2003 Toyota Tacoma

WHEN I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER TO ADDRESS A RECALL RELATED TO THE SPARE TIRE SUPPORT, THEY TOLD ME THE VEHICLE FRAME WAS NOT SAFE AND THEY WOULD NOT WORK ON THE VEHICLE. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PERFORATIONS IN THE FRAME DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. I ADDRESSED WITH TOYOTA CORPORATE AND THE FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE VALIDATED THE PROBLEM AND ACKNOWLEDGED THAT IT HAS BEEN A PROBLEM ON THESE VEHICLES BUT THAT TOYOTA AND "THE GOVERNMENT" DID NOT DEEM IT NECESSARY TO PUT A RECALL ON THE PROBLEM. MEANWHILE, THEY WILL NOT ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND INDICATED IT IS THE CUSTOMER.S RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. THE TRUCK (NORMAL BLUE BOOK VALUE APPROX $7-8K) IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO A FAULTY FRAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ISSUED A VOLUNTARY RECALL RELATED TO THE STRUCTURE; HOWEVER, THE RECALL EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 96,000. UPDATED 6/17/13 *CN

MY TRUCK WAS PART OF THE FRAME RECALL AND I HAD THE FRAME REPLACED IN 2010, SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TO PAY TO REPLACE OTHER RUSTED PARTS THAT WERE NOT "PART OF THE RECALL". FIRST THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT RUSTED OFF AND THE TIRE FELL OUT FROM UNDER THE TRUCK WHILE DRIVING. NEXT THE ENTIRE EXHAUST NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AS IT TOO HAD RUSTED OUT. LAST YEAR TO PASS INSPECTION I NEEDED TO PAY $1600.00 FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER. THIS YEAR I CANNOT PASS INSPECTION AS THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON AND DESPITE 2 ATTEMPTS TO FIND THE PROBLEM (AND $200.00 LATER) THE LIGHT REMAINS ON. THE SUSPICION IS THE GAS TANK IS RUSTED "AT THE TOP" AND WILL COST ME $1800.00 TO REPLACE. I JUST RECEIVED A "PRELIMINARY" RECALL FOR THE SPARE TIRE MOUNT, I IMAGINE I WILL RECEIVE A RECALL NOTICE IN A FEW YEARS FOR THE GAS TANK AS WELL. RIDICULOUS THAT ONLY SOME PARTS WERE RECALLED...AND RIDICULOUS THAT I HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE THE OTHERS... NOT TO MENTION THE INCONVENIENCE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS EXTREMELY RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE RECALL EXPIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED HER THAT THE LETTER WAS SENT TO THE WRONG MAILING ADDRESS AND HAD BECOME EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO COVER THE RECALL REPAIR EXPENSE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING THE VEHICLE INSPECTED, THE MECHANIC STATED THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND WAS PERFORATED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 96,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED, EXHIBITING AA LARGE HOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THEY ADVISED HIM THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 80,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 84,000. ...UPDATED 06-19-13 *BF

MY 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA WITH 105K MILES WAS FOUND DURING AN INSPECTION TO HAVE A RUSTED FRAME TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED TO THE DEFECT AND REFUSES TO CORRECT I OWN AND BOUGHT NEW A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA FROM ROCKINGHAM TOYOTA IN SALEM, NH. I WAS JUST INFORMED BY MY MECHANIC ON 12/5/2012 THAT MY TRUCK WOULD NOT PASS MASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO A TROUBLE CODE (CHECK ENGINE LIGHT) AND MOST IMPORTANTLY THAT MY FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND THAT MY TOYOTA TRUCK WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I PERSONALLY VERIFIED THIS BY CRAWLING UNDER MY TOYOTA TRUCK AND POKING MY FINGERS THROUGH THE FRAME. MY TOYOTA TACOMA IS READY TO FOLD IN HALF DUE TO THE EXTENT OF FRAME RUST. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA (PHONE 800 331 4331) AND DISCUSSING THE SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE ASSIGNED CASE MANAGER [XXX], I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT COULD BE DONE TO RECTIFY THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. I ALSO CONTACTED ROCKINGHAM TOYOTA IN SALEM, NH. AND THEY WOULD TAKE NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS UNSAFE CONDITION. THEY MENTIONED THAT THE SAFETY RECALL "PROGRAM" HAD EXPIRED. TOYOTA CORPORATE CLAIMS THAT I RECEIVED SEVEN RECALL NOTICES REGARDING RUSTED FRAME ISSUES. I NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL OR NOTICE FROM TOYOTA REGARDING THE FRAME ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TOYOTA HAS RECALLED MY TRUCK DUE TO A RUSTED OUT FRAME. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HAS ELECTED TO REPLACE MY FRAME WITH A NEW FRAME. THIS LARGE PROCEDURE HAS LEFT ME INSECURE ABOUT THE OUTCOME. THIS TRUCK IS NOW 10 YEARS OLD AND AS SOON AS THE START WRENCHING ON ALL THE SYSTEM COMPONENTS TO DISASSEMBLE AND RE ASSEMBLE MY TRUCK I AM AFRAID THAT THEY SHORTEN THE LIFE OF EXISTING COMPONENTS DUE TO ADDED WEAR AND TEAR. THE DEALER WILL NEED TO REMOVE AND REINSTALL BRAKE LINES AND GAS LINES THAT HAVE BEEN SET IN PLACE AND HAVE EXTENSIVE CORROSION THIS WILL LEAD TO PREMATURE FAILURE AND UNSAFE OPERATION. MOST MECHANIC KNOW THAT A RUSTED AND SET BOLT THAT HAS NOT BEEN MOVED FOR 10 YEARS HAS A 50% CHANCE OF REMOVAL. IN ORDER TO REMOVE SUCH A "STUCK" BOLT THEY WILL NEED TO APPLY HEAT AND IMPACT AND MAY WEAKEN THE EXISTING PARTS, STEEL, AND BOLTS TO LOWER LEVELS OUT OF TOLERANCE THAT THE VEHICLE AS DESIGNED ORIGINALLY. ADDITIONALLY, THIS SERVICE IS COMPLETED IN A LOCATION WITH OUT THE CONTROLS, QUALITY ASSURANCE AND TESTING THAT IS IN PLACE IN A FACTORY WHERE NEW VEHICLES ARE BUILT. THERE IS UNCERTAINTY THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL BE ASSEMBLED, TESTED, AND INSPECTED ACCORDING THE MANUFACTURER'S GUIDELINES FOR A FACTORY PRODUCED VEHICLE. THIS LEADS TO UNCERTAINTY THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT OPERATE WITHIN THE INTENDED MANUFACTURES GUIDELINES FOR SAFETY, ROLL OVER PROTECTION, AND CRASH PERFORMANCE. I PROPOSE THAT A TOTAL FRAME RECALL AND REPLACEMENT (OR ANY LARGE INTEGRAL PART THAT WILL IMPACTED THE VEHICLE OPERATION) ON ANY VEHICLE SHALL NOT BE ALLOWED GIVEN THE UNCERTAINTY DESCRIBED. *TR THE CONSUMER STATED THERE APPEARED TO BE AN OIL LEAK COMING FROM THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL BOOT THAT WAS NOT APPARENT PRIOR TO THE FRAME REPLACEMENT PROCEDURE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED IN 2010 FOR THE SAME FAILURE WHERE THE DEALER APPLIED A SOLUTION TO THE FRAME TO PREVENT IT FROM RUSTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 07/02/13*LJ UPDATED 12/24/13*CN