NHTSA Complaint #11194013 — 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA

INITIAL PROBLEM 12/08/2009: IN DECEMBER OF 2009, I DROPPED MY TOYOTA TACOMA OFF AT MY LOCAL DEALER (LEXINGTON TOYOTA, (MA) FOR A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. LEXINGTON TOYOTA CALLED ME AND STATED THAT MY 2001 TACOMA HAD A SERIOUS FRAME RUST PERFORATION PROBLEM. THEY STATED THAT THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRAME AT NO COST TO ME AND THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER. THE TOTAL COST TO ME WHEN THE JOB WAS COMPLETED WAS $1,717.77 (SEE-ATTACHED INVOICE [XXX].) THE FRAME REPAIR INVOICE WAS DATED 12/22/2009. FAST FORWARD TO 12/10/2018: ON 12/10/2018, I BROUGHT MY 2001 TACOMA INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF LEXINGTON TOYOTA FOR SOME BRAKE WORK. LATER THAT DAY THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT MY FRAME HAD SELECTED ROT AND WOULD NOT PASS THE NEXT STATE INSPECTION. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY HAD REVIEWED THE SITUATION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED THAT THE FRAME HAD BEEN REPLACED IN DECEMBER OF 2009 AND THAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR ([XXX]) HAD STATED TO ME THAT THE NEW FRAME WAS WARRANTIED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS. I JOKING REPLIED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY LAST LONGER THAN I WOULD. I GUESS I WAS WRONG. I HAVE ALL OF MY REPAIR WORK AND YEARLY STATE INSPECTION WORK DONE AT LEXINGTON (MA) TOYOTA. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS SITUATION WAS NOT IDENTIFIED EARLIER WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BEFORE GETTING TO ITS CURRENT STATE. I BELEIVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE FRAME FAILS WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME, HOW MANY TACOMA?S AND OTHER TOYOTAS ARE OUT THERE THAT HAD FRAME REPLACEMENTS THAT ARE NOW DEFECTIVE. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE TOYOTA USED THE SAME SUBSTANDARD FRAMES FOR THEIR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I SPOKE WITH [XXX], CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. ON 01/09/19 [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT