2002 Toyota Tundra Suspension Problems

Was told about the recall awhile ago and they said that my frame was ok. But now I have a perfectly good truck in good condition other than a rusted frame. Had some work done and mechanic said it is unsafe to drive due to rusted frame. They know of the defect and only replace a few and it looks like others are dealing with what I am.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle began to vibrate, prompting the contact to maintain low speeds. After a visual inspection, the contact observed that the front passenger wheels had a negative toe. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the lower ball joint had separated from the knuckle. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related it to NHTSA Campaign Number: 05V225000 (Suspension), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 249,000.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that he previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V444000 (Structure). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and repaired under the recall. Recently, the contact was informed by an independent mechanic that cracks had formed on the rear suspension due to severe corrosion. The contact then took the vehicle to another dealer, Kelly Toyota of Hamburg (1 Industrial Dr, Hamburg, PA 19526), and was informed that the recall was a one-time free repair and the dealer offered no additional assistance. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed him that the recall was too old. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 81,324.

First the gas tank let loose and fell half way off. Result was a new gas tank installed. then part of the frame rusted from the cab. This resulted in having to have it welded. Have had several service repair lights come on that resulted in more fixes. Today just about does it. The spare tire fell to the road because rust ate through what was holding it up. I have all the papers that show the repairs and what it has cost me. I have not done anything yet about spare tire. I have had the truck since 2013 and it has less then 94k miles on it. It had 35 when I bought it and I knew nothing about the rust problem recall. I certainly believe I should have a new frame or some kind of compensation. Over the years I have talked to several dealers that got me no where. I guess this is my last shot.

The frame on the truck is rusted out with holes through it and the metal is rusted out along the entire frame. The truck vibrates when driving and when inspected by the dealer, Kari Toyota, they advised it is unsafe to drive as the frame could break entirely and cause an accident. Report is attached. Toyota was contacted on several occasions by Kari Toyota and myself in May and June of 2021. I had the vehicle in for repair of the frame rust issue on June 15, 2012 but clearly the work was not done properly as the rust issue continued until the vehicle is now undriveable. The vehicle has only 106,681 miles which is low for a typical Toyota vehicle. Toyota refuses to repair the vehicle even though I had followed up on my end by bringing it in for the recall repair. I requested a letter from Toyota explaining why they won't cover the repairs and they refused to send one.

I PURCHASED THIS TRUCK USED IN 2015 AND WAS UNAWARE OF ANY RECALLS DUE TO FRAME RUST. I HAVE REPLACED TAILPIPE, MUFFLER, MANY BRAKE COMPONENTS DUE TO RUST PROBLEMS. THE FRAME NOW RUSTED MORE AND I AM BEING TOLD THAT IT MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. A MECHANIC TOLD ME ABOUT THIS FRAME RUST RECALL AND I TOOK IT TO FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA IN RALEIGH,NC. THE FOUND THAT ALL RECALL ITEMS HAD BEEN COMPLETED BY THE DEALER IN BOONE,NC. I FIND THIS HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE THE RUSTING ISSUE IS MUCH MORE SEVERE. I JUST WANT A FAIR EVALUATION OF WHAT CAN OR SHOULD BE DONE. FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA IN RALEIGH DID HAVE THE TRUCK BUT NOT SURE HOW FAR THEY TOOK THE INVESTIGATION OF RUST.

MY TUNDRA WAS RECENTLY DIAGNOSED WITH CRITICAL FRAME DAMAGE THAT WILL NOT PASS PA. STATE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BY TOYOTA FOR MOST OF IT,S LIFE AND ALL FRAME RECALLS WERE COMPLETED. THE TRUCK HAS 136,078 MILES AND IS IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. MY RECENT CLAIM WITH TOYOTA WAS REJECTED BASED ON THE THEIR INTERRUPTATION THAT ALL REQUIRED RECALLS WERE DONE AND THERE IS NOTHING TOYOTA CAN DUE FOR ME. THERE ARE NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTAS RESPONSE. THE FIRST BEGINNING THAT WHEN I PICKED THE TRUCK UP AFTER THE FRAME RECALL TREATMENT I ASKED THE TECH HOW THE FRAME LOOKED, HE SAID GOOD BUT THERE IS A SEPARATION STARTING AT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR LEAF SPRING. THAT IS EXACTLY WHERE MY PROBLEM LIES TODAY. I BELIEVE TOYOTA COVERED UP THE PROBLEM BY TREATING THE FRAMES RATHER THEN REPLACING THEM IN AN ATTEMPT TO SAVE MONEY. HOW MANY VEHICLES COVERED UNDER THIS WARRANTY WERE TREATED IN THE SAME MANNER AND ARE STILL CURRENTLY DRIVING ON THE ROADS TODAY? HOW MANY OF THE RECALLED VEHICLES NOW POSE A PROBLEM TO ALL MOTORIST. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS

TOYOTA HAS A RECALL ON THE TRUCK FRAME THAT THEY WON'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT. THIS TRUCK HAS ONLY 70000 MILES ON IT. WE TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY TOLD US TO CALL TOYOTA. WE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND OPENED A CLAIM AND THEY TOLD US THERE NOT DOING ANYTHING AT THIS TIME FOR THAT RECALL. THE WHOLE FRAME IS ROTTEN AND IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. WE'VE DONE ALL THE RECALLS THEY HAD FOR THE FRAME AND IT STILL ROTTED OUT. NOT SURE HOW I CAN GET THIS RESOLVED WITH TOYOTA. THE FRAME SNAPPED ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE FRAME SNAPPED WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN.

VEHICLE WAS RECALLED FOR FRAME RUST. IT WAS RECORDED IN 2012 THAT THE FRAME WAS COATED WITH CRC TO PREVENT /STOP THE RUST. HAD IT INSPECTED BY THE DEALER AND FOUND THE FRAME HAD RUSTED AROUND THE REAR LEAF SPRING AND WAS RECOMMENDED THAT I SHOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE IN WITH THIS PROBLEM. TOYOTA CANNOT VERIFY HOW LONG THIS CRC COATING WOULD LAST. IS THIS A JUST A FIX TO SHOW THAT TOYOTA HAS FULFILLED ITS OBLIGATION AS REQUIRED BY NHTSA?

HAD TO REPLACE ALL 4 OXYGEN SENSORS. THE FRONT TWO WERE FAULTY BEFORE 50000 MILES AND LESS THAN 7 YEARS OLD. THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER IS ROTTING AND LEAKING FLUID. THE ONLY WAY TO REPAIR IT IS TO WELD OVER THE HOLE.

I HAD THE FRAME RUST UNDER COATING 'BAND AID' APPLIED TO MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA BY A TOYOTA DEALER IN LYNCHBURG VA IN 2011. THE FRAME RUST HAS REAPPEARED SO I TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER ASKING FOR A NEW BAND AID TO FIX THIS PROBLEM AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO WARRANTY ON THE FIRST FIX AND TOYOTA WILL DO NOTHING. I FEEL LIKE IT IS TOYOTA'S RESPONCEABILITY TO REPAIR OR FIX THE UNDERBODY RUST PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY KNEW ABOUT THIS AND ARE TRYING NOT TO FULFILL THEIR OBLIGATION UNDER THE RUST RECALL AGREEMEENT WITH THE COURT.

TOOK THE TRUCK IN FOR RECALL INSPECTION OF REAR AS PER RECALL NOTICE #BXD SSC. WAS TOLD BY SUNNYSIDE TOYOTA THAT THE REAR PART WAS FINE BUT THE OTHER PART OF FRAME IS BADLY CORRODED. THEY/AND THE TOYOTA MANUFACTURER SAID THAT THIS PORTION OF FRAME IS NOT COVERED UNDER RECALL. ESTIMATE OF REPAIR COST $15,000. REMARKS ON VEHICLE INSPECTION REPORT: 99 FRONT SECTION OF FRAME HAS A LARGE HOLE THAT WE FEEL IS GETTING TO THE POINT OF BEING DANGEROUS/NOT PART OF BXD CAMPAIGN

HOLES RUSTED THROUGH FRAME

I WOULD LIKE TO REPORT AN UNSAFE CONDITION DISCOVERED ON MY 2002 TUNDRA. WITH 158000 IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT HALF OF THE FRAME HAS ROTTED OUT/ SEVERAL LARGE PERFORATIONS MAKE THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS IS EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE HAD GONE THROUGH A PREVIOUS RECALL CAMPAIGN IN WHICH THE FRAME WAS INSPECTED AND RUST INHIBITOR APPLIED TO REAR OF FRAME. *TR

WHILE TRAVELING ON A CITY ROAD AT ABOUT 25 MPH, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL CAME OFF. I WAS TOWED TO MY MECHANIC FOR REPAIR. BOTH THE TOW DRIVER AND MY MECHANIC TOLD ME THEY HAD SEEN THIS PREVIOUSLY IN TOYOTA TUNDRA'S. I LATER FOUND THAT THERE WAS A RECALL (SSC 50 J) AND, AFTER EMAIL CORRESPONDENCE WITH TOYOTA AND DEALERSHIP APPROVAL OF THE WORKMANSHIP PERFORMED BY MY MECHANIC, APPLIED FOR A REFUND OF MY EXPENSES. WHEN I WAS DENIED THE FIRST TIME, THE SERVICE MANAGER AT HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA SAID THAT HE WOULD RESUBMIT BY FAX, SAYING THAT HE SAW NOTHING MORE THAT THE OFFICE COULD WANT AND THAT HE HAD SUBMITTED THE TOYOTA SERVICE ORDER FOR HIS INSPECTION OF MY TRUCK, A SERVICE ORDER WHICH THE OFFICE CLAIMED THEY DID NOT HAVE. THE CLAIM WAS DENIED AGAIN, THIS TIME BECAUSE I HAD NO RECORDS OF MAINTENANCE ON OR INSPECTION OF THE FAULTY BALL JOINTS. (THERE IS NO WAY TO MAINTAIN THE BALL JOINTS, AND THERE IS NO WAY TO INSPECT THEM, AS THEY ARE INSIDE A RUBBER BOOT.) THE DENIAL ALSO STATED THAT MY MECHANIC'S INVOICE WAS MISSING DETAIL, ALTHOUGH DID NOT STATE WHAT DETAIL WAS MISSING, EVEN UPON WRITTEN REQUEST. HOLLYWOOD TOYOTA'S SERVICE MANAGER SAID THE DETAIL ON MY INVOICE WAS GREATER THAN TOYOTA ITSELF PROVIDES AND CALLED SOMEONE UP THE LINE TO FIND OUT WHAT THE ISSUE WAS. HE CALLED MORE THAN ONCE. NO RESPONSE. AND, WHEN THERE WAS NO ANSWER AFTER TWO WEEKS, CALLED AGAIN. NOTHING. NOTE: IF THERE IS A WAY TO ATTACH, I WOULD LIKE TO ATTACH THE FULL COMPLAINT I HAVE WRITTEN UP AND WILL BE MAILING TO YOUR OFFICES.

I RECENTLY TOOK MY 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA TO THE RALPH HAYES TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN ANDERSON, SC FOR A REPAIR ON THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM. WHILE I WAS THERE, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT MY TRUCK WAS ON RECALL DUE TO CORROSION OF THE FRAME. I WAS TOLD THAT DUE TO THE RECALL I WILL BE GIVEN A RENTAL CAR, AT NO COST TO ME, WHILE MY TRUCK WAS TO HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED AND REPAIRED. I AGREED TO THE INSPECTION AND WAS GIVEN A RENTAL FOR THE TIME MY TRUCK WAS AT THE SHOP. I RECEIVED A CALL ON 9/25/14 FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND WAS PRESENTED WITH 3 OPTIONS. MY FIRST OPTION WAS TO HAVE THE NEW FRAME INSTALLED AT NO COST HOWEVER, IF ANY EXTRA PARTS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME NEED TO BE REPLACED I WAS TO GO AHEAD AND REPLACE THEM. I WAS THEN PRESENTED WITH THE PRICE OF AROUND $9,500 THAT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO PAY IF I CHOSE THIS OPTION. MY SECOND OPTION WAS TO HAVE THE NEW FRAME INSTALLED AT NO COST AND ATTEMPT TO INSTALL MY CURRENT PARTS ONTO THE NEW FRAME. THE TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE EXPRESSED WITH THE CURRENT CONDITION OF THOSE PARTS I WILL NEED TO HAVE THEM REPLACED WITH THE COST STILL AT $9,500. MY THIRD OPTION WAS TO DECLINE THE RECALL AND DRIVE THE TRUCK AS IS WITH THE TRUCK DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE TIME FRAME I WAS GIVEN TO MAKE A DECISION WAS SHORT OF NOTHING. I HAD TO MAKE A DECISION BY THE END OF THE PHONE CALL THAT MEANT SPENDING $9,500 OR DRIVE WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS OR FATAL ACCIDENT. I WAS FORCED INTO DECLINING THE RECALL BECAUSE I DO NOT HAVE $9,500 IN MY BANK ACCOUNT. ALSO, AFTER I CONCLUDED MY BUSINESS WITH THE DEALERSHIP, I PROCEEDED TO ASK THEM WHAT THE TRADE IN VALUE ON MY TRUCK WAS TO SEE IF BUYING ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS AN OPTION. THEIR RESPONSE WAS $500 DUE TO THE RECALLED FRAME THUS TRADING IN AND PURCHASING A NEW VEHICLE IS NOT A VIABLE OPTION. WOULD YOU MIND REVIEWING MY CASE? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE STRUT SHEARED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.THE APPROXIMATE MILEAGE AT THE TIME OF FAILURE WAS 118,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY DROPPED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS FRACTURED AND THE CV JOINT WAS DAMAGED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALERTED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE CONTACT'S VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SUFFERED MILD BACK PAIN FROM THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 53,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE LEANED OVER THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACTS RESIDENCE, WHERE THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT NUT WAS SHEERED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY INCLUDED IN AND REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V225000 (SUSPENSION). THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE BECAME DETACHED UNEXPECTEDLY FROM THE VEHICLE. THERE WAS A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SKID 35-40 FEET BEFORE PROCEEDING TO STOP. THE VEHICLE THEN COLLAPSED TO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, IN WHICH BOTH INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE BRAKE LINES AND THE FRAME WAS CORRODED. IN ADDITION, THE FRONT PASSENGER'S SIDE BALL JOINT WAS DEFECTIVE. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBERS: 09V444000 (STRUCTURE) AND 05V225000 (SUSPENSION) HOWEVER, THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN EITHER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.