2003 Toyota Tacoma Other Problems
14 owner-reported other complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (14)
You received a recall notice for your 2003 Toyota PreRunner regarding a spare tire lift carrier underneath the truck that could fall onto the roadway while driving. When you arrived at the dealership for your appointment, the service manager refused to repair it, saying parts hadn't been ordered and an inspection was needed first. After waiting over an hour, you discovered your truck hadn't been inspected at all, and the dealership appeared unwilling to complete the recall repair. The fix would involve inspecting the spare tire lift carrier for corrosion and replacing it if needed.
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I TOOK MY TACOMA FOR STATE INSPECTION AND THEY COULD NOT LIFT IT BECAUSE THE FRAME HAS A HOLE THROUGH IT AT THE FRONT MOUNTING POINT OF THE REAR SPRING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME HITTING A SEVER BUMP OR A POTHOLE COULD SNAP THE FRAME IN HALF. I HAVE OWNED THE TRUCK FOR ALMOST 10 YEARS AND NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ABOUT THE FRAME, ONLY ON THE SPARE TIRE CARRIER. I'M NOT A COMPUTER EXPERT AND DON'T KNOW HOW TO ADD A PICTURE OF THE FRAME TO THIS DOCUMENT. I DO KNOW THAT I NEED THE TRUCK BUT I AM UNABLE TO GET IT INSPECTED TO DO SO. PLEASE HELP.
WE BOUGHT A TOYOTA TACOMA OFF A USED CAR LOT UNAWARE OF THE PREVIOUS RECALL ON THE TRUCK. WE ARE NOW STUCK WITH A UNDRIVEABLE VEHICAL THAT IS RUSTED THROUGH TO THE FRAME. IT IS IN ARE YARD. WE STILL OWE 10.000 FOR IT AND BEING FORCED TO PAY INSURANCE FOR A VEHICAL IM NOT EVEN ABLE TO USE.
ENGINE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING EARLY MORNING 9/7/18. RETURNED HOME AND CALLED LOCAL MECHANIC, SUPREME AUTOMOTIVE. MADE AN APPOINTMENT AND TOOK THE TRUCK IN TO HAVE THE PROBLEM DIAGNOSED. CALLED LATER TO TELL ME FRAME RUST WAS TOO BAD TO REMOVE CERTAIN BOLTS TO TEST EXHAUST SENSORS. UNABLE TO CALCULATE A REPAIR ESTIMATE. SINCE I HAD SOME EXPERIENCE WITH A 1999 TACOMA THAT HAD EXTENSIVE FRAME RUST, WHICH TOYOTA RECALLED AND EVENTUALLY BOUGHT BACK, I DECIDED TO CALL TOYOTA BEFORE ANYTHING ELSE. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF MY TACOMA HAD RESPONDED TO A 2009 CORROSION RECALL NOTICE. THE UNDERCARRIAGE HAD BEEN TREATED. I BOUGHT THE TRUCK FROM FOX TOYOTA IN SPRING 2011 AFTER MY 1999 WAS DEEMED UNSAFE. NONE OF THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR THE 2003 INDICATED EITHER THE RECALL OR THE TREATMENT. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE SO-CALLED SUBSEQUENT RECALL, OF WHICH I WAS NEVER INFORMED, EXPIRED 6/13/18. NOTIFICATION SUPPOSEDLY SHOULD HAVE REACHED ME THROUGH THE CALIFORNIA DMV, EVEN THOUGH THE TRUCK ORIGINATED IN MICHIGAN. HAD I RECEIVED NOTICE I WOULD HAVE RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY, AS I HAD WITH THE 1999 TACOMA.
MY TRUCK HAD A RECALL THAT EXPIRED OCT 2017 BUT I DIDN'T FIND OUT ABOUT IT TILL RECENT WHILE DOING SOME REPAIRS THE FRAME FROM THE CAB BACK IS COMPLETELY ROTTED AWAY TO THE POINT THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE SO NOW I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS IN EXCEPTIONAL SHAPE BUT CANT FIX OR SELL I THINK THAT A DEADLINE ON SAFETY IS WRONG AND I SHOULD BE COMPENSATED WHAT THE TRUCK IS WORTH
ISSUE WITH ETCS THROTTLE BODY. GOT CODE "P2112 THROTTLE ACTUATOR 'A' STUCK CLOSED" AFTER REPLACING THE AIR/FUEL RATIO OXYGEN SENSOR (SENSOR 1 BANK 1) AND CLEANING THROTTLE BODY BORE. REPLACED NEW OXYGEN SENSOR WITH OLD SENSOR AND LOW IDLE/STALLING ISSUE WAS NOT CORRECTED.
FRAME IS RUSTED AND GAS TANK STRAP BROKE OFF. WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THERE WAS RECALL FOR THIS BUT EXPIRED 2011. HOW CAN I GET THIS FIXED? THIS IS MY ONLY VEHICLE. IT WAS MY LATE HUSBAND'S UNTIL HIS DEATH IN APRIL 2017.
RUSTING OF THE FRAME TO THE POINT OF MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE 150,000 MILE SERVICE.
FRAME OF TRUCK IS ROTTING AWAY. CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT ISSUE AND THEY STATED THAT THEY HAD A PROGRAM THAT ENDED IN 2011 THAT ADDRESSED THAT ISSUE. HAS END DATE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT A RECALL BUT A SUGGESTION BY TOYOTA. I WOULD THINK THAT SINCE THE FRAME ROTTING AWAY THAT WOULD BE A TOTAL RECALL DUE TO SAFETY HAZARDS. TOYOTA HAS ADMITTED TO FAULTY FRAMES BY HAVING THE PROGRAM BUT NOW WILL NOT ADDRESS THE PROBLEM
OWN A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. RECEIVED TOYOTA RECALL LETTER REGARDING FRAME CORROSION RUST ISSUE IN 2009. BROUGHT TACOMA TO JAFFERIAN TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN HAVERHILL, MA ON 6/20/09 WHERE THEY INSPECTED TACOMA AND SAID IT PASSED FRAME INSPECTION. BROUGHT TRUCK TO LOCAL MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE CHECK WHO SAID THAT THE BACK END OF THE FRAME WAS TOTALLY CORRODED BY RUST AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CALLED JAFFERIAN TOYOTA WHO WE PURCHASED TRUCK FROM AND ASKED IF THEY COULD REPAIR THE FRAME AND THEY SAID THAT THEY COULD NOT BECAUSE WE DIDN'T GET THE TRUCK SPRAYED FOR RUST. APPARENTLY TOYOTA SENT OUT A SECOND RECALL LETTER TO DEALERS AND OWNERS THAT THEY SHOULD GET TRUCKS SPRAYED FOR RUST WHICH WE NEVER RECEIVED. WE ALSO CONTACTED TOYOTA USA'S CUSTOMER SERVICE DEPARTMENT AND SPOKE TO THE "RECALL TEAM" AND ASKED IF THERE WAS ANYTHING THEY COULD DO SINCE WE DIDN'T RECEIVE THE SECOND LETTER REGARDING SPRAYING FOR RUST AND THEY SAID NO.
WHILE REPLACING SOME PARTS OF THE TRUCK (2003 TOYOTA TACOMA), THE EXHAUST AND SHOCKS, I NOTICED RUST HOLES ON THE LEFT AND RIGHT SIDES OF THE FRAME NEAR THE REAR TIRES. ALSO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE REAR CROSS MEMBER WAS RUSTED AND BROKEN. THE FOLLOWING DAY, I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND EXPLAINED THE SITUATION. THEY AGREED TO INSPECT THE FRAME. WHEN THEY LOOKED UP THE VEHICLES VIN, THEY NOTICED THAT THE WARRANTEE HAD EXPIRED IN SEPTEMBER OF 2011. I HAD PURCHASED THE TRUCK IN FEBRUARY OF 2011 AND HAD BY NO MEANS RECEIVED A LETTER OR ANY MEANS TO COMMUNICATE TO ME THAT THIS WARRANTEE WAS GOING TO EXPIRE. THE NOTICE THAT I HAD NOT RECEIVED WOULD HAVE ENCOURAGED THE PREVIOUS OWNERS TO BRING THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED/ SERVICED. DESPITE THIS, THE DEALERSHIP WAS KIND ENOUGH TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE FRAME HOLES AND SEND A CLAIM TO TOYOTA. A WEEK LATER, THE DEALER CALLED ME AND INFORMED ME THAT MY CLAIM WAS DENIED. UPON FURTHER RESEARCH, I CAME TO UNDERSTAND THAT TOYOTA HAD EXTENDED THE WARRANTEE FOR UP TO 15 YEARS. HOWEVER, BECAUSE I HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATIONS FROM TOYOTA IN THE 7 MONTHS THAT I OWNED THE VEHICLE BEFORE THIS "WARRANTEE" HAD EXPIRED, TOYOTA SAID, "SORRY, THERE IS NOTHING THAT WE CAN DO". REALLY? SO BECAUSE OF THEIR DESIGN FLAWS, AND THE FACT THAT I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICES, AND NOW MY TRUCKS FRAME IS ROTTING, IT IS MY FAULT? WHAT ADDRESS DID THEY ACTUALLY HAVE ON FILE IN 2011? WHY DID I NOT RECEIVE ANY NOTICE?
SPARE TIRE CARRIER PART #04002-11104 HAS BEEN RECALLED BECAUSE OF RUST ON THE LIFT PLATE (CAMPAIGN #12V54200). THE LIFT CABLE (WHICH ATTACHES TO THE LIFT PLATE) IS CORRODED AND APPROXIMATELY HALF OF THE STRANDS OF THE CABLE ARE BROKEN, MAKING IT DANGEROUS TO ATTACH THE SPARE TIRE TO IT. SHOULD THIS BE INCLUDED IN A RECALL?
MY BEAUTIFUL 35,000$$$ TACOMA 4X4. IS RUSTED AND PERFORATED I WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE CAMPAIGN ?? I WENT TO GET TRUCK RUST PROOFED AND WAS INFORMED THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.THIS TRUCK HAS BEEN BABIES NEVER OFF ROAD , NO ACCIDENTS AND ALWAYS MAINTAINED I TOOK TO TOYOTA DEALER WHO TOOK PICS TO SEND TO CORPORATE. I ALSO HAD TO SIGN THE WORK ORDER THAT THE TRUCK IS DANGEROUS AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE , I DID NOT WANT TO SIGN, THEY SAID THEY WOULD CALL AND HAVE IT REMOVED FROM THE ROAD LABEL UNFIT FOR ROAD, AND SENT ME ON MY WAY IN AN UNSAFE TRUCK WHICH CAN BUCKLE IN HALF AT ANYTIME I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF INSURANCE WILL COVER OF SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN. I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW VEHICLE AT THIS TIME. TOYOTA CORP KNOWS THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ALL US TACOMA AND TUNDRA OWNERS. MANUFACTURER DEFECT FROM DANA CORP FRAMES PLEASE RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE MORE PEOPLE ARE HURT OR WORSE. WAS ALWAYS A LOYAL TOYOTA OWNER FOR 20 YEARS, MANY IN THE FAMILY AND THEY WON'T HELP PLEASE HELP US ALL !!
I HAVE A 2003, TOYOTA TACOMA, V6, 4X4, TRD PACKAGE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY AND EVERY NOW AND THEN IT IS LIKE I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE GAS BUT I DIDN'T! IF I STEP ON IT, IT IS FINE. *JB THE PROBLEM: IS THROTTLE BY WIRE THROTTLE BODIES ON 03 AND 04 TACOMAS. THE ACCELERATOR PETAL POSITION SENSOR ASSEMBLY HAS A SHAFT ONTO WHICH THE LEVER FOR THE ACCELERATOR CABLE IS MOUNTED WITH SOME RETURN SPRINGS. THIS SHAFT ALSO TURNS THE POTENTIOMETER. THIS LEVER (A PLASTIC PIECE) LIMITS THE TRAVEL OF THE ASSEMBLY, SO THE HIGHEST AND LOWEST RESISTANCES OF THE POTENTIOMETER ARE NOT ENCOUNTERED IN THE POTENTIOMETER. THE PROBLEM IS THAT THE POTENTIOMETER CAN ALSO TURN IN THE ASSEMBLY, LOOSING ITS REFERENCE TO THE ARM AND LEVER. THEN THE RANGE OF RESISTANCE THAT IS POSSIBLE CAN BE CHANGED. IF IT TURNS TOO FAR ONE WAY, THE HIGHER RESISTANCE WILL BE SUCH THAT THERE IS NOT SUFFICIENT VOLTAGE SENT TO THE ECU TO INDICATE THAT THE PEDAL HAS BEEN DEPRESSED. CONVERSELY, THERE IS A POINT AT THE OTHER END OF THE PETITIONER WHERE THE FULL VOLTAGE IS APPLIED AND THE ECU SEES THIS AS A FAILURE AND CLOSES THE THROTTLE BY RELEASING THE THROTTLE CONTROL MOTOR'S CLUTCH. NOTHING HAS BEEN TO DONE TO SOLVE THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA OR DEALERSHIP. MECHANIC CAN NOT REPLICATED PROBLEM. SUGGESTED I REPLACE BRAND NEW THROTTLE BODY WHICH IS ABOUT $600