NHTSA Complaint #11138919 — 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

OUR 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA'S GAS TANK HAD FALLEN OFF THE FRAME DUE TO CORRODED STRAPS WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS MOVING AT SLOW SPEED ON OUR PROPERTY. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 140,000 MILES ON IT. THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE TOWED TO A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THERE WAS NO SERIOUS INJURY. HOWEVER, HAD THE TANK SEPARATED WHILE BEING DRIVEN IT IS VERY POSSIBLE AND PROBABLE THAT THIS COULD HAVE RESULTED IN IGNITION, FIRE, EXPLOSION AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. THE DEALERSHIP HAD GIVEN US AN AN INITIAL ESTIMATE OF $1,800 OUT OF POCKET EXPENSE TO PAY FOR THE REPAIRS STATING THAT THE CORROSION IS 'PART OF WINTER DRIVING' THIS IS FAR FROM A PLAUSIBLE AND ACCEPTABLE EXPLANATION. GAS TANKS SHOULD NOT FALL OFF VEHICLES AND POSE SUCH A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY THREAT. TOYOTA CORPORATE REFUSED TO PAY FOR MORE THAN ROUGHLY $400 IN REPAIRS TO THE OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES. THE FINAL BILL OUT OF POCKET EXPENSES WERE $2,300 IN COSTS FOR REPAIR.