NHTSA Complaint #10966709 — 2002 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

HOLES IN THE FRAME AND EXCESSIVE RUST IN THE LIFT GATE. THIS IS A 2002 SEQUOIA WHICH WAS IN THE RUST BELT FROM 2002 TO 2011. IN 2011 MOVED TO LOUISIANA. I HAD RUST ISSUES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 2002. IN 2006, THE LIFT GATE WINDOW RUSTED OUT AND COULD NO LONGER USE THE LIFT GATE WINDOW. SINCE THEN, MORE RUST WAS DEVELOPING IN THE LIFT GATE AND ELSEWHERE. IN 2013, I RECEIVED THE RECALL FOR THE SPARE TIRE CABLE. THE LOUISIANA DEALERSHIP IDENTIFIED THAT THE MECHANISM WAS RUSTED AND NO LONGER FUNCTIONAL. THEY ORDERED THE REPLACEMENT UNIT TO INSTALL. IN THE MEANTIME, I TOLD THEM ABOUT THE SEVERE RUST ISSUES IN THE CAR. THEY DID A RUST INSPECTION AND SAID IT PASSED. IN 2014, I RETURNED TO THE SAME LOUISIANA DEALERSHIP FOR THE TAKATA RECALL. AT THAT TIME, I TOLD THEM MY CONCERN REGARDING THE RUST, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE RUST BELT ATM LEAST 4 MONTHS A YEAR. THEY SAID THE FRAME PASSED THE RUST INSPECTION AND PROVIDED ME WITH AN "OPERATIONAL FLOWCHART" FOR FRAME RUST. THEY ALSO SAID THAT IF I FIND A HOLD IN THE FRAME LARGER THAN 10MM, IT WOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF. IN 2015, THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE RUST BELT ABOUT 7 MONTHS. THAT YEAR I HAD TO INSTALL 2X4 SUPPORTS TO HOLD UP MY LIFT GATE WINDOW. IN 2016, THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE RUST BELT ABOUT 5 MONTHS. IN FEBRUARY 2017, I FOUND AT LEAST 1 RUST HOLE IN THE FRAME AS PER THEIR OPERATIONAL FLOWCHART. WHEN I ASKED THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THE RUST HOLE, THEIR COMMENT WAS THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED AND THERE IS NOTHING YOU CAN DO. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA AND THEY STATED THAT THE RECALL WAS COMPLETED. I AM TOTALLY DISAPPOINTED IN THE ABILITY OF THIS VEHICLE TO WITHSTAND RUST. I AM ALSO DRIVING A 1998 FORD THAT WAS IN THE RUST BELT LONGER THAN THE 2002 SEQUOIA WITH NO FRAME RUST. THE FRAME ON THIS VEHICLE SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING AND NEEDS TO BE PROPERLY REPAIRED. SEE THE ATTACHED PHOTO.