2002 Toyota Tacoma

AFTER HAVING MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA OFF THE ROAD AND GARAGED FOR THE PAST 3 YEARS, I WAS GETTING THE TRUCK READY TO BE DRIVEN ON THE ROAD AGAIN. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER. I TOOK THE TRUCK OFF THE ROAD BECAUSE MY JOB WAS ELIMINATED IN OCTOBER 2010. AFTER CHANGING THE OIL LAST WEEKEND IN MY GARAGE I NOTICED AN ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME. IN FACT, SO MUCH RUST THAT THE RUBBER BODY MOUNT BLOCK ON TOP OF THE REAR LEAF SPRING SNAPPED OFF IN MY HAND. THE LEAF SPRINGS, BRAKE LINES, AND FRONT SUSPENSION AND FRAME ARE ALL IN QUESTION REGARDING VEHICLE SAFETY. I IMMEDIATELY DID RESEARCH ONLINE TO CHECK OUT WHAT I THOUGHT WAS ABNORMAL AMOUNTS OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND TO SEE IF ANYONE ELSE HAD EXPERIENCED THIS TOO. I WAS SHOCKED AT WHAT I FOUND. A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE WITH TOYOTA TACOMA RUSTED FRAMES. I COME TO FIND OUT ONLINE THAT TOYOTA HAS A HISTORY OF RUSTED FRAMES, BREAKING FRAMES, UNSAFE FRAMES, AND A RECALL CURRENTLY FOR A REAR SPARE TIRE MOUNT ISSUE DUE TO RUST. I ALSO FOUND OUT TOYOTA WAS REPLACING FRAMES ON MY MODEL. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE THIS TRUCK INSPECTED FOR PENNSYLVANIA STATE REQUIREMENTS AND TO HAVE THE RUST CHECKED. THEY TOLD ME MY VEHICLE WAS NOT VALID FOR THE RUST INSPECTION AND THE FRAME REPLACEMENT BECAUSE THE PROGRAM EXPIRED, I WAS TOLD TO CALL TOYOTA. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OR MY DEALER THERE WAS AN ISSUE, NOT BY MAIL, PHONE CALLS OR CERTIFIED MAIL. I HAD THE TRUCK PARKED IN MY GARAGE FOR THREE YEARS SO IT WASN'T EVEN ON THE ROAD DURING THIS TIME. SEVERAL PHONE CALLS LATER TO TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSE TO REPLACE MY FRAME UNDER THE CUSTOMER CARE PROGRAM CITING I DID NOT HAVE THE UNDERCOATING APPLIED BY DECEMBER OF 2012. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE SAID I COULD WELD REINFORCEMENT PLATES TO MY FRAME MYSELF OR FIND A JUNKYARD FRAME. REALLY TOYOTA?

I AM A CANADIAN CITIZEN, CURRENTLY THE SECOND OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA AND HAVE ACCESSED THIS SITE TO INFORM OTHER OWNERS BUT HAD TO REGISTER THIS COMPLAINT UNDER THE PREVIOUS OWNERS NAME. THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN NEW HAMPSHIRE AND RETURNED TO CANADA. IN LATE 2011 I WAS ADVISED THAT MY VEHICLE FRAME WAS STARTING TO SHOW SEVERE RUST CORROSION. I TOOK STEPS, AS ADVISED, TO HAVE IT UNDERCOATED BUT WHEN TAKING IT IN FOR INSPECTION THIS YEAR, I WAS TOLD IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE ABLE TO DO A TEMPORARY FIX BY HAVING THE FRAME WELDED BUT THAT WOULD ONLY BE IN THE SHORT TERM. IN PURSUING THIS WITH TOYOTA USA I'VE TOLD THAT THERE WAS AN EXTENDED WARRANTY PUT ON THESE VEHICLES WHICH EXPIRED IN 2011 AND SINCE THEY DIDN'T HAVE IT REGISTERED IN THE UNITED STATES THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. IT SEEMS LIKE THEY DO EVERYTHING TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I AM AWARE THEY HAVE REPLACED MANY FRAMES FOR SIMILAR VEHICLES AT THEIR COST OR PAID OUT THE CUSTOMERS BY BUYING BACK THE VEHICLES. SO MANY CUSTOMERS ARE FRUSTRATED WITH TOYOTA, ME INCLUDED AND THEY'VE ADVISED ME SINCE IT ISN'T REGISTERED IN THE US CURRENTLY THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING. ON THE OTHER HAND, CHECKING WITH TOYOTA CANADA THEN THEY SAY I HAVE TO RESOLVE THE MATTER WITH TOYOTA USA. TALK ABOUT PASSING THE BUCK BACK AND FORTH. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN REGISTERED IN NORTH AMERICA SINCE 2002 AND WAS BUILT IN CALIFORNIA. WHY SHOULD THIS MATTER? IT'S STILL A TOYOTA. POOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS FOR PEOPLE WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.

MY TACOMA WAS RECALLED 2 YEARS AGO FOR FRAME RUST. THEY TOLD ME IT WAS OK + UNDERCOATED IT TO PREVENT FUTURE RUSTING. ALL THAT UNDERCOATING IS FALLING OFF. THAT CAN ONLY BE DUE TO IMPROPER APPLICATION OR FAULTY PRODUCT. THE DEALER THAT APPLIED THE PRODUCT (FERRIS TOYOTA) SAYS THE PRODUCT IS FAULTY + THEY'VE SEEN IT MANY TIMES. THEY'VE ALSO CONFIRMED THE SAME WITH OTHER DEALERSHIPS. TOYOTA, OTOH, SAYS THERE'S NOTHING WRONG. IF THE FRAME DOESN'T NEED UNDERCOATING, THEN WHY'D THEY DO IT? ARE THEY SUGGESTING IT WORKS WHEN 50% HAS FALLEN OFF? THIS IS THE SAME VEHICLE WHICH IS NOW BEING RECALLED FOR SPARE TIRES FALLING OFF ON THE HIGHWAY + MY EMERGENCY BRAKES HAVE BEEN SEIZED WITH CORROSION SINCE I'VE OWNED THE TRUCK. I'VE CONTACTED TOYOTA MANY TIMES + THEY REFUSE TO PUT THEIR CORRESPONDENCE IN WRITING, BUT THE REPRESENTATIVE, TIFFANY BISHOP, SAYS SHE TYPES A TRANSCRIPT OF OUR CONVERSATIONS, JUST WON'T GIVE ME COPIES. SHE ALSO CALLS FROM A PHONE WITH A BLOCKED NUMBER. WHAT KIND OF BULL IS THIS? THESE VEHICLES ARE OBVIOUS HAZARDS ON THE ROAD + TOYOTA IS PLAYING GAMES INSTEAD OF MAKING SERIOUS EFFORTS TO MAKE THE VEHICLES SAFE. PLEASE BRING THIS TO THE ATTENTION OF SOMEONE AT TOYOTA OTHER THAN [XXX], I AM FINISHED CORRESPONDING WITH HER! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE LOWER BALL JOINT FELL OFF THE TRUCK...THIS IS THE 3RD TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED IN 11 MONTHS...ONCE ON THE RIGHT SIDE AND TWICE ON THE LEFT...THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR THE VERY ISSUE THAT HAS HAPPENED...AND I BOUGHT IT UNDER WARRANTY SEPTEMBER 2005 FROM TOYOTA, EVANS TOYOTA FORT WAYNE INDIANA...I HAVE SUBMITTED A CLAIM FOR REPAIRS AND DAMAGES TO TOYOTA BUT THEY REFUSED TO HONOR IT...THE TRUCK WAS UNDER RECALL WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND THEY NEVER TOLD ME...I HAVE ALL MY CLAIM AND REPAIR DOCUMENTATION...IT IS A WONDER NO ONE WAS KILLED THE WHEEL JUST COMES OFF WHILE DRIVING...I AM AFRAID THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AND I OR SOMEONE ELSE WILL BE KILLED...THE WHEELS ARE NOT SUPPOSE TO COME OFF THIS TRUCK.... *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 25 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE BALL JOINT HAD FAILED, SIMILAR TOTHE DEFECT LISTED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHEN THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY ADVISED THAT THE VIN QUALIFIED FOR REPAIRS UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT) BUT THE RECALL WAS EXPIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,500 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 89,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS RUST ON THE LEAF SPRINGS AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DENIED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH REPAIRS OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 128,500.

WHILE DRIVING AWAY FROM MY HOUSE AT 5MPH, AT NIGHT IN THE RAIN, APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM MY DRIVEWAY AND JUST AFTER A SPEED BUMP, I HEARD AND FELT A LOUD NOISE, LIKE DRIVING OVER A CONCRETE BLOCK. I STOPPED THE TRUCK AND USING A FLASHLIGHT SAW THAT THE WHEEL WAS BENT AT AN ANGLE AND THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS COMPLETELY SHEARED OFF. HAD TO CALL A TOW TRUCK TO GET IT OUT OF THE ROAD AND BACK TO OUR DRIVEWAY. *TR