2003 Toyota Tundra Suspension Problems

The frame was undercoated incorrectly and is actively falling apart. Super unsafe to drive. Very clearly was not undercoated correctly as there is areas in the frame that have no signs of undercoating. This is putting the driver of the vehicle at risk as well as the other drivers on the road. This is a huge recall that was issued for this model of year truck. Very common. The vehicle has not been inspected by the dealer as they refused to inspect it or even acknowledge the issue. There is no warning lamps on but it is visibly unsafe to drive

Frame rusted out causing gas tank to fall off truck while driving. Was sparking while trying to pull of to a safe spot on highway, tank was hanging on by the fuel line. Leaf spring also broke on truck do to rust. Cars were avoiding my truck on highway as sparks were coming from the gas tank shield scrapping the highway. Frame should have been replaced along with gas lines, and leaf springs during the recall in 2012 range. Toyota of York decided to just undercoat spray frame, prior to me purchasing truck from them. They never notified me (the consumer) of the recall that was current on truck.

rear leaf spring mount separated from the frame due to complete rust -through of the frame. felt a "thump" during normal acceleration.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed several times but failed to respond and went all the way to the floorboard. The contact's son intentionally hit a curb and downshifted in order to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the subframe was severely corroded and an unknown axle was leaking and causing the brake failure. Additionally, the independent mechanic diagnosed that the gas tank was detaching from the vehicle due to the frame corrosion. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 146,000.

The frame on this truck is completely rusted. There are several holes and cracks in the frame. You can pull chunks of the rusted frame off with your fingers. It is unsafe to drive and is a hazard to other drivers There are many photos online of this model of truck that have broken in half when the frame has failed. There are stories of people who are driving this vehicle and it breaks in half while on the highway causing injury. I took it to our local mechanic in June who said this truck is unsafe. I contacted the Iowa Attorney General's office and made a complaint. They put me in contact with Toyota's corporate office who referred me to their Brand Experience Center. They said it had to be evaluated by a Toyota dealer. I took it to the original dealer who sold this vehicle - Wilson Toyota in Ames Iowa- on September 27, 2022. Their service center says the frame needs replaced. They said they would not pay for any repairs. They said this truck had two safety recalls to replace the frame but they said they expired in 2012. I spoke to Toyota's Brand Experience Center again on the 27th and was told that my truck did not have any rust on it when it was taken in for the recall. Nothing was done to this vehicle when it was taken in for the recall repairs. There are many posts on Toyota forums that describe the same thing happening to other owners of this truck. - They are unaware of this condition of their truck frames until they bring it in to a reputable mechanic. The attached photos of this truck show the upper body is in good shape. But the frame is falling apart.

My mechanic says the frame on our 2003 Toyota Tundra is rusted to the point that the pickup is unsafe to drive and is about to break in half. I have contacted two local Toyota dealers with no response. This vehicle had a recall to fix the issue but it appears the was a time frame placed on when Toyota would repair the frame. This truck is unsafe to drive and it makes me wonder how many of these vehicles are still on the road endangering the public

I purchased my 2003 Toyota Tundra limited V8 about 7 months ago. Unbeknownst to me there had once been a recall because of the frame rusting out prematurely. So after further investigation I found my frame is dangerously rusted to the point of extreme safety concerns. I have been in contact with Toyotas head corders and was told there's nothing they can do because apparently I missed the recall time. But I bought the truck after the recall was time was over. In either case Toyota should absolutely be responsible for this no matter the time frame because of there admittance that these truck frames were rotting out prematurely. Please help before there is a crash, Fire and Fatality

TOOK IT TO THE DEALER TO INSPECT THE FRAME AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. RECOMMENDED ME NOT TO DRIVE IT. AS THE FRAME WAS RUST AND HAD MULTIPLE RUST PERFORATIONS IN THE FRONT HALF OF THE FRAME

FROM 2001-2003 IS A FRAME RECALL ON THESE TUNDRA'S DUE TO MASSIVE RUST ISSUE. I WENT INTO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HERE IN NORFOLK, VA, AND THEY GAVE ME THE RUN AROUND SAYING I "MISSED THE WINDOW" FOR THIS ISSUE. THEN I CALLED CORPORTATE AND THEY GAVE ME A DIFFERENT REASON, SAYING THEY "APPLIED" ANTI-RUST SPRAY" IN 2016. WHICH IS NOT A THING. CLEARLY IT DID NOT WORK BECAUSE THERE ARE MASSIVE HOLES IN MY FRAME. I WOULD LIKE THEM TO OWN UP AND DO MY RECALL WHEN SO MANY OTHER PEOPLE I KNOW HAVE THE EXACT SAME TRUCK AND GOT THEIRS DONE. I AM ACTIVE DUTY AS WELL, AND IT FRUSTRATES ME THAT THEY WOULD TREAT A VETERAN LIKE THIS. I BROUGHT UP MY SPARE TIRE LATCH BEING VERY RUSTED UNDERNEATH, WHICH THERE IS ALSO A RE-CALL FOR. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME. 3 WEEKS LATER MY SPARE TIRE FLEW OFF FROM MY TRUCK, THANK GOODNESS NO ONE WAS INJURED.

MY 2003 TUNDRA FRAME IS RUSTED AND CRACKING. I BELIEVE THIS SHOULD BE COVERED BY THE LIMITED SERVICE CAMPAIGN (LSC) A0F.

TWO ITEMS HERE: FIRST I WENT TO CHANGE MY TIRE WITH MY SPARE AND IT WAS MISSING. THE TIRE SERVICE COMPANY SAID THE TIRE MUST HAVE FALLEN OFF SOMEWHERE AS THE CABLE HOLDING THE SPARE TIRE WAS RUSTED OFF. 2ND, I HAD MY TUNDRA PUT UP ON A LIFT TO SEE WHAT THE BANGING SOUND WAS. ONE OF THE SHOCK'S CONNECTIONS WAS RUSTED OFF AND JUST HANGING. HE ALSO STATED THAT THE WHOLE FRAME AND CRANKCASE ON THE REAR DRIVE AREA LOOKED LIKE "BARK ON A TREE" AND COULD BE VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION

THE FRAME IS PREMATURELY SEVERELY ROTTEN AND CRUMBLING. THIS IS A MASSIVE SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE BROUGHT TO EVERY TUNDRA OWNERS ATTENTION. I HAVE HAD IT SPRAYED, BUT WAS ONLY DONE FOR THE BACK CROSSMEMBER BY TOYOTA. THE OTHER HALF IS READY FOR A CATASTROPHE IN DUE TIME. THERE MAY BE OTHERS IN MY SITUATION AND NO WAY IS A FRAME SUPPOSED TO CRUMBLE WITHOUT SITTING IN CONSTANT SALT. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE HELP THE OTHER OWNERS AND MAKE THEM AWARE IF THEY HAVEN'T YET. THE FRAME WILL BUCKLE WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSE HARM TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. MINE HAS PIECES AS BIG AS 12 BY 8 COME OFF. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP I HAVE WENT TO TOLD ME TO KEEP AN EYE ON IT SINCE THE RECALL HAS LAPSED.

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA FRONT END MAKING A SEVERE GRINDING, SQUEAKING, AND KNOCKING NOISE. THE CV AXLE BOOTS ARE DESTROYED AND SEEMS LIKE THE WHEEL BEARINGS AND HUB IS GOING OUT QUICKLY AS WELL. ALSO HAVE TRANSMISSION LEAKAGE AND NOISE WHEN TURNING. VEHICLE ONLY HAS 86,000 MILES ON IT.

THERE WERE 2 ISSUES WITH THE FRAME ON THE 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA THAT WERE ADDRESSED ON MY SON'S TRUCK WHEN THEY WERE ISSUED. NOW, THE FRAME IS EXTREMELY RUSTED AND POSSIBLY A HAZARD TO DRIVE. THE TRUCK WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL DEALER WHO DID NOT EVEN LOOK AT THE FRAME BUT, PULLED UP INFORMATION FROM TOYOTA AND TOLD US THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND AS I SEE OTHERS ONLINE TO THIS DAY GETTING FRAMES REPLACED. I CALLED TOYOTA CORPORATE WHO CLAIMS THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE AS THE FRAME IS NO LONGER AVAILABLE. THIS IS REALLY A POOR WAY TO TREAT CUSTOMERS THAT PAY VERY HEAVILY FOR THESE TRUCKS AND EXPECT THEM TO LAST. THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ORIGINALLY IN NY AND EVENTUALLY PA WHICH ARE THE COLD WEATHER STATES THAT WERE INVOLVED. THE COATING PLACED ON THE TRUCK DID NOTHING AS FAR AS WE CAN TELL AS THERE IS NOTHING THAT SHOWS IT WAS EVER THERE. I HAVE ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTS, VIDEOS, ETC THAT I WAS UNABLE TO UPLOAD.

REAR CROSS MEMBER THAT HOLDS ON SPARE TIRE IS COMPLETELY RUSTED. TOYOTA REFUSES TO REPLACE BECAUSE THE RECALL HAS EXPIRED.

FRAME CORROSION WAS NOT PROPERLY ADDRESSED DURING 2012 RECALL. AS A RESULT THE FRAME HAS CORRODED IN MULTIPLE AREAS AND THE BRAKES JUST FAILED DUE TO BRAKE LINE CORROSION. TOYOTA IS REFUSING ANY ADDITIONAL CLAIMS FOR DAMAGES. HOWEVER THEY SHOULD HAVE DONE MORE TO ADDRESS THE FRAME CORROSION DURING THE 2012 RECALL.

TAKARA INFLATORS AND DRIVING DOWN A VERY BUSY STREET AND HAD A DRIVER FLASHING HIS LIGHTS AT ME. I PULLED OVER TO FIND OUT THAT MY SPARE TIRE UNDERNEATH MY TRUCK HAD FALLEN OFF AND BOUNCED INTO A BUILDING. I GO BACK TO GET IT AND NOTICE THAT IT HAD RUSTED AND FELL OFF. I'VE BEEN HAVING BALL JOINT ISSUES AND NOW MY RACK AND PINION HAS STARTED TO LEAK BECAUSE OF RUST. I'VE LEARNED ABOUT A RECALL ON MY FRAME HAS BEEN ISSUED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID MY TRUCK HAD BEEN LOOKED AT AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. I'VE GOT THE SPARE TIRE AND THE RUSTED BRACKET. I'M REALLY SCARED TO EVEN DRIVE IT,AND AIR BAG THEY WANT TO REPLACE IT BUT TO SCARED TO DRIVE IT

The frame has failed by rusting through and continues to the brake line. It is available for inspection. The truck is no longer safe to drive due to the rust and brake issues. The truck frame could have failed in traffic causing harm to myself and other drivers. The problem has been confirmed by Yingling’s in Topeka, KS, Lewis Toyota in Topeka and Crown Toyota in Lawrence, KS. They have all done inspections of the truck frame. The problem first appeared when it was taken to Yinglings in 2018 to replace the muffler.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE BALL JOINT WAS FAULTY, RUSTED, AND COULD NO LONGER SUPPORT THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 133,000.

VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST OF THE FRAME.