2000 Toyota Tacoma

MY LEAF SPRINGS ARE BROKEN AND NOT REPLACEABLE DUE TO RUSTED CASTERS ATTACHING TO A RUSTED FRAME. CORPORATE TOYOTA TELLS ME I CAN HAVE IT FIXED BUT EVERY DEALER TELLS ME THAT MY TRUCK IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE TOYOTA RUST CAMPAIGN. I HAVE FOUND LITERATURE ONLINE THAT INCLUDES MY VIN BUT NO DEALERS WILL HELP ME. I JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK IN JANUARY OF THIS YEAR FOR 7500 AND AM NOW OUT 7500. *TR

FRAME RUST PERFORATION PER TOYOTA 1995 THROUGH 2000 TOYOTA FRAME RUST CORROSION PERFORATION WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT (CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM) WAS CONDUCTED ON MY TRUCK LAST YEAR (SEPTEMBER 2010). THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED AND SAID IT WAS OK. TODAY THEY CONDUCTED ANOTHER FRAME INSPECTION AND SAID THE FRAME WAS PERFORATED AND WOULD NOT PASS THE SAFETY INSPECTION. I ASKED TO SEE A DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPH OF THE FRAME DAMAGE AND WAS TOLD NONE WERE AVAILABLE. NO OFFER WAS MADE TO PUT THE TRUCK ON THE LIFT FOR ME TO SEE FOR MYSELF. I DROVE HOME VERY CAREFULLY, PULLED THE TRUCK IN THE GARAGE AND HAD A LOOK, DOES NOT LOOK SAFE TO ME. APPEARS THE LEFT FRONT REAR AXLE LEAF SPRING MOUNT / CHASSIS FRAME COULD FAIL CAUSING THE AXLE TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. PERHAPS THIS IS MORE SERIOUS THAN A "CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM"! *TR

LAST SUMMER, 2009, NOTICED THAT MY BRAKES, WHICH WERE ONLY A YEAR OLD, SEEMED TO NOT BE OPERATING EFFICIENTLY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE I DISCOVERED GEAR OIL HAD BEEN COMING OUT OF THE REAR AXLE, SPRAYING ALL OVER THE PASSENGER SIDE BRAKES AND TIRE. I HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR AXEL SEAL AND RUINED BRAKE SHOES. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE TOYOTA CERTIFIED USED IN DECEMBER OF 2003. RECENTLY IN 2010 I NOTICED THAT MY FRAME APPEARED AS THOUGH IT HAD A LOT OF DIRT ON IT, SO I TRIED TO SPRAY IT OFF WITH A HIGH POWERED WASHER, IT TURNED OUT TO B RUST NOT DIRT. I RECENTLY MOVED TO CALIFORNIA AND I AM STILL SETTLING IN, WHEN I HEAR A LOUD BANGING SOUND COMING FROM SOMEWHERE UNDER MY TRUCK. I WONDERED IF IT HAD ANYTHING TO DO WITH THE RUST SO I TYPED IN RUST AND TOYOTA ON GOOGLE AND DISCOVERED A CUSTOMER WARRANTY PROGRAM ISSUED BY TOYOTA ON 1995-2000 MODEL TACOMAS FOR RUST PERFORATION. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED AND MY CAR IS STILL REGISTERED IN ONE OF THE APPLICABLE STATES, PENNSYLVANIA. I CONTACTED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND TOOK THE CAR TO BE INSPECTED, THE DEALER SAID MY CAR PASSED RUST PERFORATION TEST BUT COULD NOT LOCATE NOISE. I WAS SHOCKED AS THE NOISE IS UNMISTAKABLE. AFTER LEAVING THE DEALER I TOOK THE CAR TO A FRIEND WHO KNOWS A LITTLE MORE ABOUT VEHICLES THEN ME, WE CRAWLED UNDER THE TRUCK AND HE WAS ABLE TO POINT OUT A BROKEN LEAF SPRING THAT APPEARED TO BE RUSTED AND GRINDING HEAVILY INTO MY PASSENGER SIDE SHOCK. THE DEALER LET ME DRIVE OFF THEIR LOT WITH MY TRUCK LIKE THAT AND THE LEAF SPRING IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME WHICH THEY CLAIMED TO HAVE INSPECTED! NOT ONLY THIS BUT THE TECH ALSO CHECKED OFF SUSPENSION AS GREEN! THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, WHAT IF THE BROKEN LEAF SPRING HAD SWUNG IN THE OTHER DIRECTION AND JABBED INTO MY TIRE? TOYOTA IS NOT OFFERING TO FIX THE PROBLEM UNDER THE WARRANTY DESPITE THE FACT THIS BROKEN LEAF SPRING ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ACROSS THE NATION. *TR

PROBLEM: DEFECTIVE REAR LEAF SPRINGS. ON 4/27/05 HAD RIGHT REAR LEAF SPRING REPLACED, MILEAGE ON VEH. 51261 ON 7/18/06 HAD LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING REPLACED, MILEAGE ON VEH. 56,586 BOTH LEAF SPRINGS NEEDED REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THEY RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THE STEEL BANDS WHICH HELD THEM TOGETHER BROKE. I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY EACH TIME A LEAF SPRING BROKE. I WAS VERY LUCKY THAT ONE OF THE LEAFS DIDN'T SWING INTO THE REAR WHEELS, IF SO IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I PURCHASED THE VEH. NEW, I'M THE SOLE DRIVER, IT'S USED SOLELY FOR TRANSPORTATION , NEVER USED FOR CONSTRUCTION OR OFF ROAD PURPOSES. I BELIEVE TOYOTA USED VERY POOR QUALITY STEEL IN MAKING THESE LEAF SPRINGS & BANDS OR A POOR HEAT TREATING PROCESS TO STRENGTHEN THE STEEL OR BOTH. THANKING YOU IN ADVANCE FOR YOUR TIME & CONSIDERATION ON THIS MATTER. P.S.TOYOTA DID REPLACE THE FIRST LEAF SPRING AS A GOODWILL GESTURE, BUT DIDN'T REPLACE THE SECOND ONE. *TR

IN THE PAST 23 MONTHS THE BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED, CAUSING WHEELS TO FALL OFF, ON BOTH SIDES OF MY 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE FIRST WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE WHICH IN SEPTEMBER 2006. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT VERY LOW SPEED CAUSING MINIMAL DAMAGE BUT REQUIRING OVER $900 IN REPAIRS. SECOND WAS THE DRIVER SIDE IN AUGUST 2008. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING DOWNHILL AT UNDER 40 MPH ON GRAVEL ROAD WHEN THE WHEEL FELL OFF [TAKING AXEL, BREAK LINE AND CV JOINT WITH IT]. THE TACOMA SLID OUT OF CONTROL FOR MORE THAN 100' BEFORE COMING TO REST. TOWING AND REPAIRS TO GET THE TRUCK BACK ON THE ROAD CAME TO $1,053. THERE IS SOME ADDITIONAL DAMAGE IN THE WHEEL WELL AND THE DOOR IS NOT FITTING PROPERLY BUT THAT HAS NOT BEEN EXAMINED BY A REPAIRMAN AS OF YET. *TR

DT: WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 65 MPH, WITH NO WARNING WHATSOEVER THE RIGHT FRONT DRIVERS SIDE TIRE CAME OFF THE VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION OF THE TIRE, THE BALL BEARING, ROTOR, ETC WAS THERE BUT THE SHAFT WAS BROKEN IN HALF. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED. MECHANICS OBSERVED THAT THE SHAFT HAD BROKEN IN HALF AND HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING OF THIS SORT. NO REPAIRS HAVE YET TO BE MADE. INFECT, THE ROTOR AND THE BALL BEARING, NUT ARE STILL ON THE TIRE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING, SUDDENLY THERE WAS CRACKING, THEN A METALLIC CLUNKING NOISE. THE CONSUMER SLOWED THE TRUCK DOWN, DROVE HOME AND PARKED THE TRUCK. THE NEXT MORNING , THE CONSUMER COULD VISUALLY SEE THE BROKEN LEAF SPRING, BECAUSE THE SPRING WAS STICKING INTO THE GAS TANK, BUT DIDN'T PENETRATE. THE CONSUMER CONTACTED TWO DEALERSHIP WHO INDICATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON FAILURE WITH THESE VEHICLES. THE CONSUMER FEELS THAT THE SPRING BROKE BECAUSE OF A DESIGN FLAW, DUE TO THE SPRINGS BEING ASSEMBLED IN CORRECTLY. IF THE TRUCK WAS TOWING A TRAILER AT THE TIME OF FAILURE, THIS COULD OF RESULTED IN A ROLL OVER. *NM