2001 Toyota Tacoma

THE ENGINE REVED UP AS IF THE ACCELERATOR WAS STUCK PRESSED DOWN. THERE WAS NO FLOOR MAT IN THE WAY. I HAD TO PUT THE TRUCK INTO NEUTRAL AND PULL OVER. I TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. WHEN I TURNED THE ENGINE BACK ON, THE RPMS WERE STILL EXTREMELY HIGH, SO I HAD TO TURN IT OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR OVER 5 MINUTES. THIS HAS HAPPENED 6 TIMES SINCE THEN. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE INTO A MECHANIC WHO CAN NOT GET IT TO REPEAT FOR HIM. THIS IS VERY SCARY. THE GOOD THING IS THAT THIS IS A STANDARD TRANSMISSION, SO NEUTRAL IS EASY. IT IS VERY UNSAFE ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN IT HAPPENS.

MY SON WAS DRIVING NORTH ON I45 FROM HUNTSVILLE, TX TO FORT WORTH, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 PM. HE WAS DRVING APPROXIMATELY 70-75 MPH NEAR MM159 WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD THUD NOISE COME FROM UNDER HIS TRUCK. HE IMMEDIATELY OBSERVED FLAMES COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. THE FLAMES ENGULFED THE REAR OF THE TRUCK AND UNDER THE CAB OF THE TRUCK. HE EXITED THE VEHICLE AND SUSTAINED A BURN TO THE LOWER PORTION OF HIS LEFT LEG. SECONDS AFTER HE EXITED THE VEHICLE, THE ENTIRE TRUCK WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. A TEXAS STATE TROOPER WAS PASSING SHORTLY AFTER MY SON EXITED THE VEHICLE AND REQUESTED ASSISTANCE FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND PARAMEDICS. (PHOTOS TAKEN).

I TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE AND WAS ALERTED TO THE FRAME CORROSION. I CAN ACTUALLY PUSH MY FINGER THROUGH THE RUST AND FRAME, HOLES ARE VISIBLE IN THE FRAME. THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I FEAR OF SAFETY FOR MY FAMILY. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY ADVISED ME THAT THE VOLUNTARY BUYBACK PROGRAM FOR FIXING THIS WAS EXPIRED. I AM NOW LEFT WITH AN IMMACULATELY CLEAN CAR IN PRISTINE SHAPE THAT CANNOT BE DRIVEN AND I AM LEERY OF EVEN SELLING TO SOMEONE ELSE REGARDLESS OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF THE FRAME. REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM ARE POPPING UP ALL OVER AND IT NEEDS TO BE DEALT WITH AS A SERIOUS MATTER AND SUBJECT TO SAFETY RECALL. LESSER ISSUES HAVE HAD RECALLS AND IT HAS BEEN LEFT UP TO TOYOTA TO PROVIDE VOLUNTARY BUYBACK PROGRAMS INSTEAD OF BEING MANDATED FOR PUBLIC SAFETY.

I LIVE IN VIRGINIA. THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL FOR INSPECTION OF THE TRUCK FRAME FOR RUST CORROSION. AT THE TIME VEHICLE HAD THE RECALL I WAS BEING TREATED FOR A MENTAL DISABILITY AND IN MENTAL HOSPITALS. I WAS NOT OF SOUND MIND OR JUDGMENT TO UNDERSTAND THE "RECALL NOTICE". WHILE HAVING OIL CHANGED BY THE TOYOTA DEALER THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK WAS NOTED TO HAVE HOLES IN THE FRAME CAUSED BY RUST. TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION HAS REFUSED TO REPLACE THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK HONORING THE RECALL EVEN THOUGH I PROVIDED THE NECESSARY INFORMATION FROM DOCTORS PROVIDING DOCUMENTATION OF MY ILLNESS AT THE TIME OF THE RECALL. ON MARCH 14, 2013, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A SAFETY RECALL FOR RUST OF THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER; WHICH COULD FALL OFF CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE TOYOTA DEALER REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER CONSISTING OF TWO METAL PLATES WITH FOUR BOLTS THAT WAS BOLTED TO A DEFECTIVE FRAME THAT HAS HOLES DUE TO CORROSION; ALSO, THEY REPLACED SUPPORTS THAT RUNS BETWEEN THE TWO FRAME RAILS; THEY DID NOT REPLACE THE CABLE NOR THE RUSTED PART THAT HOLDS THE WHEEL TO THE PREVIOUS ASSEMBLY PARTS. THIS HAS NOT FIXED THE ISSUE BECAUSE THEY HAVE ONLY REPLACED THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER PLATE ONTO A FRAME THAT HAS HOLES DUE TO RUST THAT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I NEED THIS VEHICLE AS I AM ON DISABILITY AND LIMITED INCOME; I WANT THE FRAME REPLACED OR A NEW TRUCK WITH THE SAME OPTIONS AS I HAVE ON THE 2001 TACOMA. TOYOTA RECEIVED A 25 MILLION DOLLAR SETTLEMENT FROM DANA CORPORATION, SUPPLIER OF THE TACOMA TRUCK FRAMES, PROPER ANTIRUST PREVENTATIVE WAS NOT APPLIED TO PREVENT CORROSION, WHICH WAS A COST SAVING FOR ONE OR BOTH COMPANIES. FROM 1995 TO 2004 THE TACOMA TRUCKS HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM. BY REPLACING THE FRAME TOYOTA WOULD NOT BE LOSING ANY MONEY BECAUSE THEY GOT THEIR MONEY FROM DANA CORP SUPPLIER OF THE TACOMA FRAMES. *TR

I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY VEHICLE, AND WHEN I NOTIFIED TOYOTA THEY INDICATED THAT THEY WOULD NO LONGER HONOR THE RECALL, UNLESS I HAD GONE IN FOR SOME KIND OF UNDERLAYMENT. I NEVER WAS NOTIFIED OF THIS, AND SINCE THE VEHICLE WILL BE CONSIDERED UNSAFE I FEEL THAT THEY TOYTA SHOULD TAKECARE OF THIS ISSUE. PLEASE ADVISE IF THERE IS A LIMITATION ON SAFETY HAZARDS FOR VEHICLES. *TR

AS I WAS DRIVING UP A MOUNTAIN, THE TRAFFIC IN FRONT OF ME WAS SLOW, I BRAKED TO SLOW, BUT THE TRUCK DID NOT SLOW DOWN. I PUSHED HARDER ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE TRUCK STILL DID NOT SLOW DOWN. THERE WAS NO PLACE TO PULL OFF, A DROP OFF ON THE RIGHT AND TRAFFIC ON THE LEFT COMING DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. I KEPT MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE AS HARD AS I COULD PUSH IT, ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN. THERE WAS A PARKING AREA AT THE TOP AND I TURNED INTO THAT AREA. MY HUSBAND QUICKLY TURNED OFF THE KEY AND WE CAME TO A SUDDEN STOP. WE GOT OUT OF THE TRUCK AND MY HUSBAND RAISED THE HOOD. SEVERAL MEN STOPPED TO SEE IF THEY COULD HELP. WHILE THE TRUCK WAS SITTING THERE, WITH THE GEAR SHIFT IN PARK, MY HUSBAND STARTED THE ENGINE A COUPLE OF TIMES. THE ENGINE RACED AT FULL SPEED. MY HUSBAND DID NOT HAVE HIS FOOT NEAR EITHER PEDAL. THERE WAS NOTHING IN THE FLOOR NEAR THE PEDALS. A TOW TRUCK CAME AND PICKED UP THE TRUCK, IT WAS TAKEN TO THE OWNER'S LOCATION AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS DISCONNECTED. THE ENGINE RAN NORMALLY THEN. WE TOOK THE TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT WAS CHECKED, AND WE WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK.