NHTSA Complaint #10264303 — 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA

WE OWN A 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA. AFTER RECEIVING A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ABOUT FRAME RUST, WE TOOK OUR VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR THE REQUESTED INSPECTION. THE DEALER TOLD US THAT THE FRAME HAS SOFT SPOTS AND THAT TOYOTA RECOMMENDED REPLACING THE FRAME. WE ARE SERIOUSLY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE GIVEN THE FACT THAT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. HOWEVER, WE QUESTION THIS KIND OF INVASIVE REPAIR. WE WANT TOYOTA TO BUY THE TRUCK BACK GIVEN THE NATURE OF THIS SAFETY DEFECT. TOYOTA HAS A DEFINED HISTORY OF DEFECTIVE FRAMES IN THE TACOMA: THEY BOUGHT BACK MANY 1995-2000 TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON. SINCE THE 2001-2004 TACOMAS ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME DEFECT -- A VERY SERIOUS ONE -- TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AND PROPERLY COMPENSATE OWNERS LIKE US BY BUYING THEM BACK. WE REQUEST THAT THE NHTSA DO WHAT IS NECESSARY TO REQUIRE TOYOTA TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY IN THIS MATTER BY RECALLING ALL AFFECTED TACOMAS SO THESE VEHICLES CAN BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD BEFORE INJURY AND DEATH RESULTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION TO THIS VERY SERIOUS MATTER. *TR PETER SPANGENBERG