARE AND MAINTENANCE AND THE BODY LOOKS NEW. THE VEHICLE IS USED FOR COMMUTING TO WORK AND OTHER "LIGHT DUTY". THIS APPEARS TO BE A VERY POOR QUALITY FRAME AND I HAVE LEARNED THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON IT. REGRETTABLY THEY SHOW LITTLE CONCERN FOR THE THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES STILL ON THE ROAD VULNERABLE TO FRAME BREAKAGE. MOREOVER, MOST PEOPLE DRIVING THOSE VEHICLES HAVE NO IDEA THAT THEIR VEHICLES COULD BREAK APART AT HIGHWAY SPEED WITH POTENTIALLY CATASTROPHIC RESULTS. JUST BECAUSE A RECALL ENDS (OFTEN PRIOR TO WHEN MANY WHO CAN ONLY AFFORD TO BUY USED VEHICLES ACQUIRE THEM) DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE SAFETY ISSUE HAS BEEN FULLY RESOLVED. THIS REMAINS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT TOYOTA IS SIMPLY IGNORING (THEY TELL ME IT IS NO LONGER THEIR RESPONSIBILITY!!!). I WAS FORTUNATE TO HAVE NOTICED THE BREAKAGE WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ON MY VEHICLE. OTHERS MAY NOT BE SO FORTUNATE.

I'M TRYING TO SELL MY TACOMA. THE FRAME IS RUSTED. I TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER WHEN THE FRAME RECALL WAS SENT TO ME. THEY SPRAYED THE FRAME WITH A CORROSION RESISTANT TREATMENT. OBVIOUSLY, THIS HASN'T SOLVED THE PROBLEM AND I WANT A NEW FRAME. I HAVE 134,000 MILES ON THIS TRUCK. IT'S IN GREAT SHAPE EXCEPT FOR THE FRAME. MY MECHANIC SAID IT'S A SAFETY FACTOR BECAUSE THE SPARE TIRE BRACE IS RUSTED; THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME NOW. ACCORDING TO A LETTER FROM TOYOTA USA PRESIDENT, THEY ARE ALLOWING REPLACEMENT FRAMES UP TO 15 YEARS.

THIS MORNING I TOOK MY LOW MILEAGE (58,926) 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA TO MY MECHANIC FOR A COUPLE OF SIMPLE REPAIRS. WHEN ROAD TESTING, HE DISCOVERED EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE FRAME. DURING THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER RECALL TWO YEARS AGO THE TOYOTA DEALER SLAPPED UNDERCOATING ON IT AND SAID NOTHING. THIS DANGEROUSLY EXTENSIVE FRAME RUST SEEMS TO BE A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM. WHY HASN'T THERE BEEN A RECALL? WHAT DOES IT TAKE?

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE REAR SHOCKS MOUNTING BRACKET FRACTURED AND SEPARATED FROM THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO BE INSPECTED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION TO THE SUBFRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE REPAIR SHOP INDICATED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS PREMATURELY RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT IT COULD FRACTURE AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INDICATED THAT THE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE HAD EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION, WHICH ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURES AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES). THE CONTACT WAITED LONGER THAN TWO YEARS FOR THE PART. THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER WAS ALSO PREMATURELY RUSTED AND COULD FRACTURE. THE PART WAS UNAVAILABLE TO REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE UNABLE TO CONFIRM WHEN THE RECALL REPAIR WOULD BE COMPLETED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.