1996 Toyota Tacoma Body & structure Problems

Rear passenger frame rusted/rotted, rear passenger shock mount completely torn off frame at rust area and rear passenger leaf spring assembly cracked. Vehicle is not drivable and completely unsafe. This vehicle was recalled in May 2008 for inspection of frame rust and passed the inspection with only surface frame rust found and no rust perforation. Vehicle was recalled again in January 2012 for Limited Service Campaign for New York vehicles for Frame Rust Corrosion, which it failed with substantial corrosion and rusted through holes in the frame. This vehicle was included in this second recall, however the terms of the recall for repair or buyback only extended for 15 years from vehicle’s ‘in service date’, which in this case meant this vehicle was 5 months outside the recall window. So, Toyota included the vehicle in the recall (actually mailed the recall letter), found it had unsafe frame corrosion issues upon inspection 3 weeks after receipt of recall letter, then washed their hands and walked away indicating the ‘in service date’ was 5 months outside the recall window. Makes zero sense and terrible customer service and warranty management.

NHTSA ID

11512855

Incident

Feb 14, 2012

I PURCHASED TRUCK IN 2005 FROM TOYOTA OF NICHOLASVILLE KY I HEARD THERE WAS A RECALL NEVER RECEIVED RECALL NOTICE TOOK TRUCK TO HAVE BRAKES DONE MECHANIC REFUSED TO WORK ON IT BECAUSE OF DANGEROUS FRAME HOLES RUST CAN PUSH IN SIDES OF FRAME WITH FINGERS AND MAKE A HOLE MECHANIC SAID IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE!

NHTSA ID

11403041

Incident

Mar 15, 2021

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS CORRODED WITH HOLES NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN UNKNOWN DEALER FOR THE MANUFACTURER WARRANTED FRAME REPAIR. WHEN THE CONTACT ARRIVED AT THE DEALER, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS NOT CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE DID NOT QUALIFY FOR THE BUY BACK PROGRAM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 115,310. *TT*JB

NHTSA ID

11244911

Incident

Aug 16, 2019

Mileage

115,310 mi

THE FRAME ON THE PASSAGER SIDE OF THE TRUCK HAS RUSTED OUT? WILL NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION.

NHTSA ID

11104864

Incident

May 16, 2018

Mileage

261,000 mi

ONLY 114,000 MILES, FRAME RUSTED THROUGH. UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

11019932

Incident

Aug 1, 2017

THE FRAME IS RUSTED, IN SOME AREAS, CLEAR THROUGH. THE BRACKETS THAT HOLD SUSPENSION HAVE RUSTED THROUGH. EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES THE FRAME HAS AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF RUST. THE TRUCK IS PARKED BECAUSE I'M AFRAID IT WILL CAUSE GREAT BODILY HARM IF THE TRUCK FALLS APART WHILE DRIVING. *TR

NHTSA ID

10948686

Incident

Jan 29, 2017

Mileage

215,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN OIL CHANGE BY THE DEALER, THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THE FRAME FAILED DUE TO CORROSION. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY IN 2011. AT THAT TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE FRAME WAS FINE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 122,000.

NHTSA ID

10933656

Incident

Dec 6, 2016

Mileage

122,000 mi

1996 TOYOTA TACOMA FRAME RUST ISSUES. WAS NEVER NOTIFIED BY TOYOTA OF THE "PROGRAM" OFFERS TO FIX. TOYOTA CASE #1607184527 CREATED 6/2016. TOOK VEHICLE TO WELDER TO FIX FRAME TO MAKE ROAD WORTHY.

NHTSA ID

10914353

Incident

Jul 19, 2016

Mileage

104,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED, THE MECHANIC WAS ABLE TO PUSH HIS FINGER THROUGH THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT REFERENCED MANUFACTURER COMMUNICATION NUMBER: LSC-90-D. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10902950

Incident

Aug 31, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE REPAIRS, THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE SUB FRAME WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A VOLUNTARY CAMPAIGN RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 73,000. UPDATED 01/27/17*LJ

NHTSA ID

10898883

Incident

Aug 24, 2016

Mileage

73,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER ELIGIBLE FOR REPAIRS UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO CORROSION OF THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

NHTSA ID

10871889

Incident

Jun 13, 2012

Mileage

170,000 mi

OUR TRUCKS FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY. I'M WORRIED THE TRUCK IS GOING TO BREAK INTO AND KILL MY HUSBAND. I KNOW THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I HAVE ALREADY TALKED TO YOUR PEOPLE AND THEY SAID THEY ALLOWED 15 YEARS EXTENSION ON THE RUSTED FRAME . WE BOUGHT OURS USED YEARS AGO. WE HAD NO CLUE THIS WAS A PROBLEM UNTIL I FOUND IT TODAY. I THINK U SHOULD MADE IT GOOD FOR US. WE R POOR AND WE CANNOT AFFORD TO GET IT FIXED. IT SHOULD B FROM THE TIME WE BOUGHT IT. IT IS SO BAD MY HUSBAND S FINGERS WENT THROUGH THE METAL. THIS IS SO UNFAIR. I ALSO FOUND OUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE BALL JOINTS AND THAT WAS A RECALL WE HAVE ALREADY SPENT HUNDREDS OF DOLLAR GETTING IT FIXED. IT'S SAD, U SAY U BACK UP YOUR PRODUCT. HOW R WE SUPPOSE TO KNOW WHEN THERE IS S RECALL . IT'S NOT FAIR, AND IF SOMEONE GETS HURT OR KILLED I WILL HOLD ALL OF U RESPONSIBLE . WE SHOULD HAVE RECEIVED A NOTICE IN THE MAIL, BUT WE RECEIVED NOTHING. U KNOW THAT THE ONLY AUTOMOBILES WE BUY ANYMORE IS TOYOTAS. PLEASE CONSIDER HELPING MY HUSBAND. WE CAN'T AFFORD ANOTHER AND HE IS HANDICAPPED SO I DON'T KNOW WHAT WE R GOING TO DO. THANK U ,[XXX] , EMAIL IS [XXX]. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10851804

Incident

Jun 1, 2008

I STOPPED AT A GAS STATION TO INVESTIGATE A VIBRATION MY TRUCK HAD JUST STARTED GIVING OFF. FOUND OUT THAT THE FRAME HAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH AND HAS AN INCH OF STEEL LEFT HOLDING IT TOGETHER. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY WILL NOT ACCEPT ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAULTY STEEL. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A USED CAR DEALER WHO SAID THE VEHICLE PASSED A MISSOURI STATE INSPECTION AND AM CURRENTLY HAVING TO MAKE PAYMENTS ON IT AND IT CAN NOT BE DRIVEN.

NHTSA ID

10838741

Incident

Feb 24, 2016

Mileage

263,884 mi

FRAME CORRODED AND CRACKED. HUSBAND WAS ABLE TO BRACE WITH SHEET METAL AND WELD. JUST WANTED TO MAKE YOU AWARE.

NHTSA ID

10760095

Incident

Jul 6, 2015

Mileage

290,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING AT 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO REPAIR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL IN 2011 WHERE THE DEALER SPRAYED THE FRAME, BUT FAILED TO PREVENT IT FROM RUSTING. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS THE RECALL NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. 314,000.

NHTSA ID

10733656

Incident

Jul 2, 2015

Mileage

314,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME AND AROUND THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE ARE CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 183,000.

NHTSA ID

10724254

Incident

Jun 4, 2015

Mileage

183,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION THAT PROGRESSED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP WHERE IT WAS RUST PROOFED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED YEARS LATER ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO A REPAIR SHOP AND THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT THEY WOULD NEED TO RUST PROOF THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND WELD A PLATE TO PREVENT HOLES AND THE FRAME FROM FRACTURING. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED MORE THAN THREE YEARS AGO AND PROVIDED NO REMEDY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 210,000.

NHTSA ID

10723214

Incident

Apr 8, 2013

Mileage

210,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE HAD EXTENSIVE RUST AND CORROSION ON THE UNDERBODY AND FRAMING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAMING OF THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 96V129000 (SUSPENSION). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.

NHTSA ID

10714410

Incident

Mar 24, 2015

Mileage

135,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 152,000.

NHTSA ID

10705435

Incident

Apr 13, 2015

Mileage

152,000 mi

THE FRAME IS RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE LEAF SPRING MOUNTS ARE CRUSHING THE FRAME AND THE FRAME HAS HOLES RUSTING THROUGH. *TR

NHTSA ID

10704464

Incident

Apr 8, 2015

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH OVER AN UNEVEN ROAD, THE VEHICLE STARTED BOUNCING ABNORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE REAR DRIVER SIDE LEAF SPRING AND THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,138.

NHTSA ID

10704147

Incident

Jan 7, 2015

Mileage

98,138 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME FRACTURED DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

NHTSA ID

10663545

Incident

Dec 10, 2014

Mileage

163,000 mi

VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED IN NOVEMBER 2013, FRAME IS CRACKED IN THE RIGHT REAR AND NUMEROUS HOLES ARE FORMING DUE TO THE WIDELY KNOWN ISSUE OF IMPROPER CORROSION PREVENTATIVE AND POOR MANUFACTURER QUALITY OF MATERIALS USED AND DESIGN. WAS TOLD BY TMC CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THE "LIMITED SERVICE BULLETIN" HAD EXPIRED AND THEY ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE. THIS SHOULD BE THE LAST COMPLAINT OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE AS CONSUMERS ARE DYING IN GM VEHICLES THAT THE COMPANY KNEW ABOUT FOR 10 YEARS PRIOR. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS ALL MY LIFE, AND NOW THE LIFE OF MY YOUNGER SISTER LITERALLY TEETERS ON THE CRACKED FRAME OF HER 1996 TOYOTA LIABILITY. I AM STARTING A PETITION TO THE WHITE HOUSE ( WE THE PEOPLE PETITION SITE AND SEARCH TOYOTA FRAME RECALL) AND HOPE THAT OTHERS SEARCHING THIS SITE AND THE 222 PEOPLE WHO HAVE MADE COMPLAINTS WILL SIGN IT. THAT IS IF THEIR TRUCK HAS NOT COLLAPSED AND KILLED THEM. TO PUT A TIME LIMIT ON A SAFETY HAZARD SUCH AS THIS IS DISGUSTING, IMMORAL, AND DOWNRIGHT INTOLERABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10626444

Incident

Aug 19, 2014

Mileage

175,000 mi

FRAME FAILURE: THE FRAME BROKE, BETWEEN THE LEAF SPRINGS, DURING NORMAL USAGE. AFTER FURTHER INSPECTION, THE FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH IN MULTIPLE PLACES. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME 5 YEARS AGO THAT MY TRUCK DIDN'T QUALIFY FOR THE TOYOTA FRAME RUST RECALL, THAT IT WAS MOSTLY NORTHERN (COLDER CLIMATE) STATES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10619530

Incident

Jul 30, 2014

Mileage

190,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE REAR OF THE FRAME FOLDED IN HALF AND THE STEERING BECAME DIFFICULT. IN ADDITION, THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER RECALL RELATED TO THE FAILURE BUT IT WAS EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10610690

Incident

Jun 5, 2014

Mileage

120,000 mi