2006 Toyota Tacoma

USED MY 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA PRERUNNER TO TOW A VEHICLE A SHORT DISTANCE BEFORE A SHORT CIRCUIT IN TRAILER WIRING CAUSED WIRING FIRE IN PRERUNNER---30 AMP FUSE IN TOYOTA FAILED TO PROTECT CIRCUIT, LEADING TO TOTAL TRUCK WIRING MELTDOWN AND RUIN. FUSE WAS OF THE AMPACITY REQUIRED BY TOYOTA--30 AMPS. TRUCK WAS PURCHASED NEW, NEVER INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT, AND NO CHANGES HAD BEEN MADE TO WIRING OR FUSE SYSTEMS. AUTO ELECTRIC REPAIR SHOP REQUIRED $2800 IN PARTS AND $2000 FOR LABOR TO REPAIR MELTED WIRING LOOMS AND FUSE BOX; THEY SUGGESTED THAT FAILURE COULD HAVE RESULTED BECAUSE TOYOTA USES A 30 AMP FUSE ON A #12 WIRE CIRCUIT THAT WILL MELT AND BURN BEFORE THE FUSE BLOWS. (12 GAUGE WIRE TYPICALLY MUST BE PROTECTED BY A 20-AMP FUSE.) TOYOTA (CORPORATE) REFUSES TO DEAL WITH MY ISSUE OR TALK TO ME ABOUT WHETHER THE FAILED FUSE AND MELTDOWN COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY THEIR INSTALLING A FUSE WITH TOO HIGH AN AMPACITY RATING BECAUSE I DID NOT HAVE THE REPAIR DONE BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. IS THERE A DANGEROUS DESIGN FLAW WITH THE PRERUNNER? I AM CERTAIN THAT I DID NOTHING TO MY PRERUNNER (AS ITS ONLY OWNER) TO EXPLAIN WHY THE TRUCK NEARLY BURNED UP AND THE WIRING SYSTEM MELTED DOWN (AND WAS COMPLETELY RUINED) SIMPLY BECAUSE OF A SIMPLE SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE TRAILER I TOWED FOR LESS THAN ONE MILE (BEFORE MELTDOWN OCCURRED). I AM HOPEFUL THAT NHTSA MAY BE ABLE TO USE MY INFORMATION TO APPROACH TOYOTA ON THE POTENTIAL DESIGN DEFECT ISSUE AND, CERTAINLY, TO COLLECT MY COMPLAINT WITH ANY OTHER SIMILAR COMPLAINTS THAT COULD DENOTE A TREND OR SERIOUS SAFETY RISKS WITH THE TOYOTA TRUCK'S WIRING SYSTEM. *TR

COPY OF LETTER TO TOYOTA CONCERNING A DEFECTIVE SPIRAL CABLE AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT; FEELS THIS PART SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPAIRED AND COVERED UNDER A SPECIAL SAFETY WARRANTY OR RECALL; ENCLOSED AUTOMOTIVE PART FWD TO NVS-200 *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED 12 DAYS AFTER BEING AT THE DEALERSHIP TO HAVE A RECALL PROBLEM REPAIRED. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER HE WOULD HAVE TO PAY $88 TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THE DEALER STATED THE PROBLEM WAS DUE TO A BROKEN SPIRAL CABLE AND ELECTRONIC CIRCUIT UNDERNEATH THE HORN WHICH WOULD COST $ 496 IN ADDITION TO THE $ 88. *JB

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE AIR BAG LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS WITHIN THE SQUID CIRCUIT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER WARRANTY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AGAIN. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AGAIN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 14,685 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 149,000. UPDATED 12/29/10 *BF UPDATED 12/30/10*JB

WHEN I WAS COASTING TO PARK MY TRUCK AT MY PARKING SPACE OUTSIDE OF MY HOUSE PARKING GARAGE, MY P/U TRUCK SUDDENLY ACCELERATED VERY FAST AND THE TRUCK HIT THE FENCE AND STOPPED. I REMEMBER CLEARLY MY SENSE THAT I PUSHED THE BRAKE WHILE THE CAR ACCELERATING FOR A SPLIT SECOND BUT DO NOT REMEMBER IF THE ENGINE WAS STOPPED AFTER HITTING THE FENCE WITH STEEL POLE. I SOMEHOW REVERSED BACK ABOUT 8 FEET FROM THE FENCE AND STOPPED THE ENGINE. I CAME OUT OF THE CAR AND CHECKED IF THE ACCELERATING PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. IT WAS NOT. I HAD EXPERIENCED THE TRUCK ENGINE RACING A LITTLE FAST AS I TRIED TO PARK AT WORK IN THE MORNINGS ALSO. I FELT SOMETHING UNUSUAL BUT IGNORED THE FEELING, SINCE MY CAR WAS RUNNING HIGH RPM SINCE NEW. I REMEMBER THAT I ASKED ABOUT THE HIGH RPM TO THE SALESMAN. HE MENTIONED SOME NEW DESIGN FEATURE THAT I COULD NOT UNDERSTAND. AFTER THIS INCIDENT WITHIN 30 MINUTES I WENT TO TOYOTA OF PLANO AND REPORTED MY INCIDENT, AND THEN I WENT TO MY CAR/HOME INSURANCE COMPANY (STATE FARM INSURANCE CO.) TO REPORT THE INCIDENT. MY CAR WAS TOWED TO TOYOTA OF PLANO. I HOPE SOME ONE CHECKS THE ENGINE ELECTRONICS, NOT JUST MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF MY CAR. THIS IS VERY ODD AND DANGEROUS. I ASKED MYSELF ABOUT THE STATE OF MY OWN MIND AND ATTITUDE AT THE MOMENT BUT I WAS VERY NORMAL. I AM AN ELECTRICAL ENGINEER AND HAVE DRIVEN THE CARS FOR LAST 50 YEARS AND HAVE LIVED AND PARKED AT THE SAME PARKING SPACE FOR LAST 17 YEARS. I HAVE HEARD ABOUT THE TOYOTA PROBLEMS BUT NOT ABOUT MY TRUCK MODEL. UPDATED 03/30/10

VEHICLE ENGINE REVVED WHILE STILL IN PARK IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LOCAL MEDICAL CENTER AND ONLY STOPPED WHEN THE KEY IN THE IGNITION WAS TURNED OFF. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THIS HAS OCCURRED. ON JANUARY 1, 2009 AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING PROPERTY DAMAGE (THROUGH A CHAIN LINK FENCE) OCCURRED AS A RESULT. WE FILED A COMPLAINT (CONFIRMATION NUMBER 10253526). A TOYOTA TECHNICIAN "CHECKED OUT" THE VEHICLE AND FOUND NOTHING WRONG. THERE IS OBVIOUSLY SOMETHING WRONG. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED WE WERE IN THE PARKING LOT OF A LOCAL DEPARTMENT STORE, ASSUMED HUMAN ERROR, AND DID NOT REPORT THE INCIDENT. THIS IS STRIKE THREE. TOYOTA HAS BEEN CONTACTED. *TR

WE PURCHASED A 2006 TACOMA ON DEC. 23, 2008 FROM COMPETITION TOYOTA IN NEW YORK. WE DROVE THE TRUCK BACK TO WISCONSIN THAT DAY. TWO DAYS AFTER PURCHASE DATE (APPROX. 1500 MILES LATER), THE AIRBAG LIGHT CAME ON. HAVING A BUSY SCHEDULE, AND NOT USING THE TRUCK MUCH, WE BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO MARQUART TOYOTA IN EAU CLAIRE, WI ON MARCH 18, 2009. THEY ASSURED ME THAT IT WOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY AS LONG AS IT WERE AN AIRBAG PROBLEM. TURNS OUT THEY CHARGED US WITH $94.95 FOR THE PROBLEM TO BE DIAGNOSED. A SPIRAL COIL THAT ALLOWS THE STEERING WHEEL TO TURN WHILE STILL KEEPING THE AIRBAG CONNECTED BROKE. THEY QUOTED ME $483.19 FOR THE REPAIR OF THIS COIL. DUE TO THIS BROKEN COIL, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THE TRUCK WORK. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. AFTER TWO WEEKS OF DELIBERATING, TOYOTA TOLD ME THAT THIS WOULD NOT BE COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. I REMINDED THE REPRESENTATIVE WHOM I WAS SPEAKING WITH THAT ALL SAFETY RELATED DEFECTS ARE TO BE COVERED IN ENTIRETY BY THE MANUFACTURER. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS IN THIS TRUCK WORK BECAUSE OF THIS COIL, SOUNDS LIKE A SAFETY DEFECT TO ME. *TR

ON ALL 2005 AND 2006 TOYOTA TACOMAS THE FOURWHEEL DRIVE SELECTOR SWITCH DOES NOT LIGHT UP AND IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT. I NEEDED TO PUT THE TRUCK INTO FOURWHEEL DRIVE AND HAD TO FEEL AROUND THE DASHBOARD FOR A FEW SECONDS BEFORE I COULD GET IT INTO FOURWHEEL DRIVE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT AND SOMEONE GETTING HURT BECAUSE THEY CAN'T GET INTO FOURWHEEL DRIVE IN A HURRY IF THEY NEED TO. I CONTACTED MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER BUT THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I ALSO CONTACTED TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND TOLD THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM BUT I DON'T THINK THEY WILL DO ANYTHING BASED ON THEIR RESPONSE. ALL OTHER TOYOTA FOURWHEEL DRIVE MODELS HAVE FOURWHEEL DRIVE SWITCHES THAT DO LIGHT UP. ALL TACOMA MODELS FROM ATLEAST 2001 TO 2004 HAVE SWITCHES THAT LIGHT UP. I DON'T KNOW IF THEY CHANGED THE SWITCH ON THE 2007 OR 2008 TACOMAS. THIS IS A VERY POPULAR TRUCK AND THERE ARE THOUSANDS OF THEM ON THE ROAD. I AM NOT THE ONLY PERSON WHO IS NOT HAPPY ABOUT THIS. THERE ARE A NUMBER TACOMA FORUMS ON THE INTERNET WHERE PEOPLE ARE COMPLAING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM.*CN

TL*-THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA LOST POWER ON A NUMBER OF OCCASIONS. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH OR AT 5 MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD STALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS USUALLY HAPPENED WHEN HE HAD TO SHIFT AND USE THE CLUTCH. HE CONTACTED THE MANUFACTURER ,AND WAS GIVEN CASE# 200701040167. HE HAD BEEN TOLD THAT THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. ALSO, HE STATED THAT IN HIS STATE THE LEMON LAW WAS NOT WORTH ANYTHING AFTER 12,000 MILES ,AND HIS VEHICLE NOW HAD 26,000 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD THIS STALLING PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS BRAND NEW AT 800 MILES . *AK CONSUMER STATES THE TRUCK STOPS AND WILL NOT RESTART FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES. UPDATE *4/23/07TR