NHTSA Complaint #10704674 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

I BOUGHT THE TRUCK DEC 9,2014 IN IL. I BOUGHT IT FROM A USED DEALERSHIP. MID JAN I NOTICED THE CAR PULLING TO THE LEFT. I GOT THE TIRES ROTATED, LOWER BALL BEARINGS REPLACED AND GOT AN ALIGNMENT. ALL A COUPLE WEEKS APART. STILL PULLED TO THE LEFT. I WENT TO ROTATE THE TIRES AGAIN FIGURING I WORE THEM FUNNY. THE FRAME SNAPPED WHERE THE LEAF SPRING MOUNTS TO THE FRAME. THE FRAME COMPLETELY BROKE. THE ONLY THING HOLDING MY REAR LEFT TIRE ON WAS THE TRUCK BED. ON TOYOTA'S WEBSITE YOU CAN LOOK FOR RECALLS. I TYPED MY VIN IN AND IT SAID THE ONLY RECALL WAS FOR THE SPARE TIRE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY OPENED A CASE (#1503310201). THEY TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME THAT HAD ISSUES WITH RUST. THE RECALL WENT TO 2011. I WAS TOLD SINCE THE PREVIOUS OWNER DIDN'T ACT THEY WOULD DO NOTHING. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT THE FRAME BROKE BECAUSE OF A DEFECT I WAS UNAWARE OF AND UNABLE TO FIND OUT ABOUT. IT WAS NOT A SMALL FAILURE IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. ANYTIME A FRAME FAILS A LIFE CAN BE LOST. THIS IS NOT A SMALL REPAIR OR FIX. IT IS A DIRECT DEFECT TO THE SKELETON OF THE TRUCK. THERE IS KNOW WAY TO KNOW OF THIS DEFECT WITHOUT CALLING AND REQUESTING THE INFORMATION. IT IS NOT ON THERE WEBSITE WHEN LOOKING FOR DEFECTS. I BELIEVE THEY ARE %100 PERCENT AT FAULT FOR NOT MAKING THIS PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. THEY SHOULD BE %100 ACCOUNTABLE FOR ANY ACCIDENTS OR REPAIRS NEEDED BECAUSE OF THIS MAJOR DEFECT IN THERE TRUCK. A TEN YEAR LIMIT SHOULD BE THE LIMIT ONLY IF THEY DON'T EXPECT ANY OF THERE FRAMES TO LAST THAT LONG. WHEN PURCHASING A NEW OR USED TRUCK ONE WOULD NEVER ASSUME THE FRAME WOULD SNAP IN TEN YEARS. I DID INSPECT THE FRAME AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. IT LOOKED GREAT. HAS A NICE UNDERCOAT. PURCHASED IN IL WHERE THEY DO NOT USE SALT ON THE ROAD. I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THE TRUCK FROM THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN FROM THE DEALER. I DO HAVE PICTURES. *TR