NHTSA Complaint #10187163 — 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA

ON MARCH 24TH I DROVE TO A NEIGHBORING TOWN ABOUT 120 MILES AWAY IN MY NEW TOYO TACOMA 4X4 2007. I DID MY SHOPPING, AND EVERY TIME I EXITED THE VEHICLE I WOULD SMELL THE ODOR OF BURNT RUBBER. I WOULD THEN INSPECT MY TIRES (EXTERIOR) AND THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE ANY PROBLEMS. I DROVE HOME THAT EVENING OKAY, BUT WHEN I ARRIVED AT HOME, I AGAIN SMELLED THE BURNT RUBBER ODOR. THE NEXT DAY, I USED THE TRUCK OFF ROAD TO GET A BUNDLE OF FIREWOOD (UNDER 15 POUNDS). BUT, ON MY WAY OVER I HAD A BLOW OUT ON THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. WE TOOK OFF THE TIRE AND FOUND THAT THE TIRE HAD WEAR MARKS ON THE INSIDE OF THE TIRE CAUSED BY PROTRUDING METAL OFF OF THE A-FRAME. WE CHANGED THE TIRE AND PUT ON THE SPARE. I RETURNED HOME, AND BECAME CONCERNED. I TOOK A LOOK AT THE OTHER PASSENGER SIDE TIRE AND ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE WAS ALSO A PROTRUDING PIECE OF METAL ALSO BEGINNING TO TEAR INTO THE RIGHT TIRE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE, AND THEY ADVISED ME TO GET THE TRUCK INTO THE SHOP TO HAVE THEIR TECHNICIANS TAKE A LOOK AT THE MATTER. I AM A LITTLE CONCERNED, BEING THAT I HAVE NO SPARE TIRE, AND MY NEAREST TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS 120 MILES AWAY ONE WAY. BUT, ALL IN ALL, I THINK THE DEFECT IS IN THE A-FRAME, WHERE A PIECE OF METAL WAS OVERLOOKED IN BEING GRINDED DOWN BEFORE COMPLETE ASSEMBLY. THIS DEFECT COULD HAVE CAUSED SOME MAJOR DAMAGE AND INJURY, LUCKILY, I USUALLY DRIVE UNDER 60 MPH. I HOPE MORE PEOPLE THAT DO PURCHASE A 4X4 TOYO TACOMA TAKE A GOOD LOOK AT THEIR FRONT SUSPENSION A-FRAME BEFORE PURCHASE, SO THEY THEMSELVES DON'T HAVE A BLOW OUT. I PLAN ON GETTING MY TRUCK TO THE TOYO DEALERSHIP AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. *JB