NHTSA Complaint #10862948 — 2009 TOYOTA TACOMA

LACK OF ALIGNMENT DURING TOYOTA SAFETY RECALL E02 / NHTSA RECALL ID 14V 604 I AM CONCERNED WITH THE LACK OF VEHICLE ALIGNMENT AS AN INCLUDED PART OF E02 POST REPLACEMENT OF THE REAR SPRING PACKS. WHEN THE REAR SPRINGS ARE REMOVED FROM THE VEHICLE, THE REAR AXLE OFTEN SHIFTS SUCH THAT IS IT NO LONGER IN THE SAME POSITION AS IT WAS PREVIOUSLY INSTALLED. THUS THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER PROPERLY ALIGNED, AS FRONT TOE IS SET BASED ON THE THRUST ANGLE OF THE REAR AXLE. THE THRUST ANGLE IS DERIVATIVE OF THE ALIGNMENT OF THE AXLE RELATIVE TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE VEHICLE, AND CREATES A MOMENT ABOUT THE YAW AXIS OF THE VEHICLE. RE-ALIGNMENT OF THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE PROVIDES CORRECTIVE MEASURE BY SETTING FRONT WHEEL TOE TO ACCOUNT FOR THE POSITION OF THE REAR AXLE, THUS ENSURING THE VEHICLE TRACKS CORRECTLY AND IS STABLE DURING DYNAMIC MANEUVERS. WHEN THE TACOMA FIRST ENTERED THE SERVICING DEALER IT WAS CONFIRMED TO BE CORRECTLY ALIGNED. HOWEVER, THE PRE-ALIGNMENT NUMBERS ON THE HUNTER EXPRESSALIGN SHEET SHOW THAT THE REAR AXLE POSITION AFTER PERFORMING E02 HAS SHIFTED -0.15 [ISO] ABOUT ITS VERTICAL AXIS RELATIVE TO THE POSITION PRIOR TO REAR SPRING REPLACEMENT. FAILURE TO HAVE THE TACOMA REALIGNED WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE NEED TO COUNTER-STEER THE VEHICLE TO MAINTAIN A STRAIGHT TRAJECTORY DURING NORMAL OPERATION. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT THE CUSTOMER SHOULD BE EXPECTED TO BEAR THE BURDEN OF COST FOR THE ALIGNMENT, WHEN IT IS NECESSITATED BY THE CORRECTIVE ACTIONS PRESCRIBED BY TOYOTA DURING E02. FAILURE TO RE-ALIGN VEHICLES BECOMES A SAFETY CONCERN, NAMELY DUE TO UNEVEN TIRE WEAR AND THE POTENTIAL FOR INSTABILITY OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO MISALIGNED AXLES CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO INCREASE TENDENCIES TO OVER-STEER. I AM DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA'S APPARENT DISREGARD FOR OWNER SAFETY AND FEEL THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED WITH URGENCY.