Toyota Extends Tacoma Frame Rust Warranty to 15 Years

The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.

 

Beginning in March 2008, Toyota notified owners of 1995 to 2000 Tacoma’s
that the rust warranty on the frame would be extended from 3 years,
36,000 miles to 15 years, unlimited mileage.  If the vehicle cannot be
repaired, Toyota will repurchase it for 1.5 times the Kelly Blue Book
price.  The number of vehicles covered by the warranty extension is
813,000 but Toyota alleges:

“The majority of vehicles nationwide will not experience this
condition; it should occur only in a limited number of vehicles operated
in areas with significant snow accumulation combined with extensive road
salt usage and visiting owner’s vehicles from these areas.”

While the Customer Support Program announcing the warranty extension and
buyback program would only cover currently registered vehicles or
vehicles which could not be registered due to the severity of the rust,
it left unanswered what would happen to owners who scrapped their
vehicles earlier due to frame rust.

Toyota owners with rust problems are urged to file a complaint on the
Center for Auto Safety’s website at
https://www.autosafety.org/fileacomplaint.php.