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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:

Keith of Boone, NC April 23, 2008

Keith of Boone NC (04/23/08)
Was getting ready to drive my 1996 Toyota Tacoma 4x4 from North Carolina to Montana on vacation and decided before the trip to put new shocks on it and have the tires rotated and balanced. What a surprise (and shock!) to get a call from the local dealership to come back and look at the rotted out frame! I was completely unaware of this as I have always taken great care to keep the truck clean from winter months of salted snowy roads here in the NC mountains. There is not a speck of rust otherwise on the truck, and with 163,000 miles on it, I never questioned driving it cross country with so many miles on it as Ive always had excellent experiences with Toyotas (e.g., 1978 Celica with over 400,000 miles; 1984 Toyota 4x4 with over 300,000 miles; 1985 Celica with over 300,000 miles; all with no catastrophic engine trouble and keeping regular maintenance). Like many on the blog here, my Toyota Tacoma 4x4 (1996) has suffered a death knell frame rust/rot diagnosis. The rest of the truck is in excellent condition, and paid for!, which makes it a pure shame. I really love my truck and hate to see it go! I have been informed as well, as stated here by Karen in Oneota NY, that Toyota is buying back Tacomas from 95 through 2000 because these models have all suffered from extensive frame rot/rust problems. My understanding is that Toyota will pay Blue Book plus one half of the value as long as a Toyota dealership will document the rot/rust and file a report with Toyota. I was told a Toyota rep would contact me about it. Meanwhile, my poor truck sits in the driveway and will not be driven until I hear from the rep as there is too much risk of the frame breaking while driving which could mean a serious accident resulting in possible death to myself and/or others. My goodness! I will still stick Toyota however, and will use whatever money I receive from Toyota to purchase another post 2000 Tacoma as I still believe Toyota is the best and most reliable vehicle on the road. Just hate to lose my current truck as its in excellent condition minus the rotted out frame. My truck and I have been through a lot together! Goodbye truck, and see you one day in truck heaven where your rotted out frame will no longer bring you pain! Sigh...

Ben of Jacksonville, FL April 15, 2008

Ben of Jacksonville FL (04/15/08)
I have a 1997 toyota tacoma 4x4 that blew a head gasket. After talking with my brother he adivised that the truck had a recall on the faulty head gasket. I looked on toyota's website and there was a recall for my vin# for a faulty head gasket. I called toyota this morning and they said the the recall had expired in 2005 and there was nothing they could do. They said they had sent recall notices to all onwners.I have never recieved a recall notice for this truck for a head gasket. The truck has always been maintained and has had proper service. I feel that the head gasket is a known problem with this vehicle and should be fixed under this recall. If I would have recieved the recall notice they would have had to fix the vehicle then.

Carletta of Pounding Mill, VA April 9, 2008

Carletta of Pounding Mill VA (04/09/08)
It sad but true... I was sure glad to see we weren't the only ones that rust took over the frame of our Toyota. I mean I hate it happened to anyone but I thought it was something we did wrong.My husband and son are VERY upset! My husband purchased this truck brand new in 1999 knowing that our son would start driving last year, he was going to take good care of it and give it to him. The truck keep in mind was an off road series which I thought would have been a little more durable if someone had taken it 4 wheeling or anything which my husband never did. For A 1999 the truck looked like it was in EXCELLENT condition inside and out and actually my husband had a hard time giving it up. My son rode it for a few months and decided since it was an older truck he was going to replace some inportant parts, the timing chain, water pump and clutch kit. We ordered the parts took the truck and parts to the mechanic and pretty much figured the truck would be as good as new. WE WERE WRONG!! The mechanic called ask us to come back to the garage to have a look up under the truck. He had the truck upon the racks and what I seen about gave me heart failure!! The frame was an absolute mess! Totally rusted!! The thought that my baby had been riding this death trap around scared me to death. What if him being a young boy had decided to take it 4 wheeling the thing would have probably fell apart and flipped him down a mountain maybe even killing him. The mechanic advised us to return the parts and get rid of the truck which we did. Now thanks to us purchasing (what we now know was) a piece of junk that we thought would be great to get our child through school was a waste now he has a car payment. Makes us mad to pass these old junkers on the road and you wonder how their vehicle is still running and our truck that was in excellent LOOKING condition was about to get one of us killed.

John of Elgin, IL April 3, 2008

John of Elgin IL (04/03/08)
I bought a new 2008 Toyota Tacoma in February 2008. I have had it back to the dealer for service 2x already; once for the mudflaps being too low. The 2nd issue is of greater concern. The engine light went on. I took it immediately to the dealer, they kept it for 3-4 days. Finally, they took out the gas tank and found ethanol in it. This was NOT covered under my brand new car warranty and I had to pay 315, which they did not tell me on the phone when they said it was ready. Then the service guy asks me what gas I used, Marathon and Shell, which I've used in Dodge trucks for over 18 years without a problem. He tells me I have to use 90% or better. With the cost of gas rising daily, I never would have bought this truck if I'd have known this upfront. My salesman did not tell me this gas issue or any issues about sludge in the engine, which I read about online.

Karen of Oneonta, NY March 16, 2008

Karen of Oneonta NY (03/16/08)
We experienced the frame rot with our 1998 Toyota Tacoma problem that people are complaining about. The mechanic said we had probably the best-maintained Tacoma in upstate NY, but it wouldn't pass NY state inspection because the frame is Swiss cheese. Too dangerous to be driving. Makes me cringe to think about driving our daughter around. Good on Toyota, however - they're not recalling, but they are buying back, starting in mid-March 2008. They are also extending the rust warranty to 15 years for the 1995 - 2000 Tacomas for those that haven't rotted out yet.

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