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Toyota Tacoma

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Toyota Tacoma • Consumer complaints • Transmission failure • Safety interlock failure • Spontaneous starting • Misc. failings --- News • NHTSA Ends Toyota Tacoma Investigation • Toyota Resists Possible Tacoma Recall

The Tacoma is putting a big dent in American automakers' truck sales but it's also putting a big ugly dent in Toyota's reputation for quality, reliability and service. The trucks are plagued by engine and transmission problems as well as an assortment of defects and quirks that we don't usually associate with Japanese cars and trucks.

Here are some of the more recent complaints:

David of Tyngsboro, MA May 14, 2008

David of Tyngsboro MA (05/14/08)
In February of this year (2008), my wife and I prchased two vehicles from this dealership. A 2003 Toyota Hylinder for my wife and a 2000 Tacoma Pick-up for myself. Last Sunday, (May 11, 2008), mo son told me about the problems with Toyota pick-up frames from the years 1996-2000, and the options of owners. I brought my pick-up to the dealership where I purchased it for the frame inspection. I asked the service tech how long they knew about these frams defects. He responded A coupla months. Upon completion of the inspection of my pick-up, I was informed that the frame not only failed, but was patched. I asked the 1st service tech how this was missed upon receipt of this vehicle, and how could it be sold. He told me they had no reason to perform such an intense inspection prior to resale. I asked him about the Toyota Quality Reputation. He didn't have an answer for me, and neither did the tech that performed the inspection. I will get my 1.5X kelly blue book money for this truck, hopefully on Suggested Retail Aalue and NOT Suggested TRADE IN Value (the difference of about 3500.00) My concern is How could this dealership sell this truck without knowing about the patch in the frame, and not considering the frame problem in the first place?

Matt of Ringgold, GA May 6, 2008

Matt of Ringgold GA (05/06/08)
I am in the same situation with my 1998 Toyota Tacoma, basically without going into alot of details, I bought my truck with 49500 miles in 2003 and it lasted me 85000 before it was unsafe to drive(the problems were reported in early 2005 and continue today). Toyota will not work with me and basically told me to eat as they have offered me less than 1000 for any reconcilation. I am trying to get as much info as possible from anyone else having these problems maybe in regards to pursuing alternative solutions. The reason why Toyota wants everyone to quickly resolve this issue is so that a class action can't be filed against the Toyota Motor Corp. I will be more than happy to provide additional details.

I.

James of Farmington, PA April 29, 2008

James of Farmington PA (04/29/08)
If you have anytime to read this, it would be greatly appreciated. I wanted to ask if there was any possibility to file a lawsuit against Toyota (corporate office based in California). At the beginning of March 2008, Toyota began to sending letters to 1995-2000 Toyota Tacoma owners in relation to the frames rotting and being deemed unsafe. (Information is all over the web). Toyota has said that this is not a recall, but a courtesy due to the frames failing horribly for state inspections and being considered unsafe. They are currently taking these Toyota Tacoma's in at the dealerships and providing the owner with Retail Value at one and a half Kelley blue book value. This has been confirmed through our local Toyota Dealership and through Toyota Customer Service. On January 18th, 2008 of this year I took my 1998 Tacoma to Monroe to have new tires and muffler put on. I was contacting by Monroe to come up and take a look at my frame. There was a 10 inch hole in the frame and was so deteriorated that I was told that it was unsafe to drive. I came back to work and contacted the Toyota garage and numerous metal shops to get the problem repaired. Nobody would touch it due to liability issues. So on that day I went to the Nissan dealership and purchased a new vehicle. I informed the dealership that my frame would need some work. They said fine and still gave me 4333.00 for my truck. (I paid sticker, 28,000 on a new Nissan) I did not want to purchase a new truck, but I had no choice. I did not want to be in a vehicle that was unsafe. So in the last two weeks I contacted Toyota and was assigned to case manger. I provider the case manager with previous ownership information and my work invoice from Monroe Muffler, where it stated that there was a 10 inch hole in the frame of my Tacoma. They accepted all of this and informed me that they would give my trade-in value for the truck. Not the retail value at one and half Kelley Blue book value, which is what all current owners are receiving. If I would have waited 2 more months for this recall (obviously they had not let anybody know yet) I would have received 14,000 for my vehicle, instead of the 4333.00 that I received when I was forced to get rid of it, due to safety reasons. The case manager informed me that he looked up the trade-in value which came out to be 4100.00. He informed that I would receive nothing and he would not let me speak to a supervisor or director. I owned this vehicle for ten years. I leased it for three and financed for five. I had spent at least 30,000 in the course of those ten years all through their finance company, Southeastern Toyota Finance. I have been reading online that they are plenty of others in similar situations and Toyota is providing them with nothing. I suppose my question to you is, Do you believe that there is any precedence in this case. Do you think it is possible to file against them in relation to this matter? I really appreciate you taking the time to read this and any advice would be helpful. If you do believe that there is any substance to this, we can go from there.

Paul of Watertown, MA April 26, 2008

Paul of Watertown MA (04/26/08)
I am curreently going .through the toyota buy back program of my 99 tacoma truck. While I'm pleased to have the deal I'm not pleased with the prospect of having truck payments and even less with the ttruck shoppping process..I respect toyota for standing behind their quallity defect. The costs of making customers happy in this program is far cheaper than any resulting legal liability issues. I reluctantly began my truck shopping at first on line. I went to Toyota's web site and built a toyota truck with the specifications I wanted and got an idea of the costs and various option packages that were available. I choose to go with model 7114, which tacoma accesscab 4x2,equiped with option 1 convinece package and the stability control option. I was driving a 4x4 but opted for a 4x2 for the gas savings. I drive sometimes 2000 miles a month to and from work and I need a truck for work to transport tools. I work a a carpenter. The traction control option is listed on both the web site and in the dealers tacoma brochure at the dealers as an option on their 4x2 models. What I'm now finding out is toyota doesn't make that option available for this region of the country. Where is the logic in that? It snows here! We just had a near record snowfall year. A two wheel rear drive truck without traction control doesn't make alot of sense in a snowy region of the country. Who decied not to provide this region without this option. It defies common sense. If toyota is worried about the liability issue of rusted frames they ought to worry about this too. BY listing the traction control option on both the web and in the brochures then not providing to cuystomers in this area are't they guilty of false and misleading advertising? Where are they providing this option? Texas and Florida? That would make sense. It makes no sense not to include traction control as a standard feature anyway, especially on a two wheel drive truck. Is toyota going to stand behind those customers who drive and crash these trucks when the stability control option would have prevented the crash from occuring in the first place.BY making the opption unavailable in this region their putting alot of peoples lives at risk when it doesn't need to be. I'd ike the executive responsible for this to come drive their two wheel drive truck without traction control in new englland winter roads ans see how much fun it is.

Martin of San Pedro, CA April 24, 2008

Martin of San Pedro CA (04/24/08)
I bought a used 2000 toyota tacoma from a dealer, amonth later the truck started running rough, after taking it back to the dealer they charged me 500.00 dollars to adjust the valves, and it still runs rough. I have read other complaints about the same problem! I would like to know why these trucks have not been recalled? Ive spent over 700 dollars, and have taken it to 4 mechanics, I refuse to put another dollar into it! Who do i talk to or what can i do? Idont have the money to fix whatever the problem is!!! CAN YOU PLEASE HELP ME?

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