1995 Toyota Pickup

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 TOYOTA PICKUP. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HIS VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V389000 STEERING LINKAGES, ROD RELAY CONNECTING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER BUT THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THEY COULD NOT REPAIR THE VEHICLE SINCE THE IDLER ARM WAS STUCK WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN. APPROXIMATELY FIVE YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL BUT IT WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE TURN SIGNAL WOULD NOT FUNCTION BECAUSE THE ALIGNMENT WITHIN THE STEERING COLUMN WAS NOT CORRECT. THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

I OWN A 1995 TOYOTA EXTENDED CAB PICKUP. IT IS A 2WD CAR, NO POWER STEERING. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE RELAY RODS FOR OTHER MODEL TOYOTA CARS COVERING MY YEAR BUT NOT FOR MY YEAR. RECENTLY, STEERING THE CAR BECAME UNSAFE (SOMEWHAT LOOSE). I JACKED THE CAR UP AND NOTICED THAT THE RELAY ROD WAS SEPARATING NEAR THE IDLER ARM. I TOOK DIGITAL PHOTOS. LOCAL DEALER EVENTUALLY PAID FOR THE RELAY ROD WORK AFTER CLAIMING IT, BUT WOULD NOT PAY FOR THE PARTS FOR THE IDLER ARM & STEERING DAMPER, WHICH ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE RELAY ROD & WILL WEAR QUICKER WITH A RELAY ROD SEPARATING LIKE MINE WAS. I REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA PLEASE REVIEW THIS MATTER AND ASSIST IN HAVING THE FULL PARTS CLAIM PAID. HAD I NOT CAUGHT THE RELAY ROD FAILURE AT THE TIME I DID, I AM INFORMED BY A MECHANIC THAT I WOULD HAVE LOST ALL CONTROL OF THE CAR (CATASTROPHIC FAILURE). TOYOTA INITIALLY FULLY DENIED MY CLAIM AS NOT BEING PART OF THE 2005 RECALL, BUT DUE TO THE DEALERS ASSISTANCE THEY COVERED JUST THE PARTS & LABOR ON THE RELAY ROD. I CAN EMAIL THE DIGITAL PHOTOS OF THE FAILING RELAY ROD. HAD IT NOT BEEN CAUGHT & CHANGED I AM INFORMED IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE / LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. *TR

DT:THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS RECALL (NHTSA 05V389000/TOYOTA SSC 50N) ON THE STEERING , BUT THE DEALERSHIP LEFT FICE GRIPS MARKS ALL OVER THE TIE ROD ASSEMBLY. HE STATED IT LOOKED AS IF THEY PUT OLD PARTS BACK ONTO THE VEHICLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. ALSO, THE DEALERSHIP BROKE THE CV BOOT. THE MANUFACTURER WOULD NOT PROVIDE HIM WITH ANY ASSISTANCE ON THIS MATTER. *AK

LUCKILY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW INTO A PARKING SPOT....IF THIS HAD HAPPENED GOING DOWN I-95 TRAVELING 70+ I WOULDN'T BE HERE RIGHT NOW. TAKE CARE, JOHN C. GROTH HI CHRIS, THE LATEST RECALL REMINDED ME OF SOMETHING. EVEN THOUGH MY TOYOTA IS A 1995...MY DRAG LINK SNAPPED IN DEC 02. THE FWD MESSAGE IS ONE I REPLIED TO A FRIEND OF MINE. AND THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS NOT YOURS....IT WAS ONE IN FAYETTEVILLE, NC WHEN I WAS LIVING THERE WHILE IN THE AIR FORCE. TAKE CARE, CLIFF DATE: FRI, 20 MAY 2005 10:08:14 -0700 (PDT) FROM: "CLIFF GROTH" SUBJECT: RE: DRAG LINK TO: SCOTT.STACK@GMAIL.COM HI SCOTT!, YEAH I HAD A DRAG LINK THAT JUST SNAPPED! I WAS PULLING INTO THE SHOPPETTE PARKING LOT ON POPE AND SOON AS I TURNED LEFT INTO A SPOT....BANG IT SNAPPED. LUCKILY I WAS GOING VERY SLOW...BECAUSE ONCE IT SNAPPED I LOST STEERING AND WAS NOT GOING WHERE I WANTED...HEADED STRAIGHT TOWARD A PARKED CAR. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS FREE WHEELING! I E-MAILED TOYOTA AND SENT PICTURES...THEY SEEMED THE LEAST BIT CONCERNED. SO I WENT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP...AND THEY ACCUSED ME OF HITTING A POT HOLE...LOL AFTER THAT I GAVE UP....AND JUST TRIED TO NOTIFY ALL MY FRIENDS WHO MIGHT HAVE A 1995 MODEL. TO AT LEAST GET THE DRAG LINK CHECKED FOR CRACKS. RED LINE AUTO SHOP JUST DOWN MANCHESTER RD. OFF POPE DID MY REPAIR WORK. THEY SAID A "DRAG LINK" SHOULD NEVER SNAP OR BREAK...PARTS ATTACHED TO IT MIGHT WEAR OUT, BUT A DRAG LINK IS MADE TO OUTLAST THE VEHICLE. WELL DIDN'T MEAN TO WRITE A BOOK...NICE HEARING FROM YOU. I THOUGHT OF MY DRAG LINK THE SECOND I HEARD ABOUT THAT TOYOTA RECALL TOO. MY TOYOTA IS A 1995. HAVE ATTACHED SOME PICTURES...I THINK I SENT THEM TO YOU BEFORE, BUT IF NOT HERE ARE A FEW.TAKE CARE MY FRIEND,CLIFF SCOTT WROTE:CLIFF, DIDN'T YOU HAVE A PROBLEM WITH THE DRAG LINK ON YOUR TOYOTA? I WAS THINKING ABOUT THE RECALL AND WONDERED IF THAT WAS YOUR YEAR? SCOTT. *JB *NM