NHTSA Complaint #10444738 — 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I BOUGHT MY TUNDRA NEW IN 2003..I BOUGHT IT TO CARRY THE MAIL AS I WAS INFORMED THAT IT WOULD LAST LONGER AND HOLD UP BETTER THAN OTHER MAKES..I HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT BRAKE PADS THE FIRST TIME AT ABOUT 15,000 MILES BUT WAS NOT TO CONCERNED AS I USE THEM MORE HEAVILY THAN MOST DRIVERS..THE NEXT TIME WAS ABOUT 12,000 MILES AND THIS TIME IT WAS SHUTTERING VERY BAD AND I REPLACED THE ROTORS ALONG WITH NEW PADS..THIS HAS BEEN AN ON GOING PROBLEM OF REPLACEMENT OF PARTS TO ELEVATE THE SEVERE SHUTTERING EACH TIME THINKING I HAD IT FIXED..TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME I FIND OUT THAT THIS IS NOT ONLY PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA KNEW ABOUT BUT POSSIBLY HAVE TRIED TO COVER BECAUSE THE REAL FIX IS VERY COSTLY ($2000)..THEY ISSUED A TBS (BR004-02) ALONG WITH 6 OR 7 OTHER TSB'S ABOUT THE PROBLEMS WITH BRAKES FROM YEAR MODEL 2000-2005..I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD ME THAT IF I WOULD HAVE BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER BEFORE MY 36,0000 WARRANTY EXPIRED IT COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED..HAD I KNOWN ABOUT THE SERVICE BULLETIN I WOULD HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER..SINCE THE BRAKE PARTS ARE NOT COVERED UNDER THE 36,000 MILE WARRANTY I DID NOT TAKE IT TO THE DEALER AS THE FIRST PAD REPLACEMENT SEEMED TO FIX THE PROBLEM..I WAS INFORMED THAT MAYBE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE FILED A COMPLAINT HERE THAT TOYOTA WOULD BE FORCED TO FIX A PROBLEM THAT THEY NEW ABOUT BUT DID NOT INFORM OWNERS ABOUT TO HAVE REPAIRED.. *TR