2001 Toyota Tacoma Suspension

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH WHEN A LOUD NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND INSPECTED THE VEHICLE. THE BALL JOINTS ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BROKE AND THE ENTIRE WHEEL DETACHED CAUSING DAMAGES TO THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HIS RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THERE WAS A RECALL UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V225000 (SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT). THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE REPAIRS WOULD BE AT THE OWNER EXPENSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

2001-2004 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME RUST PERFORATION THAT IS NOW AN ONGOING ISSUE WITH THESE TRUCKS. TOYOTA WANTS TO REPAIR FRAMES INSTEAD OF BUYING BACK TRUCKS LIKE THEY DID WITH THE 1995-2000 MODELS. ITS AN UNSAFE REPAIR AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE TRUCK WITH A PERFORATED FRAME. SEEMS LIKE A "QUIET" RECALL. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN AT 15 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY STATED THAT THE BALL JOINTS FAILED, WHICH CAUSED THE WHEEL TO DETACH AND THE AXLE TO FAIL. THE INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND CONFIRMED THE BALL JOINT FAILURE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED, THE INSURANCE COMPANY NOTIFIED THE CONTACT OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 05V225000 (SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT). THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VIN WAS EXCLUDED FROM THE RECALL. HE BELIEVES THAT THE RECALL SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED HIS VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 134,000.

AFTER NOTICING THAT THE TRUCK DEVELOPED UNUSUAL TIRE WEAR AND SHAKING AND NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT END ,MAKING THE TRUCK DIFFICULT AND HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE. A PRIVATE TECHNICIAN INDICATED THAT THE FRONT BALL JOINTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS MADE AWARE OF A TOYOTA RECALL, AND WAS INFORMED THAT ALTHOUGH THIS VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING THE EXACT CONDITION DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL THAT WAS ON IDENTICAL MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR THIS TRUCK WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL AND WOULD NOT BE COVERED DUE TO THE VIN. *AK

FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT. MY 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA DOUBLE CAB VIN [XXX] HAS DIAGNOSED WITH A WORN LOWER RIGHT FRONT BALL JOINT. I HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ABOUT A NOISE IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION FOR THE PAST 50,000+ MILES. INITIALLY THE NOISE OCCURRED WHILE TAKING LEFT TURNS, NOW THE NOISE OCCURS DURING ALL PHASES OF OPERATION (LEFT& RIGHT TURNS, AND STOPPING). TOYOTA CLAIMS MY THAT THE RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND MINE IS NOT COVERED BY THE RECALL/TSB. YET MY VEHICLE EXHIBITS ALL THE SYMPTOMS DESCRIBED IN TSB 05015 (NHTSA #100015504) AND HAS FOR SEVERAL YEARS. *NM UPDATED 07/16/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL THERE WAS A POPPING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS CAUSING THE NOISE. THERE IS A NHTSA RECALL, # 05V225000, REGARDING THE FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT. THE VEHICLE HAS THE SAME PROBLEMS AS INDICATED IN THE RECALL; HOWEVER IT IS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. NO REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE. UPDATED 3/20/2006 - *NM

DT: THE CONSUMER STATED THAT HIS 2001 TOYOTA TACOMA WAS TRAVELING AT 35 MPH WHEN THE TIRE STARTED MAKING NOISE. VEHICLE PULLED TO THE RIGHT WHEN THE CONSUMER PULLED OVER TO CHECK THE PROBLEM. DISCOVERED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT BROKE. THE CONSUMER CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO VIN, ALTHOUGH IT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AS MENTIONED IN THE RECALL. THE LOCATION OF THE BALL JOINT WAS THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT. THE CONSUMER WAS HAVING THAT FIXED TODAY. TOYOTA OFFERED NO FREE REMEDY TO THE CONSUMER.*AK UPDATED 11/2/2005. *NM

DT: WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHIFT TO THE RIGHT AND THE FRONT TIRES WERE WEARING TOO FAST, AND DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE WAS SWOLLEN. CALLER STATED ALL THE TIRES WERE AFFECTED. DEALER COULDN'T TELL IF THIS VEHICLE WAS IN RECALL. CALLER SAID COULD NOT GET IN TOUCH WITH MANUFACTURER. RECALL WAS ON BALL JOINTS, BUT THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT YET CONTACTED VEHICLE'S OWNERS.*AK

DT: CONTACT STATES DRIVER'S SIDE FRONT BALL JOINT FELL OFF, CAUSING THE WHEEL TO COME OFF. THIS SPECIFIC VEHICLE DOES NOT FALL UNDER THE TOYOTA RECALL CAMPAIGN.*AK

WHILE DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE AT 60 - 65 MPH, A LOUD SOUND WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND THE HANDLING BECAME VERY DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED TO THE SHOULDER. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN LAS CRUCES, NM. INVESTIGATION FROM THE DEALER WAS THE U-BOLT THAT CONNECTED THE LEAF SPRINGS TO THE AXLE CAME OFF AND DAMAGED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, THE REAR WHEEL & TIRE AND POSSIBLY THE FRONT TIRE. THE DEALER CONTACTED THE TOYOTA CARE REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY RESPONDED THAT THIS WAS A CASE OF THE FAILURE OF A FASTENER AND WAS NOT CONSIDERED TO BE A MECHANICAL DEFECT OF THE VEHICLE. AS OF THIS REPORT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. *JB

2001 TOYOTA TACOMA PRERUNNER 2 WHEEL DRIVE, 6 CYLINDER, AUTOMATIC EXTRA CAB 30,000 MILES RIGHT SIDE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED AT FREEWAY SPEED CAUSING WHEEL AND BRAKE ASSEMBLY TO FOLD UNDER VEHICLE. THIS RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND LOSS OF BRAKING AND SEVERE DAMAGE TO VEHICLE. *NLM

WHILE DRIVING IN WET CONDITIONS ON AN INTERSTATE THE TRUCK HYDROPLANED AND SPUN OUT OF CONTROL CAUSING IT TO LEAVE THE ROADWAY AND FLIP OVER TWICE LANDING ON THE CAB. NEITHER AIRBAG DEPLOYED. ONLY OCCUPANT, DRIVER, SUSTAINED ONLY VERY MINOR INJURIES.*AK

PAYLOAD RATED AT 1674/LBS ACCORDING TO THE SALES BROCHURE AND SALEMAN. WE ADVISED THE TRUCK WILL BE USED FOR DELIVERIES OF 600-1200/LBS. LOADED 800/LBS AND THE TRUCK SUSPENSION IS AT ITS FULL TRAVEL. THE TRUCK SEEMS VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE WITH MORE THAN A 500/LB PAYLOAD. *AK