2002 Toyota Tacoma

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

I LOST CONTROL OF MY TRUCK WHEN THE DRIVER FRONT TIRE DEFLATED. THIS OCCURRED AS I WAS TAKING AN OFF RAMP ON TO ANOTHER FREEWAY. THIS CAUSED ME TO BOUNCE OFF THE HOLLOW TUBES IN FRONT OF THE CONCERT DIVIDER. MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA WILL REQUIRE OVER $8K TO REPAIR. THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER AIRBAGS NEVER DEPLOYED IN MY SINGLE CAB TRUCK. THE DAMAGE TAKEN WAS ON THE FRONT DRIVER FENDER/BUMPER (I HAVE PICTURES) CLEARLY THE AIRBAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED BUT FAILED. THIS CAUSED ME TO SLAM INTO THE STEERING WHEEL UPON IMPACT. *TR

I AM THE OWNER OF A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA, WHICH I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP, THAT THERE IS A REPURCHASE PROGRAM AVAILABLE. PROBLEM IS, I HAD MY TRUCK AT THE SHOP ON NOV 11, 2008, NOBODY HAS GOT IN TOUCH WITH ME, I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA I WOULD HEAR SOMETHING IN 45 DAYS. FINALLY GOT THROUGH TO TOYOTA, NOW, THE REPURCHASE PROGRAM IS NOT AVAILABLE AS OF DECEMBER 2008. THEY ARE WANTING TO REPLACE MY ENTIRE FRAME. I HAVE ALOT OF SAFETY ISSUES WITH THIS BEING DONE, I FEEL THIS IS ENTIRELY UNACCEPTABLE. SO, FOR THE TIME BEING, I AM DRIVING WHAT IS CONSIDERED AN UNSAFE VEHICLE. OH, ONE PERSON SAYS IT IS SAFE, THE OTHER SAYS, IT IS DRIVABLE. I WOULD APPRECIATE ANY HELP POSSIBLE WITH THIS ISSUE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THIS IS A MAJOR ISSUE WITH TOYOTA, THEY NEED TO MAKE IT RIGHT BY THE CONSUMER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE MAINFRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE FRAME WAS RUSTED FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE ADVISED HIM TO HAVE THE METAL PLATES WELDED ON THE FRAME, INCLUDING THE SPRING HANGERS. THE SPRING HANGERS WERE UNSAFE BECAUSE THEY WERE ALSO RUSTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IF ANYTHING IS WELDED ON RUST, IT WILL NOT WORK. THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE STATED THAT NOTHING ELSE COULD BE DONE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA WITH A RUSTED FRAME WHICH FAILED, BUT THE DEALERSHIP WROTE "OK TO DRIVE" ON MY SLIP. I ORIGINALLY BROUGHT MY VEHICLE IN FOR INSPECTION AT A PRIVATE AUTO SHOP ON 8/12/08 AND THEY TOLD ME TO GO TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RIGHT AWAY TO GET MY FRAME INSPECTED. I WENT AND THE DEALERSHIP TURNED ME AWAY, I ASKED WHY AND THEY INDICATED THAT I DID NOT HAVE A CASE NUMBER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND CLOSED THE CASE THE NEXT DAY BECAUSE MY VEHICLE WAS OUTSIDE THE 95-00 RECALL YRS. I INSISTED THAT THEY HAVE MY VEHICLE INSPECTED BY TOYOTA AND ON 9/12/08 THE BOSTON REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVE FAILED MY FRAME. PRIOR TO THAT IRWIN MOTORS IN LACONIA NH ALSO INSPECTED IT AND TOLD ME TO KEEP BUGGING TOYOTA BECAUSE THEY WILL DRAG THEIR FEET. THE DEALERSHIP HAS INDICATED TO ME THAT THIS IS A HUGE PROBLEM FOR 01THROUGH THE 2004 YEAR FRAMES. TOYOTA INDICATES THAT THEY WILL NEGOTIATE A BUY BACK WITH ME BUT WILL NOT SEND ANY THING IN WRITING, THEY WILL NOT GIVE ANY TIME FRAME FOR RESOLVING OR EVEN NEGOTIATING THE BUY-BACK. I HAVE FRIENDS WHO ARE MECHANICS WHO INDICATE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL FROM 2001 TO 2004 AS WELL SINCE THE SAME FRAMES ARE BEING PRODUCED AND USED FOR THESE VEHICLE AS USED FOR THE 1995-2000 VEHICLES. I HAVE A NEWER TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE INDICATED TO ME THAT THEY WILL REPURCHASE MY VEHICLE AND BASED IT ON 100% KELLY BLUE BOOK ONLY. I BELIEVE THAT IF OTHERS HAVE RECEIVED A 150% BUY-BACK THAT THEY SHOULD EXTEND THAT OFFER TO ME AS I HAVE OWNED EIGHT TOYOTAS IN THE PAST TEN YEARS. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. THE LONGER PERIOD OF TIME GOES BY, THE LESS MY VEHICLE WILL BE WORTH IF THEY ARE BUYING BACK AT BLUE BOOK PRICES. WE HAVE DROVE BY MANY DEALERSHIPS IN OUR AREA, THERE ARE MANY 01-04S WHICH HAVE BEEN BOUGHT BACK, BUT WHEN TALKING TO MY CASE MANAGER, SHE INDICATED THAT THE THERE WERE ONLY A FEW OUTSIDE THE RECALL YEARS, I HAVE TO DISAGREE AS THE DEALERSHIP LOTS INDICATE OTHERWISE. CAN YOU HELP US OWNERS OUT? THANK YOU *TR

I OWN AN "02" TOYOTA TACOMA THAT WAS BUILT AND SENT TO ME IN THAT SAME YEAR. THE PROBLEM THAT I HAVE EXPERIENCED IS THAT THE A/C WENT OUT. I RARELY USE THE A/C IN THE SUMMER TIME, BUT I DO GET A LOT OF USE OUT OF THE HEATER IN THE WINTER. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT NOTICEABLE UNTIL I HAD THE VEHICLE FOR APPROXIMATELY FOUR YEARS. I BEGAN TO SMELL A BURNING SMELL. ONCE SMOKE ACTUALLY CAME OUT OF THE VENTS. EVENTUALLY THE FUSE BURNT. I REPLACED IT AND THE A/C WORKED FOR A SHORT WHILE THEN THE FUSE BURNED AGAIN. I BEGAN USING THE A/C TO ATTEMPT TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM WITH THE A/C. IT RECENTLY STOPPED COMPLETELY AND I CAN HEAR THE FAN TICKING AS IT ROTATES. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MANUFACTURER DEFECT AND I DID NOTHING TO AGGRAVATE THIS SITUATION. I HAVE AND CONTINUE TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH THE DRIVERS' SIDE SHOULDER HARNESS. I CAN'T MOVE FREELY ONCE IT'S LOCKED IN. IT CATCHES AND KEEPS ME FROM MOVING FREELY. I JUST LOCKS ME DOWN AND I CAN'T REACH FOR ANY CONTROLS UNTIL IT EVENTUALLY RELEASES ME SO I CAN MOVE. IT SEEMS THAT ALL OF THIS OCCURRED AT DIFFERENT INTERVALS. I NEVER EXPECTED SUCH POOR QUALITY OF WORKMANSHIP FROM SUCH A TRUSTED AUTOMOBILE MANUFACTURER. HAD I KNOWN OR HAD ANY IDEA THAT THIS WOULD EVENTUALLY RESULT IN NO A/C, I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT IN DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD. NOW I HAVE NO A/C AND AM NOT FINANCIALLY PREPARED TO PAY THE COST INVOLVED IN REPAIRING IT. I WILL THINK TWICE BEFORE I EVEN CONSIDER PURCHASING ANOTHER TOYOTA PRODUCT. I ALSO HAD ONE OF MY TAILGATE WIRE ROPE SUPPORTS JUST CORRODE AND BREAK. HOW THIS HAPPENED I DON'T KNOW. IT IS INSULATED WITH A THICK PLASTIC, THE ENTIRE LENGTH. THIS IS PENDING AS IS THE A/C. I WENT TO THE TOYOTA PRODUCT FOR THE QUALITY AND ENDED UP REGRETTING THAT I THOUGHT THAT TOYOTA WAS A MARQUE FOR QUALITY. *TR

RUSTED FRAME ON 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. TOOK IT TO HALTERMAN'S TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN JUNE 2006. DEALERSHIP SAID IT DOES NOT WARRANT RUST ON FRAME. WAS TOLD TO UNDERCOAT THE VEHICLE. VEHICLE WAS UNDERCOATED AUGUST 2006. UNDERCOATING STARTED TO PEEL AWAY JANUARY 2007. NOW THE FRAME LOOKS AS IF IT'S STARTING TO RUST THROUGH. THIS IS A CONCERN TO ME BECAUSE I HAD A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA THAT HAD TOTAL RUST PERFORATION IN FRAME JANUARY 2006. I SOLD IT FOR A THIRD OF IT'S KELLY BLUE BOOK RETAIL VALUE IN MARCH 2006 BEFORE TOYOTA IMPLEMENTED THEIR BUYBACK PROGRAM IN MARCH 2008 FOR 1995-2000 TACOMAS DISPLAYING RUST PERFORATION. I NOW SEE THE SAME SITUATION HAPPENING ALL OVER AGAIN AND TOYOTA WILL NOT TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. I AM BEGINNING TO BECOME AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE IN FEAR OF THE FRAME BREAKING FROM UNDERNEATH ME. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS EXAMINING HIS VEHICLE, HE NOTICED RUST HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME AND ON THE GAS TANK SHIELD. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED BY THE DEALER. THE CONTACT DID NOT NOTICE ANY DIFFERENCES BEFOREHAND. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 37,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 35,000. UPDATED 10/03/08 *BF UPDATED 10/06/08.*JB