NHTSA Complaint #11218372 — 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

A FEW YEARS AGO I BOUGHT A USED TOYOTA TUNDRA WITH 70K MILES ON IT THINKING I WAS GETTING A RELIABLE VEHICLE WITH LOTS OF LIFE LEFT ON IT. WHAT I GOT WAS THE MOST UNRELIABLE EXPENSIVE PIECE OF CRAP I HAVE EVER OWNED. IT EVEN NEARLY RUINED OUR HONEYMOON. WE TOOK THE TRUCK ON A ROAD TRIP TO SEE THE SOUTHWEST AND KICK OFF OUR MARRIAGE. IT WAS VERY EXCITING THANKS TO TOYOTA. AT THE GRAND CANYON WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF HUNTING DOWN THE LAST OVERPRICED BOTTLE OF POWER STEERING FLUID. RATHER THAN RELAXING AT THE SOUTH RIM I HAD TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO LIMP THE TRUCK TO THE NEAREST SHOP. THAT WAS OVER $1200 OUT OF OUR BUDGET. THE NEXT OBSTACLE WAS EVEN MORE EXCITING. WE DISCOVERED THE BACK TIRES WHERE READY TO FALL OFF AND THE FRONT WHEELS HAD DEVELOPED SOME ISSUE ALSO. SO WE LIMPED THE TRUCK TO ELK CITY OKLAHOMA IN THE MIDST OF TORNADO WARNINGS. WE EVEN GOT TO SPEND THE NIGHT IN A RUN DOWN MOTEL 6. I THINK THEY RENTED ROOMS BY THE HOUR. THAT WAS ANOTHER $1400 OVER OUR BUDGET FOR A TWO DAY STAY IN SCENIC ELK CITY. AT LEAST WE GOT A FREE LOANER FROM THE FOLKS AT SMITH FAMILY NISSAN. IT'S MORE THAN TOYOTA HAS DONE FOR US. I HAD TO DRIVE UP TO KEENE TO JUST GET PUSHED RIGHT OUT THE DOOR POLITELY. THEY COULD HAVE AT LEAST SAVED ME THE TRIP BY SIMPLY RETURNING MY EMAIL. WE GOT THE SAME TREATMENT FROM TOYOTA CORP. AND FOR A SOUVENIR WE ARE LEFT WITH A VERY EXPENSIVE PIECE OF SCRAP METAL IN THE DRIVEWAY. IT APPEARS AS THOUGH TOYOTA CHEEPED OUT ON THE STEEL FOR THE FRAME. CHEAP CHINESE STEEL. THE SOLUTION WAS TO SPRAY SOME CHEAP CRAP ON THE FRAME AND COVER UP THE PROBLEM. IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE IT BREAKS IN HALF JUST SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY. THANKS TOYOTA FOR ALL THE HELP AND THE GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE. YOU SURE KNOW HOW TO TAKE CARE OF CUSTOMERS. THANKS TO TOYOTA'S PATCH JOB THE FRAME ISSUES DID NOT APPEAR IN A CAR FAX REPORT.