NHTSA Complaint #11112840 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST PERFORATION ON 1ST GENERATION TACOMAS WILL CAUSE THE FRAME TO BREAK LEADING TO AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE CONDITION INCLUDING HANDLING ABILITY, ROLLOVER, LACK OF IMPACT PROTECTION, AND POSSIBLY LOSS OF LIFE. KEY AREAS ARE BY THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS AND CLOSE TO THE FRONT SWAY BAR. TOYOTA DID OFFER AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE FRAME, BUT THERE WAS NO MENTION THAT THE FRAME WAS DETERIORATING FROM THE INSIDE OUT OR THAT ALL THE FRAMES WERE MANUFACTURED WITHOUT PROPER CORROSION PREVENTATIVE TREATMENT AT DANA CORP, NOT JUST THOSE IN THE LISTED NORTHERN STATES.TOYOTA'S LETTER OF EXTENDED WARRANTY DID NOT LIST THIS AS A SAFETY ISSUE, NOR DID IT RECOMMEND AN INITIAL OR ANY FOLLOWUP FRAME INSPECTION BY A QUALIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC FOR THE NON-NORTHERN STATES, NOR DID IT MENTION THE NHTSA AS BEING INVOLVED. THE LETTER MENTIONS "A SMALL NUMBER OF 2001 THROUGH 2004 MODEL YEAR TACOMAS OPERATING IN SEVERE COLD CLIMATE AREAS WITH HIGH ROAD SALT USE..." . ALL TACOMA'S IN ANY ROAD-SALT STATE HAVE THE ISSUE. MANY STATES THAT DO USE ROAD SALT HAVE NOT BEEN INSPECTED, EVER. WHEN SOMETHING IS UNDER WARRANTY, PEOPLE TEND TO KEEP USING THINGS UNTIL THEY BREAK. UNDER A SAFETY RECALL, PEOPLE TEND TO GET THE PROBLEM FIXED QUICKLY. THE TACOMA FRAMES ARE NOT ACTUALLY "BREAKING" DURING THE WARRANTY PERIOD BUT THEY ARE BECOMING "DEFECTIVE" DURING THE PERIOD. MANY PEOPLE ARE DRIVING OLDER TACOMAS AND HAVE NO IDEA THE TRUCK IS ABOUT TO SNAP IN HALF. THIS FRAME RUST ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED AS A SAFETY ISSUE BY EITHER TOYOTA OR THE NHTSA. A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH FOR TACOMA FRAME RUST WILL REVEAL HUNDREDS/THOUSANDS OF PICTURES OF PERFORATED AND DANGEROUS FRAMES. INTERESTINGLY, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TIRE CARRIER WHICH SUFFERED FROM RUST AS A DIRECT RESULT FROM THE FRAME RUST. THE LETTER CLEARLY STATES THAT IN THE NON-EFFECTED STATES, "YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING AT THIS TIME".