NHTSA Complaint #10432308 — 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

WHILE DRIVING MY 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA A LEAK DEVELOPED FROM THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL SPRAYING GEAR OIL ONTO THE ROAD AND VEHICLE BEHIND ME .I HAD MY VEHICLE TOWED TO MY MECHANIC FOR REPAIR .I BELIEVED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY BE A 2 YRS 3 HUNDRED DOLLAR REPAIR FOR A SEAL OR GASKET BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR HOUSING COVER HAD RUSTED THRU AND THAT BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IT IS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE HOUSING AT A COST OF A LITTLE OVER $ 2,000 . THE VEHICLE IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION AND THERE IS NOT EVEN RUST ON ANY OF THE FENDERS . I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE HOTLINE AND EXPLAINED THE PROBLEM TO BOTH THE FIRST PERSON I SPOKE WITH AND THEN THE FOLLOW UP WITH A CASE MANAGER . THEY INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AND THE ONLY RUST ISSUES THEY WOULD DEAL WITH ARE WITH THE REAR FRAME .MY EXPERIENCE WITH OLDER VEHICLES THAT HAD COMPLETELY RUSTED BODIES AND FRAMES NEVER HAD DIFFERENTIALS RUST THRU . I AM BEING FORCED TO GET RID OF A VEHICLE THAT I PURCHASED NEW IN 2001 DUE TO A POORLY DESIGNED PART .NOT ONLY IS THIS A DESIGN FLAW WITH AN UNSERVICABLE PART BUT ALSO A SAFETY ISSUE WITH FLUID SPEWING FROM THE REAR END ONTO THE ROADWAY AND VEHICLES TRAVELING FROM BEHIND. ALSO AFTER RESEARCHING THIS PROBLEM ON THE INTERNET I DISCOVERED THAT IT IS A WIDESPREAD PROBLEM WITH THE FIRST GENERATION TUNDRAS THAT TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADDRESS . *TR