1999 Toyota Tacoma

Hi, i had the recall preventive performed by toyota for rusting and corrosion of the frame. Now, the vehicle is rusting throughout the frame and is very very unsafe to drive. TOYOTA is claiming that it was a program and not a recall and had no documentation to prove. Toyota performed the recall and now the frame is still at risk to crack and very unsafe.

The contact owns a 1999 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, an unknown popping sound was coming from the rear-end of the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact discovered severe corrosion and a crack that had formed on the rear passenger’s side fender. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 147,813.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BE STATE INSPECTED, BUT IT DID NOT PASS DUE TO SEVERE RUST UNDER THE BED OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED A NEW FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR SHOCK ABSORBER FRACTURED AND THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FRAME. DEL TOYOTA (2945 LINCOLN HWY E, THORNDALE, PA 19372, (610) 383-6200) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD AS IS WITHOUT FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 83,000.

IN MA YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ANNUAL VEHICLE INSPECTION. I WENT FOR THAT INSPECTION AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY COULD NOT PASS THE TRUCK BECAUSE OF A SEVERELY RUSTED FRAME. I WENT TO THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE AND WAS TOLD TO EITHER AGREE TO PAY FOR A FRAME REPLACEMENT OR JUNK THE TRUCK. I CAN'T DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT A VALID INSPECTION.

I'VE HAD COMPLETE FAILURE OF BOTH SIDES- FRONT BALL JOINTS. I CHALKED UP THE THE DRIVERS SIDE FAILURE TO HAPPENSTANCE, BUT AFTER PASSENGER SIDE RECENTLY HAD THE SAME FAILURE I DID SOME INVESTIGATING AND REALIZED THIS IS A VEHICLE ASSEMBLY ISSUE. THE SAME ISSUE HAD RECALLS FOR THE LATER MODELS 2001-05 TACOMAS, I BELIEVE. NOT SURE WHY THE EARLIER MODELS WERE EXCLUDED, BUT THIS IS SCARY AND DANGEROUS TO HAVE A COMPLETE BREAKDOWN WHILE IN TRAFFIC. THE TOWS AND REPAIRS COST OVER $500 IN TOTAL FOR BOTH INSTANCES. I'M NOT LOOKING FOR REIMBURSEMENT AS MUCH AS REASSURANCE THAT MY TRUCK IS SAFE TO DRIVE. BOTH INSTANCES OCCURRED ON CITY STREETS. PASSENGER SIDE WAS UNDER 10 MPH TURNING RIGHT TOWARDS MY DRIVEWAY. THE RECENT INCIDENT WAS TURNING LEFT AT APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WITH A TRAFFIC LIGHT. THE TRUCK TIRE CRUMBLED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE AND SLIDE ABOUT 30 FEET TO A STOP ALONG THE CURB.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AT A TOYOTA DEALER FOR CORROSION. THE TECHNICIAN ASSURED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS FINE. FIVE YEARS LATER, THE CONTACT BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION DETACHED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO SEVERE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,000.

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.