NHTSA Complaint #11181067 — 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA

I OWN A 2007 TOYOTA TACOMA. IT'S FRAME HAS BEEN INSPECTED BY MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER (HERTRICH) THREE SEPARATE TIMES FOR RUST TO THE FRAME. IT RECEIVED A RUST INHIBITOR COATING ON 1/16/15. IT WAS INSPECTED AGAIN ON 12/21/17 AND 1/3/19. DURING THE 1/3/19 INSPECTION, THE DEALER CONDUCTED A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION. MY TRUCK'S STEERING COMPONENTS AND STEERING LINKAGE WERE INSPECTED. IT RECEIVED A GREEN CHECK BY THE DEALER, THE HIGHEST RATING. ON 2/7/19, JUST ONE MONTH AFTER THE INSPECTION, MY POWER STEERING FAILED WHILE I WAS DRIVING. I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT SAFELY TO MY LOCAL MECHANIC. MY TRUCK'S RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM HAD HEAVY CORROSION, AND MOST OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD LEAKED. MY MECHANIC REPLACED THE RACK AND PINION STEERING SYSTEM. IT WAS HEAVILY CORRODED. MY MECHANIC SAID HE HAD NEVER SEEN ONE THIS CORRODED. PLEASE SEE ATTACHED PHOTOGRAPHS OF MY CORRODED POWER STEERING RACK. TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO APPLY A SECOND COAT OF THE RUST INHIBITOR TO MY TRUCK'S FRAME, EVEN THOUGH I HAVE NEW RUST COMING THROUGH THE PREVIOUS TREATMENT. NOW, RUST AND CORROSION TO MY POWER STEERING RACK, EXACTLY WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE TRUCK FRAME, HAD MASSIVE CORROSION, CAUSING A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. I HAVE CHECKED TOYOTA FORUMS, AND THIS PROBLEM IS COMMON WITH OTHER TOYOTA TACOMA OWNERS. PLEASE FORCE TOYOTA TO PROPERLY ADDRESS THE CORROSION ISSUES WITH IT'S TACOMA TRUCKS. THE RUST INHIBITOR THAT WAS APPLIED TO MY TRUCK'S FRAME IN JANUARY OF 2015 HAS FAILED. THE TRUCK'S FRAME, AND COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, CONTINUE TO RUST AND CORRODE, CAUSING DANGER TO ME, MY FAMILY, AND OTHER MOTORISTS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION IN THIS MATTER.