1998 Toyota Tacoma

Left and right Frame members forward of the rear leaf spring mounts are severely rusted. According to the Toyota dealership who inspected it, the frame is compromised and their is a potential for structural failure in a collision. I purchased the vehicle in October of 2020 from the original owner who maintained it in immaculate condition. The rusted areas are not very obvious while inspecting the outside of the frame, however the interior portions have severe damage. I contacted Toyota Brand Enhancement, on the dealerships recommendation and was told they would not assist based on the lack of a recall.

BOUGHT A VEHICLE FROM A WOMAN OFF OF CRAIGSLIST. MET HER IN AN UNFAMILIAR AREA. WOMAN STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IN GOOD CONDITION AND RUNS PERFECT. WOMAN WOULD NOT ALLOW US TO TEST DRIVE THE VEHICLE. MY HUSBAND INSISTED ON CHECKING THE VIN ON CARFAX AND SHE QUICKLY PULLED OUT AN OUTDATED TITLE. THE VEHICLE'S ODOMETER READING STATED APPROXIMATELY 166,000 MILES. AFTER THE TRANSACTION OF $5000.00 WAS COMPLETED IN CASH. SHE QUICKLY LEFT WITH A HEAVYSET HISPANIC MALE THAT WAS WITH HER. MY HUSBAND LOOKED AT CARFAX AND THE LAST REPORTED MILEAGE ON CARFAX FOR THE VIN NUMBER WAS APPROXIMATELY 278,000 MILES FOR THAT VEHICLE. THE WOMAN QUICKLY BLOCKED OUT PHONE NUMBERS. ABOUT AN HOUR LATER SHE HAD HER NUMBER UNBLOCKED. WE CALLED HER FROM A DIFFERENT NUMBER AND ACTED AS THOUGH I WAS READY TO PURCHASE A VEHICLE FROM HER AND SHE STATED SHE HAD ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND COULD MEET ME AT THE SAME LOCATION (NOT KNOWING IT WAS ME) NOT ONLY WAS THE ODOMETER READING FALSE, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVEABLE AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE. THE TRANSMISSION WAS BROKEN.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL LETTER IN 2011 REGARDING A TACOMA FRAME RUST CORROSION ISSUE. I OPENED A CASE AND HAD MY TOYOTA INSPECTED ON 5/20/11 BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THEY SAID THE FRAME HAD PASSED INSPECTION. ON 12/02/11 TOYOTA PERFORMED A BODY FRAME UNDERCOATING ON THE VEHICLE. FAST FORWARD TO 2017. I FOUND A SMALL HOLE IN THE FRAME THAT WAS INSPECTED BY TOYOTA AND DEEMED SAFE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID SINCE THE SAFETY RECALL ON THE FRAME HAS PASSED THERE WAS NOTHING THEY CAN DO ABOUT IT. THE INTERNET IS FULL OF OTHER STORIES OF TOYOTA'S WITH RUSTING FRAMES. I FEEL IT IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND/OR SELL TO SOMEONE.

PURCHASED 1998 TOYOTA TACOMA 4WD TRUCK OCTOBER 2012. VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED FOR FRAME RUST AND WAS SERVICED BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP 05/25/2011 AND FRAME AND UNDER CARRIAGE WAS INSPECTED, CLEANED, PREPARED AND COATED WITH UNDERCOATING. DEALERSHIP ADVISED THE PROBLEM WAS CORRECTED. MILEAGE AT TIME WAS 161,757. IN LATE 2012 RUST SPOTS DEVELOPED AGAIN AND CONTINUED TO WORSEN UNTIL THE FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND BROKE ABOVE THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL IN THE VICINITY OF THE SHOCK ABSORB-ER BRACKET WHICH ALSO WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THERE ARE VARIOUS OTHER RUST PROBLEM AREAS ON THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION PARTS AND ANOTHER FRAME RUST THROUGH IS EVIDENT ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ABOVE THE REAR TIRE AT THE SHOCK ABSORB-ERR BRACKET.. DECEMBER 2016, MILEAGE 211,927 THE VEHICLE WAS CONSIDERED TO BE UNSAFE FOR OPERATION AND TAKEN OFF THE PUBLIC ROADWAYS BY THE CURRENT OWNER AFTER THE FRAME BROKE INTO WHILE TURNING INTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO FEAR OF BEING HELD LIABLE FOR DEATH, INJURY OR DISMEMBERMENT TO SELF, PERSON OR PERSONS DUE TO KNOWINGLY CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BE UNSAFE. AFTER EXTENSIVE RESEARCH OF FRAME RUST THROUGH PROBLEMS, THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT HANDLED THE RECALL IN 2011 WAS CONTACTED IN PERSON BY THE CURRENT OWNER ON FEBRUARY 21, 2017 AT 1:30 PM AND WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT THAT THE ENHANCED WARRANTY WAS ONLY GOOD FOR 15 YEARS FROM THE DATE THE VEHICLE WAS FIRST PURCHASED NEW AND PLACED IN SERVICE WHICH WAS APRIL 1998 AND HAD EXPIRED IN APRIL 2013. AS THE CURRENT OWNER OF THE VEHICLE I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA THAT A WARRANTY HAD EVER EXISTED AND WOULD SOON EXPIRE AND NOR MYSELF OR THE PREVIOUS OWNER WAS EVER NOTIFIED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REINSPECTED BY TOYOTA TO MAKE SURE THE PROBLEM HAD NOT REOCCURRED AND VEHICLE WAS SAFE FOR CONTINUED OPERATION.

THERE IS AN ACCELERATED AND ABNORMAL AMOUNT OF CORROSION AND RUST SHOWING UP ON UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. REAR LEAF SPRINGS HAVE LOST RUBBER BUMPER DUE TO RUST, AND SUSPENSION/FRAME MAKE NOISES DUE TO STRESS ON FRAME WHICH IS THE RESULT OF RUST/CORROSION. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER TO THIS VEHICLE, HAVING PURCHASED IT NEW AND HAVING ALWAYS HAD IT IN COLORADO A MOSTLY DRY CLIMATE NOT CONDUCIVE TO RUST/CORROSION. I HAVE IT AT THE SAME DEALERSHIP I BOUGHT IT FROM MULTIPLE TIMES PER YEAR FOR SERVICE, AND IT IS STILL UNDER 150K ORIG MILES. I HAVE NEVER BEEN INFORMED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REPS. ABOUT CONCERNS WITH RUST/CORROSION ISSUES, NOR HAS ANY COMPANY STAFF EVER ACKNOWLEDGED ANY CONCERNS OVER THESE ISSUES, OR HAS THE COMPANY REACHED OUT TO INFORM ME OF POTENTIAL PROBLEMS. IN NO WAY, SHAPE OR FORM HAS TOYOTA EVER ADVISED ME OF ANY RECALL, CONCERNS OR PROBLEMS. I HAVE LIVED AT MY CURRENT RESIDENCE AND HAD THE SAME PHONE NUMBERS FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS AND THIS HAS BEEN IN THE STEVENSON TOYOTA DEALERSHIP RECORDS THIS WHOLE TIME. THIS IS EXTREMELY CONCERNING DUE TO THE MOUNTAIN DRIVING CONDITIONS HERE IN COLORADO, AND SPEED AT WHICH THIS RUST/CORROSION IS EXPANDING AND MAKING THE VEHICLE WEAK AND UNSAFE TO OPERATE. APPARENTLY MORE OWNERS OF THIS VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR ARE EXPERIENCING THE VERY SAME ISSUES AND HAVE NOT BEEN NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA. THIS APPEARS TO BE A PROLIFIC ISSUE THAT NEEDS IMMEDIATE ATTENTION.

"1995 THROUGH 2000 MODEL YEAR TACOMA FRAME RUST CORROSION WARRANTY EXTENSION" RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA ATTACHED. REQUESTED FRAME INSPECTION ATTACHED. REQUESTED ANOTHER FRAME INSPECTION ATTACHED. MY VEHICLE CASE WAS NOT HANDLED CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF TOYOTA'S PROGRAM NOR WAS I CONTACTED BY THEIR IMPARTIAL SERVICES GROUP (ISG). AS A RESULT THE SAFETY OF ME AND MY PASSENGERS HAS BEEN NEGLECTED BE NOT ALLOWING ME THE SAFETY BENEFITS OF THEIR WARRANTY OFFERINGS.

I BOUGHT MY '98 TOYOTA TACOMA IN 2000. SINCE THAT PURCHASE I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED A LETTER REGARDING ANY RECALLS OR SAFELY ISSUES. I HAVE ONLY MOVED ONCE SINCE I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE AND THAT WAS IN 2003. SO I FEEL THAT TOYOTA MADE NO HONEST EFFORT TO CONTACT ME REGARDING ANY ISSUES SO I SHOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS AND HAVE REPAIRED ANY PROBLEMS THAT WERE RECALLED SUCH AS THE CORRODING FRAME. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT TOYOTA CONVENIENTLY LET FALL THROUGH THE CRACKS.