NHTSA Complaint #10250139 — 1992 TOYOTA PICKUP

PURCHASED 1992 TOYOTA PICKUP PURCHASED WITH 89000 MILES IN SUMMER OF 2006. HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT AND HAS 92000 MILES CURRENTLY. TOOK VEHICLE IN TO GET PARKING BRAKE REPLACED. DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THEY REFUSED TO SERVICE VEHICLE DUE TO EXTENSIVE AND SEVERE FRAME CORROSION. TOOK VEHICLE HOME AND CONFIRMED THAT SIDES OF FRAME MEMBERS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. LEARNED FROM PHONE CONVERSATION YESTERDAY THAT THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE AND SEE CAUSES AS MANUFACTURING-RELATED (EITHER SKIPPED RUSTPROOFING COMPLETELY ON FRAMES OR SUBSTANDARD CHEMICAL COMPOSITION MATERIALS WERE USED IN FRAME MANUFACTURE). TOYOTA HAS PUBLICLY ACKNOWLEDGED 1995 AND LATER PICKUPS WERE AFFECTED AND HAS OFFERED TO BUY BACK THE VEHICLES FROM CURRENT OWNERS. THIS DOES NOT COVER THE 1992 MODEL YEAR. YET TOYOTA'S ACTION CONFIRMS THE FRAME DEFECT WAS PRESENT WHEN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED. ADDITIONAL RESEARCH TURNED UP INSTANCES WHERE THE VEHICLES COMPLETELY BROKE IN HALF WHILE BEING DRIVEN. I HAVE SERIOUS CONCERNS ABOUT THE ROAD WORTHINESS AND POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC LOSS OF LIFE GIVEN THE FRAME CONDITION. WILL WRITE TO TOYOTA SEPARATELY AND CONVEY MY CONCERNS. I NOW REALIZE MY PERSONAL SAFETY IS AT RISK, AS WELL AS THAT OF OCCUPANTS OF ANY OTHER VEHICLES THAT MAY BE NEAR ME ON THE ROAD WERE THIS TO OCCUR, GIVEN THE SEVERITY OF THE FRAME CORROSION. IF NOT FOR THE FRAME DEFECT AND THE IMMINENT FRAME-INDUCED LIFE-THREATENING SCENARIO, THIS VEHICLE IS IN NEAR-PERFECT MECHANICAL CONDITION. *TR