NHTSA Complaint #10495998 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

OVER A YEAR AND A HALF AGO MY HUSBAND NOTICED RUST DEVELOPING ON THE FRAME OF HIS VEHICLE. HE REPEATEDLY MENTIONED THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHOSE RESPONSE WAS THERE ARE NO RECALLS SO YOU SHOULD BE OK. IN DECEMBER DURING THE VEHICLE'S MAINTENANCE THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED MY HUSBAND THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTING OUT. THERE WAS NO PROPOSED SOLUTION OTHER THAN TO SCRAP THE THING. TWO WEEKS LATER WE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA STATING THAT THEY WERE CONDUCTING RESEARCH REGARDING FRAMES RUSTING OUT ON LIKE VEHICLE. WE WERE INSTRUCTED TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION AND POSSIBLE FRAME PATCHING OR REPLACEMENT. THE DEALERSHIP RECEIVED THE OK TO REPLACE THE FRAME. HOWEVER MULTIPLE PARTS AROUND THE FRAME ARE ALSO RUSTED OUT. THE COST FOR COMPLETE REPAIR INCLUDING THE FRAME IS 15K. WE WERE TOLD THAT WE WOULD NOT BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE COST OF THE FRAME REPLACEMENT, HOWEVER WE WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR EVERYTHING ELSE, AROUND 10K. IT WOULD SEEM IF THE FRAME HAS A KNOWN RUST ISSUE, OTHER PARTS ON THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. WHY WOULD THE COMPANY NOT BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY THE TOTAL COST OF THE REPAIR. WE HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND ARE WAITING TO TALK TO A CASE MANAGER. *TR