Body problems of the 2003 Toyota Tacoma - part 1

The frame rusted through and there are holes in the frame the frame broke while my wife was driving home from work. Had to get it towed to the house no no no, no symptoms.

This truck was sprayed for frame rust at kern Toyota winchester, va 10/07/2010 a problem Toyota was very aware of and tried to put a band-aid on a known issue that would rust out and not pass inspection or worse yet cause a terrible accident or cause harm to driver/passengers or other drivers. We have had another vehicle in the family by Toyota that they replaced the entire frame and now they state that is not true. However, we had a rental for over a month while they did replace entire frame for same issue. Now our above truck that is in wonderful shape nothing else wrong but frame that is rusted did not pass inspection requiring parts that need welded. So we have a good truck that only thing wrong is the issue Toyota knew they used faulty equipment/parts for.

We bought the truck used from a dealer about 10 -12 years ago. We've always taken good care of it, and kept it in a garage. It always passed inspection with no problems, and there is nothing wrong with the truck, except at the last inspection about 2 weeks ago the mechanic said the frame has completed rusted through and the truck is not safe to drive. We can't get it fixed. I called Toyota and they said since it was no longer under warranty, too bad. They did "open a case" for us and I'm supposed to hear back from them next week, but I don't have much hope that they will do anything. The truck only has about 90,000 miles on it, despite being 20 years old. It is in good shape in every other way.

Frame. We did have the frame checked a few times since we were made aware of the issue with rusted frames. Terrible noise. Technician says frame is being held to cap by two inches of rusted frame on both side just above rear wheel. Our repair person says of there was a recall, he can fix it. It thought there was a recall. He said otherwise the truck looks perfect. We are original owers. Have kept truck in perfect condition. This is our second Toyota truck and fourth Toyota car. I can't imagine you would not authorize/pay for frame replacement, new/used. We are crushed. Please advise if you can authorize/pay for repair/replacement. Our repair person advised we should not drive for fear of truck splitting in half.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated while the vehicle was at an independent mechanic for routine maintenance, it was discovered that the undercarriage was rusted and corroded. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure however, offered no assistance. The warranty was expired. The failure mileage was approximately 123,208.

Tl the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to independent mechanic, where she was informed that the driver's and passenger's side rear subframe and rear leaf spring were fractured and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to berlin city Toyota of portland located at 191 riverside st, portland, me 04103 (207) 618-6528, and the dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 160,000.

When I went to the garage for the yearly inspection, I was informed by the mechanic that the frame on my Tacoma was rusted severely with major holes and could not be inspected. I was told that there was a recall on the frame for such issues and that I should call the dealer who sold the truck. Being as the dealer was no longer open (retired), I was unable to speak to him. Ii called the Toyota company, and was told that the recall was no longer in effect and that they could not help me. I asked why I was not informed about this recall as I was the registered owner of the vehicle, I was told that "everyone that owned one should have gotten a notice. " I wrote a letter to the Toyota company in January 2020 and did not receive a reply.

On September 14 2019, I took my truck (2003 Toyota Tacoma) to jerry Toyota dealer for a service. They found a crack on the frame of the truck and they told me it is unsafe to drive the truck, but they didn't offer any repair. I called Toyota and they told me that the recalled for the frame was expired on 2018.

Power steering pump having issues I can fill it up to the full line and it will go down to half empty everytime I've done it therefore steering is very tight and difficult, the truck bed has huge holes rusted/corrosion completely through it on both sides, the spare tire mechanism is rusted so badly it doesn't work and half of it is missing due to rust/corrosion an has fallen off, and the frame broke completely in half on the driver side of the truck while I was driving it an caused the drive shaft to hang on the ground and it knocked a hole in the gas tank before I could get the truck stopped, also the suspension on the rear of the truck is not attached to the frame on the top under the bed just attached to the frame on the bottom.

Was driving down the road and the frame broke completely in half on the drivers side an caused the drive shaft to fall out and when it did it bounced up and knocked a hole in the gas tank causing me to wreck. And the bed of the truck has huge holes rusted through them.

Tl the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. While the vehicle was undergoing routine maintenance, it was discovered that the sub frame experienced extreme rusting. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not notified. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 155,000.

Tl- the contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that he looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that the frame was completely rusted. The contact called the darcars 355 Toyota rockville dealer, (301-340-0900, located at 15625 frederick rd, rockville, MD 20855) where it was stated that there was no recall for the frame. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and stated that an unknown recall for frame corrosion expired, and referred the contact to the NHTSA to file a complaint. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000. Fe.

Frame is rotten and broken, shocks ripped off of frame. Unsafe to drive and still need to use daily.

Frame recall.

We bought a 2003 Toyota Tacoma in 2015 and it apparently had a recall for the frame in 2014 but the previous owner did not get it fixed so we are now stuck with a truck we can't drive and we still owe 14 payments on it. I called Toyota and apparently the warranty just expired in April and we've never got a letter about any recalls or warrantys so were stuck with a piece of junk we can't drive. Something needs to be done because we can't afford to have it fixed out of pocket.

We bought a 2003 Toyota Tacoma in a private sale. Upon inspection the following day we realized there was a large amount of rust and actual holes in the frame. My fianc� and I reached out to the previous owner who refused to speak with us. I contacted a local Toyota dealer to see if I could obtain service records and I was able to obtain the record where the images of the frame was sent to headquarters for the frame replacement. I called Toyota customer service and told them what he happened, they confirmed a frame replacement was approved but the previous owner had issues with the title and it pushed it outside of the warranty extension by the time it was fixed. Toyota refuses to honor it, the representative actually said �you shouldn't have bought a vehicle that was so old�. I was appalled. They offered no aid, no discount. All she said was that we shouldn't drive the vehicle in it's condition. My fianc� has no choice and was driving the vehicle on the highway with his nephew when he lost the breaks (due to the rusted dust shield slicing the brake line) and had to swerve off the road to avoid an accident at 65 miles per hour. Now he is missing work because we only have one vehicle. I am completely baffled by Toyota and their customer service department. We spend all of our savings on this vehicle and they basically told us too bad.

We bought this truck in 2015 and was never informed of any recalls. We found out about the frame recall when it broke. It also has 5 other recalls which we were never informed on those either so when I called Toyota they said the frame recall and the frame warranty had both expired because the previous owner didn't make good on the recall letter he received but maybe he never received one because I know we never did on any of the 6 recalls and we still haven't even after calling them. We are still paying almost $400 a month and still have 13 payments left and we cant even drive it. I would say if Toyota never sent out the letters then that's not our fault and they should make good on the recalls and fix them including the frame replacement which is their fault due to a maufactuiring mess up.

Rust, corrosion, or other failure or detachment of exterior body and frame components, the vehicle is rotted underneath.

I purchased a 2003 Tacoma in April of 2016 from matthews motor company of covington, PA. Fast forward to 12/2017 and the frame now has a couple holes in it near the rear drivers side wheel where the gas tank attaches to the frame. There is a known issue with these trucks for the frames. Contacted Toyota to have it addressed only to be told the campaign expired. The truck was inspected in 2011 (before I owned it) under campaign "zth" and no rust perforation was found, and as far as I am aware, an undercoating was applied at this time. I am told however that because the truck was not undercoated / didn't have a corrosion prevention treatment applied under campaign "90d" that it no longer qualifies for coverage under campaign "zth. " how can the truck not qualify for the campaign now when it did in 2011? moreover, I have never received any letters about this issue since purchasing the truck, despite the obvious safety issue presented by a potentially faulty frame. I would have to insist that Toyota inspect my frame, acknowledge it is perforated from rust from the inside out and follow through with campaign zth, not only for my vehicle but for those in similar circumstance.

During routine maintenance, my mechanic discovered the frame was completely shot, stating he was not even comfortable working under it! the rest of the truck is in reasonable condition, and it only has 111,000 miles on it. I called Toyota customer svc ctr, but they were unwilling to do anything to address the problem. I feel they were obviously aware of the issue, because the agent explained they had a "limited svc campaign" to add corrosion protection, but informed me that it had expired back on 7/31/2014. I was never notified of this campaign. The agent also stated that the vehicle frame was inspected back in 2012 (which happens to be the year I purchased it in, so I assume this was done just prior to my buying it), and passed stating there was "no" rust -- which is false! misled by many and sold faulty equipment that could have endangered or killed me and others, I am very upset and disappointed about this! researching the issue, I see that I am not alone in this, by far. So, basically, we've all thrown away many $1000's and can recover none of it, nor can we drive the vehicle without fearing it will, quite literally, fall apart!.

Frame of vehicle has corroded away causing fuel tank to fall off. This happened as I pulled into place of employment.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the body and the frame of the vehicle were prematurely rusted and corroded. The vehicle was unable to pass inspection. The mechanic diagnosed that there were extensive holes, rust, and corrosion. The manufacturer indicated that the vehicle was not included in a recall and provided no solution. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle would be repaired. The VIN was unknown. The approximate failure mileage was 91,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. While inspecting the vehicle, the contact became aware of severe corrosion to the rear suspension of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the subframe exhibited excessive rust, and that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact received case numbers: 1075172502 and 1705192164. The approximate failure mileage was 180,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that there was corrosion on the driver and passenger side of the frame. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact spoke with an independent welding company who informed that they could weld the frame. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.

Frame rails, left and right side, exhibiting rust thru. Safety issue; frame failure in future. (very near).

2003 Tacoma. Took the vehicle in to be serviced and the technician pointed out that I have extensive frame corrosion and holes in the frame and that the car is dangerous and will not pass inspection. Car was stationary. Wtf?.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. While the vehicle was being repaired for routine maintenance, it was discovered that the subframe of the vehicle had several cracks located on both sides and the rear. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the subframe was too damaged to repair and would need to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.

I noticed a small hole underneath the passenger side of the frame just in front of the leaf spring and now the hole has grown to the size of a quarter. There is also quite alot of rust underneath the truck as well as the spare tire holder. I live in California and this truck was purchased from a Toyota dealership in pennsylvania. Thanks for your cooperation. Sincerely,todd c. Field.

The frame on my 2003 Tacoma is rusting badly! the truck only has about 98k and im the second owner. I purchased the truck on 9/3/2011. The truck in getting to the point of being unsafe to drive. The mounting points for the leaf springs are almost completely rusted away. I have never received any type of notification from Toyota regarding the frame recall. Ive had it looked at by my local Toyota dealer and they are telling me I don't qualify for assistance because no corrosion treatment has applied. The problem with that is, I was never notified! if I had been, then they would replace the frame free of charge. Ive recieved at least three letters from Toyota for the spare tire holder rust issue, so they do know I own the truck and how to contact me. Ive lived at the same location for 14 years! from what ive read, the corrosion treatment they allegedly offered didn't help anyway. I don't understand why some people were notified and other were not. There are plenty of people just like me driving these unsafe trucks. I have to wonder how many of those people are clueless about the danger they are putting them selves into, not to mention their families. At any moment you could loose total control. . . After the truck collapes in half after you hit a bump while driving on the highway. Im sure if someone looked hard enough they could find examples of these unsafe Tacomas causing serious and possibly fatal accidents. They already know its a problem. How else could they have won a lawsuit against the vender that supplied them with these frames. They sued, and won because these frames are defective. That settlement should have been contingent upon the ongoing inspections and repairs for everyone affected.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the subframe of the vehicle was fractured. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the subframe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. The contact noticed corrosion around the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 170,000.

I have a Toyota Tacoma 2003 took it in for a recall on the spare tire carrier lift plate. Told them I heard of recall or safety issue on the frame, they said it expired. Left the truck to do recall I took it in for. They called said couldn't do the recall I brought it in for because the frame was so bad, and that they couldn't believe I was still driving the truck and that it really is a safety hazard. I asked why they couldn't do the frame since it was recalled or a safety issue, again they say it was expired. I asked if he had kids, he said yes. Ask him if formula was taken off the shelves because of recall, and a month later was put back on because the recall expired would you still buy it. He said sorry he doesn't make the rules. How does a recall expire and if it was a factory defect or just a bad product that Toyota used, why aren't they held accountable? went on line and read a forum and there is even a class action suite on this problem. And also even as of today Toyota is still producing Toyota Tacoma with bad frames. I have 7 grandchildren who I help to take places, now they are stranded and myself, because my truck is still at the dealerships, because they refuse to fix it. Please I'm asking to help me with this matter. Desperate in phila.

Emergency brakes needed replacement was told how underside of truck is corroding rusting badly removed my spare tire it was also badly rusting . I am the only owner of vehicle , also own highlander and camry . Both not even close to looking like under what I have with truck ?.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tacoma. While driving approximately 20 to 25 mph and exiting a ramp, the rear of the vehicle swayed to the left, then back to the right, and turned 360 degrees. The back end of the vehicle bobbled, flipped over, crashed into trees, and landed on the driver side. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and injuries were sustained that required medical attention. The rear driver side tire was flat. The tire was replaced and the vehicle was driven home and parked. The VIN was invalid. The approximate failure mileage was 158,000.

Toyota issued an extended warranty on the frames of this vehicle due to them admitting that they used substandard metal to build the frame, therefore, resulting in accelerated rust and corrosion. I was never notified that this was an issue, and happened to find out from a friend that Toyota extended the warranty because of this. I took this frame in for an evaluation on 8/3/16 and it failed the inspection. This vehicle only has 40,000 miles on it and is in great condition other than the frame, which was Toyota's fault and they need to be held accountable. The service department at Toyota of melbourne in melbourne, florida, told me that they would install a new frame, but I would be responsible for paying for any parts that may be needed to do the installation which will be around $2,500. I think that this issue needs to be a recall because Toyota has known about this since 2008, bought back over 800,000 of these trucks, and never notified me that I need to get this frame inspected. I cannot afford to pay that much money for a repair, so I will be driving around with an unsafe vehicle, because Toyota refuses to make this a recall. This is their responsibility, and Toyota is putting the safety of drivers at risk by forcing them to pay more than the vehicle is worth for the repair. In today's economy, no one who is driving a 2003 vehicle can afford a $2,500 repair on an extended warranty issue! pleas work to force Toyota to make this a recall so that no deaths occur when these rotted frames fall off of these trucks while they are being driven!.