NHTSA Complaint #11310233 — 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

I RECENTLY HAD AN EXHAUST LEAK ON MY TRUCK AND WOULD OCCASIONALLY HEAR SOME CLUNKING NOISES UNDER THE VEHICLE. I WENT UNDER THE TRUCK TO INVESTIGATE THE EXTENT OF THE EXHAUST LEAK AND NOTICED THAT ONE OF THE SWAY BAR LINKS WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED AND THAT ONE END WAS RUSTED OFF. I ORDERED REPLACEMENT PARTS AND TRIED TO JACK THE VEHICLE UP UNDER THE FRAME AND I HEARD CRUNCHING AND SAW THE JACK PRESSING INTO THE FRAME FROM THE BOTTOM AND CRUMBLES OF RUST CAME SHOWERING DOWN. I RELOCATED THE JACK TO A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THE FRAME AND CONTINUED TO JACK IT UP AND MORE CREAKING OF THE FRAME AND RUSTY PARTS BROKE FREE AND FELL TO MY DRIVEWAY. THE FRAME BEHIND THE DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT WHEEL IS BADLY RUSTED AND HAS LOST ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. THERE ARE SEVERAL 5"+ HORIZONTAL AND VERTICAL "CUTS" INTO THE FRAME BOTH ON THE SIDE AND BOTTOM SURROUNDING THE NEARBY FRONT CROSS-MEMBER. THIS EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION COMPROMISES THE VEHICLE'S SAFETY, STABILITY, AND CRASH-WORTHINESS. WE CAN NO LONGER USE THIS TRUCK FOR ITS INTENDED PURPOSE OF HAULING A HEAVY PAYLOAD OR TOWING A TRAILER WHICH WERE ENGINEERED BY TOYOTA. THIS HAS ALSO GREATLY AFFECTED THE VALUE OF THE VEHICLE. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER IN WESTMINSTER, MD AND THEY PERFORMED THE ANTI-RUST SPRAY TREATMENT TO THE FRAME IN 2010 UNDER THE LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN WHICH OBVIOUSLY DIDN'T WORK. THE EXTERIOR PAINTED SURFACES OF THE BODY ARE ALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AS I APPLIED A COATING OF WAX AT LEAST ANNUALLY. THE TRUCK HAS JUST NOW REACHED 90,000 MILES AND I DON'T FEEL THAT I GOT THE VALUE OUT OF THE TRUCK FOR WHAT I PAID BRAND NEW FOR IT BACK IN 2003 WHEN I TRUSTED THE TOYOTA NAME. I RECENTLY CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALER IN WESTMINSTER, MD AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD THAT THE RECALL FOR THE FRAME EXPIRED IN 2012 AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING ELSE THEY COULD DO.