NHTSA Complaint #10305905 — 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA

MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA TRUCK IS NOT DRIVABLE AT THIS TIME. THE TRUCK WAS BROUGHT TO TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AFTER A LOCAL MECHANIC FOUND FLUID LEAKING FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL DUE TO RUST/ROT. DURING THE DEALERS INSPECTION, THEY ALSO NOTED A GAS SMELL AND SUSPECT THAT THE GAS TANK OR GAS LINES ARE LEAKING ALSO. THE DEALER DID A FRAME INSPECTION AND WHILE THE WHOLE FRAME IS EXCESSIVELY RUSTED, THE FRAME PASSED THE RECALL TEST BECAUSE IT HAD NOT BEEN PERFORATED YET. THE DEALER DID NOT WANT TO EVEN REMOVE THE DIFFERENTIAL PLUG BECAUSE THE WHOLE UNIT WAS SO RUSTY. I HAVE BEEN UNDER THE TRUCK AND PERSONALLY SEEN THE EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME, FUEL SYSTEM, AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. AMAZINGLY, THE BODY PANELS HAVE LITTLE OR NO RUST AND IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. DURING PREVIOUS DEALER VISITS WE WERE VERBALLY TOLD THAT THE RUST WAS NORMAL. THE REPAIR ESTIMATE FOR GAS TANK/LINES AND NEW DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, ETC. WAS APPROXIMATELY $7000. I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK NEW AND HAVE ALWAYS DONE ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE AND WAS PLANNING ON HAVING THE TRUCK FOR A LONG TIME. IT CURRENTLY HAS 89,101 MILES ON IT. THE EXCESSIVE RUST IS NOT NORMAL AND I FEEL THAT THE FRAME AND SOME ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS ARE DEFECTIVE. I FEEL THAT DUE TO THE NATURE OF THESE DEFECTS THAT THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND I'M GUESSING THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO SELL AND IF I DID, IT WOULD BE AT A GREATLY REDUCED VALUE. I PURCHASED A TOYOTA TRUCK BECAUSE OF THEIR REPUTATION FOR BUILDING LONG LASTING, HIGH QUALITY VEHICLES. I FEEL THAT IN LIGHT OF THESE DEFECTS THAT THEY MISREPRESENTED THEIR PRODUCT. *TR