2004 Toyota Tacoma

THE FRAME OF MY TRUCK HAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND IS NO LONGER STABLE TO HOLD THE TRUCK TOGETHER. WHEN HAVING TIRES PUT ON THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE ISSUE AND STATED THAT THE TRUCK IS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. SINCE THEN I HAVE DISCOVERED THAT MANY OWNERS ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM AND THE COMPANY IS UNWILLING TO STAND BEHIND THEIR PRODUCT.

I BOUGHT MY 2004 TACOMA FROM A USED CAR DEALER IN MAY OF 2014 AND WAS UNAWARE OF AN EARLIER RECALL FOR POSSIBLE EXCESSIVE FRAME CORROSION. MY CURRENT SERVICING TOYOTA DEALER SAID THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED AND COULDN'T HELP ME, BUT REFERRED ME TO TOYOTA, WHO ALSO OFFERED NO HELP. I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE, SINCE IF THE FRAME FAILS IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO MYSELF AND OTHER MOTORISTS ON THE ROAD.

THERE IS FRAME ROT ON THE VEHICLE WEAKENING THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THE WORST AREA OF ROT IS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHERE THE REAR LEAF SPRING ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. THIS AREA ALSO HAS THE GAS TANK AND FUEL LINES AND REAR BRAKING LINES. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF A RECALL. UPON DISCOVERY OF THIS HAZARD I NOTIFIED THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD MY VEHICLES RECALL HAD ENDED. I ALSO NOTIFIED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND WAS TOLD THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. TOYOTA TACOMAS HAVE HAD FRAME ROT ISSUES WITH RECALLS THAT HAVE AFFECTED THE REAR BRAKES FUEL LINES AND TANK. I FEEL IT IS UNFAIR OF TOYOTA TO ADMIT AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND REPLACE FRAMES ON TRUCKS WITH THIS ISSUE, YET DENY ME BECAUSE I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF IT. HAVING A WINDOW OF TIME ON A RECALL THAT IS A HUGE ISSUE IS NOT FAIR. NOW I HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE, THAT I AM AFRAID TO PUT MY CHILDREN IN, AND NO WHERE TO TURN.

I PURCHASED A USED 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 4 YEARS AGO IN NY. I MOVED TO MA 2 YEARS AGO AND TOOK TRUCK TO A CAPE COD TOYOTA DEALER AND ASKED THEM TO CHANGE OIL AND TELL ME IF THERE WERE ANY ISSUES I NEEDED TO DEAL WITH. TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT THEY TOLD ME ABOUT THE SPARE TIRE RUST RECALL AND MADE THE REPAIR. WHEN WE PICKED UP THE TRUCK THEY GAVE IT A CLEAN BILL OF HEALTH. THEY THEN SAID "BY THE WAY, YOU HAVE A TINY HOLE IN FRAME THAT MAY NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF AT SOME POINT-NOT URGENT." FAST FORWARD 2 YEARS- A GARAGED TRUCK THAT ONLY HAD AN ADDITIONAL 7,000 MILES. WE TOOK IT FOR THE MA STATE INSPECTION AND IT FAILED. THEY SAID IT NEEDED A NEW MUFFLER. WE TOOK IT TO OUR LOCAL CAPE COD MECHANIC WHO CALLED AND SAID THE PROBLEM WAS MUCH BIGGER- THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING. THE DEALER CALLED TO SAY COME PICK IT UP EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. HOW MUCH IS A LIFE WORTH? OBVIOUSLY TOYOTA DOESN'T CARE. HELP PLEASE!!!

FROM A DEAD STOP TO ANY SPEED, IT FELT LIKE I NO ACCERATION. I WOULD HAVE TO FEATHER THE GAS PEDAL TO GET UP TO SPEED. I'VE REPLACED FUEL FILTER, 02 SENDER ( FRONT), MAF SENDER ,FUEL PRESSURE REGULATOR ,CLEANED ALL GROUNDS, HAD FUEL PUMP TESTED , HAD HEAD GASKET CHECKED ,CHANGED SPARK PLUGS AND WIRE'S, CLEANED THROTTLE BODY AND PRESSURE CLEANED FUEL SYSTEM. EVERY TIME I CHANGE A PART OR DO ANY CLEANING , THE TRUCK WILL RUN FINE, FOR AWHILE , BUT THE PROBLEM RETURNS. I NOW HAVE 150K ON TRUCK ,AND I WANT TO GET 150 K MORE. I FELL THIS IS A EXTREMELY HAZARDS SITUATION. ALL I'M LOOKING FOR IS A ANSWER TO WHAT'S WRONG!!!! TOYOTA IS AWARE OF WHAT'S WRONG ,BUT THE DEALERS ONLY TO KEEP REPLACING PARTS ($) . THE TOYOTA FORUM S ON WEB HAVE 1000S OF ANSWER S, BUT, NOTHING DEFINITE. PLEASE HELP!!!!

VEHICLE WAS AT DEALER FOR RECALL "EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER LIFT PLATE" SERVICE TECH. NOTED "FRAME HAS A HOLE, WOULD NOT PASS NYSI". IN RESEARCHING THE ISSUE TOYOTA ADMITTED THAT THE FRAME, MANUFACTURED BY [XXX] DID NOT RECEIVE PROPER CORROSION PROTECTION. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *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

THIS IS A STORY ABOUT THE PURCHASE OF A BRAND NEW TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2004 THAT I PAID CASH FOR. ON OR ABOUT JANUARY OF 2012 I CALLED TOYOTA TO FIND OUT IF THERE WERE ANY RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE JUST CHECKING. I WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL FOR A FRAME RUSTING WHEN WE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR ANOTHER SERVICE MATTER WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NO PROBLEM WITH THE FRAME (THERE WAS NO RECORD OF OUR HAVING BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP FOR THE RECALL JUST THE SERVICE THAT WAS PERFORMED). WE NEVER RECEIVED OFFICIAL NOTICE OF THE RECALL BUT NOW WE HAVE A FRAME RUSTING ISSUE WITH SOME AREAS THAT ARE ROTTING THROUGH THE FRAME! WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RECALL HAD EXPIRED SEVEN DAYS PRIOR AND THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME! HOW CAN THIS BE? IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE PRODUCT AND THE VEHICLE IS SHOWING THE DEFECT FROM THE RECALL HOW CAN IT EXPIRE? TOYOTA HAS RECOMMENDED WE RETAIN A LAWYER FOR THIS ISSUE. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? I HAVE A TRUCK WORTH NEXT TO NOTHING THAT I DEPEND ON FOR MY LIVING AND THEY TELL ME TO GET A LAWYER? FRANKLY, I AM VERY SURPRISED AT TOYOTA A COMPANY WITH AN EXCELLENT REPUTATION, THAT I THOUGHT MAKES GOOD CARS AND TRUCKS NOT STAND BEHIND THEIR DEFECTIVE MERCHANDISE. I WILL NEVER EVER BUY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM TOYOTA AND TO ME THEIR REPUTATION IS NOW TARNISHED.