1999 Toyota Tacoma

1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER INSPECTED THE FRAME LAST WEEK AND CONFIRMED THAT IT HAS THE RUST ISSUE COVERED BY THE 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT THE 15 YEARS ENDED TWO YEARS AGO FOR MY VEHICLE. TOYOTA APPLIED A THICK UNDER COAT IN 2011 BUT IT ACTUALLY PREVENTED THE DISCOVERY OF THE DEFECT UNTIL AFTER THE 15 YEAR EXTENDED WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THIS IS CLEARLY A RECALL SITUATION OR AT THE VERY LEASE THEY SHOULD HONOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY TRUCK BECAUSE THEY HIDE THE DEFECT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION ON THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER INCLUDED THE VIN IN A LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN IN WHICH THE SOLUTION WAS TO COAT THE RUST, BUT THIS DID NOT PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE YEARS AND THE DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE VEHICLE WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED BY A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS ROTTED WITH HOLES AND COULD FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,677. UPDATED 07/13/16*LJ *JS

DEC 13, 2015, WHILE BENDING DOWN TO PICK UP MY READING GLASSES IN THE DRIVEWAY, I NOTICED A CLEAN THROUGH FRACTURE OF THE FRAME, REAR PASSENGER SIDE, JUST IN FRONT OF THE SHOCK ABSORBER FITTING. A FEW DAYS EARLIER I HAD WONDERED WHY THE BED WAS TILTED UP PINCHING THE BACK OF THE CAB. THE VEHICLE HAD PASSED STATE INSPECTION YEAR AFTER YEAR AND HAD BEEN SEE BY MY REGULAR MECHANIC LESS THAN 2 YEARS AGO AND NO ISSUES WITH FRAME DETERIORATION WERE FOUND OR BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND JUST YESTERDAY WAS TOLD, SORRY ABOUT YOUR "RUST" ISSUE, BUT THE WARRANTY HAS LONG EXPIRED. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED DESIGN AND MANUFACTURING DEFECT TIED TO IMPROPER PREP BY TOYOTA FRAME CONTRACTOR DANA HOLDING CORP. THE VEHICLE WAS FULLY OPERATIONAL AND NOW IT IS UN-DRIVEABLE. IF THE VEHICLE HAD COME APART AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, IT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY OR FATALITY. THIS IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION AS A FIXED INCOME RETIREE. THERE'S NO JUSTIFIABLE REASON A VEHICLE FRAME SHOULD FAIL LIKE THIS ONLY TO HAVE TOYOTA TELL ME THEY WILL DO NOTHING. MY TROUBLES ASIDE, THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PUBLIC SAFETY RISK AND A RISK TO ALL SERVICE PERSONNEL, OWNERS, THEIR PASSENGERS AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD IN THEIR VICINITY. IT WAS ONLY BY SHEER LUCK THAT I DISCOVERED THIS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED.

TOYOTA SENT A RECALL A FEW YEARS AGO TO CHECK AND FIX A PROBLEM WITH RUST ON THE VEHICLE FRAME. I TOOK IT IN FOR THE 'FIX', NOW (11/19/15) I FIND OUT MY FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND IS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS A POPULAR TRUCK AND THERE ARE ALOT ON THE ROAD, SOME MAY BE IN THE SAME SITUATION I AM IN. TOYOTA'S RESPONSE WAS' WE CAN'T HELP YOU'. AFTER THE 'FIX' I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD HAVE NO PROBLEMS IN THE FUTURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, A LOUD POP SOUND WAS HEARD AND THE VEHICLE JERKED VIOLENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND DETACHED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE WHOLE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME HAD EXCESSIVE RUST AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000.

MY 1999 TACOMA HAS JUST BEEN DECLARED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME (I BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP TO HAVE SOME A/C WORK DONE). AS PART OF THE TOYOTA SERVICE PROGRAM, THE TRUCK WAS INSPECTED LAST IN OCTOBER 2013, AND PASSED THE CORROSION TEST. AT THAT POINT THE TRUCK HAD 106,000 MILES. I HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK AFTERWARDS, BASED ON THIS INSPECTION BEING DONE BY TOYOTA AND PASSING. THE TRUCK NOW HAS 119,000 MILES ON IT, AND IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THEY STATED THAT SINCE THE TRUCK IS NOW OUTSIDE THE 15-YEAR COVERAGE PERIOD, I HAVE NO OPTIONS. I SHARED THAT THE TRUCK WAS INSPECTED BY THEM AND THAT IT IS NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR A TRUCK TO GO FROM NO RUST ISSUE TO SIGNIFICANT RUST ISSUE IN LESS THAN 2 YEARS AND LESS THAN 14,000 MILES. SHE (PHYLLIS) AGREED WITH ME AND SAID THAT SHE WOULD BE FRUSTRATED ALSO AND THAT IT MAKES SENSE THAT THIS SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED, BUT IT IS NOW OUTSIDE OF THE PERIOD SO I HAVE NO OPTIONS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DEVELOPED A PERFORATION IN THE FRAME TO THE POINT THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN AN UNKNOWN MANUFACTURER RECALL. MONTHS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, THE FRAME WAS COATED WITH A SOLUTION AS A TEMPORARY REMEDY. THE REMEDY FAILED TO PREVENT THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN, NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER, AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

ON APRIL 8, 2015, I TOOK MY 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC I FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. HE INFORMED ME THAT THE FRAME WAS SO SEVERELY RUSTED THAT IT WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT PERFORM THE REPAIRS. THEY ALSO INFORMED ME THAT ANY ATTEMPT TO REPAIR THE FRAME WOULD STILL RENDER IT UNSAFE. THEY ALSO CHECKED FOR RECALLS/BUYBACKS ON THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS NOT ELIGIBLE. I WAS PLANNING A 2000 MILE TRIP WITH LOAD. HAD I PROCEEDED WITH THE TRIP WITHOUT KNOWING THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE, I WOULD HAVE BEEN IN GRAVE DANGER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE EMITTING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE FRACTURED FROM THE FRAME. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED CORROSION ON THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 149,000.