NHTSA Complaint #10289879 — 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

THERE WAS NO INCIDENT HERE, LET ME CLARIFY THAT FIRST OF ALL. I AM BEGINNING TO READ QUITE A BIT ABOUT THE 2000-2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA VEHICLES IN COLD WEATHER STATES, EXPERIENCING AN UNUSUAL AMOUNT OF FRAME RUST. I LIVE IN MARYLAND AND CURRENTLY OWN A 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA SR5 4WD. MY VEHICLE HAS 36,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN GARAGE KEPT. AFTER THE FIRST YEAR THE RUST STARTED, I HAVE USED AT LEAST A CASE OF RUST-OLEUM TO COUNTER THE EFFECTS OF THE RUST. MY BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW IS THE APPEARANCE OF MY STEERING COLUMN (LOCATED UNDER THE HOOD) THIS METAL SHAFT IS ENGROSSED IN RUST. I OWN A 1987 BUICK WITH 117,000 MILES ON IT THAT DOES LOOK NO WHERE NEAR THIS BAD. THERE IS NO DOUBT IN MY MIND THAT THIS COULD AT SOME POINT POSE A SAFETY RISK. JUST TODAY I CALLED THE TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AT 800-331-4331 AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE PROBLEM. THEY ACKNOWLEDGED THE FRAME RUST, BUT SAID THAT I WAS ON MY OWN WITH ANY OTHER RUST. THEY TOLD ME TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP. UPON CONTACTING THE DEALERSHIP, THEY ONLY ACKNOWLEDGED RUST PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA TACOMAS. I JUST WANTED NHTSA TO BE AWARE OF THIS . THANKS *TR