2003 Toyota Tacoma

I NOTICED A SMALL HOLE UNDERNEATH THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME JUST IN FRONT OF THE LEAF SPRING AND NOW THE HOLE HAS GROWN TO THE SIZE OF A QUARTER. THERE IS ALSO QUITE ALOT OF RUST UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK AS WELL AS THE SPARE TIRE HOLDER. I LIVE IN CALIFORNIA AND THIS TRUCK WAS PURCHASED FROM A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN PENNSYLVANIA. THANKS FOR YOUR COOPERATION. SINCERELY,[XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER?S AND PASSENGER?S SIDE REAR SUBFRAME AND REAR LEAF SPRING WERE FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO BERLIN CITY TOYOTA OF PORTLAND LOCATED AT 191 RIVERSIDE ST, PORTLAND, ME 04103 (207) 618-6528, AND THE DEALER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.*DT 8/14/2020 EDIT BY [XXX]: I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO ADD THAT THE TACOMA WAS BROUGHT INTO THE SEASHORE TACOMA DEALERSHIP IN NEW JERSEY BACK IN 2013 FOR A DIFFERENT RECALL AND THE FRAME RECALL WAS NEVER ADDRESSED OR BROUGHT UP TO ME WHILE MY TACOMA WAS THERE. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO NOTE THAT IN 2016 WHILE I WAS STATIONED IN ALASKA, I RECEIVED A POST CARD ABOUT THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. I PROMPTLY CALLED THE NUMBER AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE WARRANTY DID NOT PERTAIN TO MY TACOMA. OTHERWISE, I WOULD HAVE PUT IT ON THE FERRY TO JUNEAU FOR THE INSPECTION. LASTLY, I HAVE OWNED THIS TACOMA SINCE 2009. IT AS BEEN STATIONED WITH ME FOR 4 YORK IN FL, 4 YORK IN NJ, 4 YORK IN SITES, AK AND 2 YEARS IN ME. IT ALSO PREVIOUSLY LIVED BETWEEN IN KY AND FL PRIOR TO ME. HAD I BEEN ASKED THE RIGHT QUESTIONS ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF THE TACOMA THEN I'M SURE THEY WOULD HAVE TOLD ME THE TRUCK WAS ELIGIBLE FOR THE EXTENDED WARRANTY. *DT INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

I PURCHASED MY 2003 TACOMA SECOND HAND BACK IN 2015 WHICH SERVES AS MY PRIMARY VEHICLE TO THIS DAY. AFTER RETURNING FROM A YEAR LONG DEPLOYMENT OVERSEAS, I HAD A FEW FRIENDS OVER ON 4JUN OF WHICH ONE WAS ADMIRING MY TRUCK UNTIL HE LOOKS UNDERNEATH AND NOTICES ALL THE FRAME RUST. HE ADVISES THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON IT AND I SHOULD CONTACT MY TOYOTA DEALER TO GET IT SERVICED. FEELING DISTRAUGHT, I GO ONLINE AND LOOKUP RECALLS FOR MY CAR WHICH LED ME TO THE "FRAME RUST" SAFETY ISSUE ON A MANY TOYOTA MODELS TO INCLUDE MY OWN. THE ADVISEMENT SUGGESTS SAFETY CONCERNS WITH THE FRAME RUSTING THROUGH DUE TO FACTORY NEGLIGENCE IN SUFFICIENTLY COATING WITH ANTI-CORROSION MATERIALS. FURTHER RESEARCH IN OTHER FORUMS STATE OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS DESCRIBING IT AS FRAME RUST ALTOGETHER AND NOT JUST ON THE SPARE TIRE PLATE. ISSUES DESCRIBED INCLUDE THE ISSUE CAUSING THE LEAF SPRING TO SNAP AND THE FRAME ITSELF RUSTING THROUGH. INSPECTION OF MY TRUCK PROVES TRUE TO ALL ACCOUNTS DESCRIBED. I CONTACTED SERVCO TOYOTA IN HONOLULU, HI THE VERY NEXT DAY AND SPOKE TO A NICE LADY. I EXPLAINED HOW I BECAME THE OWNER OF THE VEHICLE SINCE 2015 AND WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS RECALL. SHE CHECKED MY VIN TO CONFIRM THAT I WAS AFFECTED BY IT, HOWEVER THE RECALL HAS EXPIRED AS OF 2018 SO THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. SHE GAVE ME THE 1-800 NUMBER TO TOYOTA WHICH LED ME NOWHERE AND KEPT DIVERTING ME BACK TO SERVCO TOYOTA INSTEAD OF THEIR MAIN OFFICE..... WHAT FRUSTRATES ME THE MOST IS THAT TOYOTA PROVIDED ME NO NOTICE OR WARNING ABOUT THIS RECALL. SO HOW CAN I REACT TO SOMETHING I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF. SAFETY RECALLS SHOULD NEVER HAVE EXPIRATION DATES AS IT REMAINS A SAFETY ISSUE UNTIL ITS PROPERLY REMEDIED. *TR

POWER STEERING PUMP HAVING ISSUES I CAN FILL IT UP TO THE FULL LINE AND IT WILL GO DOWN TO HALF EMPTY EVERYTIME I'VE DONE IT THEREFORE STEERING IS VERY TIGHT AND DIFFICULT, THE TRUCK BED HAS HUGE HOLES RUSTED/CORROSION COMPLETELY THROUGH IT ON BOTH SIDES, THE SPARE TIRE MECHANISM IS RUSTED SO BADLY IT DOESN'T WORK AND HALF OF IT IS MISSING DUE TO RUST/CORROSION AN HAS FALLEN OFF, AND THE FRAME BROKE COMPLETELY IN HALF ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE TRUCK WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT AN CAUSED THE DRIVE SHAFT TO HANG ON THE GROUND AND IT KNOCKED A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK BEFORE I COULD GET THE TRUCK STOPPED, ALSO THE SUSPENSION ON THE REAR OF THE TRUCK IS NOT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME ON THE TOP UNDER THE BED JUST ATTACHED TO THE FRAME ON THE BOTTOM.

BROUGHT TRUCK INTO BODY SHOP IN JUNE 2019 TO HAVE WORK DONE. THEY TOLD ME THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK WAS SEVERELY RUSTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THEY SAID IT MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IN 2016 (ABOUT 2.5 YRS AGO) I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE FRAME INSPECTED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE. AT THAT TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME WAS OK. IN ADDITION THE TRUCK WAS AT THE DEALER IN 2018 FOR ANOTHER RECALL FOR LEAF SPRINGS. AT THIS TIME THEY REPLACED LEAF SPRINGS BUT DID NOT REPORT ANY PROBLEMS WITH FRAME RUST. THE ORIGINAL BODY SHOP AND MY LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST DAMAGE ON THE TRUCK INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME AND WERE SURPRISED THAT IT HAD PASSED TOYOTA DEALER FRAME INSPECTION. I CALLED TOYOTA NATIONAL LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT FOR FRAME REPLACEMENTS FOR MY TRUCK THE PROGRAM ENDED IN JANUARY 31 2019. SUBSEQUENTLY I TRIED TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY HAVE ALSO TOLD ME THAT NATIONAL TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP. CLEARLY THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS) INDICATES THAT THE RUST DAMAGE WAS HAPPENING OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND TOYOTA WAS NEGLIGENT IN REPORTING THIS TO ME. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING THE FRAME SINCE CLEARLY THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED LONG BEFORE THE JANUARY 31 2019 DATE AND I HAVE FOLLOWED UP ON ALL THE RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS TRUCK.

BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED, FRAME RUSTED, FROM COLD WEATHER STATE, HEARD LOTS OF TRUCKS DID THIS, RUST SO BAD AFRAID TO DRIVE IT,EVERYTHING ELSE ON TRUCK GOOD, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND IT'S HAD 5 RECALLS, NOT ONE DONE BY FORMER OWNER, INTERNET WEB SITE SAID FRAMES WERE NOT COATED RIGHT, FACTORY DEFECT, WANT TOYOTA TO FIX ISSUE AS IT'S THEIR FAULT THIS HAS HAPPENED, IT'S DANGEROUS TO DRIVE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 35-40 MPH, THE FRONT SUSPENSION EXPLODED. THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE FLEW UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKE LINE SNAPPED. THE VEHICLE MOVED ONTO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 172,661.