2001 Toyota Tacoma Suspension

The contact owns a 2001 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the contact swerved to the left to avoid another vehicle and the steering had stiff. The contact stated that the front driver’s side wheel then collapsed inside the wheel well. The contact lost control of the vehicle and the vehicle skidded off the highway and onto the right shoulder. The contact stated that the seat belt warning light then illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V225000 (Suspension). The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Excessive frame rust

I HAVE REPLACED THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FIVE TIMES IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS. THREE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE AND TWICE ON THE PASSENGERS SIDE. TWICE I WAS IN SOMEONE'S DRIVEWAY TWICE I WAS TRAVELING ON A HIGHWAY AND ONCE I WAS TURNING A CORNER. I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT FIVE YEARS AGO HOWEVER I NEVER REAPONDED AT THE TIME. NOW WHEN I LOOK ON THIS WEBSITE IT SAYS THERE WAS NO RECALL SO I AM UNSURE HOW TO PROCEED.

THE FRAME IS TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED AND AFTER HAVEN'T IT SEVERAL MONTHS I WAS CHANGING THE OIL AND TO MY SUPRISE WHEN I WAS UNDER IT I COULD NOT BELIEVE WHAT I WAS SEEING. IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE

INITIAL PROBLEM 12/08/2009: IN DECEMBER OF 2009, I DROPPED MY TOYOTA TACOMA OFF AT MY LOCAL DEALER (LEXINGTON TOYOTA, (MA) FOR A SERVICE APPOINTMENT. LEXINGTON TOYOTA CALLED ME AND STATED THAT MY 2001 TACOMA HAD A SERIOUS FRAME RUST PERFORATION PROBLEM. THEY STATED THAT THE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM WAS TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE FRAME AT NO COST TO ME AND THEY ASSIGNED A CASE NUMBER. THE TOTAL COST TO ME WHEN THE JOB WAS COMPLETED WAS $1,717.77 (SEE-ATTACHED INVOICE [XXX].) THE FRAME REPAIR INVOICE WAS DATED 12/22/2009. FAST FORWARD TO 12/10/2018: ON 12/10/2018, I BROUGHT MY 2001 TACOMA INTO THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT OF LEXINGTON TOYOTA FOR SOME BRAKE WORK. LATER THAT DAY THEY CALLED AND SAID THAT MY FRAME HAD SELECTED ROT AND WOULD NOT PASS THE NEXT STATE INSPECTION. THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED THAT THEY HAD REVIEWED THE SITUATION WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY COULD DO FOR ME. I EXPLAINED THAT THE FRAME HAD BEEN REPLACED IN DECEMBER OF 2009 AND THAT THE SERVICE ADVISOR ([XXX]) HAD STATED TO ME THAT THE NEW FRAME WAS WARRANTIED FOR FIFTEEN YEARS. I JOKING REPLIED THAT IT WOULD PROBABLY LAST LONGER THAN I WOULD. I GUESS I WAS WRONG. I HAVE ALL OF MY REPAIR WORK AND YEARLY STATE INSPECTION WORK DONE AT LEXINGTON (MA) TOYOTA. I AM DISAPPOINTED THAT THIS SITUATION WAS NOT IDENTIFIED EARLIER WHEN IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEALT WITH BEFORE GETTING TO ITS CURRENT STATE. I BELEIVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE. THIS COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IF THE FRAME FAILS WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY. IF THIS HAPPENED TO ME, HOW MANY TACOMA?S AND OTHER TOYOTAS ARE OUT THERE THAT HAD FRAME REPLACEMENTS THAT ARE NOW DEFECTIVE. IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE TOYOTA USED THE SAME SUBSTANDARD FRAMES FOR THEIR REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. I HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I SPOKE WITH [XXX], CUSTOMER SERVICE REP. ON 01/09/19 [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TT

I RECENTLY PURCHASED A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA SR5, 4WD CREW CAB TRUCK THAT WAS ORIGINALLY MANUFACTURED AND SOLD IN PLANO TEXAS, THEN RELOCATED AND DRIVEN IN GAITHERSBURG MARYLAND FOR 16 YEARS. UPON OBTAINING A FRAME INSPECTION FROM MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, I WAS ADVISED THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO OPERATE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION OF THE FRAME, AND SPECIFYING THE FRAME WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE RUST HAS PERFORATED THE FRAME RAILS IN SEVERAL AREAS AND HAS COMPROMISED THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY AND SAFETY OF THIS VEHICLE. THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE LACKS ADEQUATE CORROSION PROTECTION WHICH HAS BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED BY TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA.

REAR PASSENGER LEAF SPRING FRAME MOUNT RUSTING OFF. VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

LEFT FRONT WHEEL BROKE OFF A ARM.LOWER BALL JOINT COMPLETELY MISSING.VEHICLE HAS 160442 MILES.NO INDICATION OF STEERING PROBLEM.TIRES WERE ROTATED ONE MONTH BEFORE ACCIDENT I REPLACED THE TIRE AND ASKED THE MECHANIC IF HE DOES A VISUAL INSPECTION.THE ANSWER WAS YES.

THE CHASIS BROKE JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR AXLE.

BALL JOINT SEPARATED CAUSING DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF VEHICLE.

LOWER BALL JOINTS HAVE FAILED. WHILE OTHER 2001 TACOMA'S WERE IN THE RECALL, MINE IS NOT INCLUDED, EVEN THOUGH IT IS THE SAME FAILURE! THE TIRES HAVE ARE WEARING UNEVENLY AND THERE IS SOME STABILITY ISSUE. THERE SEEMS TO BE "PULLING" TO ONE SIDE AS WELL.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, A SQUEAKING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BALL JOINT WAS FAULTY AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO VIBRATE EXCESSIVELY. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ONLY WHEN DRIVING 50 MPH OR GREATER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT, WHO INFORMED THAT BOTH FRONT LOWER BALL JOINTS WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION) AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000.

MY ODI # 10703114 IM SURE AS YOU ARE THE FEDERAL SAFETY ADM. ,, YOU HAVE ALREADY READ THE STUDY , WHERE A GROUP OF REALLY SMART ENGINEERS & ANALYSIS FOUND THAT THE 2001 TO 2004 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME FAILURE WAS FROM THE BOX DESIGN COUPLED WITH LOW GRADE STEEL & INSIGNIFICANT RUST PREVENTIVE , RESULTED IN POTENTIAL CATASTROPHE FRAME FAILURE LEADING TO A POTENTIAL HAZARDOUS SITUATION!!~!!! BUT IF YOU DEEM IT NOT TO INFORM THE US CONSUMER --- FAR BE IT FOR ME TO SUGGEST HOW YOU SHOULD DO YOUR JOB ! MY APOLOGIES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH AND MAKING A LEFT TURN, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COLLAPSED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 230,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE SUSPENSION BALL JOINT DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

WHILE TURNING RIGHT OUT OF PARKING LOT AT SLOW SPEED, PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL DISENGAGED FROM LOWER BALL JOINT LEADING TO LOSS OF STEERING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS TILTED CAUSING THE TIRES TO WEAR OUT PREMATURELY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE SPRING SHACKLE FRACTURED DUE TO THE FRAME BEING COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN A ROAD AT ABOUT 5 MPH, MY LOWER LEFT BALL JOINT (DRIVER SIDE) SEPARATED WITHOUT ANY WARNING CAUSING MY TRUCK TO LOSE CONTROL AS THE ENTIRE TRUCK COLLAPSED ONTO MY DRIVER SIDE TIRE, BECAUSE THE SUSPENSION WAS NO LONGER HOLDING IT UP. IN THE EVENT THAT I HAD BEEN GOING MUCH FASTER (POSSIBLY EVEN TEN MILES PER HOUR) I FEEL THAT THE WHEEL WOULD HAVE COMPLETELY RIPPED OFF, CAUSING EXTENSIVE DAMAGE AND COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL. I THEN FOUND OUT TOYOTA HAD MADE A RECALL ON THIS PART AND WHEN I CONTACTED THEM, I WAS APPARENTLY 2 WEEKS PAST THE RECALL WINDOW. I FEEL THAT THE RECALL SHOULD BE EXTENDED DUE TO THE SHEER NUMBER OF THESE TRUCKS THAT ARE STILL ON THE ROAD. WHEN THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILS, IT IS A CATASTROPHIC EVENT THAT CAN VERY EASILY RESULT IN A CRASH. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AT APPROXIMATELY 12MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE EVERY TIME THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE ISSUE WAS THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE SUSPENSION THAT WAS WORN OFF AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 110,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 110,500.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 40 MPH THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BECAME DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER INFORMED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 166,836.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN A LOUD, ABNORMAL SOUND EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED CORROSION ON THE DRIVERS SIDE I-BEAM AND THE CROSS BEAM, WHICH WAS DETACHED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 173,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 173,200.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN FOR A BRAKE REPAIR WHEN THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE BALL JOINTS FAILED. THE CONTACT WAS TOLD THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT), BUT THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 144,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLES PASSENGER SIDE COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE LOWER BALL JOINT SEPARATED FROM THE KNUCKLE WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE WAS A RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT); HOWEVER THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 212,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINT FAILED ON THE FRONT DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL AND FELL OFF. THE CONTACT TOWED THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED THAT THE BALL JOINT FAILED. THE DEALER STATED THERE WAS A RECALL, BUT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WAS 175,000.