Problems with 2002 Toyota Tacoma STRUCTURE

Hello, i own a 2002 toyota tacoma and i brought it to a local toyota dealership where a service advisor came out to the parking lot, got under the vehicle and noticed that the frame has rusted through (he stuck his hand through the rust hole) near where the leaf springs attach to the frame. it is a known safety issue and toyota has repaired/replaced many tacoma's due to this safety issue. i did some research, and found out that toyota knows their frames are unsafe, and have extended the warranty to 15 years from the date of new car delivery. i tried to get mine replaced since its still well within time-frame, but they are stating that the original owner refused a frame inspection/application anticorrosion spray so now they will not honor the unsafe frame. i have vehicle service history showing other recalls (front ball-joint) were done, and other repairs to the car, so its likely that the original dealership did not offer the application anticorrosion spray, otherwise the owner would have had this free service completed (the customer serviced it regularly and kept it in great shape) and the frame would not be unsafe. original new car delivery date was october of 2002, meaning the 15 year frame recall safety issue is covered until october of 2016 (a year from now). i spoke with toyota customer service and they are unwilling to do anything about this known safety issue. in any case, since toyota knows its a safety issue, and its well within the 15 year recall frame time-frame, why should toyota expect me to just drive around an unsafe vehicle?

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. upon inspecting the vehicle, it was noticed that the frame was prematurely rusted to the point that the frame deteriorated with holes and could fracture. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the vehicle was included in nhtsa campaign numbers: 12v542000 (tires) and 05v225000 (suspension), but the contact never received recall notices. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 300,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the subframe was severely corroded and with holes due to corrosion, while an independent mechanic performed routine maintenance. the mechanic informed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 130,000. .....updated 12/03/15 *bf *js

There was extensive damage to the front left side of the vehicle from a collision. the radiator was pushed against the engine. most of the driver side fender as well as the inner core support was crushed. both airbags didn't not deploy.

The frame on this truck was recalled and now toyota motor sales usa,inc. is telling me it was an old recall and the owner that own it before me didn't get it fixed so they don't have to fix it because the time limit is over.im the second one to own this truck and didn't know they was a recall on the frame.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for a routine service and was told by the technician that the vehicle frame was corroded. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 106,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the front and rear subframe were corroded. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the entire subframe needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 96,566.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that there was extensive rust and corrosion on the underbody and framing of the vehicle, which progressed without warning. the vehicle was taken to a repair shop where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was to be taken to a dealer for inspection and diagnosis. the vehicle was also included in nhtsa campaign number: 12v542000 (tires) and was unable to determine when the recall would be completed because the part was not available for an extended period of time. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no remedy. the failure mileage was not available.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 12v542000 (tires). the contact took the vehicle to the dealer to have the recall repair performed; however, the recall repair was unable to be performed due to excessive rust on the subframe. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 88,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that when the vehicle was taken to the dealer (gerard toyota located on 543 colman st, new london, ct 06320) for service, the technician noticed corrosion on the rear passenger side frame and a crack in the rear passenger wheel. the shocks could be seen and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 193,672.

Frame is rusted through in multiple locations and has been treated with corrosion resistant coatings. the coatings are obviously visible but did not prevent the frame from rusting to an unsafe condition. the previous owner brought the truck in for other recalls that are recorded in its history. this one for the frame is not recorded however you can see the coating has been applied. the warranty extension is listed for 15 years. the truck is 13 years old but, a person representing toyota says it's expired with no explanation of how that is. so far she put me on hold for 20 minutes without being able to find the information to explain to me. *tr

I purchased a tacoma truck december 2014 with an undercoated frame, and was unaware the frames in these trucks rot out, it is now april i look under the truck and see the frame is completely rotten out to the point where there is holes every where and you can poke your fingers holes will develop, i contacted toyota they don't want to even touch the truck, i feel very unsafe driving the truck. *tr

The chasis on the truck is rusting out.the majority of rust is near and around both rear tires. there was a recall but toyota will not honor the recall. the vehicle only has 83000+ miles

Purchased this truck 4 months ago for $10,900. found no evidence of recalls on this truck on carfax and toyotas recall website. it is a great truck in pristine condition. however, after talking to a friend who has a 2004 tacoma he informed me that there was a recall and that his frame was sprayed to prevent corrosion. i called up toyota to see if it had been done on mine and they said no. i asked why they were spraying them and they said it was because the frame will corrode. i asked if it could be done to mine and they said that they stopped doing it at the end of 2011. i had joseph toyota inspect it yesterday and they informed me that the frame has a hole in it and would only have 2 years left. i asked toyota if they would repair the frame or buy the truck back as i have heard they do and they said no. so now i can either pass the problem onto someone else or wait until the frame fails. *tr

I purchased a used 2002 toyota tacoma in february of 2015 only to find out the frame had serious rust issues. i found out through my own investigation that the truck had been traded in to the local toyota dealer and they knew it had rust issues. they proceeded to sell the truck at auction knowing it could be dangerous! i bought the truck from a used car dealer. upon being told about the frame rust issue by my mechanic, i was told by toyota that it was no longer covered by service recall. i am now stuck with a vehicle that is unsafe and very expensive to repair.

Vehicle has low miles yet the frame has rust holes in it. toyota won't do anything about it even though it has frame inspections in it's recent service history. the first inspection occurred in 2010, less than 7k miles ago. they indicated to me on the phone that due to an agreement with nhtsa that they could not do anything to help me. they would not take ownership for not inspecting the frame properly. this is a major problem with tacoma's, tundra's, sequoia's and 4runner's of this vintage in cold climate states. toyota acknowledged the frames were of poor manufacturing even suing the frame manufacturer, yet some get new frames, others like myself with a low mile truck are told they could do absolutely nothing even though the vehicle was traded in less than 1600 miles ago at a toyota dealership in pa. toyota needs to own up to this major safety issue and address it instead of skirting the issue without a proper recall. i have seen videos of tacoma's which have literally broken in half due to this problem. never did i think toyota wouldn't stand behind this potentially fatal flaw in frame manufacturing and corrosion resistance. my frame has a large 1"x6.5" hole above the right front leaf spring mount - a key attachment point for the rear suspension. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame from the rear leaf spring hanger was corroded. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 120,000. updated 11/01/16*lj

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated there was a hole in the rear passenger side of the vehicle's frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 174,000.

Truck recalled for excessive corrosion to the spare tire carrier lift plate!! after repair , service tech told me my truck also had a small hole in the frame with excessive rust. to my surprise i was told that the recall for this problem had passed!! i received no recall paper work on this matter. now no help is forth coming ! what to do?? *tr

I took my truck t a toyota any a dealer to fix some emission issues, they asked if i wanted the frame inspected, they informed me about the frame rust/perforation issues that have plagued tacoma's for years from the mid 90's to 2010 tacoma,s. the frames rust from the inside out creating holes that cause a framed to fall apart and render the vehicle worthless!! a some point on 2001-04 tacoma's they sent out a tsb offering a voluntary customer inspection on the frames this program ended 6/11. then some type of frame replacement program was offered to people that did the voluntary inspection until 7/14. so if you choose not to do or never received a notice your vehicle will fall apart and toyota doesn't care. my truck run and on the surface looks new drives like new however i can't drive it because it is unsafe. it has been reduced to a lawn ornament. i bought the truck from the original owner an he has lived at the same address for over 40 years he never! received any notice..toyota .replace my frame because you know it's a safety hazard. *tr

I purchased this vehicle from motorcars of lansing on 12/5. the only disclosure was rust on bumper. everything else appeared ok until i had it checked for rust. when hit with a hammer the frame fell apart. i called the dealer & they said "sorry the recall expired in 2011". i contacted toyota directly who told me the same thing. basically i'm stuck with a vehicle i can't drive because it's not safe. what i don't understand is this vehicle had been serviced at several toyota dealers during the recall time & no one repaired the frame. this vehicles is not drivable, it's not safe & no one will help me get it fixed. how can a toyota dealer send a vehicle to auction knowing there was a recall on the frame that was never repaired? *tr

I own a 2002 toyota tacoma. the vehicle was taken to a tire shop and the technician noticed that the frame of the vehicle had a considerable amount of rust. the dealer diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced due to the rust and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the vehicle needs to repaired. the manufacturer was made aware of the issue. the failure mileage was 150,000.

At the yearly required state inspection the vehicle failed due to the frame being rusted out with holes. it appears to be a very common issue with this vehicle. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame was completely corroded. the vehicle was taken to a dealer for diagnostic testing. the technician stated that the frame of the vehicle needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mile was 100,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. while the vehicle was undergoing routine service, the independent mechanic discovered that a rear section of the subframe was rusted and corroded. in addition, two brackets that secured the body to the subframe detached due to rust and corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified. the failure mileage was 123,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while having the annual state inspection performed, the inspector notified him that the entire sub frame, rear bumper and front passenger side wheel well were excessively corroded. neither the dealer nor the manufacturer was made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 167,152.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while having the vehicle inspected, the technician made him aware that the frame had completed rusted and cracked. the independent mechanic diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 168,000.

Driving at 35 mph went over bump leaf spring went up through frame causing vehicle to become out of control. vehicle was inspected at valenti toyota in westerly ri and vehicles frame is rotted. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. while driving approximately 30 mph, the driver side frame detached and the contact lost control of the vehicle. the dealer stated that the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 148,000.

2002 toyota tacoma. consumer writes in regards to vehicle rust issues. *smd the consumer was urged to call toyota to see if a recall had been issued. the consumer was informed a recall was issued. however, she never received notification. the consumer was informed six notifications were mailed. *jb

Part of the frame suddenly broke from the frame rail under the driver's side of the vehicle, resulting in a significant portion of material loosing all structural integrity. this was due, it seems, to a manufacturing defect in the frame quality leading to excessive rot and rust. the vehicle is now structurally unsound and thus unable to be driven safely. *tr

Frame rusted and cracked. *js

Frame cracked at right rear box rail... *tr

The sway bar arm bracket on the passenger side of the vehicle pulled out of the frame due to corrosion. the vehicle was found to have corrosion perforations in multiple areas of the frame. frame has excessive corrosion and i have been advised vehicle is not safe to operate. manufacturer refuses to do anything. *tr

Excessive frame rust. i brought it into a toyota dealer for an inspection for rust to the spare tire carrier. the dealer refused to perform the inspection because they said the frame was too rusty for them to safely perform the inspection. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. while the vehicle was being serviced for an unrelated repair, the mechanic noticed that the entire frame was completely rusted. the vehicle had not been repaired and the manufacturer was notified. the approximate failure mileage was 162,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while having routine maintenance performed, the technician notified him that the vehicle had extensive rust and corrosion on the frame causing it to warped and cracked. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and indicated that the contact was not included in a the limited manufacturer service campaign. the dealer would not apply the corrosion treatment, because they claimed the vehicle had a salvaged title. the consumer disputed the dealers claim and provided proof. updated 10/01/14.

My fuel tank is rusted completely through to the point of leaking gas. i know toyota has recalled the frame (replaced) and the spare tire holder (not yet replaced) due to rust. seems like the whole underside is rusting out. *tr

I recently took my 2002 toyota tacoma into the local dealer, dch in wappingers falls ny, because of leak in the rack and pinion steering. upon looking at the vehicle,they observed a cracked and rusted frame. we took the car down and i went to my local repair shop for a second opinion. that repair shop had said there was a frame recall for that year. i called toyota in california and they confirmed there was a recall for that year and that they sent out a notice, but it had to be brought by the end of 2012. i told them i never received the notice. there have been 2 other recalls for the vehicle which i did receive notices. they checked with their compliance office and said they did send it to me. i asked how many notices went out and they said one and they do not send them certified mail. when i stated that i never received the notice, they told there was a department that may still be able to assist me. after opening up a case with toyota, they came to the conclusion, there was nothing they can do about it because i failed to bring the car in by their deadline. i told them again that i never received the notice and that i don't feel safe driving the vehicle with a rusted and cracked frame. this seems to be problem with a good deal of toyotas. i was hoping for some kind of help, since they've admitted the problem and i never received the notice and we, at this point have only their word that they sent me a notice. thank you. toyota case# 1405131065. updated 07/03/14

Letter from congressman rahall on behalf of constituent re a recall from several years ago on his toyota tacoma sr 5 pick up truck. *smd the consumer stated he saw on the news a recall had been issued, regarding defective frames, and he missed out on the recall, due to personal issues. he would like to get the vehicle fixed, because it can no longer be driven due to a cracked frame. *jb

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame and chassis were corroded. the contact was also concerned that the spare tire would become detached from the vehicle. the vehicle was not repaired. the dealer advised the contact that there were no open recalls on the vehicle. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 212,000.

Frame is rusted and broken and truck is unsafe to drive. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame started to deteriorate. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician applied an under coating to the frame. the contact stated that the coating eventually wore off. the vehicle was repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. updated 04/21/14*lj the consumer stated he made an appointment for the corrosion frame recall. before the appointment, he noticed a lot of oil droplets on the tail gate of the truck, as he drove off, he noticed a puddle of oil. an inspection revealed, the differential case was leaking and it needed to be replaced because it was extremely rusty. also, the frame was rusted, and it needed to be replaced. updated 04/24/14

Informed by dealer that frame is rusted through and truck is unsafe to drive. also informed that there had been a service bulletin for this problem. but my truck is no longer eligible for repair under the voluntary service recall (of which i was never notified), as it had expired. i think toyota should be responsible. they recognized their defective product; however my truck is ineligible for repair because they get to limit their responsibility because their remedy is not technically a "recall". i, and i'm sure many others, are by necessity, driving unsafe vehicles. *tr

There was a recall on this vehicle for premature frame rusting. i took it in for the inspection and was told it was ok. when i took it in for the last service, it was pointed out to me that there are two holes rusted through the frame in front of the right rear wheel area. the frame is rusting from the inside out. the body of the truck has no rust. with the low mileage i had hoped to drive the truck for many more years. i contacted toyota and did not even get a response. what recourse do i have? *tr

I contacted toyota in november of 2013 prior to purchasing a used 2002 double cab tacoma. i was aware of the frame issue so i called to check to see if it had been serviced. i gave the vin to the customer service associate and he was able to pull records on the vehicle. he told me that it had not had the corrosion treatment, however, the corrosion treatment failed and was in the process of being reformulated. he said that the program had been reopened due to the fact that the treatment failed. he said after purchasing the vehicle i should take it to be inspected and if any rust was found it would be covered under the frame program. i purchased the vehicle in november of 2013 and upon inspection we found that the frame was rusted. in january of 2014 my husband called a local toyota dealer to set up an appointment for the frame inspection and they said that they had no idea about the frame program being reopened. my husband called toyota and they pulled up the vehicle and said since the original treatment had not been applied they would not honor the frame program. we spoke to several toyota associates and we were told that nothing could be done. we have contacted the toyota legal department and the virginia attorney general with no success. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for unrelated repairs when he was advised that the sub-frame was severely corroded. as a result, the technician advised the contact that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure and current mileage was 110,000.

2002 toyota tacoma. consumer writes in regards to vehicle severe frame rust issue and no warning of recalls. *smd toyota usa informed the consumer, a recall was not issued, but a customer service program was offered, but it expired at the end of 2011. the consumer was informed six letters were mailed informing her of the issue. however, the consumer stated she never received any letters.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. the contact took the vehicle to the dealer for service under nhtsa campaign number: 12v542000 (tires). the contact was advised that the vehicle could not be service under the recall because of excessive corrosion. the contact stated that he was never advised of corrosion when the vehicle was inspected in 2010 for a manufacturer's warranty. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the issue. the approximate failure mileage was 95,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota tacoma. while undergoing a state inspection, the vehicle could not be placed on the lift because the frame was severely rusted. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 110,000. updated 1/12/2016 *cn *tr