2002 Toyota Tacoma Suspension Problems

Found hole in frame (chassis)

I recently lost both front wheels in two different incidents within a month. Early August drivers side ball joint failed on me. And on September 25th the passenger side failed on me on the freeway almost causing a collision with a mercedes and a semi truck.

As I was pulling out from being parked the truck just dropped to the floor on the drivers side. When I got out to see what happened? My wheel broke off at the lower ball joint yesterday evening. I had to wait 2 hours for a tow. I had no warning or symptoms prior.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the front passenger’s side wheel separated from the vehicle, causing the driver to lose control of the steering and drove into the opposite lane. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the front suspension ball joint had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact was also informed that the front shocks, front tires, and front brakes were also damaged during the failure, and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 443,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while an independent mechanic was servicing the vehicle, the contact was informed that the rear sub frame was severely rusted at the spring shackle on the driver's side. The vehicle was then taken to an auto body shop, where it was determined that the sub frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 225,000.

I went to get my 02 tacoma tires balanced and was called and told that where the frame was cracked. Upon inspecting it myself the crack is where the manufacturer welded the frame together. I'm the 3rd owner of this vehicle and there original owner didn't get frame warranty recall done. Which led to it running out. Now Toyota corporate has a frame case number ([XXX]) and was told that there's nothing that could be done until enough complaints about this case number reaches a certain number then they'll look into it. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

DRIVING IN A HIGHWAY STATE 81 TOWARDS HARRISONBURG VIRGINIA WHEN MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA , PARTS OR EQUIPMENT UNDERNEATH THE TRUCK COLLAPSE CAUSE OF OUT OF CONTROL OF THE TRUCK , THE WHOLE SHOCK AND THE BALL JOINT IN THE FRONT ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK, THE PASSENGER SIDE AND DRIVER SIDE FALL TO THE GROUND, WHILE DRIVING DID NOT HIT ANY ONE BUT IT WILL CAUSE MY LIFE AT RISK . I DONT KNOW WHAT HAPPEND IF I CAN CALL SOME AS A RECALL , SINCE THE BEGINNING OF 2002 WHEN I BOUGHT THE TRUCK BRAND NEW AT STEVEN TOYOTA HARRISONBURG , VIRGINIA , NOT EVEN A YEAR YET NOTICE THAT UNDERNEATH FROM PIPE TO THE SHKICJ THE WHOLE UNDERRNEATH START TO RUSTY BAD BUT NO ONE EVER TOLD ME HOW BAD IT IS. I LOVE MY 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA .I KEPT THE TRUCK FOR ALMOST 20 YEARS NOW I BELIEVE IM ONLY THE ONE IN PAGE COUNTY TOWN OF STANLEY VIRGINIA DRIVING A TOYOTA TACOMA . I TOOK CARE OF MY TRUCK NOTHING BUT ONLY 135,000 MILES ON IT., MOSTY EVERYDAY I HAVE BEEN ASK OR MANY PEOPLE LIKE TO BUY MY TRUCK . IM NOT VERY RICH PERSON IM NOT RETIRED YET BUT I GOT DISABLE FOR A YEAR AND MY INCOME NOT ENOUGH BUT WITH THE HELP OF SOME FAMILY I MANAGE TO PAY THE TOWING CAMPONY . NOW THE TRUCK SET IN TO MY MECHANIC TOLD THEM TO FIX AND WHAT EVER IT TASKES OF COURSE WILL COST ME MORE MONEY. I WILL LOST MY TRUCK IF I DONT HAVE MONEY TO FIX IT AND MY INSURANCE WILL NOT PAY ANYTHING . THIS THE FIRST THING IM GOING TP WORK ON IT AFTER ALL HOLIDAYS . LOTS IOFTHEY TOWED IT , CHARGE ME THEN PAY SHOP N MECHANIC TOW IT ,WILL START ON IT ,COST LOTS OF MONEY TO FIX IT TOLD THEM TO FIX IT , HOLIDAYS HAVE NOT START YET , I MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO PAY .! I NEED MY TYRUCK OR SUE/ SO PROUD ON IT .WHY HAPPENED WHY FELL OFF . LEFT THE TRUCK AT THE HIGHWA POLICE SPOTED SAY I ABANDON THE TRUCK , BUT NO CHARGES , NO , JUST DONE STATE INSPECTION , NO WARNING SIGN, BY NOW ILL BE DEAD AT RISK , DEALER IGNORANT, RUDE TOYOTA DEALER. WHERE I BOUGHT THE TRUCK BRAND NEW , SO IGNORANT CARRYING TOYOTAS NAME , SHOULD NOT WORK AT TOYOTA THA

The chassis of the vehicle is corroded, metal is exposed. Shocks bracket seems like it might break off. Concerned that vehicle will fail on the road.

Truck frame is rusted to the point the the vehicle is not usable. The problem has been confirmed by a local independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. The first symptom was that the right rear shock became detached from the frame. When I brought the vehicle in to have the shock repaired they stated that there was not enough frame left in that area to re-attach the shock.

MY FRAME IN MY 2002 TACOMA IS ALMOST FULLY RUSTED . I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY ARE NOT WILLING TO HELP EVEN THOUGH THEY KNOW THAT THEIR TRUCKS ARE RUSTING AND THAT THERE WAS A PREVIOUS RECALL SET TO REPLACE THE FRAME. SINCE I JUST GOT THIS TRUCK FORM SOMEONE, I HAD NO IDEA OF THE RECALL AND OF THE RUST . THE CAR IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AT THIS POINT SINCE IT IS ABOUT TO BREAK IN HALF .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, SHE HEARD AN ABNORMALLY LOUD CLUNKING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO VEER INDEPENDENTLY TO THE RIGHT, WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT THEN PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND CALLED HER HUSBAND WHO ARRIVED AT THE SCENE AND DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY A DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT. UPON INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION) WHICH SHE LINKED TO THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED HER THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO BE DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 109,544.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC INSPECTED HER VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED SEVERE CORROSION THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH MARKQUART TOYOTA (1844 COMMERCIAL BLVD, CHIPPEWA FALLS, WI 54729) WHO INFORMED HER THAT THERE WERE NO RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT THEN CALLED THE MANUFACTURER WHO WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND DISREGARDED HER CONCERN WITH THE CORROSION. THE MANUFACTURER SUGGESTED THE VEHICLE BE SOLD AND OFFERED NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,021.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HAVING A ROUTINE CHECK ON THE VEHICLE BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE TECHNICIAN BECAME AWARE THAT THE REAR SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 190,000.

FRAME IS ROTTED, SHOCK SEPARATED FROM FRAME

THE UNDERCARRIAGE IS SHOWING SUBSTANTIAL RUST AND CORROSION

VEHICLE FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO FRAME RUST. WAS TOLD THAT ITS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THIS IS LONG ONGOING ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AND A NUMBER OF THERE VEHICLES. TOYOTA HAS KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE AND STILL SOLD THESE INFERIOR FRAMES FOR MANY YEARS.

DRIVING ON LOCAL STREET, 25 MPH, THEN HEARD CLUNKING SOUND WHEN HITTING ROAD BUMPS. MECHANIC INSPECTION REVEALED SHOCK MOUNT COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT OF FRAME AND EXCESSIVE RUST AND ROTTING THROUGHOUT THE REAR FRAME. TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP SO WILL HAVE REPAIR PRIVATELY AND WELD NEW SLEEVES TO THE FRAME. TOYOTA HAS CREATED A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION FOR ITS' CUSTOMERS BY USING INFERIOR METALS IN ITS' FRAMES FOR MANY YEARS.

MY FRAME IS JUST RUSTED OUT IN THE BACK END IT'S NEVER BEEN FLOODED ALWAYS TAKEN CARE OF VERY WELL AND I HEARD ABOUT THE FRAME RECALLS BUT MY VIN COMES BACK WITH NO RECALLS I JUST NEED TO SEE IF THIS CAN BE INVESTIGATED I KNOW PEOPLE WHO DID QUALIFY AND THERE FRAMES WERE PERFECTLY FINE BUT MINE IS JUST FALLING APART

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE BALL JOINT FRACTURED AND CAME APART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE AND WAS LATER TOWED TO MIKE ERDMAN TOYOTA (1545 E MERRITT ISLAND CAUSEWAY, MERRITT ISLAND, FL 32952) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALL JOINT SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 334,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

THE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT. TOYOTA HAD THE VEHICLE FRAME COATED WITH SOME KIND OF TAR SUBSTANCE BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS SUSPECT TO HEAVY CORROSION. THE COATING WHICH WAS DONE AROUND 2010 DID NOT WORK AND THE VEHICLE NOW HAS HOLES IN THE FRAME DUE TO HEAVY RUST. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE VEHICLES. TOYOTA OFFERED A NON-WORKING SOLUTION THAT DID NOT FIX THE PROBLEM. THE COATING WAS JUST A GIMMICK AND NOT A SOLUTION TO THE FRAME ROT.