1998 Toyota Tacoma Suspension

FRAME ON MY TRUCK IS RUSTING TO A POINT OF BEING A SAFETY ISSUE . TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THIS SO VEHICLE WILL BE SAFE .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OBSERVED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000. UPDATED 8/31/15*CN THE CONSUMER STATED TOYOTA HAD NOT HONORED THE PROMISE TO REPLACE THE RUSTED FRAMES. UPDATED 10/14/2015*JS

I OWN A TOYOTA TACOMA, 1998 MODEL. ONE OF THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BROKE. PART OF IT SHIFTED SIDEWAYS IN ITS LOCATION AND BEGAN TO PUNCTURE THE FUEL TANK. UPON SEARCHING FOR A REPLACEMENT ON THE USED MARKET, I LEARNED THAT NUMBER ONE, ALL OF THESE TACOMAS DEVELOP BROKEN LEAF SPRINGS, AND NUMBER TWO, ALL USED SPRINGS HAVE BEEN ABSORBED TO REPAIR BROKEN ONES ON TRUCKS STILL IN USE. NUMBER THREE, TOYOTA CHANGED THE CONFIGURATION OF THE REAR SPRING ASSEMBLY FROM A THREE LEAF TO A FOUR LEAF ASSEMBLY TO TRY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM, BUT MADE THE RETROFIT A COST BORNE BY THE CONSUMER. EVEN A PARTS EMPLOYEE OF A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AGREED THAT TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE HAD A RECALL OF THE TACOMA FOR DEFECTIVE LEAF SPRING DESIGN/ENGINEERING. THE BREAKAGE CREATES AN UNSTABLE SUSPENSION SUBJECT TO LOSS OF CONTROL AND IF THE SPRING SHIFTS SIDEWAYS DOES PUNCTURE THE FUEL TANK. *TR

FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED WHILE IN OPERATION. RESULTING IN SEPARATION FROM THE KNUCKLE, CAUSING A COLLAPSE IN THE SUSPENSION AND LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL WHILE DRIVING. THE COLLAPSE HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC AND CAUSED OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE INCLUDING DRIVE SHAFT AND TIRE DAMAGE. *TR

DRIVER'S SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE LAST YEAR. I HAD IT REPAIRED/REPLACED AT A LOCAL SPRING SHOP. NOW THE SAME SPRING ON PASSENGER SIDE HAS BROKE AT THE SAME PLACE. THIS AFFECTS HANDLING OF VEHICLE AND LEAVES THE SPRING HANGING BY A FACTORY CLAMP WHICH IF IT BREAKS THE REST OF THE WAY COULD CAUSE ACCIDENT. *TR

THIS TRUCK IS THE CENTER PIECE OF MY LIFE. MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS THE PERFECT VEHICLE FOR ME. I STILL OWN MINE BUT IT IS TOUGH TO DRIVE KNOWING THAT IF I WAS IN A CRASH MY LIFE COULD BE THREATENED DUE TO THE LACK OF FRAME RIGIDITY. I NEED THIS TRUCK TO LAST ME UNTIL I AM OUT OF COLLEGE BECAUSE THERE ARE NO FUNDS FOR ME TO PURCHASE A DIFFERENT ONE. 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!!!!!! *TR

THE OTHER DAY I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND HIT A SMALL POTHOLE WITH MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA AND THE BOTTOM LEAF IN THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING PACK SNAPPED IN HALF. AND IS NOW HANGING DOWN AND IT CAN POTENTIALLY MAKE CONTACT WITH MY TIRES SIDEWALL. *TR

MY 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA HAD ITS LEFT REAR LEAF SPRING BREAK JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR DIFFERENCIAL. THIS CAUSE THE LEAFS TO TWIST INWARDS AND RUB AGAINST THE GAS TANK EXPOSING THE BARE METAL OF THE TANK. LUCKLY I TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE MECHANIC BEFORE THE RUBBING AGAINST THE TANK WORKED ITS WAY THROUGH POTENTIALLY CAUSING AN EXPLOSION WITH A SPARK. AT THIS TIME I WILL BE REPLACING THE LEAF SPRINGS (AFTER TAKING SOME PHOTOS). I HAVE ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT NO 2005-12280233 WITH TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. THEIR POSITION IS THAT I WILL HAVE TO BEAR THE COST OF THE REPAIR AS IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE CONDITION AND A RECALL TO CHECK LEAF SPRINGS SHOULD BE MADE. *NM

EMPLOYEE WAS DRIVING ON HIGHWAY, 60 MPH IN OUR 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK. WITH NO WARNING THE DRIVERS FRONT WHEEL ASSEMBLY (HUB AND ALL, EVERYTHING) CAME OFF THE TRUCK AND LODGED UNDER THE FRONT AXLE. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. CURRENTLY IN TRANSPORT TO AN AUTO SHOP FOR REPAIRS.

CONSUMER STATES THAT WHEN HAVING AN OIL CHANGE WAS INFROMED THAT THE LEAF SPRINGS WERE FALLING APART. DEALER CONTACTED, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM. TS

BROKEN LEAF SPRINGS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE REAR. *AK

AT SPEEDS OVER 45, FRONT END VIBRATES BADLY AND IS HARD TO CONTROL. I HAVE REPLACED THE TIRES WHICH WORKED UNTIL THE TIRES HAD 5000 MILES OF THEM, BALANCED TIRES, AND HAD FRONT END ALIGNMENTS. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM, BUT CANNOT COME UP WITH A SOLUTION TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. I KNOW OF OTHER TACOMA OWNERS WITH SIMILAR PROBLEMS.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 31X10.5 15 )

1. FRONT WHEEL ALIGNMENT SHIFTS UNDER LOAD(IN SPEC) AS MUCH AS 1/4 IN. THIS TOE OUT CAUSES EXCESSIVE AND DANGEROUS TIRE WEAR. TIRES CAME APART AFTER 3000 MI. THE VEHICLE IS HARD TO CONTROL WITH TOE OUT OF THIS MAGNITUDE. I HAVE TO GET THE ALIGNMENT DONE WITH A LOAD IN THE TRUCK TO BE ABLE TO SAFELY STEER IT AND GET SOME RESPECTABLE TIRE WEAR. GOD SAVE AN UNSUSPECTING DRIVER! 2. REAR SPRINGS BOTTOM OUT "HARD" CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO JUMP. THE REAR SPRING BUMPER TO AXLE HOUSING SPACE IS 1 IN. (WITH LOAD). TOYOTA SAYS "DON'T LOAD IT, IT'S NOT REALLY A TRUCK! THESE TWO ITEMS MAKE THIS VEHICLE TRICKY TO DRIVE AND IS SETTING DRIVERS UP FOR A REAL ROAD TEST.

SHOCK ABSORBER FAILED. YH

SUSPENSION SYSTEM MUSHY, REPLACED ALL SHOCK ABSORBERS AND SPRINGS TO CORRECT PROBLEM. YH