Recalls
| Campaign | Manufacturer | Manufacturing date | Type | # of units affected | Date Owner notified Mfg | Recall Initiated by | Manufacturers of recalled vehicles/products | Report Recieved Date | Record Creation Date | Regulation Part Number | FMVSS Number | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | ||||||||||||||||
| 05V225000 | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | from 07/31/2001 to 12/23/2003 | V (Vehicle) | 768379 | 07/05/2005 | ODI | TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC. | 05/17/2005 | 05/17/2005 | |||||||
| Defect Summary | On certain sport utility vehicles, due to a manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a possibility that the surface of the ball of the joint may have been scratched. the ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and looseness, resulting in increased steering effort. | |||||||||||||||
| Consequence Summary | The lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur. | |||||||||||||||
| Corrective Summary | Dealers will replace the front suspension lower ball joints free of charge. the recall began on july 5, 2005. owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331. | |||||||||||||||
| Notes | Toyota recall no. 50j.customers may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.safercar.gov. | |||||||||||||||
Bulletins
| Bulletin | Bulletin date | Replacement Bulletin | Item no. | Summary | Added |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||||
| 05015 | 06/27/2005 | 10015504 | Special service campaign 50j - phase i - front suspension lower ball joint may experience excessive wear and looseness causing increased steering, effort, reduced vehicle self-centering, and noise in the front suspension. *tt | 07/26/2005 | |
Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| SUSPENSION | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 80000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2003 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame was severely rusted, exhibiting aa large hole. the vehicle was taken to a dealer where they advised him that the frame needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000. the current mileage was approximately 84,000. kmj | |||
| 07/01/2012 | 80000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2003 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that after changing his oil he noticed that the frame was severely rusted and there was a large hole in it. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. after diagnosis they advised him that the frame needed to be replaced. the manufacturer was contacted and they offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000. the current mileage was approximately 84,000. tb | |||
| 12/27/2012 | 143000 | ||
| Toyota has recalled my truck due to a rusted out frame. the toyota dealership has elected to replace my frame with a new frame. this large procedure has left me insecure about the outcome. this truck is now 10 years old and as soon as the start wrenching on all the system components to disassemble and re assemble my truck i am afraid that they shorten the life of existing components due to added wear and tear. the dealer will need to remove and reinstall brake lines and gas lines that have been set in place and have extensive corrosion this will lead to premature failure and unsafe operation. most mechanic know that a rusted and set bolt that has not been moved for 10 years has a 50% chance of removal. in order to remove such a stuck bolt they will need to apply heat and impact and may weaken the existing parts, steel, and bolts to lower levels out of tolerance that the vehicle as designed originally. additionally, this service is completed in a location with out the controls, quality assurance and testing that is in place in a factory where new vehicles are built. there is uncertainty that this vehicle will be assembled, tested, and inspected according the the manufacturer's guidelines for a factory produced vehicle. this leads to uncertainty that the vehicle will not operate within the intended manufactures guidelines for safety, roll over protection, and crash performance. i propose that a total frame recall and replacement (or any large integral part that will impacted the vehicle operation) on any vehicle shall not be allowed given the uncertainty described. | |||
| 11/15/2012 | 90400 | 1 | |
| Purchased used vehicle from private seller. on the first day of use, after obtaining new title, tags, insurance coverage, the check engine light came on. the following day scheduled service w/ the local toyota dealer. upon inspection was told that the truck needed a catalytic converter and there was a recall for the lower front ball joints that the dealer will replace for free. the dealer had to order the parts. after receiving the parts and upon start of the repairs, i received a phone informing me that the frame was rusted and the vehicle is deemed unsafe to drive. i was given an 800 phone number to call and deal directly with toyota corporate office. i am patiently awaiting for a response. *tr | |||
| 11/15/2012 | 90400 | ||
| Purchased used vehicle from private seller. on the first day of use, after obtaining new title, tags, insurance coverage, the check engine light came on. the following day scheduled service w/ the local toyota dealer. upon inspection was told that the truck needed a catalytic converter and there was a recall for the lower front ball joints that the dealer will replace for free. the dealer had to order the parts. after receiving the parts and upon start of the repairs, i received a phone informing me that the frame was rusted and the vehicle is deemed unsafe to drive. i was given an 800 phone number to call and deal directly with toyota corporate office. i am patiently awaiting for a response. | |||
| 10/01/2004 | 1 | ||
| Very loose steering wheel. problem is the slip shaft in the steering column. over time the lover shaft wears and the steering becomes loose and sloppy. problem first shows up as looseness in the wheel and eventually turns into a clunk when driving over minor rough roads. from talking to mechanics and other tacoma owners this is a very common problem that toyota will not address. problems include difficulty maintaining control over rough pavement. wandering at all speeds. major direction changes when breaking on all roads. smooth or rough. over all the truck is very difficult to drive. i've had the truck actually change lanes when i hit an unexpected rough patch of road at appox 30 mph. there was nothing i could due because of the slop in the steering wheel. please note that this truck is very well maintained and i have gone through the entire front suspension and steering trying to fix this problem with no luck. i'm now faced with spending even more money to replace a steering column. *tr | |||
| 01/29/2009 | 1 | ||
| 2003 toyota tacoma 4wd crew cab pickup i would like to relate a recent experience i had with my 2003 toyota pickup. i was driving the truck through a parking lot in largo, maryland on january 29, 2009. suddenly there was a loud noise and the vehicle dropped down in the front end and i came to a stop. the front driver side wheel had dropped down into the wheel well. i had the vehicle towed by boswell auto service of waldorf, maryland near where i live. i was told by the mechanic that the castle nut on the driver side ball joint assembly had come off. i was told that this was an extraordinary event. the ball joint assembly separated and as a consequence front axle was broken as well. in reviewing my records i saw the recall for the lower ball joint for my toyota. i had this recall work completed at waldorf toyota on december 29, 2005. i brought this to the attention of the mechanic who fixed my truck. he told me i should make the dealership service department aware of this incident. in his opinion, this event should not happen if the ball joint castle nut is installed correctly. i took the information to waldorf toyota on february 3, 2009. i spoke with the service manager (michael pavan, 301-843-3700, mpavan@toyotaofwaldorf.com) and a man i believe was a mechanic or service supervisor. i showed them photographs and the broken ball joint assembly. they told me that the remnants of the cotter pin were still in so that they believe they had installed the castle nut correctly. i left the broken ball joint assembly with them. the service manager told me he would report it to his regional manager. *tr | |||
| 06/26/2006 | 23750 | 6 | 04/15/2003 |
| Dt: the contact stated a recall letter was received pertaining to the lower ball joints. the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the recall on 12/27/05 where the ball joints were replaced and the vehicle was realigned. the vehicle began to shimmy after about three month later and it was taken to an independent repair shop. the front tires were balance which resulted in difficulty of steering due to the tires becoming worn. the contact expressed that the worn tires were a direct result of the improper alignment performed by the dealer on 12/27/05. after 3 days, the vehicle was taken back to the independent repair shop for tire rotation because the difficulty in steering had worsened. the rotation fixed the problem for awhile however after a couple of months the steering worsened. on 6/26/06, the vehicle was taken to another independent tire dealer for realignment. the contact can provide specifications for the realignment of the tires before the alignment, after the alignment and the specified ranged. *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 02/05/2007 | 218000 | 1 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota tacoma. while driving 65 mph, the contact noticed that the steering wheel became difficult to control. the contact examined the vehicle and noticed that the front passenger side tire had turned in a 90 degree angle. the vehicle was towed to the dealer and they stated that the front passenger side lower ball joint needed to be replaced. the current mileage was 318,000 and failure mileage was 218,000. updated 10/5/09 *cn updated 10/07/09. *jb | |||
| 08/09/2006 | 12282 | 1 | 01/25/2004 |
| 2003 toyota tacoma would not steer safely. upon inspection mechanic determined the vehicle needed new tires due to the vehicle being out of alignment. consumer was not notified of a recall regarding the brakes. *kb the toyota dealer refused to replace the right and left ball joint useless the consumer paid for the repairs. *nm | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2003 toyota tacoma recall notice for the front suspension lower ball joint. consumer states that the parts failed to remedy the problem. *nj | |||
| 12/25/2007 | 20000 | 2 | 05/02/2003 |
| In january 2006, i received a recall notice from toyota re: ball joints on our 2003 tacoma. i scheduled with the dealer and they were all replaced. christmas day of 2007, i experienced a catastrophic failure of the ball joints on the right side. both upper and lower separated while driving at about 30 mph. and, the wheel pretty much separated from the vehicle. (vehicle stopped without injury). vehicle was towed and all four ball joints needed to be replaced. vehicle is a 2003 toyota tacoma with 74,0000 miles. mileage on toyota-replaced ball joints could not have been more than about 20,000 miles when they failed. *tr | |||
| 02/01/2007 | 0 | 11/01/2004 | |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2003 toyota tacoma. in february of 2007, the contact received recall notice # (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). the dealer stated that the part for the repair was on national back order and was unavailable. as of may 4, 2007, the part was still unavailable. the contact stated that the wait time for the recall repair is unacceptable. the current mileage is 38,300 and the failure mileage was unknown. | |||
| 04/26/2007 | 1 | 05/01/2005 | |
| I received a recall letter for my 2003 toyota tacoma to replace the front suspension lower ball joint ssc 50j a few months ago. i have contacted the dealer many times and each time i call they tell me the parts are in back order in the mean time i am driving on this vehicle with my baby and my 6 year old son in the truck i feel something needs to happen asap i need to get my parts replaced the treason i am taking immediate action right now because for the past days there has been noise coming from the front and also it has been very jumpy and i was told that is the lower ball joint. this is the only vehicle we have and i am very upset with toyota how they are giving me the run around . i am afraid to drive my kids in it but i have no choice since it is our only vehicle please help me. i have mentioned to them to lend me a loaner and i also get the run around i will to take care of this before i put my family in danger. *jb | |||
| 03/15/2006 | 39500 | 1 | |
| Tl*- the contact owns a 2003 toyota tacoma. the contact received a follow up notice for the suspension, lower ball joints. however, he never received a previous notice. the contact's vehicle was involved in a crash while driving 40 mph and was unable to gain control of the steering wheel. the air bags did not deploy, the contact's head shattered the windshield, and also sustainede bruising to the face. the contact stated that he made several attempts to call toyota, and was told by the representative that he was the only person that hr ever reach and was not allowed to speak with a supervisor. toyota sent an investigator to inspect the vehicle after the crash ,and he advised the contact that the reason that the air bag didn't deploy was due to the location of the impact. while unable to gain control of the steering wheel the contact's vehicle crashed into a guard rail. the contact was very concerned that the related recall was identical to the failure that occurred while his family member drove the vehicle. the contact was dissatisfied that the toyota representative failed to mention the recall that was effective a year prior which caused a collision while inspecting the vehicle. the current mileage was 76,000 and the failure mileage was 39,500. *ak | |||
| 05/16/2006 | 25000 | 1 | 11/01/2003 |
| Dt*: the contact stated there were no previous problems with the front suspension prior to receiving recall notification. there was a nhtsa recall campaign id # 05v225000 concerning the lower ball joints, the dealer performed the recall remedy. afterwards, the vehicle drifted from side to side while driving various speeds. although the vehicle was inspected by the dealer, the service department was unable to duplicate the problem with the front suspension. | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| 2003 toyota tacoma double cab lower ball joint recall work was performed. vehicle later began to make a grinding & clunking noise from the front end and the vehicle started to lurch forward. *ts *jb ***no answer required*** | |||
| 01/01/1901 | 1 | ||
| Info copy ltr fwd to toyota regarding front suspension lower ball joint recall, customer dissatisfied w/quality of current toyota vehicles. *ts **reference 10140998*** the consumer stated the vehicle continued to have front end problem after being fixed. the vehicle was difficult to steer which made it hard to keep it on the road. the vehicle sometimes had delayed action, it took a little time to respond to turning the steering wheel. *jb | |||
| 01/01/2005 | 1 | ||
| Info copy ltr fwd to toyota regarding front suspension lower ball joint recall, customer dissatisfied w/quality of current toyota vehicles. *ts **reference 10140998*** the consumer was involved in an accident. when the consumer attempted to turn the steering wheel it kept going, the consumer over steered to try and the vehicle to turn, however the vehicle went too far in the opposite direction, crossed the center line, hit a culvert went airborne and hit a dirt ditch. the insurance company totaled the vehicle. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - UPPER BALL JOINT | |||
| 12/25/2007 | 20000 | 2 | 05/02/2003 |
| In january 2006, i received a recall notice from toyota re: ball joints on our 2003 tacoma. i scheduled with the dealer and they were all replaced. christmas day of 2007, i experienced a catastrophic failure of the ball joints on the right side. both upper and lower separated while driving at about 30 mph. and, the wheel pretty much separated from the vehicle. (vehicle stopped without injury). vehicle was towed and all four ball joints needed to be replaced. vehicle is a 2003 toyota tacoma with 74,0000 miles. mileage on toyota-replaced ball joints could not have been more than about 20,000 miles when they failed. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 10000 | 1 | ||
| The front tire treads on the original tires of the vehicle wore out within 10,000 miles. an independent mechanic determined the shocks was the cause of the problem. the vehicle was also taken to the dealer which found no problem with the shocks. please provide further details. *jb | |||