NHTSA Complaint #10247844 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. RECENTLY I BECAME AWARE THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS INFORMED THAT MY 2001 WAS NOT COVERED BY THEIR CONSUMER PROTECTION PROGRAM THAT BOUGHT BACK 1995-2000 TACOMAS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, AT 150% OF THE KELLY BLUE BOOK VALUE. THEY HAVE INDICATED THAT THEY WILL MAKE ME AN OFFER PROBABLY AT 100% OF THE KBB VALUE. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN IN COLLEGE AND 529 PLANS ROCKED BY THE ECONOMY AND NO EXTRA MONEY TO SPARE. I WAS COUNTING ON THE 'BULLET PROOF' RELIABILITY CLAIMS OF TOYOTA AND TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FOR SEVERAL MORE YEARS. I HAVE ENJOYED AND APPRECIATED THE VEHICLE UNTIL NOW AND CANNOT REPLACE THE TRUCK AT THE CURRENT KBB VALUE. I THINK THIS ISSUE HAS IMPACTED THE RESALE VALUE OF THESE VEHICLES. MORE IMPORTANTLY HOWEVER IS THAT IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT TOYOTA HAD NOTIFIED THE VEHICLE OWNERS OF THE 1995-2000 TACOMAS COVERED BY THEIR PROGRAM, OF THE POSSIBLE FRAME PROBLEMS. THEY HAVE NOT NOTIFIED ANY OF THE OWNERS OF THE NEWER VEHICLES THAT HAVE, OR MAY HAVE THE PROBLEM. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE FRAMES COULD BRAKE IN SOME INSTANCES WHICH COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND INJURY. *TR