NHTSA Complaint #11254476 — 2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

BOUGHT TRUCK NEW IN 8/2001. BROUGHT TRUCK TO DEALER WHEN IT WAS RECALLED FOR RUST IN 2012 AND WAS TOLD RUST WASN'T BAD ENOUGH TO DO ANYTHING. BROUGHT TRUCK BACK TO DEALER MULTIPLE TIMES AFTER 2012 (LAST IN 11/18) AND WAS TOLD EVERYTHING WAS FINE ON EACH OCCASION. IN 8/2019 I HEARD A SQUEAK FROM UNDERCARRIAGE AND WHEN I LOOKED, THE SPARE TIRE CROSSMEMBER WAS HANGING DOWN AND THE RIGHT SIDE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND THE TOP OF THE SHOCK WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE BOTTOM OF THE TRUCK BED (TOP SHOCK MOUNT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY). LOCAL SERVICE CENTER TOLD ME TO REMOVE THE SHOCK AND SPARE TIRE FOR SAFETY. THIS RUST IS LIMITED TO THE UPPER SHOCK MOUNT AND THE CROSSMEMBER HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE. OTHER CROSSMEMBERS AND FRAME RAILS ARE ALL STABLE WITH ONLY THE AMOUNT OF SURFACE RUST EXPECTED ON A 18 YEAR OLD VEHICLE. I DO NOT BELIEVE THAT THE DEALER DID A THOROUGH EXAM OF THE TRUCK IN 2012, 2018 OR OTHER VISITS I MADE WHEN I PROMPTED THEM TO CHECK THE RUST AS IT RELATED TO THE RECALL. I WAS TOLD THAT SINCE THE CAMPAIGN FOR RUST WAS OVER THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING. BASED ON THE FACT OF ONLY 2-3 AREAS OF CATASTROPHIC RUST ON THE FRAME AND COMPONENTS WHILE THE REST OF THE FRAME AND CHASSIS IS WEARING APPROPRIATELY I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE RE-INSTATED - OBVIOUS FACTORY DEFECT - NO CORROSION INHIBITED APPLIED. THE VEHICLE IS STILL MECHANICALLY PERFECT BUT THE FALLING SPARE TIRE AND BROKEN SUSPENSION CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT OR INJURY THAT COULD BE PREVENTED WITH A RECALL. I BELIEVE THAT THE TOYOTA DEALER DID NOT DO A THOROUGH INSPECTION. I ALSO QUESTION WHY I HAVE SEEN MULTIPLE INSTANCES OF INDIVIDUALS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS WHO WERE GIVEN ANTI-CORROSION TREATMENT OR OTHER EFFORTS MADE TO STOP THE RUST FROM GETTING WORSE - BUT NOTHING WAS DONE BY TOYOTA TO MITIGATE THIS PROBLEM BEFORE IT GOT TO THIS CATASTROPHIC LEVEL.