NHTSA Complaint #10583861 — 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

HELLO, I AM HAVING A REALLY STRANGE PROBLEM WITH MY 2003 TUNDRA, THE REAR AXLE IS ACTUALLY RUSTED OUT AND LEAKING GEAR LUBE! I LIVE IN A SNOW AREA AND DROVE THE TRUCK FOR A COUPLE MONTHS BEFORE NOTICING THE OIL ON GROUND AFTER SNOW MELTED, NOW IT IS TOO LATE AS THE REAR AXLE IS NOW MAKING A NOISE AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN UNTIL I REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE HOUSING! YOU CANNOT HEAR IT IN THE CAB UNLESS WINDOWS ARE DOWN! I HAVE TAKEN EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF THIS TRUCK AND ALL MY CARS, WASHING AND WAXING FREQUENTLY EVEN IN WINTER. THE TRUCK HAS BEEN BACK FOR RUST INSPECTIONS AND FRAME COATING BUT NOTHING FOR THE AXLE! I HAVE ACTUALLY SPOKEN WITH A NUMBER OF OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS THAT ARE ALSO EXPERIENCING THE SAME WITH THEIR TUNDRA! ACTUALLY THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE BEARINGS SEIZE FROM NO LUBRICATION AND CAUSE THE TRUCK TO LOCK IN THE REAR! I REALLY CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA WOULD NOT STAND BEHIND THIS ERROR! I REALLY CANNOT AFFORD THE 4-5 THOUSAND REPAIR ON THE TRUCK! I HAVE HAD MANY NEW TOYOTA CARS AND TRUCKS STARTING IN 1984 WITH AN ALL WHEEL TERCEL FOLLOWED BY 5 TACOMAS, EVERY 2 OR 3 YEARS, A PREVIA, A SIENNA AND IN 2009 A CAMRY HYBRID. I WAS GOING TO SELL IT TO MY SON AND BUY ANOTHER TUNDRA BUT I AM NOT SO SURE NOW. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD COVER THIS STRUCTURAL DEFECT. I HAVE NEVER SEEN ANY OTHER CAR OR TRUCK THAT ACTUALLY RUSTED THROUGH THE AXLE HOUSING! ALSO THE FLOOR OF THE BED IN THE TUNDRA WHERE THE CROSS BRACES ARE WELDED TO ARE RUSTED THROUGH AS WELL, THIS STARTED WITHIN 2 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP! I HAVE READ ON THE INTERNET ABOUT ALL THE OTHER TUNDRA OWNERS HAVING THE SAME ISSUE! I HAVE BEEN A BIG SUPPORTER OF TOYOTA BUT MAYBE THAT IS COMING TO AN END! *TR