NHTSA Complaint #11093195 — 2008 TOYOTA SEQUOIA

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED USED IN MAY 2011 WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT. IT CURRENTLY HAS 100,440 MILES ON IT.. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE FROM A DEALER, AN UNDER CAR INSPECTION INDICATED NO VISIBLE RUST TO SPEAK OF AND PAINT/FINISH WAS STILL PATENT ON REAR SUSPENSION, AT THE LAST OIL CHANGE OIL CHANGE, THE TECH NOTED THE EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE REAR SUSPENSION AND COMMENTED THAT HIS TOYOTA TUNDRA A FEW YEARS OLDER HAD A RECALL FOR SEVERE RUST AND REPLACEMENT FOR THE SAME THING, AND THAT THIS WOULD LIKELY BE SUBJECT TO A RECALL TOO IN TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A TOYOTA DEALER TODAY FOR A FRAME INSPECTION UNDER THE EXTENDED FRAME WARRANTY AND THE FRAME WAS DECLARED FAULTY FOR A SMALL RUST THROUGH AREA AND WILL BE REPLACED. HOWEVER THE ENTIRE REAR SUSPENSION AND CROSS FRAME WERE SEVERELY RUSTED THROUGH AND CRUMBLING, WHICH THEY SAID WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE FRAME WARRANTY. THIS PRESENTS A SEVERE SAFETY SITUATION SINCE THIS SUSPENSION COULD FAIL AT ANY TIME CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. SINCE THIS PROBLEM OCCURRED IN THE PAST ON TOYOTAS AND RESULTED IN A RECALL, IT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AGAIN FOR THIS MAKE AND MODEL. AT NO TIME DURING OUR OWNERSHIP HAS IT BEEN IN OR NEAR SALT WATER, NOR EVER SUBMERGED IN FRESH WATER. IT'S STORED OUTSIDE ON AN ASPHALT DRIVEWAY YEAR ROUND AND USED PRIMARILY AS A BACK UP FOR OUR MAIN VEHICLE. UNFORTUNATELY THE DEALER REMOVED IT FROM THE HOIST BEFORE I COULD GET A PHOTO OF IT IN CURRENT CONDITION.