NHTSA Complaint #10914878 — 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I AM A RETIRED TOYOTA MASTER DIAGNOSTIC TECHNICIAN. AS I WAS REPLACING MY REAR BRAKE LINES ON MY 2003 TUNDRA-WITH 79,962 MILES, I SAW A FLUID LEAK UNDER REAR OF VEHICLE. UPON INSPECTION I FOUND THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THE GEAR OIL IS LEAKING THROUGH THE HOUSING. UNFORTUNATELY THE ONLY REMEDY IS THE REPLACEMENT OF THE COMPLETE REAR AXLE/DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY. THE FRAME HAS ALREADY BEEN REPLACED-UNDER RECALL. THE REAR BRAKE LINES HAVE RUSTED THROUGH WHICH HAD TO BE REPLACED- AT MY EXPENSE. ALSO THE POWER STEERING LINES HAVE ALSO RUSTED THROUGH WHICH ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED- AT MY EXPENSE. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE MATERIAL THAT WAS USED IS OF VERY LOW QUALITY CAUSING VERY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS.IE; LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL DUE TO DIFFERENTIAL LOCK-UP, LOSS OF VEHICLE BRAKING DUE TO RAPID FLUID LOSS, LOSS OF VEHICLE STEERING CONTROL DUE TO RAPID FLUID LOSS. I AM AMAZED THAT TOYOTA MOTOR CO. WILL NOT STAND BEHIND THE PRODUCT THEY SOLD-WITHOUT BEING FORCED TO. ONE QUICK LOOK UNDER A 2003 TUNDRA IS ALL IT TAKES TO SEE THAT LOW/POOR QUALITY HARDWARE AND MATERIALS WERE USED. WITHOUT REPAIR AND/OR REPLACEMENT OF ABOVE STATED COMPONENTS SOMEONE WILL GET INJURED-POSSIBLY FATALLY. MY BRAKES FAILED AS I WAS TOWING A TRAILER IN HEAVY, CITY TRAFFIC. I WAS GOING 35MPH WHEN A VEHICLE PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AND THEN PROCEEDED TO STOP SUDDENLY TO MAKE A LEFT TURN INTO A PARKING LOT. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES AND THE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR. I WAS LUCKY THERE WAS ROOM TO MANEUVER TO THE RIGHT SO I WAS ABLE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I'M SURE THERE HAVE BEEN THOSE LESS FORTUNATE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THESE COMPLAINTS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. THESE COMPONENTS SHOULD LAST FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE TRUCK. A DIFFERENTIAL IS NOT AN ITEM ONE EXPECTS TO EVER REPLACE. OWNERS HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT THESE FAILURES FOR YEARS. THANK YOU.SINCERELY,....