NHTSA Complaint #10622253 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

WITHIN A YEAR OF PURCHASE, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BECAME SOFT AND THE TRUCK BOTTOMED OUT ON BUMPS. I TOOK IT TO A LOCAL DEALER (HADDADS, PITTSFIELD, MA) AND THEY REFUSED TO SERVICE IT CLAIMING NOTHING WAS WRONG. I LATER TOOK IT TO A SPRINGFIELD DEALERSHIP AND RECEIVED THE SAME ANSWER. I THEN TOOK IT TO SUPERIOR SPRING IN PITTSFIELD. THEY FOUND BOTH SPRINGS WERE BROKEN AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSED TO HONOR THE WARRANTY, CLAIMING I HAD OVER LOADED THE TRUCK. I HAD NOT EVER CARRIED MORE THAN A FEW HUNDRED LBS IN THE BED OF THIS 1/2 TON TRUCK. I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK SINCE NEW AND BEEN THE SOLE OPERATOR. A FEW WEEKS AGO THE STEERING BECAME STICKY. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE STEERING SHAFT AT A COST OF $400. HE STATED THAT TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THE VEHICLE FOR THIS BECAUSE HE SEES THIS PART FAIL OFTEN DUE TO POOR CONSTRUCTION. ALSO, THE FRAME ON THIS TRUCK HAS SIGNIFICANT RUST ALREADY AND DOES NOT LOOK LIKE IT WILL OUTLAST THE BODY AND DRIVE TRAIN. I'M NOT PLEASED. *TR