2000 Toyota Tacoma

WE HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5 XTRA CAB, 4 X 4. THE BODY IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. IT WENT IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE TODAY AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME RAILS HAVE ROTTED. THE FRAME IS UNSAFE AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE WILL HAVE TO GET RID OF THE TRUCK. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING IN TALKING WITH THE DEALER, IT WILL BE GOING TO THE SALVAGE YARD, IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO US AS THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE, IT ONLY HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT! WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE FRAME ROT COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS L INJURY OR DEATH. *TR

IN NOVEMBER, 2007, I NOTICED A BANGING NOISE WHENEVER I DROVE OVER THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS. I EXAMINED THE OUTSIDE & THE UNDERSIDE OF THE 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK I HAD BEEN DRIVING SINCE NEW, & FOUND THE FOLLOWING: #1, THE TRUCK FRAME IS SEVERELY ROTTED WITH JAGGED, SHARP, IRREGULAR, PENETRATING HOLES IN THE FRAME - UP TO 6 INCHES IN LENGTH. #2, THE UNDERNEATH INSIDE OF THE TRUCK FRAME BOX BEAMS ARE COVERED WITH CORROSION & LARGE PIECES OF FRAME HAVE "FLAKED OFF"! #3, THE SEVEREST CORROSION EXTENDS FROM THE "CABIN FRONT AREA" TO THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. SIMILAR BUT SLIGHTLY LESSER CORROSION EXTENDS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THIS TOYOTA TRUCK. #4, ONE REAR "CABIN MOUNTING BLOCK" ON THE FRAME, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, HAS TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED, DROPPING THE CABIN DOWN ABOUT 1 INCH, DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRAME CAUSING MY BANGING SOUND! THE PASSENGER'S SIDE REAR "CABIN MOUNTING BLOCK" ON THE FRAME IS ABOUT 75% DISINTEGRATED! I FEAR THIS TRUCK MIGHT HAVE BECOME UNSAFE IN AN ACCIDENT, DUE TO THE POOR STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF ITS FRAME. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW, LOCALLY, NEVER EVEN PARTIALLY SUBMERGED IN WATER, & NEVER ABUSED. IT WAS ALWAYS INSPECTED & MAINTAINED BY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER, YEARLY, I BOUGHT IT FROM. IT WAS NEVER IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT, & THE ONLY DAMAGE IT EVER SUFFERED, ACCIDENT WISE, WAS A FENDER BEING STRUCK BY A DEER. PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS 2000 TOYOTA TRUCKS EXHAUST SYSTEM IS STILL INTACT & ORIGINAL! I WOULD EXPECT THIS TRUCKS FRAME TO OUTLAST AN EXHAUST SYSTEM, AT THE LEAST! SOMETHING IS DEFINITELY WRONG WITH THE STEEL &/OR FABRICATION OF THIS PARTICULAR TOYOTA TACOMA'S FRAME, CALLING FORTH A SAFETY QUESTION. THIS TRUCK, AT THE TIME, HAD 97,361 MILES ON IT. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW 7 YR'S AGO! I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALER WITH THESE FACTS, WITH A REQUEST FOR A "FRAME INSPECTION", THE DEALER SAID THE TRUCK IS "OUT-OF-WARRANTY", & CANNOT BE REPAIRED! *TR

THE FRAME ON OUR 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. IT PASSED 2006 STATE INSPECTION AND AFTER BEING MAINTAINED BY A TOYOTA DEALER IT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WOULD NOT PASS 2007 STATE INSPECTION. THERE ARE GAPING HOLES IN THE FRAME ON THE INSIDE. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE SALVAGED AT 7 YEARS OLD. OTHER MAKE AND MODEL TRUCKS OF THIS AGE ARE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS CONDITION. WHY IS TOYOTA NOT LIABLE TO INFORM TACOMA OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT. WE RETAINED PICTURES OF THE EXTREME DAMAGE TO THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK. *TR

MY 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME IS ROTTING PREMATURELY. LARGE PIECES OF FRAME ARE FALLING OFF OF VEHICLE. I KNOW OF MANY 99/00 TACOMA'S THAT ARE ROTTING AND SOMEONE MAY BE KILLED. ROT IS OCCURRING MOSTLY IN NORTH EAST DUE TO SEVERE WINTERS. TOYOTA WILL NOT ADMIT THAT 7 YEAR OLD TACOMA'S ARE POSING A SAFETY HAZARD IN THE SNOW BELT. I HAVE PICTURES OF A TACOMA THAT HAD HUGE HOLES IN THE FRAME AND IT COULD NOT BE SALVAGED. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE INNER FRAME RAIL WAS CORRODED. THE CORROSION DESTROYED THE STEEL ON THE LEAF SPRING SHACKLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT ROAD SALT CAUSED THE FAILURE. AS OF OCTOBER 11, 2007, THE DEALER HAD NOT REPAIRED THE VEHICLE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 115,312.

BROUGHT MY 2000 TACOMA EXTENDED CAB 2WD PU IN TO MIDAS FOR A MUFFLER REPLACEMENT. WHILE ON THE HOIST THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED EXTREME RUST ON FRAME RAIL THAT HAD BROKEN THROUGH ON THE DRIVER SIDE REAR. THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THIS VEHICLE WITH ONLY 87K MILES ON IT IS NOW THREATENED. HAVE READ THAT THIS IS NOW BEING REPORTED BY MANY PEOPLE. TRUCK IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION OTHERWISE. *JB