NHTSA Complaint #10239262 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND VERIFIED BY LOCAL DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA IS BUYING BACK UP TO 2000 YEAR MODELS BUT 2001 MODELS ARE EXCLUDED. WHEN THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH, REGARDLESS OF THE YEAR, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRANSPORTATION SAFETY ADMINISTRATION NEEDS TO ADDRESS WITH TOYOTA CORPORATION. ARBITRARILY SELECTING THE YEARS AND LAST VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION NUMBER TOYOTA WILL COVER IN THE BUY-BACK PROGRAM IS RIDICULOUS AS THIS RUST ISSUE IS BIGGER THAN WHAT TOYOTA HAS ANTICIPATED. WE FILED A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA THEY SAID OUR VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE 150% BUY BACK, HOWEVER THEY WOULD BUY IT BACK FOR THE CURRENT RETAIL VALUE. OUR TRUCK WAS BUILT IN SEPTEMBER 2000 (QUALIFIED THERE), BUT THE VIN NUMBER WAS 4,096 PAST THE CUT-OFF (DIDN'T QUALIFY THERE). TOYOTA BUILDS 3,500 TACOMAS PER WEEK. WHAT MAKES THEM THINK THAT THERE WEREN'T SOME BAD FRAMES STILL IN THEIR INVENTORY AT THE TIME OUR TRUCK WAS BUILT. SOME 2001 TACOMA OWNERS HAVE REPORTED THAT TOYOTA HAS TAKEN THEIR TRUCK AWAY FROM THEM (AFTER INSPECTION) AND HAVE HELD IT FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AND WON'T GIVE IT BACK TO THE OWNERS AND ARE ONLY OFFERING RETAIL FOR A SETTLEMENT. 2001 TACOMA OWNERS HAVE NO CHOICE...ACCEPT THE CURRENT RETAIL PRICE WE HAVE OFFERED YOU BECAUSE YOU WON'T GET YOUR TRUCK BACK. 2000 TACOMA OWNERS...HERE IS 150% OF THE RETAIL VALUE AND WE'LL TAKE THAT RUST BUCKET OFF YOUR HANDS.*TR