NHTSA Complaint #10151613 — 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA

WE HAVE A TOYOTA TUNDRA A 2004, MY HUSBAND SAID IT WAS STEERING LIKE SOMETHING WAS CATCHING HE TOOK IT TO A REPAIR SHOP THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG, SO WE PICKED IT UP THAT SAME DAY, TOOK IT ON A TRIP, ON OUR WAY BACK GOING 70 MPH ON THE HIGHWAY IT FELT LIKE THE WHOLE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE OF OUR TRUCK FELL OFF, IT WAS A TERRIBLE TERRIFYING JOLT MY HUSBAND KNEW THAT WE HAD LOST THE TIRE AND RIM SPARKS WERE FLYING EVERYWHERE AS WE WERE SLIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON THE AXEL, LUCKILY WE WERE ON A STRAIGHT AWAY WITH NO TRAFFIC BUT ONE VEHICLE BEHIND US. THE FRICTION SLOWED THE TRUCK DOWN, WE PULLED IT OFF THE HIGHWAY, WE WERE SURPRISED TO SEE THAT THE BALL JOINT HAD COLLAPSED AND THE TIRE AND WHEEL WERE FOLDED UNDER THE TRUCK SO THAT THE TRUCK WAS ACTUALLY SLIDING DOWN THE HIGHWAY ON THIS TIRE AND WHEEL, THE SHERIFF SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYTHING QUITE LIKE IT. WE CALLED THE TOYOTA DEALER TO SEE IF THERE HAD BEEN A RECALL THAT WE HAD MISSED THEY SAID NO RECALL ON THAT VIN NUMBER. AFTER CHECKING ON THE INTERNET WE FOUND THAT THEY DO HAVE THIS PROBLEM ON THE 2004 TUNDRA'S BUT OURS WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. TOYOTA IS SAYING THAT IT IS NOT THERE FAULT OR PROBLEM. OUR TRUCK IS ONLY 2 YEARS OLD, WITH 52,000 MILES. BEFORE THE BALL JOINT COLLAPSED WE WERE COMING DOWN A MOUNTAIN PASS WITH A LOT OF CURVES IF IT HAD OF HAPPENED THEN OUR OUTCOME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE. WE WERE LUCKY TO COME AWAY WITH ONLY SORE MUSCLES. THE COST OF REPAIRS IS GOING TO BE OVER $6,000 DOLLARS. I DON'T EVEN WANT TO GET BACK IN THAT TRUCK, I DON'T FEEL SAFE TO RIDE IN IT. HOW CAN YOU SELL SOMETHING THAT YOU KNOW IS NOT SAFE. I AM VERY UPSET THAT TOYOTA TAKES THE STAND THAT IT IS NOT THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. WE HAD FAITH IN THE TOYOTA BRAND. NOT ANYMORE. TOYOTA'S BOTTOM LINE IS MONEY. THEY DON'T CARE ABOUT SAFETY. WHO WANTS TO BUY OUR DEFECTIVE TRUCK, ANY TAKERS? WHO WANTS TO PUT THEIR FAMILY AT RISK? IF YOU DO, BUY A TOYOTA. *NM