2002 Toyota Tacoma

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR SUBFRAME WERE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,566.

I DRIVE A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE I THOUGHT WAS A LOOSE PICK UP BED (SHORTLY AFTER DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT LEGAL BUT HIGH SPEED COMING HOME FROM WORK). STOPPED AND NOTED MY TRUCK FRAME HAD BROKEN IN TWO PLACES OVER THE REAR AXEL AND GAS TANK AREA. THE BROKEN SIDE OF THE FRAME WAS JUST SITTING LOOSELY ON THE L REAR LEAF SPRINGS. LUCKILY I STOPPED TO CHECK THE PICKUP BED. I COULD HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT OR EVEN KILLED OR WHAT'S WORSE COULD HAVE LOST CONTROL AND HURT SOMEONE ELSE. I KNOW TOYOTA HAS HAD SIGNIFICANT FRAME QUALITY CONTROL ISSUES WITH THESE MODEL TACOMAS IN THE PAST. I DID HAVE A FRAME CHECK IN DEC. 2010 ON A RECALL NOTICE AND IT WAS FINE. WAS TOLD BY THE DEALERSHIP NO FURTHER ACTION WAS NEEDED. NOW I FIND AFTER TALKING TO TOYOTA CORPORATE, THE FRAME SHOULD HAVE BEEN UNDERCOATED AT THAT TIME. (THEY CLAIM TO HAVE SENT 5 LETTERS ADVISING ME OF THIS.NONE OF WHICH I RECEIVED, AND I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AT THE SAME ADDRESS FOR THE PAST 16 YEARS). LOOKING AT THE INTERNET FORMS CONCERNING TACOMAS, I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE TO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THIS COCK AND BULL STORY. WHY WOULD I HAVE NOT TAKEN THE TRUCK IN FOR PROTECTIVE UNDERCOATING IF INFORMED BY TOYOTA AFTER ALL READY RESPONDING TO A RECALL INSPECTION ONLY A FEW WEEKS EARLIER?. THIS IS A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS SITUATION AND COULD CAUSE CATASTROPHIC PROBLEMS. I THINK TOYOTA CORP IS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS SITUATION BY ORIGINALLY INSTALLING DEFECTIVE FRAMES THEN NOT FOLLOWING THROUGH ON RECALLS OR SERVICE BULLETINS PROPERLY AND ACTUALLY STONE WALLING OWNERS CALLING WITH COMPLAINTS ABOUT THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES WITH AN EXTENDED 15 YEAR WARRANTY.

2002 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS TAKEN INTO THE SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE, TIRE ROTATION AND BRAKE INSPECTION WHEN THE SHOP SERVICE TECHNICIAN CALLED TO REPORT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE CONTAINS PINHOLES AND IS NOTICEABLY RUSTING, PRESENTING A SAFETY ISSUE. THE SHOP TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED CONTACTING TOYOTA DIRECTLY AS HE THOUGHT ANY RECALL HAD SINCE EXPIRED. POST RESEARCHING RECALL INFORMATION, WE DID VERIFY THAT THE "RECALL" PERIOD HAD EXPIRED. HOWEVER, THIS VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW AS A CORPORATE ASSET AND REMAINS IN OUR POSSESSION. WE ABSOLUTELY DID NOT RECEIVE ANY RECALL NOTIFICATIONS FOR THE FRAME ISSUES NOR A REQUEST FOR INSPECTION!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL SUDDENLY SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SKID ONTO THE ROAD SURFACE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT WHEEL BEARING MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 147,000.

THE VEHICLE'S FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTY TO THE POINT THAT I FEAR IT WILL BREAK AT ANY TIME. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AND OTHER BELTS AND A LOT OF THE BOLTS BROKE WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE THE BELTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR. MORE THAN LIKELY, THE FACTORY USED LOW GRADE MATERIALS WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK TO RUST A LOT FASTER OVER TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. IF DUE TO THIS RUST ISSUE, THE BREAKS FAIL OR THE FRAME COMES APART THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS WHY I AM REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED TOYOTA AND RECEIVED A CLAIM NUMBER, THIS CLAIM IS UNDER REVIEW. PLEASE CONTACT ME REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES) AND INDICATED THAT THE DEALER IN NEW YORK WAS NOT ABLE TO DO THE UNDERCOATING PROCESS DUE TO STATE REGULATIONS. IN APPROXIMATELY MID AUGUST 2012, THE DEALER INDICATED THAT THE REMEDY FOR THIS DEFECT WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT THE TIME THE CONTACT TRIED TO SCHEDULE THE RECALL REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAITED FOR YEARS TO DETERMINE WHEN THE MANUFACTURER WOULD FINALIZE THE REMEDY PLAN TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE RUST BECAME EXTENSIVE TO THE POINT THAT THE UNDERBODY, THE CHASSIS, THE LEAF SPRING, AND THE REAR WHEEL WELLS ALL HAD CORROSION TO THE POINT THAT THE COMPONENTS COULD FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED FOR YEARS OF THE FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A PERMANENT REMEDY. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V542000 (TIRES). THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE SUBFRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 88,000.