NHTSA Complaint #10253955 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL ON 95-2000 TACOMA PICKUP TRUCKS DUE TO FRAME ROT. I HAVE A 2001 TACOMA AND WAS CONCERNED THAT I MIGHT HAVE THE SAME ISSUE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP I PURCHASED MY TRUCK AT 3 SEPARATE TIMES IN THE LAST 6 MONTHS TO "DOUBLE CHECK AND MAKE SURE" MY TRUCK WAS OKAY AND WAS ASSURED ALL THREE TIMES, BY THREE DIFFERENT INDIVIDUALS, THAT NO SUCH ISSUE PERTAINED TO MY VEHICLE AND THAT MY TRUCK WAS FINE. LAST FRIDAY (1-2-09) I WAS UNABLE TO PASS THE STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE OF FRAME ROT. THE DEALERSHIP CONFISCATED MY TRUCK BUT DID PROVIDE A RENTAL VEHICLE AND I AM NOW WAITING TO HEAR BACK FROM TOYOTA ABOUT THE RESOLUTION FOR MY TRUCK. THE 95-2000 OWNERS WERE OFFERED A VERY FAIR BUY-BACK PROGRAM. THE 2000-2004 OWNERS WHO ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM ARE IN A "GRAY AREA" RIGHT NOW. THE SERVICE PEOPLE AT THE DEALERSHIP SAY THAT TOYOTA WILL BE REPLACING THE FRAMES OF THESE TRUCKS RATHER THAN "BUYING THEM BACK." ALTHOUGH THAT SOUNDS FAIR AT FIRST, WHEN NUMEROUS ASE CERTIFIED MECHANICS (MANY TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS THEMSELVES) ARE COMING OUT SAYING THAT THE FRAME REPLACEMENT IS A HORRIBLE IDEA, I HAVE A CONCERN. THEY CITE ONGOING PROBLEMS THAT OCCUR AS IS THE CASE WITH A MAJOR FRAME SWAP, MENTIONING ELECTRICAL ISSUES, MISALIGNMENT, UNEVEN WEAR, RATTLES AND SQUEAKS, ETC. THE TRUCK WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. I PURCHASED A TOYOTA FOR THEIR RELIABILITY, DEPENDABILITY AND HIGH RESALE VALUE. THE KBB VALUE FOR MY TRUCK HAS PLUMMETED IN JUST THE LAST COUPLE MONTHS, AND EVEN WITH A FRAME SWAP, I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THE VALUE WILL DROP STILL FURTHER, THUS MAKING IT NEAR IMPOSSIBLE TO GET EVEN CLOSE TO WHAT MY TUCK SHOULD BE WORTH. IF THE MECHANIC WHO PERFORMED MY INSPECTION HAD NOT INSPECTED THE FRAME AS WELL, I WOULD BE RIDING AROUND WITH THE POTENTIAL TO INJURE OR KILL MYSELF AND OTHERS WITHOUT KNOWING THAT TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THESE ISSUES AND HAS YET TO ISSUE ANY OFFICIAL STATEMENT TO OWNERS LIKE ME THAT A SERIOUS PROBLEM EXISTS. *TR