2002 Toyota Tacoma

SEVERELY RUSTED FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE COMPONENTS. INCLUDING THE GAS TANK SKID PLATE, HAD TO REPLACE REAR BUMPER ALREADY AS WELL. ALSO HAD TO WIRE UP THE SKID PLATE SO IT WON'T FLY OFF INTO SOMEONE'S WIND SHIELD. BROUGHT IT TO A DEALER IN MARCH AND THEY INSPECTED IT AND SAID ALL IT NEEDED WAS PAINT, SO THEY PAINTED IT. NOW JUST 8 MONTHS LATER AND THE SKID PLATE IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF! JUST WAITING FOR MY BRAKES TO FAIL SOME DAY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION DUE TO EXTREME BUMPER AND FRAME RUST. THE DEALER PERFORMED A SAFETY INSPECTION ON THE VEHICLE YET IT DID NOT PASS. THE DEALER ADVISED THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED AT NO COST TO THE CONTACT HOWEVER, THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE MONTHS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 56,360.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT) FOR FRAME RUST AND CORROSION. THE VEHICLE FAILED THE MANUFACTURERS INSPECTION AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THEY WOULD REPLACE THE FRAME AT NO COST TO THE CONTACT. THE FRAME WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT IT WOULD TAKE APPROXIMATELY ONE MONTH TO OBTAIN THE FRAME AND THAT HE COULD CONTINUE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THAT TIME. THE CONTACT DID NOT BELIEVE IT WAS SAFE TO CONTINUE OPERATING A RECALLED VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 65,000.

THIS IS IN RESPONSE TO THE NEW TOYOTA RECALL ON THE SIENNA MINI-VANS SPARE TIRE. I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA, IN WHICH THE FRAME WAS RECENTLY REPLACED DUE TO RUST PERFORATION IN CERTAIN STATES. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND BACK IN 8/2007 I HAD A FLAT TIRE AND HAD TO CHANGE IT. THE SPARE TIRE RESIDES UNDER THE VEHICLE AND IS SECURED BY A CABLE. WHEN I WENT TO ACCESS THE SPARE, I NOTICED THE WHOLE CABLE AND THE SURROUNDING PIECES WERE SEVERELY RUSTED AND WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO SEPARATE THE TIRE FROM THE CABLE. AFTER HEARING ABOUT THE RECALL ON THE SIENNA FOR THE SPARE TIRE GETTING RUSTY, AND POSSIBLY FALLING LOOSE WHILE DRIVING, I REALIZED THAT MY TACOMA, AND POSSIBLY OTHER VEHICLES THAT USE THIS METHOD, AND ARE EXPOSED TO EXTREME CLIMATE CONDITIONS, COULD TRIGGER A SIMILAR EVENT. *TR

GAS TANK SHIELD SEVERELY RUSTED. UNDER SIDE OF GASTANK IS PROTECTED BY A SHIELD/SKID PLATE. IT IS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT WHEN HIT WITH A HAMMER THE HAMMER GOES RIGHT THROUGH. PRESUMABLY THIS SHIELD IS TO PROTECT THE GAS TANK FROM DEBRIS AND STONES ESPECIALLY IF THE TRUCK IS USED OFF ROAD. I DISCOVERED THIS AS I WAS INSPECTING THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK BEFORE DROPPING THE TRUCK OFF AT THE DEALER TO HAVE THE FRAME REPLACED. IN ADDITION TO THIS, IT IS APPARENT THAT THE DRIVE AXLE AND DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING ALSO HAVE SEVERE RUST. IF TAPPED WITH A HAMMER THE RUST COMES OF IN SHEETS. THE PARKING BRAKES ACTUATING LEVERS HAVE RUSTED IN PLACE AND CAN NO LONGER BE USED. THERE APPEARS TO BE MORE TO THIS RUST THAN SIMPLE FRAME RUST. THE RUST IS PERVASIVE THROUGH OUT THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK. *TR

I TOOK MY TACOMA FOR ITS 95000 MILE SERVICE, AND THEY DISCOVER MY SUB-FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY TRUCK HAS GONE FOR SERVICE EVERY 5000 MILES FOR 7 YEARS AND NO ONE EVER NOTICED THE RUST. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT COVER THE SUBFRAME IN THEIR FRAME RUST PROBLEM. THE DEALER TRIED FOR 2 DAYS TO GET THEM TO INCLUDE THIS IN THEIR 2001-2004 RUST FRAME REPAIR OR BUY BACK PROGRAM. THEY REFUSE. WHY ISN'T THE SUB FRAME PART OF THE WHOLE FRAME. I BELIEVE THE SUB FRAMES SHOULD BE LOOKED AT. *TR

I RECENTLY RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT A FRAME RUSTING PROBLEM THEY ARE HAVING ON TACOMA TRUCKS BUILT BETWEEN 2001-2004. THE FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY ON MY TRUCK WAS REPLACED SOON AFTER I PURCHASED IT BECAUSE IS WAS RUSTING FROM THE UNDERSIDE. NOW THE REAR BUMPER IS RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE UNDERSIDE AS WELL. WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA ABOUT THEIR RECENT RECALL THEY SAID ONLY THE FRAME WAS INCLUDED IN THE PROBLEM, NOT THE BUMPERS. IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THEY HAVE A RUST PROBLEM EVERYWHERE UNDER THE VEHICLE SINCE MY FRONT BUMPER RUSTED SO QUICKLY AND NOW THE REAR BUMPER IS ALSO RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE UNDERSIDE. I CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE AND THEY TOLD ME THE RECALL WAS JUST FOR RUSTING FRAMES. AS I STATED ABOVE, IT CERTAINLY APPEARS AS THOUGH THE RUST PROBLEM INVOLVES EVERYTHING UNDER THE VEHICLE. MY TRUCK IS A 2002 TACOMA AND IT HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE THE DAY I BOUGHT IT. LIVING IN SOUTHERN MARYLAND (21122), WE HAVE HAD VERY FEW INSTANCES OF SNOW/SALT IN OUR AREA SINCE I PURCHASED THE TRUCK AND I KEEP MY VEHICLE CLEAN AND ALWAYS USE THE UNDERCARRIAGE WASH WHEN GOING THROUGH THE CAR WASH. I BELIEVE TOYOTA DEFINITELY HAS A RUSTING PROBLEM AND SHOULD REPLACE MY REAR BUMPER AS THEY DID WITH THE RUSTING FRONT BUMPER ASSEMBLY. YOUR ASSISTANCE IN THIS MATTER IS APPRECIATED. *TR

EXCESSIVE TRUCK FRAME RUST, 02 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK, TOYOTA HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH 95-04 TACOMA'S WITH THE FRAMES RUSTING, SOME GETTING BAD ENOUGH TO BE A SAFETY CONCERN, WITH FRAME PERFORATION. MY TRUCK IS SHOWING THE EARLY SIGNS OF FRAME RUST, AND WILL EVENTUALLY GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT COULD BECOME A SAFETY ISSUE. I WANTED TO HAVE NHTSA COMPLAINT ON FILE IN CASE THE FRAME RUST PERFORATES THE FRAME. *TR