NHTSA Complaint #10593130 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

AFTER BEING DRIVEN ON THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATELY 60 MILES, THE 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK WAS BEING BACKED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHEN STEERING SUDDENLY LOCKED. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED TO THE CAR. THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD FAILED. I DETERMINED THAT TOYOTA ISSUED A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR (NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000) FOR THIS ISSUE, WITH THE FOLLOWING CONSEQUENCE: THE LOWER BALL JOINT MAY SEPARATE FROM THE KNUCKLE CAUSING LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND A CRASH COULD OCCUR. IT SEEMS THAT OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE FOR WHICH VEHICLES WERE RECALLED BY TOYOTA. HOWEVER, WHEN I CALLED TOYOTA, I WAS TOLD THAT OUR VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL AND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING. WE HAD TO SPEND THE MONEY AND TIME TO FIX THE FAILED BALL JOINT AND ARE CONSIDERING REPLACING THE DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT PROPHYLACTICALLY AS WE NO LONGER TRUST THE WHEELS TO REMAIN ON OUR TRUCK. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A WHEEL COME OFF A CAR. IF THE WHEEL HAD DISENGAGED FROM OUR CAR 2 MINUTES PRIOR, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, THE CONSEQUENCES COULD HAVE BEEN SEVERE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED THAT TOYOTA IS NOT INCLUDING OUR CAR IN THE RECALL - EVEN THOUGH THE EXACT SAME ISSUE FOR WHICH THE RECALL WAS ISSUED (FOR OUR VEHICLE MODEL AND YEAR) OCCURRED ON OUR CAR. IF THE ACCIDENT HAD HAPPENED AT HIGH SPEEDS, SOMEONE WOULD HAVE DIED AND A LAWYER WOULD BE CONTACTING TOYOTA AND NHTSA. PERHAPS THE RECALL NEEDS TO BE EXPANDED! *TR