Sample Of Safety Complaints

BOSTON -- Team 5 Investigates reviewed safety complaints filed with NHTSA for 1995 through 2000 Toyota Tacomas and found 82 total complaints about rusted frames:

Most complaints were filed within the past year. The earliest complaint we found was filed 8-1-2005.

================================================ SAFETY SUMMARIES from NHTSA records

1996 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: September 25, 2007

REAR FRAME OVER TIRES FAILED AND HAD TO BE WELDED WITH NEW FRAME PIECES. BOTH SIDES. ABOUT 5 MONTHS LATER, COULD NOT REGISTER VEHICLE DUE TO ADDITIONAL, UNREPAIRABLE FRAME FAILURES. REPAIR SHOP SAID HE HAS WELDED ABOUT 100 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCKS..

****** 1997 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: March 5, 2008

THE RUST HAD ACTUALLY EATEN THROUGH THE STEEL. I COULD PUSH MY FINGER THROUGH IT. UNBELIEVABLE! THE BODY OF THE TRUCK IS IN GREAT CONDITION AND UP UNTIL NOW IT HAS BEEN VERY GOOD MECHANICALLY. IT IS VERY UNNERVING. I'M AFRAID IT WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND I'LL HAVE TO CLAIM A TOTAL LOSS. WHAT RECOURSE DO I HAVE?

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: March 21, 2008

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST ON MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA LEAD TO THE CAB BREAKING FROM IT BODY MOUNTS AND CRASHING ONTO THE FRAME. IN ADDITION, ALL BUT ONE OF THE FRAME MOUNTS THAT HOLD THE GAS TANK IN PLACE HAVE SINCE BROKEN CAUSING THE TANK TO DROP. ALSO, FRAME SHOWS RUST PENETRATION THROUGHOUT AND LARGE DIAMETER HOLES ARE VISIBLE IN THE LOAD BEARING MEMBERS. SUSPENSION MOUNTS, SHACKLES, AND THE ACCESSORY FRAMES HARDWARE IS SEVERELY CORRODED AS WELL.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: March 16, 2008

I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO REPLACE THE FRAME NOR DO I THINK ITS EXPECTED OF ANY OF US WITH THIS PROBLEM TO PAY FOR THE MANUFACTURES DEFECT!! SO AS FOR NOW I AM STUCK WITH A TRUCK THAT IS WORTHLESS. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DIE FROM THIS BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE!!!!

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: September 19, 2007

I OWNED A TOYOTA TACOMA, 1998 KING CAB WITH 4WD UP UNTIL OCT 07, WHEN I HAD TO TRADE IT IN OR JUNK IT. THE FRAME WAS SO RUSTED OUT THAT ONE BAD BUMP WAS GOING TO LAND ME IN A DITCH OR OUT OF CONTROL. I RESEARCHED THIS ONLINE, FOUND THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I TURNED IT INTO MY TOYOTA DEALER, THE TRUCK HAD ONLY 97,000 MILES ON IT, WAS WORTH THOUSANDS BUT ONLY GOT 2500 ON TRADE IN DUE TO ITS FRAME CONDITION.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: January 15, 2008

THIS DEFECT WAS BROUGHT TO BY ATTENTION DURING A RECENT SNOWSTORM WHEN DRIVING HOME FROM ONE OF MANY JOBS. I RAN OVER A SHALLOW POT HOLE AND HEARD A CLUNK. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO DRIVE VERY ODDLY CAUSING CONCERN TO ME. I HAD MY MECHANIC LOOK IT OVER THE NEXT DAY AND HE EXPLAINED THAT HE HAS SEEN MANY OF THESE TRUCKS WITH THE SAME TYPE OF ISSUE. MY ISOLATED ISSUE INVOLVES THE ATTACHING SITE OF THE REAR LEAF SPRING. THE MECHANIC QUOTED MY $1000 DOLLARS WITH NO GUARANTEE OF REPAIR. I COULD NOT DO THIS BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY TO PUT INTO IT. I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO IS A FAMILY MEMBER WHO FIXED IT AND SHOWED ME THE MULTIPLE OTHER WEAK SPOTS WITH IN THE FRAME. IN THESE MULTIPLE AREAS THE FRAME IS SO WEAK THAT IF YOU TOUCH IT PIECES FALL OFF. HE TRIED HIS BEST TO REINFORCE IT BUT OTHER SPOTS STILL LACK STRENGTH. NOT SAFE AND NOT GOING TO SELL!!!!!!

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: Janaury 6, 2008

PUT TRUCK ON LIFT. TRUCK FRAME LITERALLY BROKE IN HALF WHEN TRUCK WAS ELEVATED. EXTENSIVE CORROSION OF TRUCK FRAME. VIRTUALLY ZERO CORROSION ON THE REST OF THE TRUCK.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: January 28, 2008

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE DEALER DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED UNDER THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. HE FILED A CLAIM WITH TOYOTA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE UNAWARE OF THE FAILURE AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 83,000.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: January 13, 2008

THE FRAME ROT WAS SO BAD THAT THE REAR PORTION LOOKS LIKE SWISS CHEESE. THE FRAME HAS ACTUALLY GOTTEN SO BAD IT BROKE AWAY FROM THE LEAF SPRING MOUNTS AND IS NO LONGER CONNECTED. I AM VERY UPSET BECAUSE THE CAR IS ONLY 10 YEARS OLD AND I USED TO LINK TOYOTA WITH QUALITY. THIS COULD BE MY LAST TOYOTA BECAUSE I FEEL CHEATED.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: December 19, 2007

I WAS TOLD TODAY BY AN INSURANCE APPRAISER THAT THE FRAME ON MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTENDED-CAB, 4X4 PICKUP TRUCK IS RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT'S UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND COULD VERY POSSIBLY BREAK ON ROUGH ROAD CONDITIONS. SUCH A FAILURE COULD RENDER THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE AND CAUSE INJURY OR DEATH. HIS EVALUATION WAS SIMPLY THAT "THIS TRUCK IS NOW JUNK". HE WAS SURPRISED THAT THE IMPACT OF THE COLLISION DAMAGE HE WAS ASSESSING DIDN'T BREAK THE FRAME. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK NEW IN AUGUST OF 1998 ($27000+ WINDOW STICKER) AND IT NOW HAS 46,766 MILES ON IT.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: August 16, 2005

THE VEHICLE'S FRAME IS ROTTED, RUSTED, AND CORRODED FROM THE FRONT TO THE BACK OF THE FRAME RAILS. THE VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION BECAUSE IT WAS DEEMED AS STRUCTURALLY UNSAFE.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: October 30, 2007

AFTER REPEATEDLY NOTICING RUST FLAKES ON THE GROUND UNDER THE VEHICLE, IT WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL MECHANICS AND A BODY SHOP FOR ASSESSMENT. THERE WAS CONSENSUS THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH, AND THAT THERE WASN'T SUFFICIENT INTACT METAL LEFT TO ENABLE IT TO BE REPAIRED. THEY ALSO AGREED THAT THAT IT WOULD BE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO REPLACE THE FRAME (ESTIMATES RANGED FROM $3,500 TO $10,000), SO THE VEHICLE WAS ESSENTIALLY "TOTALED." THEY ALL WARNED THAT IT WAS EXTREMELY HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE, SINCE THE SLIGHTEST ACCIDENT OR ROAD HAZARD COULD CAUSE THE FRAME TO BREAK AND THE VEHICLE TO SPLIT APART AND/OR BUCKLE.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: August 27, 2007

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTED AND CORRODED WHERE THE REAR SPRINGS HOOK TO THE FRAME. THE CONTACT HAS TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA THREE TIMES AND THEY HAVE GIVEN HIM THE RUN AROUND. HE WAS INITIALLY INFORMED THAT TOYOTA WOULD MAKE A ONE HUNDRED PERCENT REPAIR. THEN HE WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WOULD MAKE A FIFTY PERCENT REPAIR. THE DEALER FINALLY STATED THAT HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE COST FOR A SHORT TERM REPAIR WAS OVER $2,500. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INSPECTION AGENCY AND WAS INFORMED THAT TOYOTA'S REMEDY WOULD HAVE ONLY BEEN TEMPORARY. TOYOTA OFFERED TO PURCHASE THE VEHICLE AFTER THE REPAIR FOR HALF THE MARKET VALUE. THE VEHICLE COULD NOT PASS INSPECTION. THE CONTACT HAS PHOTOS OF THE VEHICLE AND ALSO OF HOW TOYOTA WAS GOING TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: August 20, 2007

THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE HAS LARGE HOLES. SHE STATED THAT WHERE THE TRUCK CAB AND BED COME TOGETHER IS MORE DAMAGED THAN ANY OTHER PART OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT IT WAS NOT A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: August 27, 2007

MY MECHANIC HAS INFORMED ME THAT THE TRUCK IS A DANGER TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS RUSTED THROUGH & THERE LARGE, GAPING HOLES THROUGHOUT. A VEHICLE THAT I HAD INTENDED TO KEEP FOR MANY MORE YEARS IS NOW WORTHLESS AND A DANGER TO DRIVE.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: June 22, 2007

WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED ON THE FRAME RACK AT THE SHOP, THE RACK WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS LIFTED AND IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS TOTALLY ROTTED. THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 134,000.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: April 13, 2007

I OWN A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 2WD WITH 105,000 MILES ON IT AND THE FRAME IS CORRODED SO EXTENSIVELY THAT I COULD PUT MY FINGER THROUGH THE RUST. I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1998 AND MAINTAINED IT REGULARLY. THE LAST TIME THAT I PUT IT ON A JACK THE FRAME PARTIALLY COLLAPSED WHERE IT WAS RESTING ON THE JACK. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND SEVERE CORROSION THROUGHOUT THE FRAME. THE BUMPER BRACKETS WERE BARELY HOLDING UP THE BUMPER.

***** 1998 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: February 20, 2007

1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4X4 BOTH FRAME RAILS HAVE ROTTED THROUGH RIGHT BEHIND THE CAB WITH THE TRUCK ALMOST BREAKING IN TWO.

***** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: February 27, 2008

160K MILES MY TRUCK FRAME, IN THE REAR AROUND THE LEAF SPRINGS AND BACK COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I HAD THIS TRUCK ON A LIFT 1.5 YEARS AGO AND INSPECTED IT WITH A MECHANIC AND IT WAS FINE. THIS FRAME RUST HAPPENED VERY QUICKLY. THE TRUCK IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE NOW. ONLY CHOICE IS TO PART IT OUT OR JUNKYARD. GETTING SOMEONE TO WELD THE FRAME IS NEAR IMPOSSIBLE. TRUCK IS FINE SHAPE OTHERWISE.

***** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: February 29, 2008

THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT A LOCAL AUTO SHOP FOR A ROUTINE SERVICE CHECK, THE PROFESSIONAL TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. THE CONTACT NOTIFIED THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS AND COULD NOT ASSIST. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 199,000.

***** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: Janaury 31, 2008

AT MY ANNUAL STATE (NH) AUTO INSPECTION ON JANUARY 31ST, 2008, MY 1999 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP I WAS REJECTED BECAUSE OF AN EXTREME FRAME FAILURE DUE TO RUSTING AND FRAME DETERIORATION IN FRONT OF THE REAR LEAF SPRING MOUNTS.

***** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: November 30, 2007

I WAS GETTING READY TO GO TO TOWN WHEN A RELATIVE NOTICED THAT MY BED AND CAB WERE LAYING RIGHT AGAINST EACH OTHER. I CHECK THE ISSUE AND FOUND THAT MY FRAME RAILS WERE BOTH CRACKED ALMOST ALL THE WAY THROUGH. I JUST PURCHASED THIS TRUCK AROUND JULY 1, 2007 WITH A NEW INSPECTION STICKER ON IT. I CHECKED EVERYTHING BEFORE I BOUGHT IT AND IT LOOKED DECENT, BUT SHORTLY AFTER THE PURCHASED LARGE CHUNKED OF RUST STARTED TO FALL OFF WHEN BANGING ON THE FRAME. NOW THE FRAME IS SO THIN THAT ANY WHEN YOU BANG ON THE FRAME IT GOES THROUGH. I HAVE ONLY PUT 13,000 MILES SINCE I BOUGHT IT ALL OF WHICH ARE HIGHWAY MILES DRIVING TO AND FROM WORK AND/OR SCHOOL. I WAS TOLD BY THE LOCAL BODY SHOP THAT THE ONLY WAY TO FIX THE RUSTY FRAME ISSUE WAS TO CHANGE THE WHOLE FRAME AT THE PRICE OF $6000. THEY SAID THAT THE FRAME WAS BEYOND REPAIR AND THERE WASN'T ANYTHING GOOD ENOUGH TO WELD TO.

****** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: November 30, 2007

UPON INSPECTION, FRAME HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH ON DRIVERS SIDE, DETERIORATING ON PASSENGER SIDE. FRAME IS FLEXING AT POINT BETWEEN CAB AND BED ENOUGH THAT REAR OF CAB HAS CONTACTED WITH BED. VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE HOME THREE MILES AS FRAME IS NEAR SEPARATION, REAR SPRING HANGER IS CLOSE TO SEPARATING. UNACCEPTABLE/DANGEROUS MANUFACTURING/PREPARATION OF FRAME BY TOYOTA.

***** 1999 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: May 22, 2007

1999 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME RUSTED THROUGH AND CRACKED FROM FRONT TO REAR. VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND MAY BREAK IN HALF.

***** 2000 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: January 21, 2008

WE HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5 XTRA CAB, 4 X 4. THE BODY IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. IT WENT IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE TODAY AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE FRAME RAILS HAVE ROTTED. THE FRAME IS UNSAFE AND BECAUSE OF THIS, WE WILL HAVE TO GET RID OF THE TRUCK. IT IS OUR UNDERSTANDING IN TALKING WITH THE DEALER, IT WILL BE GOING TO THE SALVAGE YARD, IT CANNOT BE REPAIRED. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING TO US AS THE OWNERS OF THE VEHICLE, IT ONLY HAS 37,000 MILES ON IT! WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT NOTHING HAS HAPPENED WITH THIS VEHICLE WHILE IT WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE FRAME ROT COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS L INJURY OR DEATH.

***** 2000 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: November 27, 2007

IN NOVEMBER, 2007, I NOTICED A BANGING NOISE WHENEVER I DROVE OVER THE SMALLEST OF BUMPS. I EXAMINED THE OUTSIDE & THE UNDERSIDE OF THE 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA TRUCK I HAD BEEN DRIVING SINCE NEW, & FOUND THE FOLLOWING: #1, THE TRUCK FRAME IS SEVERELY ROTTED WITH JAGGED, SHARP, IRREGULAR, PENETRATING HOLES IN THE FRAME - UP TO 6 INCHES IN LENGTH. #2, THE UNDERNEATH INSIDE OF THE TRUCK FRAME BOX BEAMS ARE COVERED WITH CORROSION & LARGE PIECES OF FRAME HAVE "FLAKED OFF"! #3, THE SEVEREST CORROSION EXTENDS FROM THE "CABIN FRONT AREA" TO THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. SIMILAR BUT SLIGHTLY LESSER CORROSION EXTENDS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THIS TOYOTA TRUCK. #4, ONE REAR "CABIN MOUNTING BLOCK" ON THE FRAME, ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE, HAS TOTALLY DISINTEGRATED, DROPPING THE CABIN DOWN ABOUT 1 INCH, DIRECTLY ONTO THE FRAME CAUSING MY BANGING SOUND! THIS TRUCK, AT THE TIME, HAD 97,361 MILES ON IT. IT WAS PURCHASED NEW 7 YR'S AGO! I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALER WITH THESE FACTS, WITH A REQUEST FOR A "FRAME INSPECTION", THE DEALER SAID THE TRUCK IS "OUT-OF-WARRANTY", & CANNOT BE REPAIRED!

***** 2000 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: October 28, 2007

THE FRAME ON OUR 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. IT PASSED 2006 STATE INSPECTION AND AFTER BEING MAINTAINED BY A TOYOTA DEALER IT WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WOULD NOT PASS 2007 STATE INSPECTION. THERE ARE GAPING HOLES IN THE FRAME ON THE INSIDE. THE TRUCK HAD TO BE SALVAGED AT 7 YEARS OLD. OTHER MAKE AND MODEL TRUCKS OF THIS AGE ARE NOT ANYWHERE NEAR THIS CONDITION. WHY IS TOYOTA NOT LIABLE TO INFORM TACOMA OWNERS OF THIS DEFECT. WE RETAINED PICTURES OF THE EXTREME DAMAGE TO THIS PARTICULAR TRUCK.

***** 2000 Toyota Tacoma Date of failure: November 10, 2007

MY 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME IS ROTTING PREMATURELY. LARGE PIECES OF FRAME ARE FALLING OFF OF VEHICLE.