2004 Toyota Tacoma

WHILE DRIVING ALONG I WOULD SOMETIMES HEAR AN UNUSUAL SOUND, A SLIGHT RINGING SOUND. WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND INSPECTED MY TRUCK I SAW THAT ONE OF THE METAL STRAPS THAT HOLDS THE GAS TANK IN PLACE HAD RUSTED APART, AND THE BRACKET WOULD RUB AGAINST THE DRIVE SHAFT, CREATING THE SOUND. THIS IS ONE OF THE TACOMA'S THAT WAS RE-FRAMED AS PART OF A RECALL. IT APPEARS THE SAME DEFECTIVE METAL USED IN THE FRAME THAT WAS REPLACED WAS ALSO USED IN OTHER COMPONENTS. THE GAS TANK COULD HAVE FALLEN, DROPPED ON TO THE ROAD, OR SIMPLY EXPLODED, NO DOUBT KILLING MYSELF AND MY WIFE. I HAD THE GAS TANK STRAPS REPLACED AT A LOCAL GARAGE. I ALSO HAVE PICTURES OF THE BROKEN STRAP IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, SHE NOTICED SOMETHING HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK PROTECTOR WAS CORRODED AND HAD CAUSED THE FUEL TANK TO BECOME DETACHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 61,400...UPDATED 10/30/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER FOUND THE VEHICLE HAD A PREFORATION. THE FRAME AND THE STRAPS FOR THE FUEL TANK WERE REPLACED. FREE OF CHARGE. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, SHE NOTICED SOMETHING HAD BECOME DETACHED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FUEL TANK PROTECTOR WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK PROTECTOR WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000. *TR

GAS TANK SHIELD CORRODING WHEN NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA ABOUT CORROSION PROBLEMS TO THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK, I INSPECTED THE UNDER NEATH OF THE TRUCK MYSELF AND ALSO NOTICED THE GAS TANK SHIELD HAD CORRODED AWAY. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FRAME CHECKED, I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM WITH THE GAS TANK SHIELD AND THEY TOLD ME THAT WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL.NOW A YEAR LATER, I JUST RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL FOR A DIFFERENT PROBLEM," EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER PLATE". IF THE FRAMES AND SPARE TIRE CARRIER PLATES CORRODE DUE TO HIGH ROAD SALT USE IN COLD CLIMATE STATES, WHY ARE THE GAS TANK SHIELDS CORRODING ? THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS SAFETY ISSUE, THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

I BROUGHT MY TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO LOCATE AN EMISSIONS SYSTEM LEAK. TWO OTHER MECHANICS HAD SPENT HOURS TRYING TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM AND WERE UNABLE TO FIND THE LEAK. THE TOYOTA TECH FOUND THE LEAK IN LESS THAN 20 MINUTES. THAT WOULD LEAD ME TO BELIEVE HE HAD DEALT WITH THIS PROBLEM BEFORE. THE LEAK TURNED OUT TO BE CORROSION IN THE FUEL TANK, WHERE THE FILLER NECK MEETS THE TANK. I WOULD NOT EXPECT A RUSTED GAS TANK IN AN 8 YEAR OLD TRUCK. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS OVER $1400, THE PART ALONE WAS $750. THIS IS A TRUCK THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN RECALLED FOR A RUSTED FRAME (WHICH TOYOTA REPLACED AT NO COST TO ME) AND IS SHOWING CORROSION IN THE REAR BUMPER AND TAILGATE. I SUSPECT TOYOTA SAVED MONEY BY BUILDING THE TRUCK WITH INFERIOR MATERIALS. BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, A LEAKING FUEL TANK IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE, NOT COMMON IN A VEHICLE THIS RECENT. *TR