1998 Toyota Tacoma

I OWNED A TOYOTA TACOMA, 1998 KING CAB WITH 4WD UP UNTIL OCT 07, WHEN I HAD TO TRADE IT IN OR JUNK IT. THE FRAME WAS SO RUSTED OUT THAT ONE BAD BUMP WAS GOING TO LAND ME IN A DITCH OR OUT OF CONTROL. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE, FOUND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I TURNED IT INTO MY TOYOTA DEALER, THE TRUCK HAD ONLY 97,000 MILES ON IT, WAS WORTH THOUSANDS BUT ONLY GOT 2500 ON TRADE IN DUE TO ITS FRAME CONDITION. *TR

SEVERELY CORRODED FRAME RAILS ON A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4. PURCHASED USED FROM A MAINE USED CAR DEALER WITH 121K MILES IN AUG 2007. WHILE REPLACING THE MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE IN DECEMBER 2007 I NOTICED SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION OF THE FRAME RAILS AND CROSS MEMBERS ON THE FRAME OF THIS TRUCK. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE FRAME, I NOTICED SEVERAL AREAS WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER OR DEALER HAD REPAIR PATCHES WELDED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME TO SHORE UP THE WEAKER AREAS.BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAILS HAVE HUGE HOLES OR CRACKS WHERE THE FRAME HAS ROTTED AWAY. THE PATCH JOBS THAT WERE DONE RANGE FROM A COUPLE INCHES TO 14 INCHES. RUST PROOFING WAS USED TO HIDE/PROTECT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE FRAME. RUST PROOFING NOW NOT ABLE TO HIDE THE CORROSION OR THE LARGE PIECES THAT ARE FLAKING OFF THE FRAME SHOWING NEW HOLES. VEHICLE UNSAFE TO HAUL ANYTHING OR EVEN TO DRIVE. UNSAFE CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

SEVERELY CORRODED FRAME RAILS ON A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4. PURCHASED USED FROM A MAINE USED CAR DEALER WITH 121K MILES IN AUG 2007. WHILE REPLACING THE MUFFLER AND TAIL PIPE IN DECEMBER 2007 I NOTICED SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION OF THE FRAME RAILS AND CROSS MEMBERS ON THE FRAME OF THIS TRUCK. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION OF THE FRAME, I NOTICED SEVERAL AREAS WHERE THE PREVIOUS OWNER OR DEALER HAD REPAIR PATCHES WELDED TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE FRAME TO SHORE UP THE WEAKER AREAS. BOTH DRIVERS AND PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAILS HAVE HUGE HOLES OR CRACKS WHERE THE FRAME HAS ROTTED AWAY. THE PATCH JOBS THAT WERE DONE RANGE FROM A COUPLE INCHES TO 14 INCHES. RUST PROOFING WAS USED TO HIDE/PROTECT WHAT WAS LEFT OF THE FRAME. RUST PROOFING NOW NOT ABLE TO HIDE THE CORROSION OR THE LARGE PIECES THAT ARE FLAKING OFF THE FRAME SHOWING NEW HOLES. VEHICLE UNSAFE TO HAUL ANYTHING OR EVEN TO DRIVE. UNSAFE CONDITION COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS PERSONAL INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

THIS TRUCK IS THE CENTER PIECE OF MY LIFE. MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS THE PERFECT VEHICLE FOR ME. I STILL OWN MINE BUT IT IS TOUGH TO DRIVE KNOWING THAT IF I WAS IN A CRASH MY LIFE COULD BE THREATENED DUE TO THE LACK OF FRAME RIGIDITY. I NEED THIS TRUCK TO LAST ME UNTIL I AM OUT OF COLLEGE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FUNDS FOR ME TO PURCHASE A DIFFERENT ONE. THIS DEFECT WAS BROUGHT TO BY ATTENTION DURING A RECENT SNOWSTORM WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM ONE OF MANY JOBS. I RAN OVER A SHALLOW POT HOLE AND HEARD A CLUNK. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE VERY ODDLY CAUSING CONCERN TO ME. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK IT OVER THE NEXT DAY AND HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE. MY ISOLATED ISSUE INVOLVES THE ATTACHING SITE OF THE REAR LEAF SPRING. THE MECHANIC QUOTED MY $1000 DOLLARS WITH NO GUARANTEE OF REPAIR. I COULD NOT DO THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PUT INTO IT. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO IS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO FIXED IT AND SHOWED ME THE MULTIPLE OTHER WEAK SPOTS WITH IN THE FRAME. IN THESE MULTIPLE AREAS THE FRAME IS SO WEAK THAT IF YOU TOUCH IT PIECES FALL OFF. HE TRIED HIS BEST TO REINFORCE IT BUT OTHER SPOTS STILL LACK STRENGTH. NOT SAFE AND NOT GOING TO SELL!!!!!! *TR

I BOUGHT A BRAND NEW 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 REG CAB 4 CYL. STANDARD TRANSMISSION AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME MY FRAME WAS BREAKING APART.. HE DID THE BEST HE COULD TO WELD THE FRAME BUT TOLD ME IT PROBABLE ONLY HAD A YEAR LEFT.. THIS DISAPPOINTS ME TERRIBLE.. I ALWAYS TRUSTED TOYOTA VEHICLES AND RECOMMEND THEM TO EVERYONE, BUT I AFRAID THAN I NO LONGER CAN DO SO.. I TOOK VERY GOOD CARE OF MY VEHICLE AND TOYOTA LET ME DOWN.. MY NEXT VEHICLE WILL BE A FORD F 150 WITH A C CHANNEL FRAME NOT BOXED LIKE THE TACOMA... I WOULD RECOMMEND YOU GET A HANDLE ON THIS PROBLEM OR YOU WILL LOSE MAJOR SALES...IT PAINS ME TO WRITE THIS... I ALWAYS LOVED TOYOTA. ALSO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD HAD TO BE REPLACED 3 TIME IN THIS 10YEAR PERIOD... WAKE UP... *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA REGULAR CAB 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK IS SEVERELY RUSTED. IN SOME PLACES, THE METAL IS EXTREMELY THIN BECAUSE OF THIS. THE REST OF THE TRUCK, OTHER THAN THE FRAME, IS IN GOOD SHAPE. THE AMOUNT OF FRAME DETERIORATION, ESPECIALLY IN THE REAR PORTION OF THE FRAME, SEEMS EXCESSIVE GIVEN THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE AND THE CARE I HAVE GIVEN IT. FORTUNATELY, THERE ARE NO HOLES IN MY FRAME YET, BUT OTHERS HAVE NOT BEEN AS LUCKY. *TR