2000 Toyota Tacoma Body & structure Problems

Vehicle will not pass safety inspection due to severe deterioration of the frame. The rest of the vehicle is still intact and operable.

NHTSA ID

11711836

Incident

Jan 19, 2016

I was recently told my a service center that the frame has great corrosion and is unsafe to drive. I am now aware of past warranty extensions for this matter but Toyota will offer nothing because for my year, this warranty coverage extension is expired. My year was also not part of the recent class action settlement with Toyota vehicles having rusted frames for later models (2004+). I'm left with a decent truck that is useless now. I don't understand why a rusted frame that could crack or break would not constitute a safety recall, which I understand does not expire like their well played warranty extension. It is evident my problem is what has been experienced by many others and just because their extended warranty has expired, does not mean the issue was not caused by their defective manufacturing. It is a matter of timing, and our safety. We had taken the truck for service as a Toyota dealer in late 2008, when the program was active, and they did not mention it and maybe there was no rust. Between 2008 and 2015 when it expired, service was not performed at a dealership and still nobody mentioned it. The truck has lived in NC until 2011 and Ohio (snow) from 2011 - 2018 and now back in NC. We had it at a Toyota dealership in 2019 and nothing mentioned. My husband was driving this truck on the freeway every week day for 50 miles round trip to work until last year. I was driving this truck within the past few weeks and was having service performed when my service center mentioned this and said I should not put any more money into it until a frame evaluation is conducted. I have not yet had the frame inspected by a frame shop or dealership as I attempted to ask Toyota pay for this to no avail. I'm currently awaiting a callback from a supervisor next Monday 11/14 after being denied any assistance by Toyota. It is well documented that trucks can last for several hundred thousand miles. A rusted frame at 167,000+ mi that can break at any time is a major safety concern.

NHTSA ID

11493071

Incident

Nov 3, 2022

Frame badly Rotted Purchased used, previous owner stated Frame recall/inspection was preformed Advertised on CL as NO ROT Frame is so bad it can not be safely driven

NHTSA ID

11462798

Incident

Dec 29, 2020

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that he received a recall notification for an unknown safety recall. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer who inspected the vehicle and informed the contact that the vehicle did not need the recall repair at the time. The contact stated upon taking the vehicle to the independent mechanic for a repair, he was informed that the entire subframe was corroded. The dealer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact that they could not assist as the vehicle was not included in a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ID

11434851

Incident

Sep 27, 2018

Mileage

100,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE TOOK THE VEHICLE IN FOR A RECALL REPAIR FOR VERIFYING IF THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE REPAIR WAS DONE BETWEEN 2010 AND 2013. THE UNKNOWN DEALER SPRAYED THE FRAME WITH AN UNDERCOAT AFTER INSURING THAT IT WAS NOT RUSTED. THE UNDERCOAT WAS SUPPOSED TO PROTECT FRAME FROM ANY FUTURE RUSTING. THE FRAME WAS NOT RUSTED PRIOR TO THE COATING BEING APPLIED. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE FRAME STARTED TO RUST WHILE WASHING THE VEHICLE AT UNDER THE REAR FENDER WELLS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE SUBFRAME. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11350677

Incident

Aug 1, 2014

Mileage

150,000 mi

FRAME CRACKED ON DRIVER SIDE OF TRUCK. UPON INSPECTION THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.

NHTSA ID

11299714

Incident

Aug 1, 2018

Mileage

256,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS GETTING THE TIRES CHANGED, SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A BODY SHOP AND WAS INFORMED OF AN UNKNOWN RECALL REGARDING THE RUST ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT CALLED MIKE JOHNSON'S HICKORY TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 435 US HIGHWAY 70 SE, HICKORY, NC 28602, 828-330-9538) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS ONCE COVERED UNDER A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT PROGRAM THAT ADVISED DEALERS TO COAT THE FRAME WITH A RUST COATING TO PREVENT RUST FROM FORMING. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO INFORMED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND CONFIRMED WHAT THE DEALER STATED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. *LN*JB

NHTSA ID

11291468

Incident

Dec 23, 2019

Mileage

180,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AUTO ZONE WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE O2 SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT'S FRIEND WAS REPAIRING THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED RUST ON THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT'S FRIEND WAS UNABLE TO TIGHTEN THE SENSOR COMPLETELY, WHICH CAUSED FUMES TO ENTER THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING. THE CONTACT CALLED LOU FUSZ TOYOTA (LOCATED AT 10725 MANCHESTER RD, KIRKWOOD, MO 63122, (314) 966-5404). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,000.

NHTSA ID

11252075

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

136,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME OF THE CHASSIS WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.

NHTSA ID

11206826

Incident

May 8, 2019

Mileage

123,000 mi

I HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA, FRAME IS SO RUSTED ITS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY CANT DO ANYTHING TO RESOLVE ISSUE. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE!!! TOYOTA NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THERE MISTAKES, AND FIX THESE RECALL ISSUES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS HURT!! I HAVE BOUGHT TOYOTA'S ALL MY LIFE NEVER HAD ANY ISSUES UNTIL NOW, THESE RUSTY FRAMES ARE UNACCEPTABLE!!!

NHTSA ID

11172616

Incident

Jun 18, 2018

Mileage

200,000 mi

FRAME CORROSION SAFETY RECALL OCT 24 2011. DEALERSHIP APPLIED CORROSION TREATMENT THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM. PASSENGER SIDE REAR FRAME CORROSION HAS CAUSED SHOCK MOUNT TO BREAK OFF CAUSING VEHICLE INSTABILITY. OTHER SECTION OF FRAME ALSO COMPROMISED BY CORROSION IN SPITE OF DEALERSHIP OK.

NHTSA ID

11155428

Incident

Nov 29, 2018

Mileage

209,000 mi

THE WHOLE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT WITH PERFORATION OF THE METAL, IT'S FALLING APART. I'M ABLE TO POKE HOLES IN THE FRAME WITH MY FINGER AND THE RUST GOES ALONG THE WHOLE WELD LINE DOWN THE FRAME ON THE UNDERSIDE AS WELL AS HOLES THROUGHOUT THE SIDES OF THE FRAME.

NHTSA ID

11110707

Incident

Jul 1, 2018

2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE RUST PROBLEMS. *SMD *CN

NHTSA ID

10806885

Incident

Oct 8, 2015

2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TOYOTAS RUST RECALL. *LD CONSUMER SENT ADDITIONAL CORRESPONDENCE. *LD

NHTSA ID

11074810

Incident

Mar 1, 2018

Mileage

193,559 mi

MY TACOMA WAS BROUGHT TO TOYOTAWORLD NEWARK IN NOV. 2011 FOR A RUST PROBLEM AND THEY COATED THE FRAME WITH CORROSION PREVENTIVE COMPOUND AND PROMISED THAT THE COATING WOULD FIX THE PROBLEM. IN NOV. 2015 IT WAS BROUGHT IN AGAIN BECAUSE RUST WAS PRESENT. DEALERSHIP WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3 MONTHS (TOYOTA KNEW MY VIN, YET DID NOT NOTIFY) TOYOTA NEVER RECALLED 1995-2004 TACOMAS EVEN THOUGH THEY BOUGHT BACK AND CONDUCTED FRAME REPAIRS ON SOME VEHICLES THROUGH THOSE YEARS. I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE IN MAY 2017. THERE WAS SOME RUST BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK LIKE IT WAS THAT BAD. LAST WEEK I NOTIICED 2 CRACKS IN THE FRAME, ONE ON THE LEFT FRAME AND ONE ON THE RIGHT FRAME. I TOOK IT TO SHORE TOYOTA IN NJ AND THEY SAID IT WAS UNDER WARRANTY (BECAUSE WORK WAS DONE IN 2011 AND THE 15 YEAR WARRANTY APPLIED FROM THE TIME RUST WAS AN ISSUE) AND THEY WOULD CALL ME ABOUT A RENTAL CAR THE NEXT DAY. WHEN THEY DIDN'T CALL, I CALLED THEM AND THEY SAID IT WASN'T UNDER WARRANTY. I ASKED IF THEY WOULD GIVE ME AN ESTIMATE AND I WANTED TO HAVE MY TACOMA FIXED THERE. THEY NEVER CALLED BACK. AGAIN I CALLED TO FOLLOW UP. LARRY, THE SERVICE MANAGER, SAID THAT IT WAS INSPECTED, THEY WOULDN'T FIX IT, AND IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I WROTE ON THEIR SERVICE INVOICE THAT 'SHORE TOYOTA REFUSED TO DO WORK ON FRAME WHEN I OFFERED TO PAY OUT-OF-POCKET.' WHEN I ASKED FOR A PHOTOCOPY OF THE INVOICE, THEY REFUSED. COMPLAINED TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE CASE#1803132713. SUPERVISOR DID NOT RETURN MY CALL.BOTTOM LINE: I'VE BEEN DRIVING IN A VEHICLE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN THE DEATH OF ME AND MY LOVED ONES. TOYOTA KNOWS THAT THE FRAMES OF THEIR 1994-2004 VEHICLES (800,000 OF THEM) ARE DEFECTIVE. YET, TOYOTA HAS NEVER RECALLED THESE VEHICLES. THEY SHOULD BE REPAIRED, BOUGHT BACK, OR REPLACED BY TOYOTA. HOW MANY INDIVIDUALS WILL HAVE TO BE INJURED OR DIE BECAUSE THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ADDRESSED?

NHTSA ID

11079530

Incident

Mar 14, 2018

MY TOYOTA TACOMA WAS ON A LIFT, AND EXTENSIVE RUSTING OF THE FRAME WAS NOTICED, INCLUDING TWO HOLES (ONE PASSENGER SIDE, ONE DRIVER SIDE) ANTERIOR TO THE REAR WHEELS. I STOPPED BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THEY GAVE ME THE NUMBER OF TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE. TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE TOLD ME THEIR WAS A RECALL THAT ENDED IN 2011. WHEN I TOLD THEM I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND THAT I WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER LIVING AT THE SAME ADDRESS FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS, I WAS TOLD THE SOMETIMES THEY NOTIFY THE DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES! TO ME AT LEAST, THIS IS "PASSING THE BUCK," SHIRKING THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. I WAS GIVEN A CASE NUMBER, AND I EMAILED THE CEO OF TOYOTA NORTH AMERICA. I HAVE NOT AS YET HEARD A RESPONSE, AS IT IS THE CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS. I PLAN TO PURSUE THIS WITH MY ATTORNEY. THERE SHOULD BE NOT "STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS" ON SAFETY.

NHTSA ID

11057269

Incident

Dec 21, 2017

Mileage

230,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE STATIONARY, THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE BECAME SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NOTICED HOLES IN THE FRAME AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE DUE TO THE REAR AXLE BECOMING LOOSE ENOUGH TO POTENTIALLY FRACTURE. A DEALER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH CASE NUMBER: 1710310166. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN HAD EXPIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 119,000. *TT

NHTSA ID

11041609

Incident

Oct 31, 2016

Mileage

119,000 mi

THE FRAME IS RUSTED TO THE POINT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE 140,000 MILES ON VEHICLE

NHTSA ID

11041518

Incident

Aug 9, 2017

Mileage

140,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AT 800-331-4331 AND STATED THAT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE RECALL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 118,124.

NHTSA ID

11011637

Incident

May 30, 2017

Mileage

118,124 mi

MY FRAME IS RUSTED REALLY BAD AND MY FRONT MOTOR MONT IS RUSTED AWAY

NHTSA ID

11011185

Incident

Jul 28, 2017

FRAME RUST RECALL. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE. I TALKED WITH THE CUSTOMER SERVICE AT THE CORPORATE OFFICE IN CALIFORNIA AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT I NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTICE TO MY ADDRESS. THE UPPER LEVEL MANAGEMENT DENIED MY RIGHT TO HAVE THE TRUCK FIXED. I HAVE SPENT 1400.00 DOLLARS TO FIX AND KEEP THE TRUCK ON THE ROAD SAFELY. THE RECALL ENDED EARLY WITHOUT NOTICE. I HAVE RECEIPTS FROM MY DEALERSHIP OF THE REPAIR. IT WAS BROUGHT TO MY ATTENTION WHEN ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WAS BEING PERFORMED. THAT STARTED MY INQUIRY WITH TOYOTA.

NHTSA ID

11003256

Incident

Mar 9, 2017

Mileage

122,734 mi

THIS TRUCK WAS CHECK OUT AT A TOYOTA DEALER IN 2014 OR 2013 I DO NOT RECALL THE DATE BUT THEY SAID THE FRAME AND SUSPENSION IS OK BUT AS OF 6-2017. THEY FRAME IS VERY RUSTED AND I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE ANY MORE . AND I AM AFRAID TO SELL THIS TO ANY BODY FOR SAFETY ISSUES ,

NHTSA ID

11002753

Incident

Jul 2, 2017

Mileage

225,000 mi

2000 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO POPPING NOISES- DISCOVERS LEAF SPRING /FRAME CORROSION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME ON THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 05/05/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10966750

Incident

Jan 15, 2017

FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH. DESPITE TOYOTA DEEMING IT UNAFFECTED, AND APPLYING A COAT OF UNDERCOATING TO IT FOR FREE, IT IS NOW RUSTED THROUGH.

NHTSA ID

10965975

Incident

Mar 14, 2017

TOYOTA VOLUNTARILY OFFERED TO REPLACE STRUCTURAL FRAMES THAT PREMATURELY RUSTED. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THE RECALL AND MY FRAME IS SO BADLY FULL OF HOES THAT DRIVING IT IS DANGEROUS ESPECIALLY WITH A LOAD. I MUST CONTINUE TO DRIVE MY TRUCK AND MUST SUFFER THE RISK OF AN ACCIDENT. I'VE REACHED OUT TO TWO DEALERS AND TOYOTA AND ALL HAVE REFUSED TO HELP ME. WHEN THE ACCIDENT DOES OCCUR I'M SURE TOYOTA WILL REGRET NOT TALKING TO ME.

NHTSA ID

10958661

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

50,000 mi