2001 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER BEING REPAIRED FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES), THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME FOR THE UNDER CARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 75,000. UPDATED 08/02/16*LJ CONSUMER WROTE LETTERS ABOUT RECALLS, RECEIVED ANOTHER RECALL FOR THE SAME EXCESSIVE CORROSION TO THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER LIFT PLATE CONSUMER NOTED RECALL SHOULD OF BEEN SENT OUT FOR RUSTED FRAME AS WELL. 04/17/18 *JB *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE REVERSING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SPARE TIRE SEPARATED FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES). THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO CORROSION AROUND THE ATTACHMENT AREA. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 6/25/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL, UNLESS HE PAID $ 147 EACH TO REPLACED TWO METAL TIRE HOLDERS. THE DEALER STATED THE METAL RODS WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE SPARE TIRE WAS RUSTED FROM BEING IN THE CARRIER. THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE CARRIER AND THE CONSUMER ACCIDENTALLY RAN OVER IT. UPDATED 05/10/16.*JB

HI, I JUST WANT TO EXPRESS MY CONCERN FOR MY VEHICLE AS I LOVE MY TACOMA AND HOW IT DRIVES AND WORKS FOR ME IN MY DAILY LIFE. AS I HAD TOOK MY VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL ON MY SPARE TIRE CABLE, THE TECHNICIAN AND SERVICE MAN HAD TOLD ME THAT IN MY FRAME OF MY VEHICLE THERE IS A LARGE RUSTED OUT HOLE. SINCE THEN, I REALLY HAVEN'T FELT SAFE DRIVING MY VEHICLE ANYWHERE AS I'M AFRAID THAT MY FRAME WILL BREAK AND CAUSE A REALLY BAD ACCIDENT. I'VE ALSO HAVE HAD IN THE PAST WHERE MY DAD'S VEHICLE (1998 TOYOTA TACOMA) WAS RECALLED FOR THE SAME EXACT THING (FRAME ISSUE). AS FOR MY VEHICLE, I AM THE SECOND OWNER AND MY BROTHER WAS THE FIRST. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN HERE IN THE MINNESOTA WEATHER ALL ITS LIFE TIME. PLEASE DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS, IF NOT, I WILL PUSH THIS FORWARD WHERE I WILL GET SOME ATTENTION TO MY VEHICLE, MY SAFETY, AND OTHERS. AND PLUS, I WOULDN'T WANT TO MAKE THIS INTO A LEGAL MATTER AS I LOVE MY TOYOTA. *TR

LOSS OF SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY DUE TO RUST TOYOTA WILL NOT REPLACE WHEEL ASSEMBLY WILL REPLACE THE RUSTED TIRE HOLDER BUT NOT THE TIRE TOYOTA REPLACED THE FRAME ON A RECALL AND DID NOT REPLACE THE RUSTED SPARE TIRE HOLDER THIS IS NEGLIGENCE ON THE PART OF TOYOTA SOMEONE MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED WHEN THE SPARE TIRE CAME LOOSE ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH. *TR

I FREQUENTLY CHECK THE STABILITY OF THE SPARE TIRE THAT IS STORED ON THE UNDERSIDE EXTERIOR OF THE BED. RECENTLY I NOTICED THAT THE TIRE WAS LOOSE AND MOVING BACK AND FORTH. THIS PROMPTED ME TO LOWER THE TIRE BY USING THE PROVIDED CRANK HANDLE. AFTER IT WAS LOWERED TO THE GROUND I WAS SHOCKED TO SEE THAT THE RETAINING BRACKET AND CABLE SPRING WERE SEVERELY RUSTED. I FELT THAT THIS COULD POSE A POTENTIAL SAFETY HAZARD TO ME WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE ON THE HIGHWAY IF THAT BRACKET FAILS. IT COULD POSSIBLY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO ROLL OVER AND THE TIRE TO FLY OFF AND CAUSE DANGER TO OTHER MOTORISTS. I PROMPTLY REMOVED THE SPARE TIRE FROM THE VEHICLE AND WENT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THEY SEEMED TO LOOK PAST THE SAFETY HAZARD IT POSES AND WERE MORE INTERESTED IN CHARGING ME ORE $600.00 TO INSTALL A NEW RETAINING BRACKET. I INQUIRED TO THE SERVICE CONSULTANT AS TO WHY THIS PROBLEM WAS NOT BROUGHT ADDRESSED TO ME WHEN MY TRUCK WAS IN THERE A FEW MONTHS EARLIER FOR THE FRAME RUST PERFORATION RECALL. HE REPLIED THAT IF THEY NOTICE ANY ISSUES THEY PRESENT THE CUSTOMER WITH A LIST OF RECOMMENDATIONS. AT THAT TIME THEY HAD THE ENTIRE CAB AND CHASSIS OFF TO INSTALL A BRAND NEW FRAME. I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW SOMETHING AS CRUCIAL AS THIS POTENTIAL DEADLY PROBLEM COULD GO UNDETECTED. I RECENTLY SPOKE WITH 2 INDIVIDUALS WHO HAD PERSONAL EXPERIENCES PERTAINING TO THIS ISSUE. ONE WITNESSED A DEADLY ROLLOVER DUE TO THIS PROBLEM AND THE OTHER HAD HIS SPARE FALL OFF AND ROLL DOWN THE ROAD. I FEEL THIS ISSUE SHOULD BE PRESENTED TO THE PROPER OFFICIALS AND ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN SOON. I HOPE TO HEAR FROM YOU REGARDING THIS SERIOUS ISSUE. THANK YOU. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON TX US-59 NB RIGHTHAND LANE GOING APPROX. 65 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED. I MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOP ON THE HIGHWAY SHOULDER. WHAT I FOUND WAS A VERY HOT TIRE WHICH HAD REMAINED INFLATED, BUT HAD LOST APPROX. 75% OF THE TREAD CIRCUMFERENCE DOWN TO THE STEEL BELT. APPROX. 25% OF THE TREAD REMAINED WITH THE TIRE, OF WHICH APPROX. 10% REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE STEEL BELT. THE SITUATION DESCRIBED ALLOWED THE TIRE TO BECOME A ROTATING METAL EATING MACHINE, CAUSING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHEEL WELL, TRUCK BED, SUSPENSION AND EXHAUST SYSTEM (3 INCH STAINLESS STEEL PIPE BEND TO 90 DEGREES). INSURANCE ESTIMATES ARE APPROX. $2400.00. AFTER WAITING FOR THE TIRE TO COOL, I DEFLATED AND REMOVED THE TIRE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO BEND AND MOVE DAMAGED SHEET METAL AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL AREA TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR MY FULL SIZE SPARE, WHICH I INSTALLED AND DROVE APPROX. 5 MILES HOME WITHOUT CAUSING FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON TX US59 NB RIGHTHAND LANE AND VEHICLE SPEED APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE RIGHT REAR TIRE FAILED. I MANAGED TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND STOP ON THE SHOULDER. WHAT I FOUND WAS A VERY HOT TIRE WHICH HAD REMAINED INFLATED BUT HAD LOST APPROX. 75% OF THE TIRE TREAD CIRCUMFERENCE DOWN TO THE STEEL BELT. APPROX. 25% OF TREAD REMAINED WITH THE TIRE OF WHICH APPROX.10% REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE STEEL BELT. THE SITUATION DESCRIBED ALLOWED THE TIRE TO BECOME A ROTATING METAL EATING MACHINE, DOING CONSIDERABLE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE WHEEL WELL, TRUCK BED, SUSPENSION AND EXHAUST (3 INCH STAINLESS STEEL PIPE BENT TO 90 DEGREES). AFTER WAITING FOR THE TIRE TO COOL, I DEFLATED AND REMOVED THE TIRE. I WAS THEN ABLE TO BEND AND MOVE SOME DAMAGED SHEET METAL AWAY FROM THE WHEEL WELL TO ALLOW CLEARANCE FOR MY FULL SIZE SPARE, WHICH I INSTALLED AND DROVE APPROX. 5 MILES HOME, WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGING THE VEHICLE. *TR

NO FAILURE AS OF YET, BUT HAVE TWO LOWER BALL JOINTS ON MY VEHICLE THAT BOTH ARE OUT OF TOLERANCE AT THE SAME TIME. SEEMS THAT MY MAKE AND MODEL YEAR HAD A RECALL ON THE LOWER BALL JOINTS BUT THEY ARE TELLING ME THAT MY VEHICLE WASN'T INCLUDED. IT SEEMS VERY ODD THAT THE BALL JOINTS ARE BOTH OUT AT THE SAME TIME, ALMOST LIKE THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH MORE OF THE JOINTS THAN THEY INITIALLY EXPECTED. *NM

THE DRIVER'S AND PASSENGER'S SIDE AIRBAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY DURING A COLLISION WHERE I WAS STRUCK WHILE DRIVING. IN ADDITION TO THIS ACCIDENT I WAS ALSO GIVEN A TICKET IN WHICH THE STATE TROOPER STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED IF THE TIRES WERE NOT BAD. TACOMA TOYOTA DOUBLE CAB TRUCK, YEAR 2001. I HYDROPLANED CROSSING THE MEDIAN IN WHICH AN ON-COMING VEHICLE STRUCK MY VEHICLE.