1997 Toyota Tacoma

THE FORWARD LEAF SPRING MOUNT ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE UP AND INTO THE FRAME RAIL. THIS VEHICLE EASILY HAD ANOTHER 100,000 MILES OF LIFE LEFT IN IT, BUT NHTSA EVIDENTLY DOES NOT THINK THAT FRAME RAILS ROTTING AWAY DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND HAS NOT FORCED TOYOTA INTO RECALL MODE. THERE IS A GREAT NUMBER OF THESE VEHICLES ON THE ROAD YET. I WAS LUCKY THAT WHEN MINE FAILED, IT DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I'M SURE THERE WILL BE SOME THAT WON'T BE AS LUCKY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS CONFIRMED. THE DEALER APPLIED AN ANTI-RUST COATING BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 307,700.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT UPON INSPECTION, THE PASSENGER'S SIDE SEAT BELT BUCKLE FAILED TO OPERATE NORMALLY. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT THE SEAT BELT WOULD NOT LATCH WITH THE BUCKLE. THE FAILURE WAS RECURRING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

MY TRUCK WAS BROUGHT IN FOR INSPECTION AFTER THE FRAME ROT RECALL AT PARKWAY TOYOTA AT 50 SYLVAN AVE ENGLEWOOD CLIFFS NJ IN JULY 2008. THEY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND TOLD US THE FRAME WAS SAFE THOUGH THERE WAS SOME SURFACE RUST. IT WAS DEEMED NO REPAIR NECESSARY. NOW IN APRIL OF 2013 MY TRUCK NEEDED A TUNE UP AND AFTER THAT WAS DONE WE WERE TOLD THEY SPOTTED POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS CORROSION OF THE FRAME. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A BODY MECHANIC WHO ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THIS CAR BECAUSE THE FRAME IS DANGEROUSLY ROTTED AND IS NOT REPAIRABLE. TOYOTA HAS TOLD US THEY WILL NOT REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TRUCK. I BELIEVE WHEN I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT MY TRUCK IN TO BE INSPECTED FOR RUST THEY MISSED THE EARLY STAGES OF FRAME ROT WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED AT THAT TIME AND THEREFORE SHOULD HONOR THE FRAME WARRANTY EXTENSION ISSUED IN THE RECALL. *TR

THE TOYOTA TACOMA I BOUGHT IN 1997 IS IN EXCELLENT MECHANICAL CONDITION. HOW EVER IT IS IN HORRIBLE STRUCTURAL CONDITION, WITH A FRAME THAT IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, AND NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. I TOOK THE TRUCK TO KINGS TOYOTA TO GET INSPECTED AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE THE TRUCK HAS PASSED THE 15 YR WARRANTY EXTENSION, THAT THERE IS NOTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME AND ALLOWED ME TO DRIVE THE TRUCK OFF OF THEIR LOT. I THEN CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THAT UNFORTUNATELY I AM OUT OF LUCK, SINCE THE TRUCK IS A YEAR PAST THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THIS WAS THE RESULT OF TOYOTA NOT HAVING ADEQUATE CORROSION-RESISTANT PROTECTION. THEY INVESTIGATED THIS PROBLEM AND CAME TO THE CONCLUSION THAT THE PROTECTION WAS IN FACT INADEQUATE. YET THEY ALLOW PEOPLE TO CONTINUE TO DRIVE ON THE ROADS WITH THEIR PRODUCT THAT THEY KNOW IS UNSAFE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS FAILURE WITH THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER FOUND CORROSION ON THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE OF THE FRAME AND THE SPRINGS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO REFUSED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 88,518.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER HAVING AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WELD A MUFFLER ONTO HIS VEHICLE, THEY INFORMED HIM THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF YOU PULL ON THE FRAME, IT FELL APART. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL WAS EXPIRED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 122,500. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BUMPER WAS RUSTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A WINDSHIELD WIPER REPAIR AND THE DEALER RECOMMENDED THAT THE VEHICLE NO LONGER BE DRIVEN DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000. UPDATED 01/23/13*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED HE NOTICED PEALING WAFERS OF RUST FLAKING OFF THE FRAME, IN JANUARY 2011. PRIOR TO 2011, HE NOTICED RUST COMING THROUGH THE CHROME OF THE REAR BUMPER WHERE IT CONNECTED TO THE FRAME AND YEARS PRIOR TO THAT HE NOTICED INCREASED RUST TEXTURE ON THE FRAME WHEN HE LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK BED AT THE REAR TIRES. UPDATED 01/31/13

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING HIS TIRES REPLACED, AS THE MECHANIC LIFTED THE VEHICLE THE FRAME BENT SEVERELY DUE TO RUST. THE MECHANIC REFUSED TO WORK ON IT AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IT APPEARED THE FRAME COULD SPLIT IN HALF. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TOO OLD FOR THEM TO OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 212,000.