2005 Toyota Tacoma

I TOOK MY TOYOTA TACOMA, 2005 IN FOR A NEW HEADLIGHT. THE TOYOTA DEALER SAID THAT THE INSPECTION WOULD RUN AT MONTH'S END AND WOULD I LIKE TO TAKE CARE OF THE INSPECTION WHILE I WAITED RATHER THAN MAKING A SECOND APPOINTMENT. I SAID "YES", PLEASE DO THE INSPECTION. THE TECHNICIAN SAID THE TRUCK FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO A RUSTED FRAME. HE CALLED ME BACK TO VIEW THE RUSTED OUT FRAME, WHICH I DID TO MY SHOCK AND HORROR - THERE WAS A LARGE WHOLE! LOOKED UNSAFE! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE - CLEARLY DEFECTIVE FRAME. THEY SUGGESTED I TAKE THE TRUCK BACK TO THE ORIGINAL TOYOTA DEALER WHICH I DID - ALTHOUGH NOT SURE WHY THEY COULD NOT DEAL WITH 'TOYOTA" THEMSELVES. THE ORIGINAL DEALER SAID THE FRAME REPLACEMENT / REPAIR WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE COST WOULD BE BETWEEN $10,000 - $14,000. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE, THE TRUCK HAS LESS THAN 53K MILES. TOYOTA IS SUPPOSED TO BE AN ORGANIZATION THAT PRIDES ITSELF IN SAFETY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION, TOUTING ITS VEHICLE LONGEVITY STATUS! THIS EXPERIENCE PROVES OTHERWISE AND PUTS THE PUBLIC AT RISK OF INJURY OR/AND DEATH. *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA PRE RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT DUE TO A FLAW IN THE MANUFACTURING PROCESS. THE RECALL WAS 3 MONTHS PAST THE DATE OF THE END OF THE RECALL. NOW MY VEHICLE HAS LARGE CRACKS IN THE FRAME AND IS NO LONGER SAFE. THIS ISSUE STILL EXISTS IN THE 2005 MODEL AND MUST BE ADDRESSED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY. THERE WAS A RECALL THAT COVERED THIS PROBLEM UP UNTIL THE END OF 2004. MINE WAS PURCHASED IN THE BEGINNING OF 2005. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS TRUCK AND IS BEING IGNORED BY TOYOTA. THEY ARE FAILING TO REPAIR THIS AND PICKING AND CHOOSING IF THEY INFACT WANT TO REPAIR SOME TRUCKS AND NOT OTHERS. TOYOTAS OPTIONS ON THE FACT THAT MY TRUCK HAS A MANUFACTURE DEFECT THAT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. PLEASE HELP!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. THE CONTACT CALLED THE MANUFACTURER, WHO STATED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO TO ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 02/19/14*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED AS OF FEB 10, 2014, HE WAS STILL WAITING ON THE DISTRICT REP TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. UPDATED 02/24/14

ON MAY 27, 2013 MY WIFE [XXX] AND I WERE TOWING MY BASS BOAT AND I BLEW OUT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY GET IT OFF OF THE ROAD TO CHANGE THE TIRE. IN THE PROCESS OF CHANGING THE TIRE IN MY TRUCK, THE FRAME BENT UNDER THE PRESSURE OF THE JACK AND THE TRUCK, CAME OFF OF THE JACK, LUCKILY I HAD THE TIRE PARTIALLY ON THAT THE LUG BOLTS CAUGHT THE TRUCK. THIS RUSTING AND UNSAFE FRAME ISSUE DATES BACK TO 1/16/13 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:30 AM I WAS CONTACTED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT DURING A REPAIR TO MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER THEY NOTICED THAT I HAD A HOLE IN MY FRAME AND THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. I FEEL TERRIBLE NOW, BUT I ALL BUT CALLED THE GIRL SERVICE MANAGER A LIAR AND ASKED THAT SHE TAKE ME A PHOTO OF THE HOLE AND SEND IT TO ME AT WORK. I WANT MY TACOMA FIXED, THE FRAME REPLACED AS I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE AND AFTER HAVING EXPERIENCED THE TRUCK FALLING OFF OF THE JACK AFTER THE FRAME BENT WHILE SIMPLY JACKING IT UP, I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT I AM THE ONLY ONE OUT THERE WITH THIS ISSUE. IN MY RESEARCH I AM FINDING VOLUMES OF COMPLAINTS TO TOYOTA IN KIND REGARDING FRAME ROT AND RUST. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED SOME INSTABILITY WHEN DRIVING, IT SEEMS TO HAVE A CONSTANT SHAKE IN THE STEERING. I HAVE PLACED NUMEROUS CALLS TO TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE EXPLAINING IN DETAIL MY SAFETY CONCERN AND THE ANSWER I AM CONSTANTLY BEING GIVEN IS THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT CURRENTLY PART OF THE RECALL PROGRAM. ANY WAY YOU SLICE IT, I FEEL THIS IS TERRIBLE ON TOYOTA'S BEHALF TO SUBJECT LOYAL CUSTOMERS TO SUCH POTENTIAL AND EMINENT SAFETY HAZARDS AS A WEEK AND INFERIOR FRAME! GOD HELP US IF WE ARE EVER INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT... HOW WELL WILL THESE FRAMES HOLD UP OR WILL WE BE CRUSHED LIKE A SODA CAN? SO MUCH FOR TOYOTA'S SAFETY RATING AT THAT POINT RIGHT? PLEASE HELP ME...PLEASE HELP ME. SINCERELY A CONCERNED TOYOTA OWNER, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

DURING A REPAIR VISIT TO TOYOTA SERVICE CENTER I WAS INFORMED THAT MY FRAME WAS RUSTING IN SEVERAL PLACES. I WAS TOLD THAT AT THE PRESENT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS SAFE TO DRIVE BUT THAT THE RUST WOULD CONTINUE AND LEAD TO AN UNSAFE CONDITION. TOYOTA IS AWARE OF RUSTING PROBLEMS WITH PREVIOUS MODEL YEARS. I SEE THAT THE 2004 AND EARLIER MODEL YEARS WERE RECALLED FOR RUSTING FRAMES. DEALERSHIPS WAS ALSO AWARE OF AN INCREASE IN FRAME RUSTING CASES IN 2005 TACOMA TRUCKS AS WELL. TRUCK ONLY HAS 66,000 MILES AND WAS NOT USED FOR HEAVY HAULING. REPAIR OR REINFORCEMENT IS NOT AN OPTION. ONLY REMEDY OFFERED BY TOYOTA WAS FOR ME TO REPLACE THE FRAME AT A COST OF $13,000. I FEEL THIS IS AN UNSAFE DESIGN FLAW THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. *TR

STARTED HEARING RUBBING/GRINDING TYPE NOISE COMING FROM FRONT END. INSPECTED AND FOUND LF CV AXLE LEAKING GREASE, SO THOUGHT THE NOISE WAS COMING FROM THERE. REPLACED LF CV AXLE, AND THE NOISE DID NOT GO AWAY. INSPECTED FURTHER AND FOUND DRIVERS SIDE FRAME WHERE THE MOTOR MOUNT BRACKET IS WELDED TO CRACKED, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO FLEX AND THE FAN TO RUB ON THE FAN SHROUD. CONTACTED TOYOTA, WHO INSTRUCTED ME TO GET IT INSPECTED AT A DEALERSHIP. TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER, WHO TOLD ME THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF DRIVER ABUSE, NO RUST, NOT REALLY ANYTHING THAT SHOWED WHY THE WELD HAD BROKEN, BUT THAT TOYOTA DID NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING DUE TO AFTERMARKET LIFT AND OVERSIZED TIRED. LIFT WAS ALREADY INSTALLED ON VEHICLE WHEN PURCHASED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA CORPORATE TOLD ME THEY DID NOT WANT TO HELP BECAUSE VEHICLE IS OUT OF FACTORY WARRANTY. THE STEERING SHAFT IS DIRECTLY UNDER THE PART OF THE MOTOR THAT IS SAGGING DOWN, AND I AM AFRAID IF IT WERE TO BREAK COMPLETELY IT MIGHT STOP THE VEHICLE FROM BEING ABLE TO TURN. ALSO, IS THERE NOW EXTRA STRESS ON ANY OF THE WIRING? IS IT FLEXING AND POTENTIALLY BREAKING ANY FUEL LINES? I HAVE DONE SOME REASEARCH ON THIS, AND FOUND A LOT OF PEOLPLE HAVING THE SAME ISSUES WITH THEIR TRUCKS. TOYOTA HAS STARTED PUTTING UPDATED FRAMES WITH MORE SUPPORT FOR THE MOTOR MOUNTS ON THE 2007 MODELS, KNOWING THERE WERE ISSUES WITH THE 05/06S, BUT ARE REFUSING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND FIX THE ONES THAT HAVE BROKEN. *TR

2005 TACOMA FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO A HOLE IN THE FRAME FROM RUST. VEHICLE INSPECTED BY THE DEALER FROM WHICH IT WAS PURCHASED. HAD PURCHASED VEHICLE JUST LESS THAN ONE YEAR EARLIER, SECOND OWNER. NO ACCIDENTS AND WELL CARED FOR. IRONICALLY ENOUGH, WE BOUGHT THIS TACOMA TO REPLACE THE 1998 TACOMA WE LOST DUE TO A FRAME RUST PROBLEM IN THE TOYOTA BUYBACK PROGRAM. DEALER DID FIX AT NO COST UNDER USED CAR WARRANTY. REPORTED ISSUE TO THE TOYOTA USED CAR SALESMAN WHO SOLD US THE TRUCK AND HE STATED HE WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY FRAME RUST ISSUES ON 2005 TACOMAS. AFTER A CURSORY INVESTIGATION I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE. APPARENTLY TOYOTA HAS NOT THOROUGHLY ADDRESSED FRAME RUST ISSUES THAT PLAGUED EARLIER MODELS. A COMPLAINT WILL BE FILED WITH TOYOTA CUSTOMER RELATIONS. VERY CONCERNED ABOUT RECURRING RUST PROBLEM IN FUTURE WHICH WOULD LIKELY LEAVE US WITH A WORTHLESS VEHICLE BASED ON TOYOTA'S UNWILLINGNESS TO ACKNOWLEDGE ON-GOING FRAME RUST PROBLEMS. HOPEFULLY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WILL STEP UP. *TR