NHTSA Complaint #10470525 — 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA

AFTER GETTING OFF THE HIGHWAY, AS I WAS PULLING AWAY AT THE END OF THE EXIT RAMP I NOTICED THE SPARE TIRE HAD FALLEN FROM THE TRUCK AND WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO QUICKLY BACK UP AND LOAD THE SPARE ONTO THE BACK OF THE TRUCK. I NOTICED PART OF THE CARRIER WAS RUSTED TO THE SPARE, BUT THE MIDDLE OF THE CARRIER HAD RUSTED THROUGH. I HAD PARTICIPATED IN TOYOTA'S FRAME RECALL A LITTLE OVER A YEAR AGO AND BELIEVE THEY SHOULD HAVE SEEN HOW BAD THE SITUATION WAS AT THAT TIME, AND DONE SOMETHING TO RECTIFY THE PROBLEM. I HAD JUST SPENT A HALF-HOUR DRIVING HOME ON THE HIGHWAY. I CAN'T IMAGINE THE DAMAGE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CAUSED HAD THE TIRE DROPPED AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS DURING RUSH HOUR RATHER THAN AT 10 MPH!! IN SEARCHING THE INTERNET, THIS IS AN ALL TOO COMMON OCCURRENCE FOR OLDER TACOMAS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T CONSIDERED A SAFETY ISSUE AND SUBJECT TO RECALL. *TR