NHTSA Complaint #10139080 — 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA

ALARM AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB PRERUNNER SR5 PICKUP. ALARM SYSTEM ACTIVATED ON ITS OWN AT 5:30 AM SEP 18-05 AND COULD NOT DISENGAGE IT. LOUD ELECTRICAL CLICKING NOISES EMITTED FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD AROUND THE ASHTRAY THAT COULD BE HEARD FROM OVER 100 FEET AWAY, EVEN THROUGH WALLS INSIDE A HOUSE (CLICKING/POPPING NOISE) LIGHTS FLICKERING INSIDE TRUCK. LEFT TRUCK WITH TOYOTA IN SAVANNAH ALL DAY MONDAY. (THEY HAD TOLD ME WHEN I DROPPED IT OFF THAT THEY WOULD CHECK THE ENTIRE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR SHORTS OR FAULTS.) WHEN I PICKED IT UP I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TRUCK, AND NOTHING HAPPENED ALL DAY WHILE IT WAS THERE. WHEN I WENT TO GET INTO THE TRUCK, AND PUSHED THE BUTTON TO DISENGAGE THE ALARM AND UNLOCK THE TRUCK, THE HORN BEEPED 4 TIMES (INSTEAD OF THE NORMAL 2 TIMES) SO I WENT BACK IN AND TOLD THE SERVICE MANAGER. HE REASSURED ME IT WAS NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, AND SAID SOMETIMES THESE THINGS HAPPEN, AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER THE HORN BEEPS TWICE, OR 4 TIMES, THAT AGAIN, THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. I DROVE THE TRUCK BACK HOME TO CHARLESTON,SC AND 30 MINUTES AFTER I PARKED IN THE DRIVEWAY, THE ALARM WENT OFF ON IT'S OWN AGAIN, EVERY 6 MINUTES THE ALARM WENT OFF ON ITS OWN AGAIN SO I NEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE AGAIN, IT WAS MAKING THE LOUD CLICKING ELECTRICAL SHORT NOISES AGAIN. CALLED TOYOTA HQ TO SEE WHAT WOULD BE DONE, AS THIS VEHICLE IS ALSO UNDER A MAJOR RECALL FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINTS AND THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THEM ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, EXPLAINED THAT I HAVE TRIED REPEATEDLY AT SEVERAL DIFFERENT TOYOTA DEALERS AND HAVE BEEN TOLD THEIR HANDS ARE TIED UNLESS I HAVE THE RECALL LETTER FROM HQ IN HAND. AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS LEMON AS IT IS OBVIOUSLY UNSAFE WITH THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT PROBLEM ESPECIALLY, AND NOW WITH THIS POSSIBLE MAJOR ELECTRICAL FAULT, DON'T WANT THE TRUCK TO CATCH FIRE AND BURN UP.