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Toyota Expands Tundra Recall
Mar 11, 2010
DETROIT — Toyota is expanding a recall of the 2000-'03 Tundra to cover all vehicles in the U.S., the automaker said on Wednesday. The recall is to fix part of the truck's frame that could corrode.
Excessive corrosion of the rear crossmember could cause spare tires or the gas tank to drop off the vehicle. The original recall was announced last November and covered 110,000 trucks sold in 20 cold-weather states. Toyota initially said exposure to road salt could cause the corrosion.
"Now a special service campaign will be launched covering all 2000-'03 model-year Tundra vehicles that were originally sold in and currently registered in the remaining 30 states," wrote Curt McAllister, a Toyota spokesman, in an e-mailed message to Inside Line. "Owner notification will commence in mid-March."
McAllister was not able to say how many more Tundras will be added to the original recall in this case.
Word of the expanded Toyota recall comes during a hectic week for Toyota as it struggles to cope with the fallout from massive recalls of its vehicles and the ensuing blow to its reputation.
In its original description of the Tundra corrosion recall, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that "excessive corrosion of the rear crossmember may cause the separation of the spare tire stowed under the truck bed, which would present a road hazard that could cause a crash. Also, corrosion of the rear crossmember could affect the rear brake lines and the proportioning valve, resulting in diminished braking capability."
As of November 16, 2009, Toyota was advising owners of the affected Tundras to remove the spare tire from under the vehicle "until a remedy can be obtained. Dealers will inspect the rear crossmember and related components, including the brake lines, and replace them if necessary," according to NHTSA's recalls summary of the problem. "If the crossmember does not need to be replaced, it will be sprayed with a corrosion protection compound." It noted that "multiple visits to the dealer may be required."
Although Toyota did not explain why it is expanding the Tundra recall, a check of NHTSA's complaint database shows that consumers are still griping about the truck months after the original recall — including one who lives in Florida for part of the year.
"I own a 2003 Toyota Tundra that has severe frame rust," wrote one consumer. "Big pieces of metal are flaking off. Sooner or later, some component attachment point will fail. The rest of the underneath, and truck as a whole, is rust free. I religiously wash the underside of the truck. There is a defect with these frames."
Tundra owners with questions can contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331.
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is an office within the
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). ODI conducts defect investigations and administers safety recalls to support the NHTSAs mission to improve safety on our Nation's highways. NHTSA is authorized to order manufacturers to recall and repair vehicles or items of motor vehicle equipment when ODI investigations indicate that they contain serious safety defects in their design, construction, or performance. ODI also monitors the adequacy of manufacturers' recall campaigns. Before initiating an investigation, ODI carefully reviews the body of consumer complaints and other available data to determine whether a defect trend may exist.
1 Data for the automotive recall database was provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) - Last updated: Friday, March 12, 2010