NHTSA Complaint #10786384 — 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

THE FRAME ON MY 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA WAS COATED WITH A CORROSIVE RESISTANT COMPOUND [CRC] PER BILL KIDD TOYOTA DEALER IN 2012 DUE TO "SAFETY RECALL BOD & 90M & SERVICE CAMPAIGN AOF." IN 2015, PRIORITY TOYOTA [VA] STATED MY FRAME HAD RUST PERFORATIONS & NEEDED A FULL FRAME REPLACEMENT. PRIORITY TOLD ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS ASAP TO EXPLAIN THE DANGEROUSNESS OF THE VEHICLE'S COMPROMISED STRUCTURE. MY CASE MANAGER AT HEADQUARTERS, AUTUMN, & ANOTHER REPRESENTATIVE [ERICA] INFORMED ME THAT TOYOTA WON'T OFFER AN OUT OF WARRANTY ASSISTANCE NOR A "GOOD WILL GESTURE." BOTH EXPLAINED THAT HEADQUARTERS HAS APPROVED FRAME REPLACEMENTS AFTER THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN'S EXPIRATION BASED ON THE FOLLOWING: REPAIR COSTS [I WAS TOLD REPAIRS ON MY TUNDRA WERE CONSIDERED 'EXTENSIVE,'] AGE/MILEAGE, CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND SERVICE RECORDS. I WAS DENIED A FULL FRAME REPLACEMENT; HOWEVER, I'M IN CONTACT WITH ANOTHER TOY CONSUMER WHO EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR ISSUE WITH A 2001 TUNDRA WITH APPROX THE SAME MILEAGE WHO HAD THE FRAME REPLACED THIS YEAR. WHEN I SHARED THESE CONCERNS WITH HEADQUARTER'S SUPERVISOR, JESSIE HAYWOOD, HE STATED: "THE CRC HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE AND SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT IT" AS HE IS AWARE OF HUNDREDS OF TUNDRA, SEQUOIA, AND TACOMA CUSTOMERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED RUST PERFORATION ON THE FRAMES DESPITE THE CRC APPLICATION. MR. HAYWOOD RECOMMENDED THAT I CONTACT THE NHTSA RE MY SAFETY CONCERNS AS WELL AS MY REPORT THAT TOYOTA HAS OFFERED "SECRET WARRANTIES" TO SOME CONSUMERS BUT NOT OTHERS. HE REPORTED "THIS IS ILLEGAL" & "TOYOTA WOULD BE FINED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF THIS IS THE CASE." THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF TOYOTA OWNERS DRIVING VEHICLES WITH UNSAFE FRAMES DUE TO "SEVERE CORROSION" AS DESCRIBED BY TOYOTA ITSELF. DURING INSPECTIONS, THESE VEHICLES HAVE SNAPPED ON THE LIFT.THE CONSUMERS NEED YOUR ASSISTANCE AS DO THE INNOCENT BYSTANDERS WHO SHARE THE SAME ROADWAYS.