NHTSA Complaint #10164990 — 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA

DRIVING WB ON HWY 4 NEAR DOUGLAS FLAT, CA APPROX 55 MPH ON TWO LANE HIGHWAY. THE 2005 TOYOTA TUNDRA 4WD DRIVER SIDE FRONT WHEEL DETACHED, FOLDING UNDER FRONT LEFT SIDE FRAME BEHIND WHEEL WELL WITH THE TRUCK LANDING ON THE FLAT SIDE OF THE WHEEL. I WAS THEN IN A CONTROLLED SKID ON A STRAIGHT PART OF THE HIGHWAY AND HELD THE STEERING WHEEL IN THAT POSITION. I DID NOT APPLY THE BRAKES AS I DID NOT WANT TO ALTER THE DIRECTION OF THE SKID. THE VEHICLE DRIFTED SLIGHTLY TO THE RIGHT AFTER ABOUT A 150 FOOT SKID. THE WHEEL HUB HAD SEPARATED FROM THE UPPER AND LOWER CONTROL ARM, THE BALL JOINT HAD DETACHED FROM THE A-FRAME, AND THE WHEEL AND TIRE (REPLACED TWO WEEKS PRIOR) WERE DAMAGED. THE ONLY THING APPARENTLY HOLDING THE WHEEL TO THE FRAME WAS THE STEERING ROD. NOT BEING A MECHANIC OR HAD THE VEHICLE LOOKED AT BY A MECHANIC AS YET I AM NOT SURE OF ALL DAMAGE SUSTAINED. PICTURES OF THE SCENE SHOW A SINGLE SKID MARK ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. I CONTACTED MY TOYOTA DEALER WHO DIDN'T SEEM TO INTERESTED SINCE THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH 72,000 MILES ON THE TRUCK MEANING THAT THE 36 MONTH, 36,000 MILE WARRANTY WOULD NOT COVER THE DAMAGE. IN RESEARCHING THE BALL JOINT COMPLAINT I FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE 2004 TUNDRA. IT WAS LUCKY THAT I WASN'T INJURED SINCE THE PREVIOUS DAY I HAD BEEN RETURNING FROM A JOB SITE VIA NB PARROTTS FERRY ROAD WHICH IS ABOUT A 1000 FT DESCENT ON A CURVING ROAD WHICH IN SEVERAL PLACES DROPS OFF INTO THE CANYON AND RESERVOIR BELOW. *NM