2004 Toyota Tacoma

I WAS AT THE LOCAL TIRE SHOP GETTING TWO TIRES INSTALLED AND I NOTICED THAT THE RIGHT REAR OF MY VEHICLE WAS NOT LEVEL WITH THE LEFT. I ASKED THAT THEY DO AN ALIGNMENT TO EVEN THE VEHICLE OUT AND THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERLY RUSTED. I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A CAMPAIN RECALL ON THI SAME ISSUE AND MY VIN WAS IN RANGE. WHEN I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY NOTIFIED ME THAT THERE WAS ANOTHER PART OF THIS RECALL, THAT THEY DID NOT DO, SO MY FRAME WAS NOT COVERED. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE OF EITHER RECALL. I SENT A EMAIL TO TOYOTA AND THEY CALLED BACK WITH THE SAME RESPONCE "YOU NEVER DID THE ANI-CORROSION PART OF THE RECALL SO YOU DO NOT QUALIFY". I HAVE HEARD OF COUNTLESS PERSONS IN MY AREA THAT HAVE JUST PURCHASED THE SAME AGE VEHICLE AND HAD FRAME RUST THAT GOT THERE VEHICLES REPAIRED. IF THERE IS AN ISSUE WITH OR WITHOUT THIS CORROSION SPRAY WHY ARE ONLY CERTAIN VEHICLES COVERED. THIS SPRAY DOES NOT WORK AND THIS SEEMS LIKE A WAY TO GET AROUND REPAIRING VEHICLES. NOT TO MENTION I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL NOTICES AND THEY HAVE NO RECORD OF WHAT ADRESS THE RECALL WAS EVEN SENT TO.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS CORRODED AND LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID WHILE THE LOCAL MECHANIC PERFORMED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 190,000. UPDATED 7/14/15*CN

LOOSE STEERING. LOTS OF PLAY IN THE WHEEL, HAD TO HAVE THE STEERING RACK BUSHINGS REPLACED AT 48K MILES BECAUSE THE RACK WOULD JUST MOVE AROUND AND THE TRUCK WAS UNCONTROLLABLE. AFTER REPLACING THE RACK, SWAY BAR BUSHINGS, AND STRUTS @ 48000 MILE WITH NO OFFROAD DRIVING THE STEERING IS STILL EXTREMELY LOOSE. IS YOU HIT A BUMP WHILE IN A CURVE ON THE FREEWAY YOU FEEL LIKE YOU ARE JUST ALONG FOR THE RIDE WITH ALMOST NO CONTROL. DEALERSHIP ADVISED NO RECALLS AND TRUCK IS OUT OF WARRANTY. THEY COULD NOT PINPOINT WHAT THE PROBLEM IS BUT STATED IT COULD THE RACK, THE STEERING SHAFT, OR BAD BALL JOINTS. I HAD AN 88 TOYOTA 4X4 THAT I JUST SOLD TO A FRIEND THIS YEAR, I DROVE THAT TRUCK AS HARD AS POSSIBLE OFFROAD AND NEVER HAD ANY OF THESE PROBLEMS REPLACE BUSHINGS AND SHOCKS WHEN NEEDED BUT NEVER FELT OUT OF CONTROL. TOYOTA NEED TO FIX THESE TACOMA STEERING ISSUES. *TR

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

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE REGULAR MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED, THE TECHNICIAN NOTIFIED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS FRACTURED WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM BEING LIFTED. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY ANOTHER MECHANIC, WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE SUBFRAME FRACTURED DUE TO CORROSION AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. ..UPDATED 05/19/15*BF UPDATED 11/10/2015*JS

WHILE ON A SHORT SHOPPING TRIP I SUDDENLY HEARD A LOUD RATTLING/BUZZING NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE TO MY LOCAL CAR REPAIR WHERE THEY NOTICED WHILE I WAS PULLING INTO THEIR DRIVEWAY THAT THE TRUCK FUEL TANK WAS BOUNCING DANGEROUSLY AND WAS ON THE VERGE OF FALLING OFF. BOTH THE FUEL TANK HOLDER ( A LARGE STEEL PLATE ) AND THE FUEL TANK STRAP HAD RUSTED THRU AND WERE NO LONGER SUPPORTING THE TANK. I SHUDDER TO THINK WHAT MIGHT HAVE HAPPENED IF THE TANK HAD FALLEN. ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, THIS VEHICLE WAS IN FOR A RECALL ON 2/13/12 FOR REPAIR OF RUST ON THE FRAME AT MILES 52449 ). ON 6/18/13 IT WAS IN FOR ANOTHER RECALL TO FIX RUST ON THE REAR TIRE CARRIER WHICH WAS REPLACED ( AT MILES 61103 ). AT NEITHER OF THESE RECALLS WAS I TOLD OF EXCESS RUST ON THE TANK HOLDER AND YET WITH ADDITIONAL MILEAGE OF 8612 MILES BOTH THE FUEL TANK STRAP AND HOLDER FAILED. THIS MISHAP COULD HAVE CAUSED A DISASTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.