NHTSA Complaint #10488708 — 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

THE 1ST GENERATION TOYOTA TUNDRA'S ARE RUST BUCKETS. I OWN A 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA W/ APPROX 101,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR REPAIRS UNDER RECALL: 09V444000 (STRUCTURE: FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS). THE VEHICLE IS BEING REPAIRED (FRAME IS BEING REPLACED). BUT THE DEALER ALSO INFORMED ME THAT THE STEERING RACK AND HOSE CONNECTIONS ARE ROTTED OUT AND IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT -> $1300. ADDITIONALLY, THE DEALER INFORMED ME THAT THE REAR E-BRAKE PIVOTS ARE RUSTED/FROZEN AND WILL ALSO NEED REPLACING ->> $450. IN A NUTSHELL, THE FRAME, THE STEERING AND THE BRAKES ARE ALL RUSTED OUT - IT APPEARS THAT SAFETY WAS AN AFTERTHOUGHT. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA CORPORATION IS NEGLIGENT AND THAT CONSUMERS ARE LEFT HOLDING THE BAG FOR POORLY ENGINEERED PRODUCTS THAT ARE PRONE TO EARLY RUST-OUT. ON-LINE FORUMS ARE FILLED WITH THREADS FROM OTHER OWNERS EXPERIENCING SIMILAR ISSUES. *TR