2008 Toyota Tacoma

THIS COMPLAINT IS IN REGARDS TO THE FRAME OF MY 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK VIN #[XXX]. THE COMPLAINT IS BASED ON THE SEVERE CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE TRUCK FRAME. THE TRUCK WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY WHEN I FIRST NOTICED IT IN 2011. BEFORE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED I TOOK THE TRUCK TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THEM TO INSPECT THE FRAME AND HAVE A RECALL ADDRESSED. AT THE TIME I WAS TOLD IT WAS MINOR SURFACE RUST AND THEY WERE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. FAST FORWARD TO APRIL, 2012 WHEN I SENT AN EMAIL TO TOYOTA MOTOR CO., THEIR RESPONSE WAS FOR ME TO CONTACT THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. IN THE SAME EMAIL I WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WARRANTY WAS FOR 3 YEARS OR 36,000 MILES. FAST FORWARD TO AUGUST/SEPTEMBER OF 2013. I SPOKE WITH THE CUSTOMER RELATIONS MANAGER AND SCHEDULED AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE FRAME TO BE INSPECTED. WHEN THE TRUCK WAS ON THE LIFT THE SERVICE MANAGER DIDN'T EVEN CARE TO LOOK AT THE FRAME. THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP IS NOT INTERESTED IN HELPING ME AT THIS POINT. I WAS TOLD THAT THE AMOUNT OF FRAME RUST ON THE TRUCK IS "NORMAL'. THEY SUGGEST I HAVE THE RUSTY FRAME UNDERCOATED. IT'S TOO LATE FOR THAT. THERE ARE SEVERAL AREAS OF THE FRAME THAT HAS SEVERE CORROSION. MY CONCERN IS THE POSSIBILITY OF THE FRAME CRACKING, ETC. NEEDLESS TO SAY, WHILE I'M DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. IT IS A SAFETY CONCERN, AND THE TRUCK SHOULD NOT HAVE PROBLEMS LIKE THIS AT 5 YEARS OLD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA HAS A FACTORY BED EXTENDER. WHICH ALLOWS USE TO USE THE TAILGATE AS PART OF THE TRUCK BED. DUE TO THE SMALL 5 FT BED. LOAD THE WEIGHT OF A ROTOTILLER INTO THE TRUCK CASED THE TAILGATE TO BOW AND BECOME UNSTABLE. THEY DO NOT HAVE ANY WEIGHT LIMIT OR RESTRICTION POSTED. IF THEY SELL PARTS TO USE THE TAILGATE TO SUPPORT ITEMS IT SHOULD NOT FAIL UNDER SUCH LIGHT LOADS. 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA TAILGATE IS DANGEROUSLY WEAK, AND IS UNABLE TO SUPPORT WHAT MOST CONSIDER NORMAL WEIGHT FOR A TRUCK TAILGATE. ALTHOUGH SUBSTANDARD DESIGN MAY BE CONSIDERED "BUYER BEWARE", TRUCK BUYERS EXPECT A TAILGATE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF NORMAL TRUCK USE ACTIVITIES. TOYOTA PROVIDES NO WARNING OR CAUTION ANYWHERE THAT THE TAILGATE IS OF INSUFFICIENT STRENGTH TO PERFORM NORMAL 1/2-TON TRUCK DUTIES, AND TYPICALLY (PER INTERNET FORUM THREADS) TELLS THEIR CUSTOMERS THAT IT IS THEIR PROBLEM AND THAT THEY SHOULD NOT EXPECT TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY USE THE TAILGATE FOR ANYTHING MORE THAN HIDING THE INSIDE OF THE BED. SINCE TOYOTA HAS PRODUCED A SUBSTANDARD DESIGNED PART, THEY SHOULD HAVE PROVIDED A VISUAL WARNING ON THE PART TO ALERT CUSTOMERS TO THE DANGER THEIR PRODUCT IMPOSES IF USED IN A TRADITIONAL MANNER. SINCE THEY DID NOT DO SO, THEY SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE TO PROVIDE A REDESIGNED PART TO THEIR CUSTOMERS OR FULL RESTITUTION FOR THE PURCHASE PRICE OF THE VEHICLES. A GOOGLE OR SIMILAR INTERNET SEARCH ON "TACOMA TAILGATE FORUM" WILL SUBSTANTIATE MY STATEMENTS BEYOND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH THE TAILGATE BENDING. *TR

FUEL FILLER NECK FLAP BROKE OFF AND FELL INTO THE TANK.GAS MILEAGE IS TERRIBLE. LEFT TURN SIGNAL STAYED ON AND AIR CONDITIONER WAS WORKING INTERMITTENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE TO CHAMPION TOYOTA ON 10-15-09. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT FLAP INSIDE TANK IS NORMAL... THEY REPAIRED TURN SIGNAL AND STATED THAT THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED THE A/C TO NOT WORK PROPERLY. DEALERSHIP STATED THAT WIRES WERE BURNT TOGETHER CAUSING THE TURN SIGNAL TO STAY ON. RECEIVED VEHICLE BACK ON 10-20-09. ALSO, I HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO DEALERSHIP A FEW MONTHS PRIOR TO THE 10-15-09 INCIDENT CONCERNING A/C NOT WORKING, THEY SAID THEY CORRECTED PROBLEM. ALSO, TAILGATE HAS BOWED AFTER MOVING A LIGHT DRYER. DEALER STATES THAT TAILGATE IS NOT RATED. *TR

THE TOYOTA TACOMA (2008) IS ADVERTISED FOR USE TO TRANSPORT MOTORCYCLES. THIS IS A CENTRAL THEME IN THEIR MARKETING PROGRAM. THE BED IS TURNS OUT IS MADE OF "COMPOSITE" (PLASTIC). THE TIE DOWN POINTS ARE RAILS AND CLEATS THAT COME OFF OR SLIDE ALONG THE SIDES OF THE BED, NOT REGULAR TIE DOWNS IN THE FRONT CORNERS, AS IN NORMAL METAL TRUCKS. THERE IS NO METAL IN THE BED TO AFFIX A TIE DOWN POINT TO. THIS SYSTEM IS NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT OR ANGLE OF MOTORCYCLES. PLUS THE ANGLES REQUIRED TO TIE DOWN MOTORCYCLES FORCE THE CLEATS TO BEND AND FLEX BECAUSE THEY ARE ONLY INSTALLED IN PLASTIC. IT TURNS OUT THE OWNER'S MANUAL FOR THE 2008 HAS LIMITATIONS ON THE CLEATS BOTH IN ANGLE OF TIE DOWNS AND WEIGHT, BOTH OF WHICH ARE EXCEEDED IN THEIR AD PHOTOGRAPHS, LEADING ONE TO BELIEVE IT CAN BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE, AND IN WHAT THEIR DEALERS (OR AT LEAST POWER TOYOTA IN TEMPE ARIZONA, AND TOYOTA MOTOR SALES USA, INC IS ADVERTISING). IN FACT, MANY HAVE PURCHASED THE TRUCK FOR THIS PURPOSE AND ARE DANGER OF A FAILURE OF THE SYSTEM. TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED IT IS INSUFFICIENT TO HANDLE THE WEIGHT, BUT CONTINUES TO SELL THE VEHICLES FOR THIS PURPOSE, AS IS SHOWN IN THEIR ADS. THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT MINE FROM WITHHELD THE OWNER'S MANUAL UNTIL AFTER I TOOK THE TRUCK HOME, AND LET ME KNOW I COULD COME BACK FOR IT. THE SPECIFICATIONS ON THE TIE DOWN LIMITATIONS ARE NOT DISCLOSED ANYWHERE BUT IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE DEALER ALSO TOLD ME TO USE THE TRUCK IN VIOLATION OF THE OWNER'S MANUAL WHEN I MET WITH THEM ABOUT THE PROBLEM. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN THE EVENT A MOTORCYCLE COMES OFF THE BACK OF A TRUCK AND HURTS/KILLS SOMEONE. *TR

THE FRAME ON MY 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK IS RUSTING, I LIVE IN THE SOUTHEAST, WHERE THERE IS LITTLE OR NO SNOW/ICE, AND I WAS THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK REGULARLY. IT HAD RUST SPOTS ON IT THE DAY I PURCHASED IT. I HAVE REPAIRED THOSE RUST SPOTS BUT OTHERS ARE APPEARING, ESPECIALLY AT WELDED SPOTS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN RUST OCCUR SO QUICKLY ON A NEW VEHICLE. THIS APPEARS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT FROM TOYOTA. *TR

2008 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK- I WAS WEARING A PAIR OF STEEL TIP WORKBOOTS WHEN I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE AT A CONVENIENCE STORE. I HIT THE BRAKE BUT THE BRAKE PEDAL WHEN ACTUATED IS CLOSER TO THE FLOOR THAN THE TOP PART OF THE GAS PEDAL. WITH STEEL TIP WORK BOOTS BEING WORN WHICH ARE WIDER THAN STREET SHOES I ACTUATED THE BRAKE AND GAS PEDAL AT THE SAME TIME. THE TRUCK SHOT FORWARD IN THE PARKING SPOT AND HIT A TUBULAR PYLON FILLED WITH CONCRETE. THIS IS THE ONLY THING THAT KEPT THE VEHICLE FROM CRASHING INTO A PERSON OR BUILDING. DAMAGE TO VEHICLE HAS BEEN ESTIMATED @ $ 1,170.00. *TR