NHTSA Complaint #11222135 — 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA

FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL OR LACK THEREOF. THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR TOYOTA TUNDRAS YEAR 2002-2004 BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2000-2001 THAT HAVE LOWER BALL JOINTS OF THE SAME DESIGN. MINE FAILED AND SO HAVE SEVERAL OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER FAILED LOWER BALL JOINT. I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE RESULT OF WHAT A FAILED BALL JOINT LOOKS LIKE AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT IMAGE WITH THE HYPOTHETICAL OF TRAVELING 65-70 MPH THE DAMAGE CAN THEN ESCALATE TO CATASTROPHIC OR EVEN DEATH. NOT ONLY FOR PASSENGERS BUT FOR OTHERS TRAVELING THE SAME ROAD. WHEN THE BALL JOINT FAILED I WAS LUCKILY TRAVELING 25-30 MPH TO GET ON TO THE FREEWAY, BUT IT FAILED BEFORE I WAS AT FULL HIGHWAY SPEED. I SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HERE AND THEY CLAIM THAT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE 2000-2001 YEAR TUNDRA'S, WHICH IS CONCLUSIVE OF THE RESEARCH I DID PREVIOUSLY. I ALSO CHECKED ON THE DESIGN OF THE BALL JOINTS AND THE DESIGN IS IDENTICAL BETWEEN 2000-2002. YET THE DEALER REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR TO THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE FAULTY LOWER BALL JOINT.