NHTSA Complaint #10175045 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

I WAS LOADING A MOTORCYCLE INTO THE BACK OF MY 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA AND THE TAILGATE COLLAPSED. I HAVE OWNED THIS TRUCK FOR A YEAR AND A HALF AND THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER PUT ANY WEIGHT ON THE TAILGATE OF THE TRUCK. AFTER DOING SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET, IT SOUNDS LIKE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING. THERE IS NO MENTION FROM TOYOTA IN THE OWNERS MANUAL OR ANY ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS THAT THE TAILGATE IS INCAPABLE OF HANDLING A LOAD. THE WEIGHT RATING FOR THE CARGO BOX IS LISTED AT 1000 POUNDS BUT THERE IS NOTHING ON THE TAILGATE. I HAVE OWNED A FORD RANGER AND A CHEVY S-10 IN THE PAST AND NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM LOADING A BIKE IN THE BED. I HAVE PICTURES OF THE COLLAPSED TAILGATE AVAILABLE. FORTUNATELY, NO ONE WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN POTENTIALLY FATAL IN THE BIKE HAD FALLEN ON ONE OF THE MEN LOADING THE BIKE. TOYOTA WON'T ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM AND IS BLAMING THIS ON THE CONSUMERS. *JB