NHTSA Complaint #10234728 — 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA

THERE ARE TWO CABLES THAT HOLD THE TAILGATE IN PLACE WHEN FULLY OPENED(EXTENDED). YESTERDAY(7/17/08) WHILE UNLOADING MY MOTORCYCLE, BOTH CABLES BROKE SIMULTANEOUSLY MID WAY THROUGH THE UNLOADING PROCESS. THE CABLES BROKE AT THE EXACT SAME PLACE WHICH WAS EXACTLY HALF WAY FROM ONE END TO THE OTHER. THE CABLE IS ENCLOSED IN A PLASTIC SLEEVE. THAT SLEEVE IS NOT SEALED AT EACH END. WHEN THE TAILGATE IS IN THE CLOSED POSITION, WHICH IS MOST OF THE TIME, RAIN OR OTHER MOISTURE COLLECTS IN THE PLASTIC ENCLOSURE AND SETTLES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE "U" SHAPED TUBE. OVER TIME THAT MOISTURE HAS CAUSED THE CABLES TO RUST AND WEAKEN THUS THE BREAK IN MY OPINION. THE RESULT OF THE BRAKE WAS THAT THE TAILGATE FEEL UNANNOUNCED TO THE TOP OF THE BUMPER THUS DENTING THE BUMPER AND POTENTIALLY CAUSING HARM TO THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS DOING THE UNLOADING. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A FLAWED PRODUCT. *TR