2003 TOYOTA TACOMA Unknown Or Other Problems

The DARCARS Toyota dealership in Rckville, MD has refused to repair an outstanding safety recall issue for my 2003 Toyota PreRunner truck. I had received a recall notice from Toyota for my 2003 Toyota PreRunner. On July 21, 2023, I arrived for my 7:30 a.m. appt at DARCARS to get the spare tire lift carrier repaired. Although it was still within the eligible recall period, a very annoyed service manager told me that DARCARS would not repair it. Although I had made the appt 1+ weeks earlier, he told me no repair parts had been ordered in preparation for repairing the hazard. After I insisted the safety recall issue created a dangerous hazard for me and other drivers since the spare tire located underneath the truck might fall down onto the roadway while driving, he became angry and said the spare tire lift carriage must first be inspected (a 5-10 min inspection) to determine if corrosion on the lift was present. Since I had expected the dangerous part was going to be replaced, I agreed to the inspection. A Toyota service rep drove the truck to the service bays for an inspection. Although my appt was scheduled as the first day of the day, I waited over an hour with no response from the manager or the service rep. During this hour wait, I asked on at two occasions if the inspection was completed and was told "No" with no details provided. I finally walked outside to the back of the DARCARS dealership and discovered my truck had been sitting in a parking lot. No no one had bothered to inspect it. Due to the attitude of the DARCARS service manager, service rep, lack of communication, and the failure to have ordered any parts to repair the safety hazard, it became obvious that DARCARS had no intention of correcting the safety hazard. They intended to stall and make receiving the recall repairs as difficult as possible -- and requiring a second service visit. (Afterward, a non-Toyota mechanic performed a inspection and confirmed the lift carrier are severely corroded.)

While driving, on the highway, the rear shock absorber support mount came loose, allowing the truck bed to come loose from the frame/chassis. Fortunately only the passenger side came loose, keeping the truck's bed attached to the rear of the truck I later found that this particular model has a problem with Frame rot which generated a Toyota bulletin. I bought the truck from Toyota, as a used truck in 2011, but received no notifications of this potentially hazardous vehicle. If the bed had come loose at highway speed, any vehicle following the 2003 Toyota Tacoma truck would have been severely damaged or potentially resulted in the death of the people in the cars following behind me and the truck. There was a Toyota bulletin issued previously which was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. The vehicle has been in Toyota shops regularly for inspections, maintenance and other repairs but the shop never mentioned anything about a "rusty" frame. Upon further research, I have found multiple Toyota Tacoma owners with similar issues with the frame. I believe Toyota knowingly manufactured and sold a defective product with serious potential safety issues. This vehicle either should be banned from the road for the safety of all drivers.

THE FRAME IS ROTTED AND WAS NEVER ADDRESSED TO BE FIXED

ONCE YOU FASTEN THE SEAT BELT, IT TIGHTENS WITH ANY MOVENT AND RESTRAINS THE BODY TO THE POINT THAT DISABLES MOVEMENT OR EVEN BREATHING. THIS IS VERY UNSAFE.

Mileage: 180,000

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.

Mileage: 123,450

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.

BROUGHT TRUCK INTO BODY SHOP IN JUNE 2019 TO HAVE WORK DONE. THEY TOLD ME THE FRAME ON THE TRUCK WAS SEVERELY RUSTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. THEY SAID IT MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IN 2016 (ABOUT 2.5 YRS AGO) I BROUGHT THE TRUCK INTO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER TO HAVE FRAME INSPECTED UNDER A RECALL NOTICE. AT THAT TIME THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME WAS OK. IN ADDITION THE TRUCK WAS AT THE DEALER IN 2018 FOR ANOTHER RECALL FOR LEAF SPRINGS. AT THIS TIME THEY REPLACED LEAF SPRINGS BUT DID NOT REPORT ANY PROBLEMS WITH FRAME RUST. THE ORIGINAL BODY SHOP AND MY LOCAL CAR REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE SEVERITY OF THE RUST DAMAGE ON THE TRUCK INDICATED THAT THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON A LONG TIME AND WERE SURPRISED THAT IT HAD PASSED TOYOTA DEALER FRAME INSPECTION. I CALLED TOYOTA NATIONAL LINE AND THEY TOLD ME THAT FOR FRAME REPLACEMENTS FOR MY TRUCK THE PROGRAM ENDED IN JANUARY 31 2019. SUBSEQUENTLY I TRIED TO WORK WITH THE LOCAL DEALER AND THEY HAVE ALSO TOLD ME THAT NATIONAL TOYOTA WILL NOT HELP. CLEARLY THE SEVERITY OF THE PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED PHOTOS) INDICATES THAT THE RUST DAMAGE WAS HAPPENING OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME AND TOYOTA WAS NEGLIGENT IN REPORTING THIS TO ME. TOYOTA SHOULD TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIRING/REPLACING THE FRAME SINCE CLEARLY THE PROBLEM HAS EXISTED LONG BEFORE THE JANUARY 31 2019 DATE AND I HAVE FOLLOWED UP ON ALL THE RECALL NOTICES FOR THIS TRUCK.

Mileage: 136,000

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.

Mileage: 175,000

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.

Mileage: 280,000

DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE, MY MECHANIC DISCOVERED THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY SHOT, STATING HE WAS NOT EVEN COMFORTABLE WORKING UNDER IT! THE REST OF THE TRUCK IS IN REASONABLE CONDITION, AND IT ONLY HAS 111,000 MILES ON IT. I CALLED TOYOTA CUSTOMER SVC CTR, BUT THEY WERE UNWILLING TO DO ANYTHING TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM. I FEEL THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY AWARE OF THE ISSUE, BECAUSE THE AGENT EXPLAINED THEY HAD A "LIMITED SVC CAMPAIGN" TO ADD CORROSION PROTECTION, BUT INFORMED ME THAT IT HAD EXPIRED BACK ON 7/31/2014. I WAS NEVER NOTIFIED OF THIS CAMPAIGN. THE AGENT ALSO STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FRAME WAS INSPECTED BACK IN 2012 (WHICH HAPPENS TO BE THE YEAR I PURCHASED IT IN, SO I ASSUME THIS WAS DONE JUST PRIOR TO MY BUYING IT), AND PASSED STATING THERE WAS "NO" RUST -- WHICH IS FALSE! MISLED BY MANY AND SOLD FAULTY EQUIPMENT THAT COULD HAVE ENDANGERED OR KILLED ME AND OTHERS, I AM VERY UPSET AND DISAPPOINTED ABOUT THIS! RESEARCHING THE ISSUE, I SEE THAT I AM NOT ALONE IN THIS, BY FAR. SO, BASICALLY, WE'VE ALL THROWN AWAY MANY $1000'S AND CAN RECOVER NONE OF IT, NOR CAN WE DRIVE THE VEHICLE WITHOUT FEARING IT WILL, QUITE LITERALLY, FALL APART!

Mileage: 111,000

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.

Mileage: 139,400

FRAME RAILS, LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE, EXHIBITING RUST THRU. SAFETY ISSUE; FRAME FAILURE IN FUTURE.(VERY NEAR).

Mileage: 120,000

FRAME RECALL FOR RUST TOYOTA DID UNDERCOAT THE FRAME AND IT DID NOT DRY FOR SEVERAL YEARS NOW ALL THE UNDERCOAT IS FALLING OFF AND THE FRAME IS RUSTING WORSE THAN WHEN IT ORIGINALLY WAS WORKED ON I TOOK IT BACK AND WAS TOLD AS LONG AS THERE ARE NO HOLES THEY WILL NOT FIX THE RUSTPROOFING.

4 CYLINDER ENGINE NEVER DIT FRAME RECALL IT'S SO DANGEROUS USE TOYOTA TACOMA 2003 I DO HAVE 3 KIDS AND DEALERS NOT HELP

Mileage: 1,680,000

RUSTING OF THE FRAME TO THE POINT OF MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING THE 150,000 MILE SERVICE.

FRAME HAS RUSTED THRU BY THE LEAF SPRING AND OTHER PLACES. TOYOTA HAS A RECALL/CAMPAING THAT COVERS THE FRAME THRU 2018. BUT THEY WILL NOT REPLACED FRAME BECAUSE THEY SAID IT WAS NOT UNDERCOATED DURING A SPECIFIC TIME....THEY WANT $10,000 FOR NEW FRAME.. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT SHOULD BE FULLY RECALL.

Mileage: 166,000

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

Mileage: 124,000

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.

Mileage: 150,000

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?

Mileage: 147,000

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?

Mileage: 120,000

I PURCHASED THIS 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA 4 DR A FEW MONTHS AGO I'VE BEEN A TOYOTA OWNER FOR MORE THAN 6 YRS AS MY PREVIOUS TRK WAS ALSO A TACOMA THE BODY ON THIS TRK WAS SPOTLESS, NO RUST ANYWHERE, THE FRAME HAD SURFACE RUST BUT IT DIDN'T LOOK TOO BAD THE TRK NEEDED TIRES & A BULB FOR SAFETY. I FELT LIKE I HAD GOTTEN LUCKY TO GET A NICE DEPENDABLE TRK ON THE ROAD. WITHIN A MONTH I NOTICED THE TRK WAS RIDING ROUGHER. IT SEEMED TO BE GETTING WORSE EVERYDAY. TACOMA DOESN'T HAVE GOOD SUSPENSION IN THE 1ST PLACE AS I HAD TO DO IT TWICE ON MY LAST TRK. THE TRK HAD SNOW BUILD UP FROM THE COLD WINTER WE WERE HAVING, SO I TOOK IT TO THE CAR WASH TO CLEAN IT UP BEFORE PUTTING `IT IN THE SHOP. WHILE WASHING IT I NOTICED SOME SCALE RUST CAME OFF UNDER THE DRIVERS FLOOR, I PULLED IT INTO THE SHOP OVER THE HOIST & WHILE SETTING THE LIFT ARMS I NOTICED A SUBSTANTIAL HOLE IN MY FRAME. I LIFTED THE TRK TO FIND A PIECE OF THE FRAME STARTING AT THE LT FRONT SWAY BAR MOUNT HAD ROTTED AROUND THE WELDED SEAM & DISINTEGRATED. THE HOLE WAS15" LONG & ANOTHER 8" HOLE ON THE RT REAR IN FRT OF THE SPRING SHACKLE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY WILL REPLACE THE SPARE TIRE HANGER UNDER WARRANTY BUT THE FRAME IS MY ISSUE AS I DID NOT HAVE THE FRAME INSPECTED BACK IN 2010 TO EXTEND THE WARR. UNTIL 2017. I DID NOT OWN THE TRK UNTIL 2014. TOYOTA IS TRYING TO HIDE BEHIND A TECHNICALITY THAT DOES NOT APPLY TO THE NEW OWNER. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE EXCESSIVE RUST ISSUE AS THEY ARE WELL AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THEY HAVE HAD TO RE-CALL OVER 160.000 UNITS BECAUSE OF THE FACT THEY FAILED TO USE ADEQUATE RUST PROTECTION IN THE 1ST PLACE. THIS TRK & MANY OTHER TOYOTA TRKS ON THE ROAD ARE A POTENTIAL DEATH TRAP. THE WORLD NEEDS TO BE INFORMED OF TOYOTA NOT BACKING THEIR WARR. & TRYING TO KEEP THE HUSH HUSH ON THEIR RECALL FOR RUST PERFORATION. TOYOTA CREATED THE PROBLEM, TOYOTA NEEDS TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR

Mileage: 275,000

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 !!

Mileage: 115,000

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THERE WERE 14 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PAINT WAS CHIPPING ON THE VEHICLE. HE FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY DECLINED ANY LIABILITY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 36,461. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD FRAME RUST. UPDATED 09/09/09.*JB

Mileage: 36,461

AFTER MY PURCHASE OF A NEW 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA PRE-RUNNER I QUICKLY DISCOVERED MY REAR CHROME BUMPER WAS RUSTING AT THE AREA WHERE THE LICENSE PLATE IS DISPLAYED. I TOOK MY NEW TRUCK TO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA RECOGNIZED THIS WAS A PROBLEM BUT THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED ON THE PROBLEM AND THAT I COULD CONTINUALLY USE A TYPE OF STEEL WOOL TO KEEP UP WITH THE RUST AS IT WAS HAPPENING. UNACCEPTABLE. *JB

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