NHTSA Complaint #10125440 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

SEVERE BLISTERING, FLAKING AND CHIPPING OF PAINT ON MY NEW TOYOTA TACOMA. FIRST OCCURED ON JANUARY 11, 2005, WHEN THE TRUCK WAS ONLY 5 WEEKS OLD, AFTER AN 18 MILE ROUND TRIP TO WORK ON PAVED ROADS. THERE WERE HUNDREDS OF FLAKES AND CHIPS ON THE TRUCK, TOO MANY TO COUNT. AFTER A FEW MONTHS OF THIS, MUCH OF THE PAINT ON THE LOWER SECTIONS OF THE TRUCK WAS GONE. THIS IS HAPPENING TO MANY TACOMAS, AND TOYOTA IS TRYING TO BLAME IT ON ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE, BUT I DON'T SEE ANY OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME KIND OF DAMAGE, ONLY TACOMAS. WHEN DRIVEN AS THE MANUFACTURER INTENDS, THE TACOMA SUFFERS SEVERE PAINT DAMAGE, MUCH MORE THAN ANY REASONABLE OWNER WOULD EXPECT. TOYOTA OFFERED ME A "COURTESY" PAINT JOB, BUT A BODY SHOP PAINT JOB AND NEVER MATCH THE ORIGINAL FACTORY FINISH AND IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE ON A BRAND NEW TRUCK. PLUS, THE PAINT JOB TOYOTA OFFERS COVERS ONLY THE AREAS AFFECTED SO FAR, LEAVING BEHIND ALL OF THE OTHER AREAS ON THE TRUCK WHICH ARE STILL PRONE TO SEVERE CHIPPING AND FLAKING. IN MY OPINION, THE PAINT IS DEFECTIVE.