NHTSA Complaint #10449395 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

THE FRAME ON MY VEHICLE CRACKED, AND THIS CAUSED THE TOP OF THE STRUT TO COME UP THROUGH THE FLOORBOARD. THE TOYOTA DEALER, BODY SHOP, AND INDEPENDENT INSURANCE APPRAISER SAY THAT THIS WAS NOT CAUSED BY AN ACCIDENT OR OTHER IMPACT. THEY SAID THE FRAME HAD METAL FATIGUE AND SIMPLY FAILED. THIS POSES A SERIOUS HAZARD IF A LIGHTLY DRIVEN VEHICLE SUCH AS MINE, WELL-CARED FOR AND DRIVEN IN A SUBURBAN SETTING, THE FRAME WOULD CRACK IN 8 YEARS. I SAW ONLINE THAT THERE WAS A FRAME RECALL FOR 2001-2003 TUNDRAS AND SEQUOIAS (WHICH SHARE THE SAME FRAME). THE RECALL WAS FOR ONLY 18 STATES WHERE THERE IS HEAVY SNOW, CAUSING THE FRAMES TO RUST THROUGH. TOYOTA WAS FORCED TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRAME. I BELIEVE THAT THE FRAMES WERE FAULTY FROM A MANUFACTURING DEFECT FOR THIS TO OCCUR. I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION AS IT MAY BE PART OF A MORE WIDE-SPREAD PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA IS NOT TELLING ANYONE ABOUT. *TR