1997 Toyota Tacoma Structure

I HAVE A 97 TACOMA EXTENDED CAB. AT ABOUT 30K MILES, THE TRUCK'S BLACK PAINT STARTED TO CRACK UNDER THE CLEARCOAT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY A TOYOTA APPROVED BODYSHOP THAT IS WAS CALLED "CROW'S FEET". THE BODYSHOP SAID THAT IT WAS NOTHING THAT I COULD HAVE DONE, THAT IT WAS A DEFECT FROM THE FACTORY. I THEN TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER WHERE I GOT IT FROM, AND THEY PROLONGED DEALING WITH THE ISSUE UNTIL THE TRUCK RAN OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE ABOUT 134K NOW ON THE TRUCK, AND IT ALSO HAS A BAD VALVE TICK THAT FROM WHAT I READ ON THE INTERNET SEEMS NOT UNCOMMON FOR THIS ENGINE. I KNOW THAT SOME TIME HAS PAST, BUT I JUST FOUND THIS SITE. I THINK THAT SOMETHING SHOULD BE DONE ABOUT THE WAY THIS COMPANY TREATS THEIR CUSTOMERS. THIS TRUCK WAS NOT CHEAP, EVEN FOR THE WINTER OF 1998. *TR

THIS COMPLAINT IS REGARDING PROBLEMS I HAVE HAD WITH MY 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA AND WITH TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS LIVING UP TO THEIR RECALL OF 1995-2000 TACOMA'S WITH FRAME RUST/FAILURE. ON APRIL 25, 2008 I PURCHASED A USED 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA FROM A USED CAR DEALER FOR $3200. ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 15TH, 2008 I EXPERIENCED A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE PASSENGERS SIDE BALL JOINT CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND RUNNING OFF ONTO THE MEDIAN. WHEN GETTING THE VEHICLE REPAIRED, THE SERVICE MAN TOLD THAT MY FRAME LOOKED BAD AND THAT I SHOULD TAKE IT TO A TOYOTA DEALER TO GET IT CHECKED FOR FRAME RUST. HE TOLD ME THAT TOYOTA WAS EITHER FIXING OR BUYING BACK THE TRUCKS WITH BAD FRAMES. ON OR ABOUT OCTOBER 22, 2008 I TOOK MY 1997 TACOMA TO BRAD HUGHES TOYOTA IN PRESTONSBURG KY FOR AN EVALUATION OF THE FRAME. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THAT MY TRUCK DID INDEED HAVE A BAD FRAME AND THAT TOYOTA WOULD CONTACT ME. THEY SAID THAT I COULD EXPECT TO RECEIVE 150% OF KELLEY BLUE BOOK VALUE AND THAT I WOULD BE CONTACTED WITHIN 2 WEEKS WITH AN OFFER ON MY TRUCK. ON NOVEMBER 20, 2008 I RECEIVED A CALL FROM CHARLES ZACHARY OF TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS, PHONE NUMBER 1-800-331-4331. MR ZACHARY OFFERED ME $1500 (KBB BLUE BOOK TRADE IN VALUE), NOT 150% AS PROMISED IN THE LETTER THAT TOYOTA PROMISED IN THE RECALL LETTER. ALTHOUGH I AM WORRIED ABOUT THE BAD FRAME, I HAD TO DECLINE THE OFFER. I CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE $2700 ON A TRUCK I PURCHASED EARLIER THIS YEAR. MR ZACHARY'S REASON FOR OFFERING SO LITTLE WAS THAT I BOUGHT THE TRUCK AFTER MARCH, WHEN THE LETTERS WENT OUT. AND THAT THE DEALER THAT I BOUGHT THE TRUCK WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR SELLING ME A TRUCK WITH A BAD FRAME. TOYOTA IS PUTTING LIVES IN DANGER BY REFUSING TO LIVE UP TO THEIR PROMISE OF BUYING BACK THE VEHICLES THAT HAVE BAD FRAMES. THE SERVICE DEPT AT THE TOYOTA DEALER WHERE I TOOK MY TRUCK FOR INSPECTION SAID THAT I WAS GETTING A RAW DEAL FROM TOYOTA. THEY SAID THAT THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE IT. *TR

1997 TOYOTA TACOMA EXTENDED CAB V6 4WD I HAD MY TRUCK IN MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR NEW PLUGS AND WIRES AND A FAULTY INJECTOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER CALLED AND SAID THAT WHEN THEY HOISTED THE TRUCK UP ON THE LIFT THEY DISCOVERED SEVERE RUSTING ON THE FRAME. THE WORST WAS JUST FORWARD OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS. THEY SAID IT WAS SO BAD THAT THEY WONDERED IF I WANTED TO PROCEED WITH THE SERVICING. I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT! I THOUGHT, THE TRUCK IS ONLY 10YEARS OLD, HOW BAD CAN IT BE. I WENT UP AND TOOK A LOOK AND 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? THANKS. *TR

I PURCHASED MY 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2003. ALTHOUGH THIS TRUCK WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IT WAS COMPLETELY RESTORED, INSPECTED AND ISSUED A PENNSYLVANIA RECONSTRUCTED TITLE. IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE FRAME WAS NOT DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT. IN LATE, MARCH OF 2008 I HEARD ABOUT THE FRAME PROBLEM AND TOOK THIS TRUCK TO ALLEGHENY TOYOTA, THE LOCAL DEALER, FOR AN INSPECTION OF THE FRAME. THE FRAME WAS CHECKED FOR CORROSION AND I WAS NOT PERMITTED TO TAKE IT OFF THE LOT AS IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ON APRIL 9TH, I RECEIVED A CALL FROM THE TOYOTA COMPANY TELLING ME THAT THE CAR DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM BECAUSE OF THE RECONSTRUCTED TITLE. KNOWING THE FRAME WAS UNSAFE I WAS TOLD TO PICK UP THE TRUCK AND UNTIL THE FRAME IS REPAIRED IT IS NOT ROAD WORTHY. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT TOYOTA HAS FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT THE FRAME IS FAULTY DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION BUT REFUSES TO COVER THE VEHICLE SOLELY BECAUSE OF THE RECONSTRUCTED TITLE. IF IT WEREN'T FOR THE RUSTED FRAME THIS TRUCK WOULD STILL BE IN SERVICE. AT THIS POINT I'M AFRAID TO DRIVE IT AND DON'T BELIEVE I SHOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR A REPAIR TO A PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA ADMITS TO KNOWING BUT ARE SELECTIVELY TRYING TO AVOID FOR THIS VEHICLE. THE RECONSTRUCTED TITLE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EXCESSIVE RUST CORROSION OF THE FRAME AND I WOULD EXPECT THEM TO COVER THIS VEHICLE UNDER THE CUSTOMER SUPPORT PROGRAM. *TR

1997 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP TRUCK WAS ON A LIFT FOR SERVICE. THE FRAME RAILS WERE ROTTED DUE TO RUST PROBLEMS ACKNOWLEDGED BY TOYOTA. THE FRAME BROKE IN HALF AND THE BED OF THE TRUCK REACHED THE FLOOR WHILE THE TRUCK WAS SUSPENDED ON THE LIFT. THE TRUCK WAS UNSAFE AND HAD TO BE TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE AT THAT TIME. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND AM AWAITING THEIR RESPONSE. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT RECOURSE I HAVE AS I WOULD STILL HAVE THE TRUCK ON THE ROAD IF IT WAS NOT FOR THE RUST PROBLEM. *TR

THE FRAME OF MY 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA PICK UP IS ROTTED THROUGH IN SEVERAL PLACES MAKING IT POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. *TR

RECENTLY NOTICED A KNOCKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF MY TRUCK. UPON INSPECTION, I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME, JUST BEFORE THE LEAF SPRINGS, HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND CRACKED. I HAVE YET TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. I FEAR THE TRUCK IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

I HAVE A 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA, I DISCOVERED FRAME ROT IN FRONT OF THE REAR SPRING SHACKLES. THERE WAS STILL UNDERBODY PAINT ON THE FRAME IN THAT AREA WHICH WHEN REMOVED REVEALED THE SERIOUS CORROSION OF THE FRAME RAIL. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION I FOUND SEVERE CORROSION THROUGHOUT THE FRAME. THE BUMPER BRACKETS ARE BARELY HOLDING UP THE BUMPER. *TR

BOTH FRAME RAILS ROTTED OUT, MAKING TRUCK UNSAFE TO DRIVE. *TR

THE CHASSIS (FRAME) ROTTED AND CRACKED JUST BEHIND BOTH THE DRIVER'S DOOR AND THE PASSENGER'S DOOR. THE TRUCK IS NOW UNSAFE TO USE BECAUSE IT MIGHT BREAK ( IN TWO. THE FRAME IS THE MAIN SUPPORTING STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE. I BELIEVE THIS IS AN ENGINEERING DEFECT.*AK

HI, I HAVE A 1997 TACOMA. WITHIN THE PAST YEAR THE FRAME HAS RUSTED TO THE POINT THAT I CAN PUT A SCREWDRIVER THRU IT AND IT CANT BE REPAIRED. I FEAR I'LL HAVE TO JUNK THE VEHICLE. WHAT TYPE OF METAL DID THEY USE? TOYOTA OR CONSUMER AFFAIRS SHOULD LOOK INTO THIS. THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS FINE. IF ANYONE KNOW WHO CAN HELP PLEASE LET ME KNOW. BUMMED! *TR

I PURCHASED A USED 1997 TOYOTA TACOMA ON 3/15/07 WITH A ROTTED FRAME. FORTUNATELY I HAD ANOTHER GARAGE CHECK OUT THE TRUCK WITHIN 30 DAYS OF PURCHASE WHILE WARRANTY FROM DEALER WAS STILL IN EFFECT. I WANT TO REPORT THIS SO THAT THIS VEHICLE WILL NOT BE PURCHASED BY ANYONE. IT WAS NOT NY STATE ROAD WORTHY, PER STATE INSPECTION CRITERIA. THE VEHICLE WAS GREEN, 4WD, EXTEND CAB. PURCHASED IN ROCHESTER, NY. I WAS ABLE TO RETURN IT FOR A FULL REFUND, BUT WANT TO BE SURE THE CROOKED DEALER WAS NOT RESELLING THE VEHICLE. HE ALSO HAD ANOTHER BLACK TACOMA, 1998 WITH THE SAME PROBLEM, BOUGHT BOTH OF THEM AT AUCTION. *JB

NO INCIDENT -- VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS PA INSPECTION -- NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. REAR FRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT WITH RUST. *TR

I NOTICED BUBBLING OF THE COATING APPLIED TO THE FRAME BY THE MANUFACTURER AND WHEN I POKED AT IT THE METAL UNDERNEATH FELL AWAY. I DID A GOOGLE SEARCH ON CORRODED TACOMA FRAMES AND DISCOVERED I WAS NOT ALONE AND IF OTHER OWNERS HAVE COMPLAINED I WANTED TO ADD MINE. THE FRAME IS CORRODED IN NUMEROUS LOCATIONS AND WITHOUT REPAIR COULD FAIL IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION. I AM GOING TO HAVE THE FRAME REPAIRED BY HAVING NEW METAL WELDED IN. I REALIZE THE VEHICLE IS TEN YEARS OLD AND MOST OF THE COMPLAINTS I FOUND ONLINE REFERENCED THE NINETY-NINE MODEL YEAR. I SHOULD ADD UNTIL TWO YEARS AGO I HAD A 1967 DATSUN 1300 PICKUP AND ITS FRAME WAS INTACT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL CORROSION! *TR

SUNVISORS THAT ARWE ON DRIVER SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE WILL NOT COME DOWN. CONSUMER'S NOT ABLE TO PROTECT VISION IN PRESENT OF A HIGH BEAM OF LIGHT. VISORS ARE STIFF, AND FABRIC ONE OF THEM IS TORN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING BOLTS BROKE OFF THE DRIVESHAFT SEPARATING REAR AXLE AND HITTING THE GAS TANK. *AK ONE OF THE TWO BOLTS HOLDING THE DRIVE SHAFT FELL OUT CAUSING THE DRIVE SHAFT TO FALL AND RESULTING IN REAR AXLE SEPARATION AND RIPING A HOLE IN THE GAS TANK. *YH