2001 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME HAD EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION TO THE POINT THAT IT COULD FRACTURE. IN ADDITION, BATTLEFIELD TOYOTA (11013 JAMES MONROE HWY, CULPEPER, VA 22701, (540) 317-7800) WAS NOTIFIED AND A SHOCK ABSORBER WAS ORDERED BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO RUSTED. THE PART WAS REPLACED. THE FRAME RUST AND CORROSION WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED TO VERIFY IF THE DEALER PLACED A COATING ON THE VEHICLE YEARS AGO DUE TO AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING THE STRUCTURE, BUT FAILED TO REPLACE THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE STATIONARY AND WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE BECAME SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CAB FRAME BRACKET CONNECTED TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS AFFECTED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WERE HOLES IN THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. A DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 117,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A KNOCKING SOUND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. HE PARKED THE VEHICLE, CHECKED UNDERNEATH, AND FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND RECOMMENDED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME BE REPLACED. THE FRAME WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER WAS NOT CALLED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND STATED THAT NOTHING COULD BE DONE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000.

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST PERFORATION ON 1ST GENERATION TACOMAS WILL CAUSE THE FRAME TO BREAK LEADING TO AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION INCLUDING HANDLING ABILITY, ROLLOVER, LACK OF IMPACT PROTECTION, AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF LIFE. KEY AREAS ARE BY THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS AND CLOSE TO THE FRONT SWAY BAR. TOYOTA DID OFFER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE FRAME, BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION THAT THE FRAME WAS DETERIORATING FROM THE INSIDE OUT OR THAT ALL THE FRAMES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT PROPER CORROSION PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT AT DANA CORP, NOT JUST THOSE IN THE LISTED NORTHERN STATES.TOYOTA'S LETTER OF EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT LIST THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOR DID IT RECOMMEND AN INITIAL OR ANY FOLLOWUP FRAME INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC FOR THE NON-NORTHERN STATES, NOR DID IT MENTION THE NHTSA AS BEING INVOLVED. THE LETTER MENTIONS "A SMALL NUMBER OF 2001 THROUGH 2004 MODEL YEAR TACOMAS OPERATING IN SEVERE COLD CLIMATE AREAS WITH HIGH ROAD SALT USE..." . ALL TACOMA'S IN ANY ROAD-SALT STATE HAVE THE ISSUE. MANY STATES THAT DO USE ROAD SALT HAVE NOT BEEN INSPECTED, EVER. WHEN SOMETHING IS UNDER WARRANTY, PEOPLE TEND TO KEEP USING THINGS UNTIL THEY BREAK. UNDER A SAFETY RECALL, PEOPLE TEND TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED QUICKLY. THE TACOMA FRAMES ARE NOT ACTUALLY "BREAKING" DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD BUT THEY ARE BECOMING "DEFECTIVE" DURING THE PERIOD. MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING OLDER TACOMAS AND HAVE NO IDEA THE TRUCK IS ABOUT TO SNAP IN HALF. THIS FRAME RUST ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SAFETY ISSUE BY EITHER TOYOTA OR THE NHTSA. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH FOR TACOMA FRAME RUST WILL REVEAL HUNDREDS/THOUSANDS OF PICTURES OF PERFORATED AND DANGEROUS FRAMES. INTERESTINGLY, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TIRE CARRIER WHICH SUFFERED FROM RUST AS A DIRECT RESULT FROM THE FRAME RUST. THE LETTER CLEARLY STATES THAT IN THE NON-EFFECTED STATES, "YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME".

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING SERVICE TO CHANGE THE TIMING BELT, THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO BE PLACE THE VEHICLE ON A LIFT. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SO ROTTED THAT IT COULD FRACTURE. THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CALL A TOYOTA DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER TO DETERMINE THEIR GUIDELINES. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS WAITING ON A RESPONSE TO DETERMINE THEIR RECOMMENDED SOLUTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED 21 TSBS FOR THE STRUCTURE, BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE PERTAINING TO THE FRAME. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE. *LN