2002 Toyota Tacoma Other Problems

Your truck's frame has rusted through, making it unsafe to drive even though the rest of the vehicle is in good condition. This is a known issue with your model year that Toyota has not adequately addressed. Fixing this will likely require professional frame repair or replacement, which is a major undertaking.

You may be unaware that Toyota issued a recall for faulty frames on your 2002 Tacoma, but the company says the recall period has expired. You never received official notice of the recall, and despite your truck having low mileage and being well-maintained, you're concerned about frame failure at highway speeds and potential safety consequences. You'll want to contact Toyota directly about eligibility for the recall repair or discuss your options if the recall window has closed.

Your vehicle is subject to a chassis recall. You should contact a Toyota dealer to have this recall addressed as soon as possible.

REAL BAD RUST ISSUE ON THE FRAME FRAME JUST ABOUT INTO , THAT IS ONLY 1 PHOTO I HAVE MORE . I BOUGHT THE TRUCK USED IN 2013 THE ATTACHED PIC WAS TAKEN 2-3 WEEKS AGO TRUCK IS NOT SAFE TO RIDE/DRIVE

7/31/2019, I DROVE MY TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALER SHOP AFTER I NOTICED THE REAR OF MY TRUCK TILTING DOWN WHEN LOADING. PER TOYOTA DEALER INSPECTION, ITS FRAME 3/4 WAY RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES AND VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. AND TOYOTA'S EXTENDED WARRANTY ON THE FRAME EXPIRED ON JANUARY 2, 2017. REPLACING THE FRAME WOULD COST $24,000, OR THE TRUCK IS JUST A PIECE OF JUNK. ON THE SAME DAY 1:20PM, I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE, 800-331-4331, AND WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, AS I DIDN'T BRING IT IN BEFORE THE WARRANTY ON TRUCK FRAME EXPIRED. 7/22/2011, THE TRUCK HAD A FRAME RECALL IN RESPONSE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AND PERFORMED CORROSION TREATMENT PER TOYOTA GUIDELINE (NOT REPLACEMENT OF FRAME). 2/11/2013, THE TRUCK WAS IN TOYOTA SHOP FOR INSPECTION AND DIDN'T HAVE ANY WORDS REGARDING THE FRAME. MY TRUCK IS IN GREAT SHAPE, INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR, OTHER THAN THE RUST FRAME, WITH ONLY 102,000 MILES. I LIKE THE TRUCK, TAKE GOOD CARE OF IT, AND INTENT TO DRIVE FOR A FEW MORE YEARS. BUT I NEVER THOUGHT THE FRAME WOULD BE AN ISSUE EVEN AFTER HAVING A FRAME RECALL WORK DONE. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD STILL TAKE CARE OF MY TRUCK FRAME, AS IT HAS GONE BAD DUE TO THE FACT THAT (1) TOYOTA DIDN'T BUILD IT WITH GOOD QUALITY PARTS TO START WITH, (2) TOYOTA DEALER DIDN'T PERFORM A GOOD QUALITY RECALL - JUST PATCH/PAINTED WHICH DIDN'T PREVENT FROM FURTHER RUSTING, AND (3) THIS BAD RUST MUST HAVE HAPPENED BEFORE THE 15-YEAR WARRANTY EXPIRED; I JUST OVER-TRUSTED TOYOTA AND OVER-LOOKED THE FRAME... I HAVE TALKED TO SEVERAL FRAME BODY SHOPS. THEY ARE ALL AWARE OF THE TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME PROBLEMS AND THINK THE FRAME HAD BEEN RUSTING A LONG TIME AGO, WHILE THE TRUCK LOOKS/RUNS GREAT. REPLACEMENT OF THE FRAME IS THE ONLY YET COSTLY OPTION TO SAVE THE TRUCK. I BELIEVE THERE MUST BE MANY TACOMA OWNERS EXPERIENCING THE SAME RESULTED FROM BAD-QUALITY-BUILT TRUCK FRAMES.

THE FRAME HAS ROTTED AWAY CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT.

I PURCHASED A USED TOYOTA TACOMA 2002 ON 12/16/11 (NOW WITH 124K MILES). TOYOTA ISSUED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY COVERAGE TO OWNERS REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE & THE POSSIBILITY OF FRAME SPLITTING WITH STEPS TO TAKE FOR TOYOTA TO COVER THIS ISSUE IN A 1X LETTER THEY SENT OUT IN FEB 2012. TOYOTA SENT THE LETTER TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER & NOT TO ME (THE RIGHTFUL OWNER AT THAT TIME.) I RECENTLY FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS PROBLEM FROM A LOCAL TIRE COMPANY THAT NOTICED A SPLIT IN MY TRUCK'S FRAME (THIS ISSUE WAS NEVER BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION BY THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHEN I HAD ANOTHER RECALL ISSUE TAKEN CARE OF ON 5/11/15). I WENT RIGHT TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY SAID THE FRAME MUST BE REPLACED (WHICH WAS PART OF THE PROGRAM THAT TOYOTA OFFERED IN THE LETTER SENT TO THE PREVIOUS OWNER, NOT ME' THE CORRECT OWNER AT THAT TIME). TOYOTA WILL NOT ASSIST ME WITH THE REPAIR/FIX BECAUSE THEY CLAIM THEY DID THEIR JOB AND SENT THE NOTICE TO THE OWNER THAT THEY HAD ON FILE FROM THEIR RESOURCES. I HAVE A COPY OF MY DMV REGISTRATION SHOWING THE REGISTRATION DATE, PROVING THAT THEY MAILED THE LETTER & REPAIR DETAILS TO THE INCORRECT OWNER. I SENT A CERTIFIED LETTER TO THE TOYOTA LEGAL DEPARTMENT WITH THE DETAILS & PROOF OF OWNERSHIP, WHICH CLEARLY SHOWS I WAS THE RIGHTFUL OWNER AT THE TIME THEY MAILED THE LETTER. THEY SIGNED FOR MY LETTER ON 12/21/18. NOW IT IS 3 1/2 MONTHS LATER AND I HAVE NOT YET HEARD BACK FROM THEM. WHEN I CALL THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE, TELLING ME THAT THE LEGAL DEPARTMENT CAN ONLY COMMUNICATE BY MAIL. TOYOTA HAS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE FRAME THAT THEY NEVER INFORMED ME ABOUT. NOW MY CHERISHED TRUCK & DAILY TRANSPORTATION IS WORTH NOTHING BECAUSE OF TOYOTA'S DEFECTIVE FRAME. THIS COMPLAINT IS BEING ISSUED BECAUSE TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE FRAME AND LACK OF PROPERLY NOTIFYING ME, THE CORRECT OWNER, WITH THE SAFETY ISSUE & REPAIR OPTIONS.

TAKATA RECALL THE CHASSIS OF THE TRUCK IS COMPLETELY RUSTED. DOES NOT LOOK SAFE TO DRIVE.

I RECEIVED A INTERIM NOTICE LETTER FROM TOYOTA IN 2011, STATING THAT THE FRAME HAD A COATING DEFECT. I TOOK IT TO MY LOCAL OXMOOR TOYOTA DEALER IN 2011 AND THEY PUT A WAX COATING ON THE FRAME TO STOP THE FRAME FROM RUSTING MORE. I RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER ON THE SPARE TIRE ASSEMBLY AND I HAD OXMOOR TOYOTA FIX THAT AS WELL. THE ASSEMBLY WAS RUSTING AWAY. THIS WEEK I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD (HWY 480) AND THE TRUCK BECAME VERY LOOSE IN HANDLING. TOOK THE TRUCK HOME INSPECTED IT AND FOUND THE FRAME SNAPPED IN HALF ON THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL WELL.

AS A NEW PRE OWNER OF THE 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA THAT I HAD PURCHASED IN AUGUST 2017. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAVE COMPLETED ALL RECALL PER TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE SERVICES AND MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. WHAT THEY TOLD ME WAS DURING THE INSPECTION, THEY SPRAY RUST PROOF ON THE FRAME TO PROTECT FROM CORROSION. IF WAS LUCKY THAT I HAVE BROUGHT MY TRUCK FOR SERVICES FOR NEW TIRES ON 1/30/18. WHILE THE MECHANIC TRY TO LEFT THE TRUCK FOR SERVICES, THEY NOTICE THAT THE FRAME WHERE RUSTED AND WOULD OF FALL APART IF THE LEFT THE CAR UP. THEY CALLED ME INTO THE WORK AREA AND POINTED OUT HOW DANGEROUS IT WAS. IT WAS BARELY HOLDING THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE TRUCK TOGETHER. IT RUSTED MORE THAN HALF WAY OF THE FRAME THAT SUPPORTED THE ENTIRE BACK OF THE BED TRUCK. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDATION TO CONTACT TOYOTA. AND I DID BUT GOT NO WHERE. THEY ARE REFUSING TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM. Q

I PURCHASED THE TACOMA 10/9/2013, I NOTICED SOME OF THE RECALL REPAIRS HAD NOT BEEN MADE BY THE PREVIOUS OWNER, I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER, 10/29/2013 FOR THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. I WAS INFORMED BY THE SERVICE GUY, USING A HAMMER, THAT MY FRAME WAS CRUMBLING AND I WOULD BE NEEDING A NEW FRAME AS WELL. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE NUMEROUS TIMES AND ALL I EVER GOT WAS, I'M SORRY, AND HOW THEY WERE WELL AWARE OF THE CORROSION PROBLEM WITH THE FRAME ON THE 2002. THE RUST PROBLEM ON MY TACOMA IS SO SEVERE, THE TRUCK IS STARTING TO BUCKLE, NO SPACE BETWEEN THE CAB AND THE BED AT THE TOP. IT IS IN SUCH BAD SHAPE NO ONE WILL PUT IT ON A LIFT! IT WILL BE THE COMPLETE AND SINGLE CAUSE FOR THE DEMISE OF MY TRUCK, AND QUITE POSSIBLY MYSELF. I HAD JUST BOUGHT THE TRUCK. I WILL BE DRIVING THE TACOMA WHEN THE FRAME BREAKS APART AND I WILL PROBABLY DIE. 9/11/17 I WROTE JAMES LETZ, CEO OF TOYOTA, AND MANAGER OF TOYOTA MOTOR ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING, I STATED, "I FOLLOWED THE CORROSION PREVENTION IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THE QUALITY OF THE FRAME ON THE 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA IS INFERIOR DUE TO INADEQUATE RUST PROTECTION AT THE FACTORY." 9/28/17 I RECEIVED A RESPONSE BY PHONE FROM GRAND PRAIRIE, TX. HE TOLD ME THERE WAS A RECALL LETTER SENT OUT TO THE OWNERS OF 2002 TACOMAS, INFORMING THE OWNERS TO CHECK FOR RUSTING AND CORROSION ON THE FRAME, AND THEY COULD BRING THE TRUCK IN FOR A RUST PREVENTION SPRAY; HOWEVER, IT EXPIRED 2011. THEY OBVIOUSLY KNOW HOW SEVERE THE PROBLEM IS. I TOLD HIM I WAS SCARED, AND HE ANSWERED, "I UNDERSTAND I WOULD BE TOO." HE LED ME TO THINK NOTHING WAS GOING TO BE DONE, BUT IT WAS UP TO THE ENGINEERING AND MANUFACTURING DEPARTMENT, ODDLY ENOUGH, THAT IS MR. LETZ!

TODAY I SAW THE TRUCK FOR SALE ON CRAIGSLIST AND WHEN I CALLED THE OWNER HE SAID IT HAS 132000 MILES BUT WHEN I GOT CARFAX THE CAR HAVE OVER 250000. THE IS CURRENTLY LISTED ON CRAIGS LIST HTTPS://SFBAY.CRAIGSLIST.ORG/SBY/CTO/6184326088.HTML

FRAME RUSTED, UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CALLED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD RECALL HAD EXPIRED, NEVER RECEIVED ANY RECALL INFORMATION. TRUCK WAS PURCHASED SECOND HAND FROM TOYOTA DEALER.

TOYOTA DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO FIX SAFETY RECALLS BECAUSE OF FRAME RUST DAMAGE. I NEVER RECEIVED THEIR SHORT TERM RECALL NOTICE ON THE FRAME RUST AND DEALERSHIP REFUSES TO REPLACE SAFETY RECALL PARTS !

FRAME RUSTED OUT. TOYOTA WILL NOT REPAIR. SAFETY ISSUE. BROUGHT VEHICLE TO DEALER FOR SPARE TIRE CARRIER RECALL AND WAS ADVISED FRAME WAS RUSTED ALSO AND THEY WOULD REPAIR NEITHER RUSTED FRAME NOR SPARE TIRE CARRIER. COMPLAINT FILED WITH VIRGINIA ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE ON JANUARY 21, 2016 AND TOYOTA RESPONDED TO THEIR OFFICE ON 02/11/2016 SAYING TOYOTA WOULD NOT REPAIR VEHICLE.

THE VEHICLE'S FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTY TO THE POINT THAT I FEAR IT WILL BREAK AT ANY TIME. I RECENTLY TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC TO REPLACE THE TIMING BELT AND OTHER BELTS AND A LOT OF THE BOLTS BROKE WHEN TRYING TO CHANGE THE BELTS. I BELIEVE THIS IS A MANUFACTURING ERROR. MORE THAN LIKELY, THE FACTORY USED LOW GRADE MATERIALS WHICH CAUSED THE TRUCK TO RUST A LOT FASTER OVER TIME. THIS IS A SAFETY CONCERN. IF DUE TO THIS RUST ISSUE, THE BREAKS FAIL OR THE FRAME COMES APART THIS CAN BE DANGEROUS. THIS IS WHY I AM REPORTING THIS PROBLEM. I CALLED TOYOTA AND RECEIVED A CLAIM NUMBER, THIS CLAIM IS UNDER REVIEW. PLEASE CONTACT ME REGARDING THIS ISSUE.

MY TRUCKS FRAME IS CORRODED AND FALLING APART. TOYOTA HAD A RECALL OUT FOR THE FRAME. DUE TO PREVIOUS OWNER NOT HAVING CHEMICAL COMPOUND SPRAYED ON THE FRAME, I AM TOLD THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO. I HAVE NEVER RECEIVED ANYTHING REGARDING MY TRUCKS UNSAFE DRIVING CONDITION. I HAVE BEEN TO IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE BUT TOYOTA IS NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

CONSUMER STATED WATER LEAKED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSED THE FLOOR TO BE WET. THERE WAS A MILDEW SMELL. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *PH