2005 Toyota Tacoma

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

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA VEHICLE, FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO A HOLE IN THE FRAME. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE ENTIRE FRAME AREA. A PINHOLE WAS DISCOVERED AND THE VEHICLE WAS DENIED A PASSING INSPECTION. WAS SUGGESTED THAT I TAKE IT TO A FRAME WELDING SPECIALIST TO HAVE IT WELDED. TOYOTA NEEDS TO GET IT TOGETHER. THERE ARE MORE TRUCKS LIKE THIS OUT THERE, THEY HAVE ALREADY REPLACED EARLIER YEAR FRAMES DUE TO THE SAME ISSUES. *JS

LIKE MANY OTHER TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS, MY AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED LAST YEAR. AFTER RESEARCHING IT, TOYOTA HAD ISSUED A PRESS RELEASE ACKNOWLEDGING A PROBLEM WITH THE "SPIRAL CABLE" AND INDICATED THEY WERE GATHERING THE PARTS AND WOULD SEND LETTERS TO OWNERS. I NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER AND AFTER INQUIRING, MY VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. AFTER RESEARCHING A BIT MORE, IT APPEARS MANY TACOMA OWNERS HAVE THE SAME ISSUE AND WERE EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT NOW ILLUMINATES CONTINUOUSLY. THE DEALERSHIP SAID IT WOULD BE $106 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM (WE ALL KNOW IT'S A SPIRAL CABLE ISSUE) AND FROM ALL ACCOUNTS, THE SPIRAL CABLE REPLACEMENT COST IS NORTH OF $500 (EVEN THOUGH TOYOTA'S PRESS RELEASE INDICATED IT IS A 30 MINUTE FIX). BY THE WAY, THE DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THE AIRBAG WOULD NOT DEPLOY IN THE EVENT OF A FRONTAL CRASH AS LONG AS THE AIRBAG DASHBOARD LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED. THE COST OF REPAIR IS OUT OF RANGE FOR MOST AND IT WAS OBVIOUS THE DEALERSHIP HAD LITTLE CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OCCUPANTS. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND THE NHTSA IS FAILING TO ANALYZE THE DATA AND MAKE A COMPELLING CASE TO TOYOTA TO EXPAND THE AFFECTED RANGE OF VINS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. IT IS YET ANOTHER BLACK EYE FOR TOYOTA FOR DEMONSTRATING A LACK OF CONCERN FOR A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD END UP SERIOUSLY INJURING OR KILLING A VEHICLE OCCUPANT, UNNECESSARILY. GIVEN THE RECENT PUBLICITY OF THE FINE LEVIED AGAINST TOYOTA AND THE GRILLING GM IS NOW TAKING, YOU WOULD EXPECT THE AUTOMAKERS TO STEP UP THEIR GAME. MY OBSERVATION IS THAT THEY SIMPLY DON'T CARE. IF NHTSA IS NOT FORCING THEIR HANDS ON SAFETY ISSUES, IT'S OBVIOUS CAR MANUFACTURERS NO LONGER HAVE INCENTIVE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. NHTSA, WE'RE COUNTING ON YOU TO ANALYZE THIS DATA FOR SAFETY SAKE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS AS 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 12V092000 (AIR BAGS) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL CAMPAIGN. THE MANUFACTURE AND DEALER WERE BOTH MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 55,000.

LAST FALL, I WAS ADVISED BY A PRIVATE GARAGE THAT MY 2005 TACOMA HAD EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. I BROUGHT IT TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND I SHOULD NOT DRIVE IT UNTIL THE FRAME WAS REPAIRED. I OPENED A CASE WITH TOYOTA AND HAVE HEARD NOTHING. I WROTE LETTERS TO THE GM AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IN LAKEWOOD, NJ AND THE REGIONAL MANAGER IN NJ, BOTH OF WHICH HAVE GONE UNANSWERED. I CANNOT SELL THE VEHICLE NOR TRADE IT IN THE SHAPE IT IS IN, NOR SHOULD I BE USING IT (ALTHOUGH I MUST). THERE IS A HOLE IN THE BOXED PART OF THE FRAME THAT IS ABOUT 8" LONG AND 2-3" HIGH. THERE MAY BE MORE BY NOW. THE RUST HAS GOTTEN SO BAD THAT IT IS STAINING MY DRIVEWAY, WHICH IS BLACKTOPPED! I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S REPUTATION. THEY DID THE RIGHT THING WITH THE FRAMES ON THE 1ST GENERATION TACOMA, IT ABOUT TIME THEY WERE ENCOURAGED TO DO SO WITH THE NEWER VEHICLES BEFORE PEOPLE GET HURT. *TR

I HAVE NOTICED EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME OF MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA AND ALSO RUST HOLE THROUGH THE FRAME/LEAF SPRING MOUNT ON THE RIGHT SIDE. I DID CONTACT AND SEND PICTURES TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER FILE# STATING THAT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THEY WONT REPAIR THIS UNSAFE CONDITION THAT SO MANY TACOMA'S ARE HAVING. WHEN ONE OF THESE TACOMA'S GETS INTO AN ACCIDENT WITH THE FRAMES COMPROMISED BY THE RUST IT WILL CAUSE SEVERE INJURY OR DEATH TO THE OCCUPANTS AND THIS HAS TO BE FIXED NOW. *TR

2005 TOYOTA TACOMA FIRST ISSUE IS THE STEERING, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS WHILE TURNING THE STEERING HAS "LOCKED UP" , THE STEERING GETS EXTREMITY HARD TO TURN IN THE MIDDLE OF DRIVING. AFTER MY OWN RESEARCH I DISCOVERED THE UNIVERSAL JOINT ON THE STEERING SHAFT WILL LOCK UP OR GET EXTREMELY HARD TO TURN IF NOT GREASED. THE JOINT IS OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS AND HAS NO PROTECTIVE BOOT OVER IT. THERE IS NO MAINTENANCE PROCEDURE FROM TOYOTA FOR THE JOINT. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND COULD CAUSE A CRASH. IF THE OPERATOR DOES NOT HAVE THE UPPER BODY STRENGTH TO FORCE THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN WHEN THE JOINT LOCKS UP IT MAY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS ISSUE IS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED BY MECHANICS CAUSE EXPENSIVE UNNECESSARY REPAIRS (NEW STEERING RACK). THE SECOND ISSUE IS FRAME RUST. THE FRAMES ARE A POOR DESIGN, HAVE NO PROTECTIVE COATING AND ARE MADE OF INFERIOR METAL. A SIMPLE INTERNET SEARCH FOR "TACOMA FRAME RUST" WILL SHOW PLENTY OF HORROR STORIES OF FRAMES LITERALLY RUSTING AWAY FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK. THE OLDEST 2ND GENERATION TACOMAS (2005 PRODUCTION YEAR) ARE NOW 9 YEARS OLD, A FRAME ON A 9 YEAR OLD VEHICLE HAVING RUST ISSUES IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. ALONG WITH THE FRAMES RUSTING AWAY ALL COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME CAN FAIL. (LEAF SPRINGS, SHOCKS, MOTOR MOUNTS ETC). TOYOTA DID THE RIGHT THING WITH THE 1ST GENERATION TACOMAS THAT HAD THIS ISSUE. THEY ISSUED RECALLS AND BOUGHT BACK TRUCKS. CONSUMERS WERE LED TO BELIEVE THE FRAME RUST ISSUES WERE CORRECTED ON THE SECOND GENERATION TACOMAS BUT THEY WERE NOT. AS OF NOW TOYOTA IS HANDLING FRAME RUST ISSUES ON A CASE BY CASE BASIS. SOME PEOPLE ARE FIGHTING TO GET NEW FRAMES AND SOME PEOPLE ARE LEFT WITH A TRUCK THAT IS RUSTING AWAY WITH NO HELP FROM TOYOTA. FRAMES RUSTING AWAY TO THE POINT THAT A HOLE THE SIZE OF A HAND CAN FIT IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

WAS ADVISED OF SEVERE RUST PROBLEM ON FRAME OF VEHICLE BY INDEPENDENT GARAGE. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR INSPECTION AFTER OPENING A CASE WITH TOYOTA (1308190057). DEALER SERVICE MANAGER WROTE ON INVOICE "ADVISED CUSTOMER THAT HOLE IN FRAME FRT LEFT SIDE CALL #800 NUMBER FOR TOYOTA NO PROGRAMS OR WARRANTY AT THIS TIME. ADVISE CUSTOMER TO FIX FRAME BEFORE DRIVING CANNOT TELL IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER SPOTS IN FRAME THAT WILL RUST THRU. ADVISE CUSTOMER TO FIX FRAME BEFORE DRIVING VEHICLE." THERE IS A GREAT DEAL OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND VARIOUS OTHER PARTS UNDER THE VEHICLE, AS EVIDENCED BY MY INSPECTION AND LARGE RUST STAINS ON MY DRIVEWAY. SENT LETTERS TO TOYOTA REGIONAL OFFICE IN NJ AND TO THE GENERAL MANAGER OF THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP, BOTH OF WHICH WENT UNANSWERED. *TR

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP LISTED ABOVE. BACK IN THE FALL OF 2013 I WAS ADVISED BY MY LOCAL MECHANIC THAT MY TRUCK HAD FRAME ROT NEAR THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO LIA TOYOTA IN COLONIE, NY AND THEY DOCUMENTED THE PROBLEM. SEVERAL MONTHS PAST AND I DID NOT HEAR ANYTHING BACK FROM THEM. I CALLED THE NATL CUSTOMER SERVICE AT 800-331-4331, WHO ADVISED THAT THE PROBLEM WAS DOCUMENTED, CASE #9735757600. I HAVE BEEN BACK AND FORTH WITH THE LOCAL DEALER BUT TO NO AVAIL. I AM NOT GETTING ANY FEEDBACK. I KNOW THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD PROBLEMS WITH FRAME ROT IN THE PAST AND IT WAS SUPPOSEDLY RECTIFIED BUT APPARENTLY NOT. I AM JUST TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT I DO NEXT. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR