2003 Toyota Tacoma

2003 TOYOTA TACOMA, STARTED TO GET MY TRUCK READY TO GO TO WORK WHEN I FOUND A HOLE RUSTED THROUGH THE FRAME RIGHT WHERE LEAF SPRING BOLTS TO FRAME. FRONT OF THE LEAF SPRING DRIVERS SIDE. FRAME APPEARS TO ALSO BE CRACKED IN AREA OF RUST. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR MY FRAME AND THAT THE RECALL WAS NOW OVER AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED THAT I KNEW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MANY OF THE TACOMA FRAMES AND I HAD WATCHED MY MAIL FOR A RECALL NOTICE BUT NEVER RECEIVED ONE FOR MY TRUCK. THERE RESPONSE WAS THAT IT WAS SENT AND NOTHING COULD BE DONE. AFTER TALKING TO TOYOTA I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET AND COULD FIND NOTHING ABOUT A RECALL FOR MY YEAR, I ALSO SEARCHED MY VIN ON THIS SITE AND NO FRAME RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR MY VIN INVOLVING THE FRAME. I AM NOW STUCK WITH A TRUCK I CAN'T DRIVE AND HAVE NO WAY TO GET TO WORK WITHOUT GETTING A RIDE. I HAVE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH CLUTCH WEAR, STICKING PARKING BRAKE, AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS. I ALSO FOUND OTHER STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE NOT BEING CONTACTED FOR THERE FRAMES WITH THE SAME RESPONSE FROM TOYOTA, SORRY YOU MISSED IT YOUR OUT OF LUCK. *TR

I PURCHASED THIS 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA 4 DR A FEW MONTHS AGO I'VE BEEN A TOYOTA OWNER FOR MORE THAN 6 YRS AS MY PREVIOUS TRK WAS ALSO A TACOMA THE BODY ON THIS TRK WAS SPOTLESS, NO RUST ANYWHERE, THE FRAME HAD SURFACE RUST BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK TOO BAD THE TRK NEEDED TIRES & A BULB FOR SAFETY. I FELT LIKE I HAD GOTTEN LUCKY TO GET A NICE DEPENDABLE TRK ON THE ROAD. WITHIN A MONTH I NOTICED THE TRK WAS RIDING ROUGHER. IT SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERYDAY. TACOMA DOESN'T HAVE GOOD SUSPENSION IN THE 1ST PLACE AS I HAD TO DO IT TWICE ON MY LAST TRK. THE TRK HAD SNOW BUILD UP FROM THE COLD WINTER WE WERE HAVING, SO I TOOK IT TO THE CAR WASH TO CLEAN IT UP BEFORE PUTTING `IT IN THE SHOP. WHILE WASHING IT I NOTICED SOME SCALE RUST CAME OFF UNDER THE DRIVERS FLOOR, I PULLED IT INTO THE SHOP OVER THE HOIST & WHILE SETTING THE LIFT ARMS I NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL HOLE IN MY FRAME. I LIFTED THE TRK TO FIND A PIECE OF THE FRAME STARTING AT THE LT FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNT HAD ROTTED AROUND THE WELDED SEAM & DISINTEGRATED. THE HOLE WAS15" LONG & ANOTHER 8" HOLE ON THE RT REAR IN FRT OF THE SPRING SHACKLE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WILL REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE HANGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE FRAME IS MY ISSUE AS I DID NOT HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED BACK IN 2010 TO EXTEND THE WARR. UNTIL 2017. I DID NOT OWN THE TRK UNTIL 2014. TOYOTA IS TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND A TECHNICALITY THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE NEW OWNER. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCESSIVE RUST ISSUE AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD TO RE-CALL OVER 160.000 UNITS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THEY FAILED TO USE ADEQUATE RUST PROTECTION IN THE 1ST PLACE. THIS TRK & MANY OTHER TOYOTA TRKS ON THE ROAD ARE A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP. THE WORLD NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF TOYOTA NOT BACKING THEIR WARR. & TRYING TO KEEP THE HUSH HUSH ON THEIR RECALL FOR RUST PERFORATION. TOYOTA CREATED THE PROBLEM, TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT TIRE STOPED SPINNING FORCING THE VEHICLE TO VEER TO THE LEFT TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 145,000.

I LIVE IN NC AND I NOTICED THE FRAME OF MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA IS RUSTED SO BAD YOU CAN PUSH YOUR FINGERS THROUGH IT IN SOME SPOTS! I CONTACTED THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEY RAN THE VIN NUMBER ON IT AND TOLD ME IT NO RECALL IS OUT ON THE FRAME. BUT I HAVE SEEN ON SEVERAL WEBSITES WHERE SOME 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS HAVE RECEIVED EITHER A NEW FRAME OR BEEN OFFERED BY DEALERSHIPS TO PURCHASE THE TRUCK BACK. MY QUESTION IS, THIS IS DIFFERENTLY A SAFETY HAZARD, AND FOR TOYOTA TO GO BY THE VIN NUMBERS OR STATE IN WHICH YOU LIVE IN. AND NOT THAT IT IS IN "FACT" STILL A TOYOTA TACOMA 2003 TRUCK WITH FRAME ROT, I FEEL IS A "DISCRIMINATING" OR A "DISCRIMINATION" ACT ON THERE PART. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE STRUTS FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

SO IN DECEMBER I TOOK MY TACOMA TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A REGULAR FRAME INSPECTION AFTER LEARNING UPON THE ISSUE. THE TRUCK IS IN ALMOST PERFECT CONDITION, SPOTLESS INSIDE AND OUT. THE FRAME FAILED INSPECTION, AND I WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. FIRST OFF, A SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP TRIED TO SEND ME OFF TO A FRIEND OF HIS WHO COULD "PATCH" UP THE FRAME SO THAT IT WOULD PASS INSPECTION (GREAT IDEA, RIGHT?). TOYOTA HAS PROVIDED ME WITH A RENTAL, BUT THE ONLY RENTAL THEY WOULD GIVE ME IS A COROLLA. I LIVE IN THE MOUNTAINS, AND BOUGHT THE TRUCK SO THAT I WOULD BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE ROUGH WINTER WEATHER. I HAVE ALREADY HAD TO CALL OUT OF WORK AS A RESULT OF BEING UNABLE TO DRIVE THROUGH THE SNOW. I AM LOOKING AT A DATE OF MID MARCH AT THE EARLIEST (MOST LIKELY LONGER) UNTIL I AM ABLE TO HAVE MY TRUCK BACK, DEPLETING THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF ME HAVING A TRUCK. I HAVE TRIED GETTING TOYOTA TO BUY THE TRUCK BACK. I LOVE MY TRUCK, AND I PLAN ON CONTINUING TO DRIVE TOYOTA DUE TO THE WELL-KNOWN RELIABILITY OF THESE VEHICLES. I UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS A SORT OF BAD LUCK INCIDENT, BUT CONSIDERING THAT RUST SPREADS, I ALREADY KNOW THAT I AM GOING TO HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY INTO THE VEHICLE TO COMBAT THE RUST CORROSION THAT HAS ALREADY BEGUN DUE TO A FAULTY FRAME. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY ALREADY OCCURRING, CONSIDERING THAT IT IS NOT JUST THE FRAME THAT IS CORRODED, BUT ALSO THE BRAKE LINES. I AM NOT LOOKING IN ANY WAY TO CHEAT TOYOTA, I AM JUST ATTEMPTING TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE, AND I WORRY THAT SINCE THIS CORROSION HAS ALREADY STARTED, REPLACING THE FRAME IS ONLY PUTTING OFF THE ISSUE UNTIL IT BECOMES NOTICEABLE ON THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. IF ANYONE HAS BEEN ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY HAVE TOYOTA BUY BACK A 2001-2004 MODEL TACOMA, I WOULD LOVE TO KNOW HOW THEY ACCOMPLISHED THIS.

MY BEAUTIFUL 35,000$$$ TACOMA 4X4. IS RUSTED AND PERFORATED I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CAMPAIGN ?? I WENT TO GET TRUCK RUST PROOFED AND WAS INFORMED THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN BABIES NEVER OFF ROAD , NO ACCIDENTS AND ALWAYS MAINTAINED I TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER WHO TOOK PICS TO SEND TO CORPORATE. I ALSO HAD TO SIGN THE WORK ORDER THAT THE TRUCK IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE , I DID NOT WANT TO SIGN, THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL AND HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THE ROAD LABEL UNFIT FOR ROAD, AND SENT ME ON MY WAY IN AN UNSAFE TRUCK WHICH CAN BUCKLE IN HALF AT ANYTIME I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF INSURANCE WILL COVER OF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. TOYOTA CORP KNOWS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL US TACOMA AND TUNDRA OWNERS. MANUFACTURER DEFECT FROM DANA CORP FRAMES PLEASE RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE HURT OR WORSE. WAS ALWAYS A LOYAL TOYOTA OWNER FOR 20 YEARS, MANY IN THE FAMILY AND THEY WON'T HELP PLEASE HELP US ALL !!

I RECEIVED A FRAME RECALL FOR OUR 2005 TACOMA BUT NOT OUR 2003 TACOMA. I CHECKED WITH THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD ME THAT THE RECALLS FOR THE 2003 HAVE PASSED BUT THEY WILL REPLACE THE FRAME IF I PAY $2,900 OUT OF POCKET AND THEY WILL COVER THE REST. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED 18 MONTHS AGO AND DID NOT RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE. I CHECKED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER WHO ADVISED THAT HE DID NOT RECEIVE ONE. I AM SUSPECT THAT THIS INFORMATION IS WRONG AND WILL BE CHECKING INTO IT WITH TOYOTA. THE FRAME IS BROKEN AT THE POINT WHERE THE REAR LEAF SPRING ROTTED TO THE POINT OF A DISCONNECT FROM THE FRAME. CARBONE TOYOTA INSPECTED IT AND ADVISED ME TO HAVE IT REPLACED. *TR