NHTSA Complaint #10249393 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA NOT COVERED IN 1995-2000 FRAME RUST "SOFT RECALL" OF MARCH, 2008. ON NOVEMBER 7, 2008 VEHICLE FAILED VT STATE SAFETY INSPECTION DUE TO PERVASIVE PENETRATING FRAME RUST. ALTHOUGH TOYOTA KNEW OF THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES PRIOR TO THE MARCH CUSTOMER NOTIFICATION, TOYOTA CHOSE NOT TO ALERT ME (OWNER OF A 2001 MODEL) OF THIS CONDITION. ON NOVEMBER 14, 2008 AND NOVEMBER 19, 2008, TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND CORPORATE STAFF VERIFIED THE RUSTED FRAME AND NOTED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. ALTHOUGH THIS FAILURE DIDN'T RESULT IN INJURY OR DEATH, I AM CONCERNED OTHER 2001 OWNERS MAY NOT BE SO LUCKY. TOYOTA HAS DONE NOTHING TO ALERT 2001 OWNERS OF THIS SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. WE'RE FINDING OUT ONE AT A TIME AS OUR VEHICLES FAIL SAFETY INSPECTIONS. BASED UPON MY OBSERVATIONS OF THE FRAME, I BELIEVE THE DEFECT IS NOT SIMPLY THE ABSENCE OF A CORROSION INHIBITING COATING, BUT RATHER INAPPROPRIATE METALLURGY - I.E. THE FRAME ITSELF COULD NOT POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN CONSTRUCTED FROM THE CORRECT QUALITY OF STEEL FOR THIS TYPE OF SERVICE. *TR