2001 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 12MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ISSUE WAS THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE SUSPENSION THAT WAS WORN OFF AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,500.

I BRAKE IN MY DRIVEWAY AT APPROX. 2 MPH, HEARD A LOUD THUMP IN THE REAR END OF MY 2001 TACOMA. WHEN I CHECKED, I FOUND THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT BRACKET TO LEAF SPRING HOLDING THE REAR AXLE WAS ACTUALLY SITTING 2 OR 3 INCHES INTO THE FRAME RAIL. THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH IN THAT SPOT, THE RUST WAS SO BAD, THAT 6 INCHES OF STEEL ON BOTTOM OF FRAME RAIL WAS GONE IN ANY DIRECTION OF THE LEAF SPRING BRACKET ATTACHMENT POINT. THERE ISN'T ENOUGH STEEL LEFT TO EVEN ATTEMPT A WELD TO REPAIR IT. ON CLOSE INSPECTION OF THE FRAME OVERALL, THERE ARE MULTIPLE POINTS WHERE THE FRAME RAILS HAVE DISINTEGRATED. MY REAR AXLE IS SITTING OFF-CENTER, AND THE CAR CANNOT BE DRIVEN. IF NORMAL FORCE OR TORQUE IS APPLIED, THE AXLE WILL BREAK FREE, AND THIS WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. I HEARD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON TACOMA FRAME RAILS, SO I CALLED THE DEALER. DEALER STATED MY VIN DID NOT HAVE A RECALL; I CALLED TOYOTA, THEY TOLD ME THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED IN 1 BUSINESS DAY. THEY NEVER CALLED. 2 DAYS LATER, I CALLED AND GOT TRANSFERRED TO THEIR "TRUCK TEAM," GOT SHUFFLED AROUND FOR 6 MORE PHONE CALLS OVER 3 DAYS, WHEN THEY INFORMED ME THAT THEY MAILED ME A NOTICE THAT I HAD TO HAVE GOTTEN A FRAME SPRAYING TO QUALIFY FOR THE FRAME RECALL. I NEVER RECEIVED SUCH NOTICE, AND TOYOTA DID NOT EVEN HAVE MY ADDRESS; WHICH THEY STATED THAT THEY GOT ALL INFORMATION FROM DMV. MY DMV INFO IS CURRENT, ALWAYS HAS BEEN. TOYOTA HAS GIVEN MY EVERY TYPE OF RUN-AROUND IMAGINABLE, ULTIMATELY DENYING MY RECALL. ON WEBSITES, THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE IN MY SAME SITUATION...EXACTLY THE SAME. FURTHER, THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD THE FRAME SPRAY, WHICH THEN PEELED OFF WITHIN MONTHS OF APPLICATION. THIS SEEMS LIKE TOYOTA DELIBERATELY TRIED TO EXCLUDE AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE WITH THIS FRAME SPRAY, WHICH WOULDN'T BE NECESSARY IN THE FIRST PLACE IF THE FRAMES WEREN'T DEFECTIVE. MY TRUCK IS DEAD. *TR

TOYOTA TACOMA 2001 IN GREAT SHAPE OTHER THAN THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT. TOOK IT TO MY MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE OIL CHANGE; HE SAW SOME HEAVY CORROSION ON THE FRAME. IN SEVERAL PLACES, IT HAS EATEN THROUGH AND HAS PERFORATIONS. HE SAYS IT IS GETTING TO BE UNSAFE. I JUST BOUGHT THIS TRUCK ABOUT A YEAR AGO AT A DEALERSHIP IN OHIO AND WAS NOT MADE AWARE THAT THIS WAS A HUGE PROBLEM IN THE 1996-2003 MODELS, BUT THIS ISSUE IS APPARENTLY VERY COMMON AS TOYOTA DID NOT PROVIDE ACCEPTABLE UNDERCOATINGS FOR THESE MODELS. NEXT STEP IS TO TAKE IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND SEE WHAT THEY SAY. AT THIS POINT, I WOULD TAKE A BUYOUT BUT WOULD PREFER TO HAVE THE FRAME/CHASSIS REPLACED AT THEIR EXPENSE. I LOVE THIS TRUCK AND USE IT EVERYDAY. VERY SCARED TO DRIVE IT RIGHT NOW AND HOPE THEY COME THROUGH TO FIX THEIR MISTAKE. THIS SHOULD BE A PUBLIC RECALL SINCE IT IS A HUGE SAFETY CONCERN AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE MADE AWARE THAT THIS IS A TIME-BOMB ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. THESE TRUCKS ARE EVERYWHERE ON THE ROAD. THANKS *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,836.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A BRAKE REPAIR WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT), BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA SR 5 EXTENDED CAB. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 3-4 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DROVE OVER A ROAD BUMP AND THE LOWER BALL JOINT PROCEEDED TO DETACHED FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT TIRE. THE VEHICLE THEN UNEXPECTEDLY DRIFTED FORWARD THREE FEET. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT DETACHED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, ALONG WITH THE BRAKE LINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY CONFIRMED THE VIN FAILED TO QUALIFY FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER:05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 129,660.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN A LOUD, ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED CORROSION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE I-BEAM AND THE CROSS BEAM, WHICH WAS DETACHED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 173,200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLES PASSENGER SIDE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT); HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AND FELL OFF. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BALL JOINT FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 175,000.

TRUCK 'WANDERS' AND WON'T TRACK STRAIGHT WITHOUT CONTINUOUS CORRECTION WITH THE STEERING WHEEL. ESPECIALLY BAD WHEN HITTING BUMPS OR ON 'RAIN GROOVES' OR OTHER UNEVEN SURFACES. DIFFICULT TO MAINTAIN LANE DISCIPLINE AND ESPECIALLY SCARY IN CONSTRUCTION ZONES WITH NARROW LANES AND CONCRETE DIVIDERS NEARBY. HAD FRONT END ALIGNED (NO HELP), NEW TIRES PUT ON (NO HELP), NEW SHOCKS INSTALLED (NO HELP), TIRES BALANCED (NICER RIDE, BUT STILL 'WANDERED'), FRONT END ALIGNED AGAIN (MINOR IMPROVEMENT) AND FINALLY SOME NEW TIRES (AGAIN...NO HELP.) THERE IS 'PLAY' IN THE STEERING WHEEL AND THERE IS A RECALL AND A TSB FROM TOYOTA FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL TRUCK FOR 'WORN LOWER BALL JOINTS'. BUT WHEN INQUIRING WITH TWO DIFFERENT DEALERS, I WAS TOLD BOTH TIMES THAT "MY" TRUCK WAS NOT AFFECTED. IT SURE FEELS AFFECTED!