The frame of the 1998 toyota tacoma xtracab truck we own has severe rust issues to the point that it is not safe to drive. I have attached 4 pictures total with 2 of the pictures showing the damage to the cab from movement there are other areas that are rusted worse, but can not get good pics of. We live midwest, a area that salt is not a factor. We notced this damage after feeling that the bed was moving.
1998 Toyota Tacoma body complaints
Page 2 of 4: complaints 11 to 40 of 98, newest first, as owners wrote them.
This vehicles frame is breaking because it lacked adequate corrosion-resistant protection. As a result, it suffers heavily from rust perforation.
Rust recall toyota car dealership unwilling to "goodwill" fix frame due to not applying rust chemicals on to the frame
My vehicle has been inspected each year and properly maintained. Inspections and other maintenance have frequently occurred at toyota dealers by toyota technicians. My vehicle was undergoing annual inspection december 2016 at a non-toyota garage and I was advised of a failed inspection due to structural integrity issues caused by severe rusting on the frame of the truck. I was also advised to cease driving the truck as it is now considered a danger to myself and, I assume, to other motorists. The technician suggested that there may have been a recall for this problem. I called toyota several times and was ultimately told I had run out of time. I pleaded that I have owned the vehicle for over ten years and would have taken advantage of any recalls had I received any information of one, but no one is able to explain to me why I was not notified of the problem. A problem like this does not crop up within a year and have the ability to hide from honest technicians concerned with the integrity of their inspections/maintenance and the safety of motorists. This vehicle is frequently used for travel over distances greater than 50 miles, one way, and to find out that I have been operating such a dangerous vehicle over such long distances and posing such a danger to myself and countless other motorists because of the silence and/or negligence of toyota technicians is unacceptable and reprehensible. My vehicle is otherwise in great running condition with many new parts that show pride of ownership. I must demand that toyota replace the defective frame on my vehicle to restore the safety and peace of mind that motorists have a right to expect when they get behind the wheel of a car.
There is an accelerated and abnormal amount of corrosion and rust showing up on undercarriage of the vehicle. Rear leaf springs have lost rubber bumper due to rust, and suspension/frame make noises due to stress on frame which is the result of rust/corrosion. I am the original owner to this vehicle, having purchased it new and having always had it in colorado a mostly dry climate not conducive to rust/corrosion. I have it at the same dealership I bought it from multiple times per year for service, and it is still under 150k orig miles. I have never been informed by the toyota dealership reps. About concerns with rust/corrosion issues, nor has any company staff ever acknowledged any concerns over these issues, or has the company reached out to inform me of potential problems. In no way, shape or form has toyota ever advised me of any recall, concerns or problems. I have lived at my current residence and had the same phone numbers for the last 15 years and this has been in the stevenson toyota dealership records this whole time. This is extremely concerning due to the mountain driving conditions here in colorado, and speed at which this rust/corrosion is expanding and making the vehicle weak and unsafe to operate. Apparently more owners of this vehicle and model year are experiencing the very same issues and have not been notified by toyota. This appears to be a prolific issue that needs immediate attention.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. Upon inspecting under the front and rear passenger sides of the vehicle, the contact noticed that there was rust and a hole. The dealer was notified of the failure, but the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was uncertain if the vehicle would be repaired by a dealer or an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no solution. The approximate failure mileage was 261,000.
"1995 through 2000 model year tacoma frame rust corrosion warranty extension" received a letter from toyota attached. Requested frame inspection attached. Requested another frame inspection attached. My vehicle case was not handled consistent with the intent of toyota's program nor was I contacted by their impartial services group (isg). As a result the safety of me and my passengers has been neglected be not allowing me the safety benefits of their warranty offerings.
Massive accelerated corrosion of the frame including leaf springs which has now punctured the gas tank leading to gasoline leaking. There have been hundreds of complaints as far as I can tell for the same reason. However, there are no recalls by toyota and the company and dealership are saying they are not responsible!
1998 toyota tacoma. Consumer writes in regards to dealership refusal to repair vehicle frame corrosion recall notice. *smd the consumer stated the frame was completely corroded and the vehicle was inoperable. During the recall in 2008, the vehicle was inspected and the consumer was informed the vehicle did not have the involved metal that was susceptible to corrosion. The dealer informed the consumer, the vehicle was past the 15 year limit, and they were unable to ix it, or buy it back.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. While the vehicle was undergoing routine brake service, the mechanic noticed that the entire frame was corroded with holes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 161,000.....updated 0711/16 *bf updated 7/12/16*lj
I bought my '98 toyota tacoma in 2000. Since that purchase I have never received a letter regarding any recalls or safely issues. I have only moved once since I purchased this vehicle and that was in 2003. So I feel that toyota made no honest effort to contact me regarding any issues so I should be able to address and have repaired any problems that were recalled such as the corroding frame. This is a serious issue that toyota conveniently let fall through the cracks.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact heard a noise from the rear of the vehicle. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the entire frame was rusted. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 312,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was fractured by the rear wheel on the driver and passenger side. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer stated that the frame was no longer under warranty. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 319,552.
Frame of truck from front cab mount to back side of rear spring perches is rusted and perforated making truck unsafe to drive.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced severe corrosion which resulted in the front driver side wheel detaching from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was confirmed that the vehicle experienced severe corrosion, but they could not repair the vehicle due to the recall being closed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 160,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. While having a state inspection performed, the technician notified the contact that the vehicle failed due to the frame being corroded. After inspecting the vehicle, it was determined that during inclement weather water would accumulate on the frame causing it to corrode. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician refused to provide any assistance. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
Frame rusted out causing leafspring to sink into frame.
When checking to see if my shocks need to be replaced I find I have a rusted frame above right rear wheel and in front of left front wheel. This was the first I had any knowledge of it. A friend advised me there was a recall so I called toyota. I was advised they still had the previous owners information even though I purchased it from a dealer on 2/11/2005. I never received a recall notice and never heard anything about it and was told they would not do anything to fix it. Is there anything you can do to help. The truck is still a good 4wd truck.
This truck belongs to my son who is in the navy. He was on deployment and I took the truck to get it inspected and it failed due to a rusted frame. Neither myself nor my son were aware of the frame recall done by toyota. I called toyota and they are refusing to help us with this vehicle since the recall has expired. We have owned 3 toyota tacoma's and never have had an experience such as this. They told me to file a complaint with your company if I wasn't happy with the end result and I of course am very disappointed. My son serves this country and now he is out a vehicle and can't afford to replace it. Please advise. Thank you for your help. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
When truck was on lift at meineke, they discovered the frame near the back wheels was rusted through so that it was unsafe to drive it. Immediately, I took it to the toyota dealership where they confirmed that it was unsafe to drive for the same reason. There had been a recall on toyota body frames when I had taken it to the toyota dealership two different times in two different years and was told the body was fine. One year and 2 or 3 months after the recall was over, I am told that my truck's frame rust makes it unsafe to drive. I only have 123,595 miles on it and expected to drive it for at least 2-400,000 more. Every auto service personnel that has ever looked under the hood has told me I have kept it in very good shape. Shouldn't toyota extend the recall in my particular case? I have all the service records from the time I bought it in 2006 when it had 64004 miles.
Rusted frame due to corrosion perforation.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that while servicing the vehicle, he discovered that the entire frame was rusted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, who diagnosed that the entire frame needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 145,000. Updated 8/28/14*cn updated 11/10/2014
1998 toyota tacoma. Consumer writes in regards to frame rust recall.
1998 toyota tacoma with significant frame rust. Vehicle falls within the "frame rust corrosion perforation warranty extension" program offered by toyota. The program offers to buy back toyota tacomas that fail their "inspection" dealer actually dented the frame during inspection due to weak frame secondary to rust. They did not put a hole in it therefore returning it to me, saying the vehicle is safe. Contacted corporate toyota and basically got blown off as they stated the dealer did not put a hole in it during inspection. Personally, any vehicle which you can dent the frame in critical areas with a 12 oz hammer with "light to moderate" swings is unsafe. At this point I can only hope I do not get into a crash with this vehicle. I am filing this complaint as I believe they are overlooking a potentially serious problem with the structural integrity of this vehicle.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that during a routine maintenance, the dealer advised that the bracket to the frame had rusted. The manufacturer was notified of this failure. The approximate failure mileage was 299,000. Updated 8/27/14*cn the consumer stated the dealer advised there had been a recall issued 3 years prior that the consumer was never made aware of. Updated 08/29/2014
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that while driving various speeds, the vehicle became very unstable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the frame was rusted near the rear driver's side spring shackle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The VIN was not available. The failure mileage was 287,000.
1998 toyota tacoma. Consumer writes in regards to vehicle rusted frame recall notice. *smd the consumer stated he was never notified of a recall. When he called toyota, to inquire about getting his vehicle fixed, he was informed, he was a month too late.
Hello, my vehicle is a 1998 toyota tacoma. It has approx. 152,000 miles on it. The issue I am having with the vehicle is primarily frame rust, the frame is beginning to look like "swiss cheese." the frame of the vehicle is in terrible shape, the spare tire even fell out due to rust. I called toyota to inquire about the frame rust and was told that there is no warranty to cover this. I searched online and it says that 1995-2000 toyota tacoma's were under recall for frame rust because the rust would make the vehicles unsafe to drive because the structural integrity of the vehicle would be compromised. So I searched around and found that my vehicle is currently 15 years, 4 months old and that toyota would not cover the vehicle. I believe that rust is an ongoing issue and takes several months/years to develop, it is not something which occurs overnight. The rust looks mainly to be surface rust on the outside, but in reality the rust has developed from the inside-out and rotted the frame out, therefore it was not caught earlier. I hope this recall is extended, there are many rusted toyota tacomas listed for sale from the 1995-2000 model year, which also have the same issue. The issue was caused by toyota's 3rd party supplier not properly rust proofing the frames, therefore making them highly susceptible to rust. I hope that toyota does something to resolve the issue.
Frame has rusted out at an unusually young age and mileage for this vehicle. Holes are now visible through the vehicle's frame and state inspection rejected.
Tl* the contact owns a 1998 toyota tacoma. The contact stated that the seat inside the vehicle would bounce up and down when the vehicle started to slow down. The contact stated that after inspecting the vehicle he noticed that the frame had rusted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or mechanic for inspection. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 130,000.
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