1999 Toyota Tacoma

I PURCHASED A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 8/2000. THE VEHICLE HAD A BLOWN ENGINE THAT HAD BEEN REPLACED AND HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT. I BOUGHT IT FROM A LOCAL AUTO-BODY SHOP FOR $10,500 WHERE IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED. I HAVE MADE MY LIVING WITH THIS TRUCK AND HAVE PUT OVER 200 K MILES ON IT WITH NO MAJOR REPAIRS. IT HAS BEEN TROUBLE-FREE AND I HAD NO THOUGHTS OF REPLACING IT. IN OCTOBER 2008, I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO BE INSPECTED FOR RUST, ON THE ADVICE OF AN FRIEND. NO RUST PERFORATION WAS FOUND. IN AUGUST 2011 I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ENCOURAGING ME TO HAVE THE TRUCK RE-INSPECTED FOR FRAME RUST. I DID THIS ON 12/30/2011. THIS TIME THEY FOUND RUST ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME. THE DEALER TOLD ME THAT I COULD NOT DRIVE THE TRUCK WITHOUT SIGNING A WAIVER AND THAT THE TRUCK WAS ELIGIBLE FOR TOYOTA'S REPURCHASE PROGRAM. I WAS GIVEN A RENTAL VEHICLE PAID FOR BY TOYOTA. ON 1/5/2012 I WAS TOLD THE TRUCK DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE REPURCHASE PROGRAM BECAUSE IT HAD A SALVAGE TITLE AND TO PICK IT UP BY THE END OF THE DAY. I HAVE LOST A VEHICLE WITH NO COMPENSATION AND NO RECOURSE WITH TOYOTA. THERE IS NO RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE FACTS THAT RESULTED IN MY TRUCK HAVING A SALVAGE TITLE AND THE FRAME RUST. TOYOTA ISN'T INTERESTED IN ENTERTAINING THE MERIT OF MY CLAIM, PERIOD. PLEASE HELP ME. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. *TR

I HAD A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THIS TRUCK WAS A 2WD WITH A 2.4 LITRE ENGINE EXTENDED CAB. THE ACCELERATOR WAS ALWAYS HIGH. I GOT A FEW SPEEDING TICKETS BECAUSE OF THAT. EVEN ON SMALL ROADS THE RPM WAS UNUSUALLY HIGH. THE MECHANICS ALSO USED TO COMMENT WHEN THEY WOULD DO MAINTENANCE WORK ON THAT TRUCK. I LOST THIS TRUCK IN AN ACCIDENT NOW. BUT PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS MODEL ALSO. ALSO THE EGR VALVE ON THIS TRUCKS GO BAD FREQUENTLY. THANK YOU FOR INVESTIGATING TOYOTA. I THOUGHT I HAD A FLUKE BAD TOYOTA TRUCK, BUT IT TURNS OUT THAT I WAS NOT ALONE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP. *TR

DRIVING TO MY HOME ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, I HEARD A RAPPING NOISE START IN MY ENGINE. I HAD TAKEN IT TO THE GARAGE (D&J AUTO) THE FOLLOWING DAY. UPON THERE INSPECTION, THEY FOUND A HOLE IN THE BLOCK OF MY ENGINE. AFTER SWAPPING ENGINES OUT OF MY VEHICLE, I HAD FURTHER INSPECTED THE OLD ENGINE. I HAD A CERTIFIED MECHANIC FRIEND HELPING ME TO TEAR DOWN THE ENGINE TO FIND WHAT CAUSED THE PROBLEM. WE HAD FOUND THAT A CONNECTING ROD HAD SHATTERED INSIDE THE ENGINE (ARM THAT CONNECTS PISTON TO CRANK SHAFT). I HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. AND A FEW SERVICE MANAGERS IN MY AREA TO SEND A REPRESENTATIVE TO COME AND INSPECT THE DAMAGE. I WAS TOLD BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC THAT THE METAL CASTING OF THE CONNECTING ROD WAS FAULTY, I THOUGHT TOYOTA WOULD WANT TO VERIFY THIS BY INSPECTING THE PIECES THEMSELVES. I HAVE NOT BEEN CONTACTED BY A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AS OF YET AND IT HAS BEEN THREE WEEKS AND THE SERVICE MANAGERS KEEP SAYING; " THE ENGINE IS OUT OF WARRANTY SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO FOR ME". IF I WOULD HAVE BEEN DRIVING THIS VEHICLE ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY THIS PROBLEM WOULD POSSIBLY HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS INJURY OR ACCIDENT TO ME OR OTHERS. I FELT SINCE THEY WOULD NOT ACKNOWLEDGE ME, IT SHOULD BE REPORTED TO YOU. I HAVE DOCUMENTED THE DAMAGE WITH DIGITAL PICTURES AND I AM IN THE PROCESS OF HAVING THE PIECES ANALYZED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO DETERMINE THE EXACT REASON FOR THE FAILURE. *NM