2004 Toyota Tundra Steering Problems

I had the dealer take my truck in for the frame recall. I asked for them to replace the frame because I was not comfortable with how they were handling it. Per the service record they filled in perforations and “undercoated. I did not believe that filling in existing perforations was the safest way to handle this. After brining the truck to a shop to check the steering we were told that they wouldn’t even put it up on a lift. The steering issue was that the rack and pinion steering was literally falling out due to the rusted frame. We drove this vehicle home and parked it. About a week later the spare tire fell out right onto our driveway. Needless to say, I am certain there are many more Toyota trucks out there ready to fall apart on the road. We contacted Toyota corporate several times to try to rectify this mishandling of our recall. We called and sent certified letters. We asked to share the cost of a new frame and they said no. We then had the truck towed to a shop who could do the work. They ordered a frame from Toyota only to be contacted 2 months later saying that the frame was discontinued and they wouldn’t be sending it after all (we were willing to pay fir the frame and install because we had a useless and UNSAFE vehicle. We finally found a shop over an hour away who could rebuild/fabricate the frame and replace the fallen out steering etc. we had that truck towed about 60 miles away to have this work completed. This mishandling of the recall by Toyota and their lack of customer care cost me a whopping $17,000! Again, unsafe Tundras out there for sure. Please advise…this is the 2nd time I’ve filled out this form and never heard anything. Thank you in advance. [XXX] INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

MY VEHICLE FRAME HAS TOTALLY ROTTED OUT BY RUST.

STARTED HEARING CLUNKING NOISE IN TRUCK. MADE APPOINTMENT WITH ASE CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HE ASKED US TO COME BACK TO THE SHOP. THE STRUCTURE OF THE FRAME THAT HOLDS THE RACK AND PINION STEERING AND ANTI-SWAY BAR MOUNT WAS GONE. BOTH OF THE TOPS OF THE FRAME OF THE CROSS MEMBER THAT GOES UNDER THE ENGINE WAS MISSING. THE FRAME RAIL UNDER THE CAB IS SEPARATING. HE ADVISED THAT THIS CONDITION WAS A MASSIVE SAFETY ISSUE AND THAT I SHOULD CONTACT TOYOTA AND ADVISE THEM. I CALLED A DEALERSHIP IN ZANESVILLE AND THEY ADVISED THEY COULD NOT HELP BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A RECALL AND TOYOTA GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND TRANSFERRED ME TO SOMEONE ELSE WHO TOLD ME THEY COULD NOT HELP ME. HE ALSO GOT A SECOND OPINION FROM ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL WHO ALSO SAID THAT THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I HAVE MORE PHOTOS AND I NOW KNOW I CAN NOT DRIVE A TRUCK THAT I SPENT $24,000 ON JUNE OF 2019. I AM GLAD I DID NOT WRECK MY VEHICLE AND HURT MY FAMILY OR ANYONE ELSE BECAUSE OF THIS ISSUE. PLEASE HELP ME REPAIR MY TRUCK. WHEN WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE THE FACTORY UNDERCOATING WAS STILL IN TACT AND THIS WAS NOT VISIBLE UNDERNEATH.

MY VEHICLE HAS MAJOR FRAME DAMAGE. THERE ARE LARGE HOLES NEAR THE FRONT CROSSMEMBERS ON BOTH SIDES. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THE FRAME HAD BEEN SPRAYED SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER. HOWEVER, THE FRAME HAS CONTINUED TO RUST SEVERELY AND THE COATING HAS COMPLETELY FLAKED OFF. THE REPRESENTATIVE I SPOKE TO STATED THAT WAS THE ONLY RESOLUTION, AND THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE. MY CASE IS NOT THE ONLY ONE. EVEN THE DEALER LOCATED NEAR ME STATES THAT THIS IS A WELL KNOWN ISSUE. SEVERAL YEARS RECEIVED NEW OR REPAIRED FRAMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE. HOW CAN IT BE, THAT THE SAME GENERATION VEHICLE ONE YEAR LATER IS NOT ELIGIBLE? MY CHILD RODE COUNTLESS TIMES IN THAT VEHICLE. WHAT IF SOMETHING HAD HAPPENED? *TR

GEAR SHIFT LEAVER HAS DETACHED FROM STEERING COLUMN. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED (1ST TIME WAS IN 2011). REPAIR DONE THEN WAS WITH FACTORY PART. TRUCK CANT BE DRIVEN & IF HAPPENS WHILE IN ANY GEAR OTHER THAN PARK CAN BE A SAFETY ISSUE, ESPECIALLY ON UNLEVEL PARKING PAD. APPEARS TO BE LOTS OF TUNDRA OWNERS ON THE TOYOTA OWNER/TUNDRA OWNER WEBSITES EXPERIENCING SAME ISSUE.

AS I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE(I-10) LAST WEEK ALL OF A SUDDEN MY TRUCK BEGAN MOVING TO THE RIGHT THEN TO THE LEFT. IT WENT BACK AND FORTH ABOUT 4 TIMES.WHILE IT WAS DOING THIS, I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE TRUCK. GOOD THING NO CARS WERE AROUND ME BECAUSE I WOULD HAVE HIT THEM.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE FRAME RODS FRACTURED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION. THE CONTACT TEMPORARILY LOST STEERING FUNCTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE IN THE VEHICLE. THE HORN, DOOR LOCKS, POWER WINDOWS, AND ALL OTHER ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS EXCEPT THE ALARM MALFUNCTIONED. THE HORN SOUNDED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND PARKED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD NOISE WHILE DRIVING. THE SEAT BELT WARNING LIGHT WAS THE ONLY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT FELT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THE CONTACT WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR COSTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000. UPDATED 08/16/16*LJ CONSUMER STATED I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE RELATED TO STEERING COLUMN AND RELATED PARTS INCLUDING AIRBAG-DEALER STEERING IS NOT RELATED TO SAFETY CONCERNS- I FEEL THIS CAN RESULT IN ACCIDENT BY LOSING. STEERING CONSULTING CONTROL RESULTING IN POSSIBLE INJURY TO MYSELF/ AND OTHERS ON THE ROAD REGARDLESS OF THE MILEAGE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE HAD THE DEALER APPEARED NOT TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY. UPDATED 6/18/18*JB

TOYOTA HAS A RECALL FOR EXCESSIVE RUST AND THEY DID UNDERCOAT MY TRUCK. YESTERDAY WHEN I PULLED INTO MY DRIVEWAY I HEARD A SQUEALING SOUND FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I CHECKED AND FOUND MY POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LOW. I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK AND SAW A PUDDLE. FURTHER INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THE STEERING RACK HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND POWER STEERING FLUID STREAMS OUT WHEN YOU TURN THE STEERING WHEEL.

HIGH PITCH SOUND WHEN I GO TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR EMPTY. TOOK TO DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAID THE RACK AND PINION IS NO GOOD AND HAS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $1900.00. THE ISSUE I HAVE IS, I HAVE A CO-WORKER WHO BOUGHT THE SAME TRUCK I DID, IN THE SAME MONTH I DID. HIS HAS 145,000 MILES AND HIS RACK AND PINION WENT OUT TWO WEEKS AGO. LESS THAN 10,000 MILES BETWEEN THESE INCIDENTS IS QUITE A COINCIDENCE.

I HAVE RECENTLY RECEIVED A FRAME RECALL NOTICE DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION WHICH I ADDRESSED AT THE LOCAL DEALERSHIP. I WAS INFORMED THAT THE RUST HAD NOT PERFORATED THE FRAME AND THAT IT WOULD BE TREATED TO PREVENT FURTHER RUSTING. WHEN I PICKED UP THE TRUCK AT THE DEALERSHIP THE ASSOCIATE ADVISED ME THAT THE RECALL WAS DONE AND THAT A FULL SAFETY INSPECTION WAS COMPLETED WHICH REVEALED NO OTHER PROBLEMS. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK TO INSPECT THE FRAME AND NOTICED THAT BOTH SWAY BAR LINKS HAD CORRODED AND BROKEN OFF . I ALSO SUBSEQUENTLY TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN ALIGNMENT SHOP BECAUSE I NOTICED THE STEERING WHEEL WAS NOT STRAIGHT AND WAS TOLD BY THE SHOP THAT THE TRUCK COULD NOT BE ALIGNED. I WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVE AND TO BRING IT TO THE DEALERSHIP IMMEDIATELY WHICH I DID. THE DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT DISCOVERED THAT THE STEERING SHAFT COUPLING WAS SO CORRODED THAT THEY NEEDED TO REPLACE IT AND DO A WHEEL ALIGNMENT. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS MAY BECOME A COMMON SAFETY ISSUE WITH THE TUNDRA WHICH SEEMS SUSCEPTIBLE TO EXCESSIVE RUSTING AND AM REQUESTING THAT THIS ISSUE IS INVESTIGATED AN A RECALL ISSUED IF NECESSARY. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE HAULING A CAMPER, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PARK THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING STEEL LINE WAS CORRODED AND FRACTURED, WHICH CAUSED THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK. THE POWER STEERING STEEL LINE WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 62,500. UPDATED 09/30/14*LJ UPDATED 02/25/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE RACK AND PINION WAS DEFECTIVE. IN ADDITION, HE STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS INSPECTING THE VEHICLE HE NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED AND THE CROSS MEMBERS WERE FRACTURED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 178,000.

6/13/13 VEHICLE DID NOT PASS INSPECTION MAJOR FRAME PERFORATION TOYOTA PERFORMED LIMITED FRAME REPLACEMENT AT THEIR COST AFTER MUCH DISCUSSION . NOT ALL SEVERELY RUSTED PARTS WERE REPLACED ONLY THE MAJOR ASSEMBLY MOUNTING PIECE ITEMS THAT WERE DISASSEMBLED AND COULDN'T BE REUSED WERE REPLACED. NO SUB PIECES OF THE MAJOR ASSEMBLY WERE REPLACED. IF THE WERE RUSTED THEY WERE REINSTALLED. 8/4/14 VEHICLE DID NOT PASS INSPECTION MAJOR RUST FAILURE DEFORMATION AND LEAKING OF STEERING RACK HOUSING THAT WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND NOT REPLACED WHEN FRAME WAS REPLACED. RACK WAS REPLACED BY OWNER AT OWNERS EXPENSE. 4/15/15 REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING RUST THRU AND HOUSING FAILURE. HOUSING WAS SEVERELY CORRODED WHEN FRAME WAS REPLACED. OWNER WAS INFORMED IT WAS NOT PART OF THE FRAME REPLACEMENT . TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE ANY RECALL BULLETIN ISSUED DESPITE THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS FOUND ON THE INTERNET. REPLACEMENT WILL BE AT OWNERS EXPENSE. BRAKE BACKING PLATES AND AXLE MOUNTING HARDWARE THAT WERE SEVERELY CORRODED WHEN FRAME WAS REPLACED ARE NOT SALVAGEABLE AND WILL REQUIRE REPLACEMENT AS WELL IN ORDER TO REPLACE THE REAR AXLE HOUSING. *TR

NOTICED EXTREME RUST ON FRAME AND OTHER METAL PARTS FLAKING AND FALLING OFF. CONDITION APPEARS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TR

MY VEHICLE NEEDS AN ALIGNMENT. I WAS TOLD BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THE FRAME ON MY VEHICLE IS RUSTED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. TOYOTA TUNDRAS DO HAVE A RECALL FOR THE RUSTED FRAME BUT MY VEHICLE ISN'T PART OF THIS RECALL SINCE ITS 3 MONTHS NEWER. I WAS TOLD BY THE TOYOTA SERVICE REP AT THE DEALERSHIP THAT MY VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY CLAIM THAT THEY CANNOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. *TR

THE FRONT STABILIZER BARS BROKE AT THE TOP WERE THE NUTS THREAD ON. *TR

MY 2004 TOYOTA TUNDRA DOUBLE CAB HAS AN EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. BECAUSE OF THIS RUST, THE CAMBER BOLTS CANNOT BE REMOVED TO PROPERLY ALIGN THE VEHICLE. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THEY WILL HAVE TO USE HEAT TO REMOVE THEM, ALONG WITH A LOT OF FORCE, AND IN TURN MAY DO FRAME DAMAGE IN THE PROCESS. I HAVE BEEN QUOTED BY MY DEALER $5,200 TO FIX THE PROBLEM WHICH INITIALLY STARTED WITH A SMALL SHIMMY IN THE STEERING WHEEL WHICH GREW INTO A BIG SHIMMY ESPECIALLY WHILE TOWING. THAT QUOTE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY POSSIBLE CHARGED FROM THE BODY SHOP IF DAMAGE TO THE FRAME SHOULD OCCUR. I DO NOT HAVE $5,200 SO I ENDED UP WITH A NEW SET OF TIRES AND HALF OF AN ALIGNMENT BECAUSE THE CAMBER BOLTS WERE NOT ABLE TO BE REMOVED. HERE I AM MONTHS LATER AND MY NEW TIRES ARE SO BALD ON THE FRONT THAT I AM ACTUALLY SEEING THE TREAD SHOWING THROUGH. I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED MY TUNDRA, BUT ALL OF THIS RUST ON THE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE IS VERY CONCERNING REGARDING THE LONGEVITY OF MY VEHICLE. I WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTAS LAST FOREVER. AT THIS POINT I FEEL THAT MY TRUCK IS DANGEROUS TO EVEN DRIVE BUT IT IS MY ONLY VEHICLE. I HAVE OWNED AND MAINTAINED MANY VEHICLES AND NEVER HAD RUST ISSUES LIKE THIS, NOR HAVE I EVER BEEN FACED WITH SUCH A COSTLY REPAIR ON A NOT SO OLD VEHICLE. I AM STUCK IN A BAD PLACE AND JUST DON'T KNOW WHERE TO GO OR WHAT TO DO. I DESPERATELY NEED MY TRUCK. WITHOUT IT I LOSE MY SOURCE OF TRANSPORTATION AS WELL AS MY ABILITY TO EARN A LIVING. I JUST SIMPLY CANNOT AFFORD... MEANING I JUST DO NOT HAVE THIS KIND OF MONEY TO BRING MY TRUCK BACK TO HEALTH. ALL OF THIS STRESS AND FRUSTRATION IS A RESULT OF THIS EXCESSIVE RUST. INCLUDED IN THE ESTIMATE IS REMOVE AND REPLACE CAMBER BOLTS $1,957 --- STEERING RACK BOOTS 400.00 ALIGNMENT 90.00---- DRIVESHAFT ASSEMBLY $2,003---- REAR U-JOINT $433.00---- DIFFERENTIAL FLUID $330.00 IT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY POSSIBLE DAMAGE TO THE FRAME/BODY IN THEIR ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE CAMBER BOLTS OR ANOTHER BRAND NEW SET OF TIRES. *TR

ELECTRIC STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGES WHEN WE HIT A BUMP OR POTHOLE. NO ONE CAN EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS HAPPENING. POWER STEERING FLUID LINE HAD TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE OF EXCESSIVE RUST CAUSING IT TO LEAK. THIS PART ALONE COST OVER 600.00. PREMATURE TIRE REPLACEMENT BECAUSE OF THE INABILITY TO ALIGN PROPERLY DUE TO EXTREMELY RUSTED COMPONENTS THAT COULD NOT BE ADJUSTED PROPERLY. HORRIBLE STEERING WHEEL SHIMMY WHEN ON FREEWAY THAT ALSO CANNOT BE EXPLAINED OR FIXED (EVEN AFTER REPLACING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL AND AXLE) TRUCK IS EXTREMELY "SQUIRRELLY" AND FEELS LIKE IT CAN GO OUT OF CONTROL, ESPECIALLY AFTER HITTING A HOLE OR BUMP. *TR

EVENT WAS THE GEAR LEVER BECAME LOOSER AND LOOSER. IT RESULTED IN THE GEAR NOT BEING ABLE TO GO INTO PARK. TRUCK WOULD NOT START. IT APPEARED TO BE IN PARK AND I THOUGHT IT WAS A DEAD BATTERY. AAA REPLACED BATTERY. IT WAS NOT THE PROBLEM. CREATIVE GEAR MANIPULATION ALLOWED TRUCK TO START. REPAIR DISCOVERED A CRACKED STEERING COLUMN! *TR