NHTSA Complaint #10291237 — 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA

(1). I PURCHASED A NEW 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA EXTENDED CAB LIMITED AT PRICE TOYOTA IN DELAWARE. IN FEBRUARY 2009 I OBSERVED RUST THROUGH OF BRACKET FROM BED TO FRAME VISIBLE THROUGH REAR WHEEL WELL. REQUESTED THAT MY WIFE REPORT THIS TO LIBERTY TOYOTA IN NJ DURING ROUTINE 5000 MILE OIL CHANGE. SHE WAS TOLD THAT THIS WAS "NOT A PROBLEM". (2). IN SEPTEMBER 2009 TRUCK WAS AGAIN TAKEN TO LIBERTY TOYOTA FOR 5000 MILE OIL CHANGE, PURCHASE OF 5 NEW TIRES AND ALIGNMENT. LIBERTY TOYOTA SERVICE TOLD MY WIFE THAT THE TRUCK WAS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY COULD NO LONGER ALIGN THE VEHICLE AND NO SERVICE WAS PERFORMED. LIBERTY TOOK PHOTOS OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE TRUCK AND TRANSMITTED THEM TO TOYOTA. APPROXIMATELY TWO WEEKS LATER LIBERTY TOLD MY WIFE THAT TOYOTA'S POSITION WAS THAT BECAUSE OF THE AGE AND MILEAGE (9 YEARS AND 110,000 MILES ) THAT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING TO RESOLVE THIS ISSUE. (3). IN LATE SEPTEMBER 2009 I PURCHASED A 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA CREW CAB 4 DOOR TUNDRA LIMITED AS A REPLACEMENT VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE A TOYOTA RUNNEMEAD, NJ. ON THAT SAME OCCASION THE 2000 TUNDRA WAS PUT ON LIFT AND INSPECTED WITH A POWERFUL LIGHT. OBSERVED VARIOUS RUST THROUGH OF BRACKETS AND AT LEAST ONE FIST SIZED HOLE THROUGH THE FRAME. THIS WAS WITNESSED BY THE TOYOTA RUNNEMEADE SALES PERSON, GENERAL MANAGER, SALES MANAGER, AND SERVICE MANAGER. ALL AGREED THAT THIS WAS WORST CASE OF RUST THEY HAD SEEN, AND WERE OF THE OPINION THAT THE TRUCK WAS NOT SAFE TO OPERATE. (4). IN OCTOBER 2009 I CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND RECEIVED A CASE NUMBER. A FEW DAYS LATER I AGAIN CONTACTED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS TOLD THAT "TOYOTA IS STUDYING THE PROBLEM". THIS SOUNDED LIKE A STALL TACTIC AND GAVE ME LITTLE HOPE FOR ANY VOLUNTARY POSITIVE ACTION FROM TOYOTA. AS OF TODAY 11 NOVEMBER 2009 I HAVE HAD NO FURTHER CONTACT FROM TOYOTA. (5). I HAVE PURCHASED OR HELPED PURCHASE 5 TOYOTA TRUCKS FOR MY FAMILY. TOTAL EXPENDITURE APPROXIMATELY $150,000. *TR