NHTSA Complaint #10598479 — 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA

I RECENTLY TOOK MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA INTO THE LOCAL DEALER, DCH IN WAPPINGERS FALLS NY, BECAUSE OF LEAK IN THE RACK AND PINION STEERING. UPON LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE,THEY OBSERVED A CRACKED AND RUSTED FRAME. WE TOOK THE CAR DOWN AND I WENT TO MY LOCAL REPAIR SHOP FOR A SECOND OPINION. THAT REPAIR SHOP HAD SAID THERE WAS A FRAME RECALL FOR THAT YEAR. I CALLED TOYOTA IN CALIFORNIA AND THEY CONFIRMED THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THAT YEAR AND THAT THEY SENT OUT A NOTICE, BUT IT HAD TO BE BROUGHT BY THE END OF 2012. I TOLD THEM I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE. THERE HAVE BEEN 2 OTHER RECALLS FOR THE VEHICLE WHICH I DID RECEIVE NOTICES. THEY CHECKED WITH THEIR COMPLIANCE OFFICE AND SAID THEY DID SEND IT TO ME. I ASKED HOW MANY NOTICES WENT OUT AND THEY SAID ONE AND THEY DO NOT SEND THEM CERTIFIED MAIL. WHEN I STATED THAT I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE, THEY TOLD THERE WAS A DEPARTMENT THAT MAY STILL BE ABLE TO ASSIST ME. AFTER OPENING UP A CASE WITH TOYOTA, THEY CAME TO THE CONCLUSION, THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT BECAUSE I FAILED TO BRING THE CAR IN BY THEIR DEADLINE. I TOLD THEM AGAIN THAT I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE AND THAT I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A RUSTED AND CRACKED FRAME. THIS SEEMS TO BE PROBLEM WITH A GOOD DEAL OF TOYOTAS. I WAS HOPING FOR SOME KIND OF HELP, SINCE THEY'VE ADMITTED THE PROBLEM AND I NEVER RECEIVED THE NOTICE AND WE, AT THIS POINT HAVE ONLY THEIR WORD THAT THEY SENT ME A NOTICE. THANK YOU. TOYOTA CASE# 1405131065. UPDATED 07/03/14