NHTSA Complaint #10344125 — 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA

WE HEARD A LOUD NOISE IN THE ENGINE AREA, WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS. TOOK IT TO OUR MECHANIC, AND HE FOUND A LOOSE FAN SHROUD AND TIGHTENED IT UP. TWO WEEKS LATER THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT WHILE MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING. WE TOWED THE 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB TO THE DEALERSHIP WE BOUGHT THE CAR FROM, AND THEY FINALLY TOLD US THE FRAME WAS BROKEN UNDER THE ENGINE AREA, RIGHT NEXT TO THE POWER STEERING. THEY TOLD US $14,000 TO FIX THE TRUCK. THEY SAID WE NEED A FULL FRAME REPLACEMENT. THE TRUCK HAS ONLY 71,000 MILES. IT HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED...TOYOTA OFFERED TO PAY 1/2 OF THE FRAME COST, WHICH THEY SAID IS $9800, NOT INCLUDING THE 40 HOURS @$40/HR OF LABOR THEY WANT TO CHARGE TO REPLACE IT. THEY WILL NOT TELL ME WHY MY FRAME IS BROKEN. I HAD MY TRUCK TOWED TO AN DIFFERENT REPAIR SHOP, FOR ANOTHER ESTIMATE, WHICH THE DEALERSHIP HASN'T EVEN GIVEN ME THEIR WRITTEN ESTIMATE. WHEN I ASKED FOR IT THEY MADE UP AN EXCUSE ON WHY I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE SERVICE REP. TO ACCESS MY ACCOUNT TO PRINT IT OUT FOR ME, THIS IS WHEN I REMOVED MY TRUCK LAST WEEK AFTER, THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE THE DEAL OR GET MY TRUCK OFF THEIR PROPERTY OR THEY WOULD STARTING CHARGING ME FEES. MY TRUCK HAS BEEN BROKEN FOR THREE WEEKS NOW, I HAVE HAD NO LOANER, AND NOW HELP FROM TOYOTA OR THE DEALER. MY HUSBAND COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT, WHEN HE LOST POWER STEERING, THIS IS A DEFECTIVE FRAME, AND DUE TO IT BREAKING, IT CAUSED THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. WE HAVE NO TRUCK NOW, AND STILL OWE OVER $10,000 FOR THIS BROKEN, DEFECTIVE ONE. *TR