NHTSA Complaint #10256104 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

TOYOTA TACOMA 2001 PERFORATED FRAME TOYOTA REFUSES TO PUBLICLY DECLARE THESE CARS ARE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. MY FRAME IS PERFORATED AND DEEMED BY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY ADMITTED THIS IS A "KNOWN" PROBLEM AND I NOW MUST ACCEPT COMPLETE LIABILITY IF I TAKE THE CAR OFF THE LOT. MY CASE MANAGER KEVIN INSISTED THAT "TOYOTA HAS PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED A WARRANTY EXTENSION ON DECEMBER 8TH, BUT IT IS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO NOTIFY ALL THE OWNERS." YET HE COULD NOT MAKE ANY REFERENCE TO WHERE I COULD FIND THIS PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT. TOYOTA INSISTS THAT THIS DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A RECALL, YET HIS EXPLANATION FOR A RECALL WAS A FAULTY COMPONENT THAT CAUSES A SAFETY ISSUES THAT WILL BE REPLACED BY THE MANUFACTURER. THIS IS PRECISELY WHAT THE CASE MANAGER STATED TOYOTA IS PREPARING TO DO. HOW CAN TOYOTA BE AWARE OF SUCH A SAFETY HAZARD AND NOT INFORM THE OWNERS. HAD I NOT PERFORMED ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, I WOULD STILL BE COMMUTING 130 MILES A DAY AT 65 MILES AND PLACE OTHERS AT RISK. MY DEALER STATED THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE 2001 TACOMAS IN OUR SMALL TOWN THAT HAVE ALREADY BEEN FOUND TO BE UNSAFE OTHER THAN NHTSA, WHAT AUTHORITY EXISTS IN THE UNITED STATES THAT HAS THE ABILITY TO PUBLICLY ANNOUNCE THIS SAFETY ISSUES AND FORCE TOYOTA TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES. *TR