NHTSA Complaint #10908388 — 2006 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

SEVERE FRAME CORROSION, 2006 TOYOTA SEQUOIA: I WAS UNAWARE OF THE "COLD WEATHER STATES" FRAME CORROSION PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS (AND RECALLS OF OLDER SEQUOIAS AND OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS) UNTIL I TOOK MY '06 SEQUOIA TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR AN AIRBAG RECALL REPLACEMENT AND DIAGNOSIS OF WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A MINOR FRONT END RATTLE. WHEN THEY RAISED IT ON THE LIFT, THEY SAID THE VEHICLE BEHAVED IMPROPERLY AND THEY WERE ALARMED. THAT IS WHEN THEY DISCOVERED THE LARGE, RUSTED HOLE IN THE FRAME! WHAT A SHOCK IT WAS WHEN THEY TOLD ME, AND THEN, TO BE ADVISED THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE! IF I HAD NOT TAKEN IT IN FOR THE AIRBAG RECALL, MY FAMILY AND I COULD BE DEAD RIGHT NOW, IF CONDITIONS HAD BEEN JUST SO. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY UNBELIEVABLE THAT TOYOTA IS PUTTING PEOPLES' LIVES IN DANGER BY NOT RECALLING ALL VEHICLES WITH THIS FRAME AND STANDING BY THEIR PRODUCT. ARE THEY WAITING FOR A DEATH(S) TO OCCUR BEFORE THEY ARE FORCED TO RECALL? THEY CERTAINLY KNOW THAT OTHER NON-RECALLED MODELS OF SEQUOIA HAVE FRAME ROT. PRESENTLY, MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER IS WAITING FOR APPROVAL OR DISAPPROVAL TO HAVE THE FRAME REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE. I AM WARY AND LEFT IN CONSTANT WORRY IF TOYOTA WILL HELP, BASED ON THE REPORTS OF OTHER PEOPLES' EXPERIENCES WHOSE VEHICLES WERE NOT RECALLED YET. I AM FACED WITH IT BEING A TOTAL LOSS IF TOYOTA DOES NOT CHOOSE TO DO THE RIGHT THING. (THIS IS THEIR FAULT. THEY SHOULD FIX IT FREE OF CHARGE. PERIOD.) I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE BECAUSE OF ITS REPORTED RELIABILITY. I HAVE BEEN A 3 TIMES LOYAL CUSTOMER TO TOYOTA AND AM IN UTTER DISBELIEF HOW I HAVE BEEN MISLED. PLEASE PUSH TO HAVE TOYOTA RECALL ALL TOYOTA SEQUOIAS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE ON THIS FRAME SO THAT NOBODY ELSE HAS TO GO THROUGH THIS UNIMAGINABLE STRESS, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, BEFORE SOMEONE DIES OR IS SEVERELY INJURED. WILL MY REPORT BE THE FINAL REPORT THAT PROMPTS A RECALL OR THIS DEATH TRAP? I HOPE SO.