NHTSA Complaint #10444303 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

RUST IN THE REAR FRAME AND TAILGATE AREA IS RENDERING MY VEHICLE UNUSABLE AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE TAILGATE DRAIN HOLES QUICKLY CLOGGED WITH ENVIRONMENTAL DEBRIS RESULTING IN EXCESS MOISTURE IN THE TAILGATE AND CAUSED ALL INTERNAL PARTS TO RUST TO THE POINT THAT THE TAILGATE LATCH CABLE/HANDLE HAS BROKEN TWICE AND THE REAR WINDOW IS NOT FUNCTIONAL. RECENTLY I REALIZED THAT UNDERNEATH THE ORIGINAL FRAME PAINT, MY FRAME HAS SEVERE RUST. ALSO VERY CONCERNING, I RECENTLY REALIZED THAT HOLES MANUFACTURED INTO THE REAR OF THE FRAME ARE ALLOWING SAND TO ACCUMULATE IN THE FRAME. THE SAND IS HOLDING MOISTURE AND I HAVE NOT FOUND A WAY TO GET IT OUT OF THE FRAME. MY REAR CROSS MEMBER AND SPARE TIRE CARRIER ARE ALSO SERIOUSLY RUSTED. MOST CONCERNING IS THAT I PULL A LANDSCAPE TRAILER AND MY VEHICLE HAS SERIOUS RUST ON THE TRAILER HITCH AND THE FRAME AREA WHERE THE HITCH CONNECTS TO THE VEHICLE. WHEN I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP YEARS AGO, THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO AS MY RUST ISSUES WERE A RESULT OF THE AREA IN WHICH I LIVE. I PAID NEARLY $40,000 FOR THIS VEHICLE NEW IN 2002 AND HAVE CARED FOR IT VERY WELL. IT IS DEPLORABLE THAT THE POOR DESIGN OF THE FRAME AND TAILGATE WILL RENDER THIS VEHICLE TO THE SCRAP YARD WELL BEFORE ITS TIME...IF IT DOESN'T KILL SOMEONE FIRST. *TR