2004 Toyota Tacoma

MY 2004 TACOMA HAS ~127,500 MILES AND HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO FRAME CORROSION AND SPARE TIRE RETAINER CORROSION RECALLS. MY DEALER RECENTLY ADVISED THAT THE LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING IS BROKEN WHICH IS RESULTING IN AN UNPREDICTABLE RESPONSE WHEN DRIVING, ESPECIALLY IN 4WD IN SNOWY WEATHER. THIS LACK OF STEERING CONTROL IS A SAFETY ISSUE. I BELIEVE THIS FRACTURE IS DIRECTLY LINKED TO THE CORROSION ISSUES IN THE TACOMA FRAME AND SUSPENSION DESIGN ON THE TACOMA. TOYOTA USA HAS REVIEWED THE CASE AND IS UNWILLING TO COVER THE COST OF THE LEAF SPRING REPAIRS. THIS IS DESPITE AN EXTENSIVE RECALL ON 2005+UP TACOMA'S FOR DISTRESSED LEAF SPRINGS. *TR

I HAVE A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK. THIS HAS HAD A VERY BAD FOR A YEAR. THE OTHER DAY THE MOUNT FOR THE RIGHT REAR BROKE AND THE FRONT END OF THE REAR SPRING WAS RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME. THIS IS THE SAME PROBLEM MY 1996 TOYOTA PICKUP HAD. THAT ONE THE BOUGHT BACK AND I NOW HAVE THIS ONE. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS PRETTY GOOD. THE RACK AND PINION STEERING ALSO RUSTED AWAY AND STARTED TO LEAK FLUID. THIS LEAK WAS UNDER THE RIGHT MOUNT OF THE RACK. THIS WAS ALSO FIXED BY ME. THIS IS MY WORK TRUCK AND PERSONAL WAY OF GETTING AROUND. THESE ARE BOTH VERY SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEMS !!! I CONTACTED THE CEO OF TOYOTA, TOYOTA SALES IN CALIFORINA AND GIRARD TOYOTA. THEY SAID I SLIPPED THROUGH THE CRACKS AND I DID NOT GET ANY NOTICES !!! THEY ARE PUTTING TONS OF FRAMES ON FOR OTHER PEOPLES BUT I HAVE BEEN SINGLED OUT SOME HOW AND I CANNOT GET ONE. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR 20 YEARS !!! THIS WITH OUT QUESTION SHOULD BE A RECALL AND ALL ITEMS CONCERNED SHOULD BE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM. THANK YOU. *TR

ON JANUARY 19, 2011 AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 AM, I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH ON A DIRT ROAD, CAME AROUND AN APPROXIMATE 90 DEGREE RIGHT HAND TURN HEADING DOWN HILL, SLID ON MUD OR ICE AND HIT A RUT. AFTER ALL WHEELS HAD PASSED THROUGH THE RUT THE VEHICLE DROVE UP AND OVER A SMALL RISE (BUMP) IN THE ROAD. AFTER COMING OVER THE RISE, THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE VEHICLE DOVE INTO THE DIRT AND THE TRUCK CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK AND GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE TO INSPECT THE FRONT END. THE RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT HAD COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM ... ??? ... WHAT EVER IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE ATTACHED TO. THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WAS PERPENDICULAR TO THE WHEEL WELL WITH THE INSIDE LEANING TOWARD THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE SEVERAL PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE VEHICLE TAKEN MOMENTS AFTER THE EQUIPMENT FAILURE. I'M GLAD THIS HAPPENED WHERE IT DID BECAUSE ONLY A FEW MILES FURTHER INTO MY TRIP TO WORK, I WOULD HAVE BEEN TRAVELING 75 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. AMEN! I HAD NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION FROM TOYOTA CONCERNING RECALL NO. 50J. I ONLY ACCIDENTALLY CAME ACROSS THE INFORMATION WHILE SURFING THE WEB WITHIN THE PAST WEEK. *TR

LOOSE STEERING ON 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4. ISOLATED LOOSENESS TO UPPER STEERING SHAFT SPLINE CONNECTION. TACK WELDED SPLINE TO FIX PLAY IN STEERING SHAFT. MY STEERING HAD GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE SO AFTER A LOT OF EXAMINATION I FOUND WHAT APPEARS TO BE THE PROBLEM. I WOULD LIKE TOYOTA TO COME OUT WITH A REDESIGNED STEERING COLUMN. I HAVE TAKEN VEHICLE TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS WITH NO RESOLUTION FROM THEM. *TR

MY 2004 TACOMA HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE (AROUND 64,000 MILES). THE STEERING WHEEL FEELS VERY LOOSE AND HAS ALOT OF ABNORMAL PLAY. DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE STEERING WHEEL SHAKES, VIBRATES, AND RATTLES AROUND ALL THE TIME AND BECOMES REALLY BAD ON ROUGH ROADS. WHEN THERE IS A SLIGHT BUMP IN THE ROAD, TURNING A CORNER, BEING BLOWN AROUND IN A LITTLE WIND, OR TRYING TO AVOID OTHER CARS, THE TRUCKS STEERING IS SO LOOSE THAT I CONSIDER IT A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. I'VE DONE MY RESEARCH ONLINE AND HAVE FOUND NO RECALLS OR TSB'S FOR THIS PROBLEM FROM TOYOTA, BUT I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM WHICH ALL RELATE TO A POORLY DESIGNED STEERING SHAFT ON THE COLUMN WHICH WEARS OUT AND RESULTS IN LOOSE STEERING. WE SHOULDN'T HAVE TO RESORT TO THE ONLY KNOWN FIX OF WELDING THE TWO PARTS OF THE SHAFT TOGETHER. SOMEONE SHOULD REALLY BE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS AS IT'S A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA, ALL FACTORY STANDARD, VERY CLEAN, WITH ABOUT 80,000 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING WHEEL HAS A VERY NOTICEABLE AMOUNT OF PLAY IN IT (ABOUT 0.5 TO 1" AT THE RIM). THE PLAY CAUSES RATTLING ON ROUGH ROADS, AND REDUCED CONTROL ON SMOOTH HIGHWAYS. THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN NARROWED DOWN TO THE STEERING SHAFT. I JUST RESEARCHED THE ISSUE ON LINE AND FOUND A LARGE NUMBER OF MENTIONS OF THAT VERY SAME ISSUE ON TACOMAS AND 4-RUNNERS. I CONSIDER THIS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND WANT TOYOTA TO REPAIR IT. I ASSUME IT COULD ALSO BE A SAFETY ISSUE AS IT RELATES TO STEERING. WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS? *TR

I HAVE A 2004 COMPLETELY STOCK TOYOTA TACOMA THAT HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD WITH 36000 MILES ON IT. THE STEERING COLUMN UPPER SHAFT AT THE SLIP JOINT BELOW THE TILT BALL JOINT HAS BECOME LOOSE. THERE IS PLAY IN THE STEERING NOW CAUSING CONTROL OF THE TRUCK TO BECOME LESS AND LESS PRECISE. I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE WITH THIS PROBLEM AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE COMPLAINED ABOUT IT ON MANY DIFFERENT TOYOTA TACOMA FORUMS. PEOPLE HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE UPPER STEERING SHAFTS BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES USUALLY. TOYOTA NEEDS TO RECALL AND REDESIGN A MUCH STURDIER PART THAT KEEPS THE STEERING PLAY AT ORIGINAL SPECS FOR CONTROL AND SAFETY. *TR