2004 Toyota Tacoma

MY 2004 TACOMA HAS ~127,500 MILES AND HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO FRAME CORROSION AND SPARE TIRE RETAINER CORROSION RECALLS. MY DEALER RECENTLY ADVISED THAT THE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING IS BROKEN WHICH IS RESULTING IN AN UNPREDICTABLE RESPONSE WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY IN 4WD IN SNOWY WEATHER. THIS LACK OF STEERING CONTROL IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS FRACTURE IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE CORROSION ISSUES IN THE TACOMA FRAME AND SUSPENSION DESIGN ON THE TACOMA. TOYOTA USA HAS REVIEWED THE CASE AND IS UNWILLING TO COVER THE COST OF THE LEAF SPRING REPAIRS. THIS IS DESPITE AN EXTENSIVE RECALL ON 2005+UP TACOMA'S FOR DISTRESSED LEAF SPRINGS. *TR

FRAME SLIGHTLY BENT IN ACCIDENT. WHEN BODY SHOP WENT TO PULL FRAME TO STRAIGHTEN OUT THEY WOULD NOT DO IT BECAUSE HOW BADLY RUSTED THE FRAME WAS. TRUCK HAD 88,000 MILES ON IT. TOYOTA WILL DO NOTHING. THIS IS MY SECOND TACOMA THIS HAS HAPPENED TOO. THEY RECALLED MY 97 TACOMA BECAUSE OF THE SAME ISSUE, AT LEAST THEY TREATED ME FAIRLY ON THAT. I WAS ASSURED WHEN I BOUGHT THE SECOND TRUCK RUST PROBLEM WAS FIXED. *TR

PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN JUNE OF 2014. THE CARFAX REPORT ONLY LISTED A RECENT RECALL DEALING WITH THE SPARE TIRE HANGER. THE CARFAX REPORT DID NOT SHOW ANY OTHER RECALLS, INCLUDING THE FRAME TREATMENT, THE FRAME REPLACEMENT OR THE TRUCK BUY BACK OFFERED BY TOYOTA. WE COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF THE RECALLS. TWO WEEKS AGO, THE REAR RIGHT SHOCK ROTTED/COMPLETELY BROKE AWAY FROM THE SEVERELY RUSTED FRAME. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WILL DO NOTHING BECAUSE "WE" DIDN'T HAVE IT TREATED. HOWEVER, WE HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE RECALL AND HAD NO WAY OF KNOWING THAT THERE WAS A FRAME PROBLEM BECAUSE THE DEALER INDICATED NO ISSUES, THE CARFAX REPORT SHOWED NOTHING AND WE HAVE ONLY OWNED THE TRUCK FOR 6 MONTHS. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. ARE WE STUCK WITH THIS OR CAN WE HOLD SOMEONE ACCOUNTABLE FOR HELP? *TR

UPON A NORMAL SERVICE INCIDENT I WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER SIDE SHOWS A CORROSION PROBLEM THAT HAS EATEN HALF WAY THRU THE FRAME MAKING THE TRUCK UNSAFE DUE TO THE CORROSION PROBLEM AFTER MANY ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT TOYOTA THEIR RESPONSE WAS SORRY NOTHING WE CAN DO FOR YOU.THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED AND EXPIRED IN 2010 WHICH I WAS NOT INFORMED ABOUT.IT IS A RESPONSE THAT DOES NOT SATISFY ME OR MAYBE OTHER OWNERS OF THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE AND IT WAS THERE PRODUCT THAT THEY PRODUCED AND NOW DO NOT WANT TO BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR. EST REPAIR COST TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM = 14000.00 NOT ACCEPTABLE. *JS

THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.I CALLED TOYOTA THEY SAID THEY SENT A RECALL.I TOLD THEM I DIDN'T RECEIVE ONE.THEY SAID IT WAS NOT THERE FAULT.IT WAS THE POST OFFICE FAULT.I CAN'T HAVE ANY WORK DONE ON THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF THE RUST.I DON'T HAVE A LOT OF MONEY I EXPECTED THIS TRUCK TO LAST A WHILE.THEY KNEW THEY WERE MAKING SUBSTANDARD FRAMES.BY JUST LOOKING AT MY FRAME. *TR

I PURCHASE MY TOYOTA TACOMA USED IN JAN. 2013. I NOTICED LAST MONTH THAT THE FRAME WAS GETTING HOLES IN IT. THE INFORMATION I LOOKED UP SAID THAT TOYOTA DID A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT IT IS NOW TOO LATE TO GET IT TAKEN CARE OF. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RECALL OR AN ARBITRARY ENDING DATE. CAN YOU HELP ME GET TOYOTA TO TAKE CARE OF THIS PROBLEM. THE TRUCK IS NOW WORTH NOTHING WITH THE FRAME AS IT IS. [XXX]. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER. THIS IS THE CASE # THAT TOYOTA HAS ASSIGNED TO MY SITUATION: #[XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I GOT A LETTER FROM TOYOTA MOTORS STATING THAT CERTAIN MODEL YEARS OF TACOMAS HAD RUST DAMAGE TO THE FRAME AND I WAS INFORMED TO BRING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY WOULD PERFORM A RUST TEST ON IT. MINE IS A 2004. THEY SAID THE REST WASN'T BAD ENOUGH TO REPLACE THE TRUCK,OF COURSE AND KEPT IT TO SPRAY ON A RUST PREVENTATIVE ON THE FRAME. WITHIN ONE YEAR THE COATING THEY APPLIED BEGAN TO FALL OFF PEEL OFF AND OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK LIKE PLANNED. MY SISTER HAD A 98 TACOMA WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND YOU COULD PUT YOUR FINGER THROUGH THE FRAME. THEY BOUGHT HER TRUCK BACK AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE AT 150% OF BLUEBOOK VALUE. THAT'S WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NOW ALSO. I'VE PAID 20K$ FOR THE VEHICLE BRAND NEW AND A MAJOR REASON WAS EVERYONE LIKES THE TACOMA AND ITS FAIRLY EASY OR LETS SAY WAS EASY TO RESALE BEFORE ALL THE PROBLEMS THEY ARE HAVING. NOW I'VE GOTTEN ANOTHER LETTER SAYING THERE IS MORE THAN ONE RECALL AND NOW HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER PLATE POSSIBLY RUSTING AND FALLING OFF. ITS PRETTY OBVIOUS TO ME AND ALL THE CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE HAD THE PROBLEMS, THAT TOYOTA MUST BE FORCED INTO ACTUALLY REPLACING THE VEHICLE OR PAY THE 150% BOOK VALUE WITHOUT ARGUMENT. IS ANYONE GOING TO MAKE THIS RIGHT? I HAVE HAD 2 MECHANICS TELL ME THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE AND NOT ROAD WORTHY. LUCKILY I HAVE A COMPANY VEHICLE OTHERWISE I WOULD BE VERY CHALLENGED. THE BUMPER ALL THE WAY TO THE FRONT IS TOTALLY RUSTED OUT AND I DON'T WANNA HEAR LIP SERVICE SAYING ITS DUE TO SALT OR SOMETHING I JUST WANT A BILLION DOLLAR COMPANY TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR PRODUCT. I HAVEN'T DRIVEN THE TRUCK BUT 10 TIMES SINCE GETTING THE COATING APPLIED AND THE SAD THING IS I LOVE THE TRUCK AND CANT DRIVE IT. PLEASE HELP US. *TR

FRAME IS PERFORATED DUE TO RUST JUST IN FRONT OF REAR AXLE ON BOTH SIDES OF VEHICLE. ABOUT A 1.5" X 6" HOLE ON DRIVER'S SIDE WITH A FRACTURE OF ABOUT 12" GOING TOWARD REAR AXLE. PASSENGER SIDE HAS A FRACTURE ABOUT 18" LONG IN SAME AREA. REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTS AND SPRINGS ARE COMPROMISED. TOYOTA HAD A PROGRAM TO DEAL WITH ISSUE BUT DEADLINE HAD PASSED BY THE TIME I PURCHASED VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD ME TOYOTA HAD CHECKED OUT FRAME ISSUE AND IT PASSED. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA I WAS MISINFORMED. TOYOTA WILL NOT FIX WHAT IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THAT I NEVER HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEAL WITH PROPERLY. BODY AND BED ARE RUST FREE AND IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. I PAID 11,700 FOR THE TRUCK WITH 88,000 MI., HAVE OWNED IT FOR ONE YEAR AND PUT APPROX. 9,000 MILES ON IT. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND FOR ALL INTENTS AND PURPOSES TOTALED. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AT AROUND 15-20 MPH WHEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON MY 2004 TACOMA SNAPPED, CAUSING THE UPPER BALL JOINT TO SNAP, PULLING OUT THE AXLE, AND CAUSING SOME OTHER DAMAGE. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ACCEPT THE CLAIM, DENYING THAT MY TRUCK WAS AFFECTED BY THE RECALL (TOYOTA RECALL 50J). I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE FROM THEM, AND THE TRUCK WAS IN SEVERAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS OVER THE YEARS. THIS COULD HAVE KILLED ME, AND TOYOTA IS DISMISSIVE OF EVERYTHING. DESPITE THE EVIDENCE, THEY CONTINUE TO DENY THAT ANYTHING IS WRONG AND REFUSE TO PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR TO FIX THEIR DEFECT. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK. THIS HAS HAD A VERY BAD FOR A YEAR. THE OTHER DAY THE MOUNT FOR THE RIGHT REAR BROKE AND THE FRONT END OF THE REAR SPRING WAS RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM MY 1996 TOYOTA PICKUP HAD. THAT ONE THE BOUGHT BACK AND I NOW HAVE THIS ONE. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS PRETTY GOOD. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ALSO RUSTED AWAY AND STARTED TO LEAK FLUID. THIS LEAK WAS UNDER THE RIGHT MOUNT OF THE RACK. THIS WAS ALSO FIXED BY ME. THIS IS MY WORK TRUCK AND PERSONAL WAY OF GETTING AROUND. THESE ARE BOTH VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS !!! I CONTACTED THE CEO OF TOYOTA, TOYOTA SALES IN CALIFORINA AND GIRARD TOYOTA. THEY SAID I SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS AND I DID NOT GET ANY NOTICES !!! THEY ARE PUTTING TONS OF FRAMES ON FOR OTHER PEOPLES BUT I HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT SOME HOW AND I CANNOT GET ONE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS !!! THIS WITH OUT QUESTION SHOULD BE A RECALL AND ALL ITEMS CONCERNED SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR