NHTSA Complaint #10668619 — 2003 TOYOTA SEQUOIA SR5

I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA FOR UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTING. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR TREATMENT. THEY KEPT THE VEHICLE OVERNIGHT AND I PICKED IT UP THE NEXT DAY. SIX MONTHS LATER (I'M NOT SURE EXACTLY WHEN IT HAPPENED BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE THAN ONE VEHICLE), WHILE DRIVING THE SEQUOIA, WHICH I NEVER HAD PROBLEMS WITH BEFORE, I SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING AS I DROVE THE VEHICLE AND THOUGHT THAT WITH THE NEW TREATMENT IT WAS JUST BURNING OFF THE EXCESS. HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE, I LOOKED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE BRAKE ROTORS HAD RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT I COULD RUB MY HAND ON THEM AND RUB THE METAL OFF. I CALLED THE DEALER TO ASK THEM WHAT THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN TREATED WITH BECAUSE IN ALL THE YEARS THAT I HAD THE VEHICLE THE ROTORS HAD NEVER RUSTED. I WAS TOLD "IT WASN'T CAUSED BY WHAT THEY DID" AND THAT THEY "SEE RUSTED ROTORS ALL THE TIME", BUT WAS NEVER TOLD WHAT CHEMICALS WERE USED IN THE TREATMENT. I HAVE TO PAY TO HAVE THE ENTIRE BRAKE ASSEMBLY REPLACED ON ALL WHEELS TO MAKE THE VEHICLE SAFE AGAIN. I'M TO BELIEVE THAT IT IS JUST A COINCIDENCE THAT THE FIRST AND ONLY TIME THAT THIS HAPPENED IS WITHIN SIX MONTHS OF THE "UNDERCARRIAGE RUST TREATMENT" THAT I WAS TOLD HAD TO BE APPLIED TO PREVENT RUST BY TOYOTA. I BELIEVE THE RUST INHIBITOR TREATMENT IS FRAUDULENT AND CAUSES OTHER PROBLEMS WITH THE VEHICLES SUCH AS MINE. *TR