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 | |||
| 01/24/2013 | 120732 | 1 | |
| Frame: i had my tacoma in for work (the clutch would not return fully to the up position) and the dealer (tj toyota, potsdam, ny) said there were holes in the frame. there was one on the left side near there sway bar and two on the right side just in front of the passenger door. the dealer called toyota and toyota said the program for undercoating the frame ended in december and they would not do anything. i bought this truck in january 2011 from the dealer (tj toyota, potsdam ny) and they did not undercoat the frame before they sold the truck to me (with 77,500 mi). i am currently fighting with toyota and because my truck cant pass inspection (which expires today) i can not legally drive my truck to work and there for cant work because i am a mechanic and work out of my truck. *tr | |||
| 01/24/2013 | 120732 | ||
| Frame: i had my tacoma in for work (the clutch would not return fully to the up position) and the dealer (tj toyota, potsdam, ny) said there were holes in the frame. there was one on the left side near there sway bar and two on the right side just in front of the passenger door. the dealer called toyota and toyota said the program for undercoating the frame ended in december and they would not do anything. i bought this truck in january 2011 from the dealer (tj toyota, potsdam ny) and they did not undercoat the frame before they sold the truck to me (with 77,500 mi). i am currently fighting with toyota and because my truck cant pass inspection (which expires today) i can not legally drive my truck to work and there for cant work because i am a mechanic and work out of my truck. | |||
| 01/16/2013 | 136000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the frame failed and detached from the vehicle due to rust and corrosion. the manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 136,000. kmj | |||
| 01/16/2013 | 136000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated the frame broke off due to rust and corrosion. the vehicle was taken in for a routine maintenance and after inspection noticed the rust and corrosion. the manufacturer was notified who offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 136,000. mw | |||
| 12/31/2012 | 116000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while driving 3 mph, the driver's side lower ball joint fractured. the contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the ball joint failed due to defective material, insufficient lubrication and the press fit of the ball join assembly was not correct. the contact replaced the lower ball joint assembly himself. the manufacturer was contacted and advised that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 05v225000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint). the failure and current mileage was 116,000. kmj | |||
| 12/31/2012 | 116000 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that the vehicle lower ball joint driver side broke while driving at approximate 3mph. the contact inspected the vehicle and found the ball joint broke due to defective material, insufficient lubrication, and the press fit on the ball join assembly was not correct. the contact repaired the vehicle himself the lower ball joint assembly was replaced. the manufacturer advised that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number: 05v225000 (suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint). the failure and current mileage was 116,000. li | |||
| 10/04/2012 | |||
| I just traded my harley davidson e-glide for a 2004 toyota tacoma. unfortunately i didn't know about the frame issues! the frame and everything is rusted beyond repair. i called my local toyota dealer and they said that the recall for the frame issues was over. in my opinion toyota should honor the recall as long as their product is out to the public! i love the truck but just don't want to drive because of the safety issues of how bad the frame and all components are! i would appreciate all the help i can get. | |||
| 09/17/2012 | 32752 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated was at a complete stop and when the brake was released, the contact heard a thumping sound and noticed that the driver side front tire was bent abnormally. the vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the front driver side upper control arm, in which the bolt failed due to dirt and dust penetration. as a result, the bolt was separate from the frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and the current mileage was 32,752. kmj | |||
| 09/17/2012 | 32757 | ||
| Tl-the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while (his wife) drove after the brake was released the contact heard a thumping sound and notice that the driver side front tire was bent. the vehicle was taken to the local mechanic whom inspected the vehicle and located the failure at the driver side front tire upper control bolt failed due to dirt and dust penetration that caused the bolt to separate from the frame. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 32,752. li | |||
| 01/19/2011 | 120000 | ||
| On january 19, 2011 at approximately 7:15 am, i was driving approximately 15 mph on a dirt road, came around an approximate 90 degree right hand turn heading down hill, slid on mud or ice and hit a rut. after all wheels had passed through the rut the vehicle drove up and over a small rise (bump) in the road. after coming over the rise, the right front of the vehicle dove into the dirt and the truck came to an abrubt stop. i turned off the truck and got out of the vehicle to inspect the front end. the right front ball joint had completely separated from ... ??? ... what ever it is suppossed to be attached to. the right front wheel was perpendicular to the wheel well with the inside leaning toward the front of the vehicle. i have several photographs of the vehicle taken moments after the equipment failure. i'm glad this happend where it did because only a few miles further into my trip to work, i would have been traveling 75 mph on the interstate. amen! i had never received any notification from toyota concerning recall no. 50j. i only accidently came across the information while surfing the web within the past week. | |||
| 09/25/2005 | 20000 | 1 | 09/25/2004 |
| I was driving on the road in my 2004 toyota tacoma when i saw my tire go rolling ahead of my vehicle, the truck leaned over to the left, skidded sideways and then stopped in the middle of the road. i got out of the truck and my tire was in the ditch and my chassis was on the ground on the left side. i called a tow truck and they said it looked like my ball joints just separated. i had the vehicle towed to my mechanic and he said the ball joints looked like they gave way and this allowed the wheel to fall off. i have mechanical breakdown through my insurance company gieico and they told me i would have to get a letter from toyota stating if it wasn't under warranty from our local dealership in tallahassee, florida legacy and spoke with a service member (robb) he told my that there wasn't a recall on 2004 toyota tacomas and i would have to pay to have it towed in to check and see if it was still under warranty. this occurred on 12/13/05 and as of 12/15/2005 there still wasn't a determination whether or not it is under warranty. my concern is after reading about a recall on the internet stating that the ball joint may separate from the knuckle, that my vehicle should be a part of the recall and the wheel falling off could be a result from a defect. the dealership isn't accept responsibility for the recall or even looking at the vehicle in this regards. if they don't warranty the ball joints, then my mechanic will fix the problem, but i will keep all of the old parts in case they need to be examined. *jb | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 1 | 12/01/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. had truck lifted on 6-7-04 for $3700 , and on 6-24-04 got the truck retorqued which tightened and aligned it. around february 2005 heard a clanking noise from the brake system, and the steering wheel shook. while pressing on the brakes and the truck shook and it turned to the right, suspension was loose. on 3-7-05 took it to a toyota dealer to inspect vehicle and fix it. consumer refused to deal with the other companies because they were rude and intimidating. vehicle was not under a warranty because another company tightened the bolts and charged consumer $80. the toyota dealer replaced rear:axle:spindle. *ak | |||
| 07/27/2005 | 1000 | 400 | 11/01/2003 |
| My 2004 toyota tacoma double cab prerunner v6 sr5 has 18,000miles and has had the following problem for a while. i did not notice it until about 2 months after i had purchased the vehicle. which tells me that the problem could be a progressive issue. the truck continues to show an increase in the problem. problem description: when driving the tacoma down the road the tacoma drives fine. but when approaching an intersection where the vehicle is brought to a complete stop is when the following occurs. the vehicle will shift to the rear and a jerk sound is heard and felt. when releasing the brake on the vehicle you will feel and hear another more intense jerk. when you press on the throttle pedal to move forward from an intersection the vehicle displays yet another jerk. all of these feels as if it is coming from the rear. i took the truck to the dealership for it's regular maintence and questioned the service advisor about this issue. i was told in a very i don't have time for you manner it's a tacoma it will always do that. i can't nor will i accept that answer. | |||
| SUSPENSION - AUTOMATIC STABILITY CONTROL (ASC) | |||
| 09/06/2004 | 15166 | 1 | 09/01/2004 |
| While driving and after striking a bump in the road vehicle became hard to contain, causing it to go into another lane.*ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT | |||
| 03/08/2011 | 110000 | ||
| Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact was driving 15 mph in a residential driveway when the ball joint fractured in half and the front passenger wheel completely fractured from the vehicle. the vehicle was towed then to a local repair facility where it was diagnosed that the ball joint was defective and would need replacing. the manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 110,000. | |||
| 03/08/2011 | 110000 | ||
| Tl - the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact stated that while driving 15 mph into a driveway, the bolt joint split in half and the passenger side front wheel felt off . the vehicle was towed to a local shop who diagnosed that the bolt joint was defective and needed to be replace. the manufacturer was contacted who did not offered any assistance since the vehicle was not included on any recalls. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileage was 110,000. pm | |||
| 10/21/2010 | 385000 | ||
| Tl- the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact was traveling 55 mph when the front passenger wheel came off. right before the wheel came off the vehicle started to pull to the right. the contact had it towed to their mechanic who stated the vehicle experience failure of the lower ball joint. the contact spoke with the manufacturer and was told the vehicle was not included in the recall campaign 05v225000, which is for the suspension. the vehicle had not been repaired. the failure mileage and current mileages was 385000.rl | |||
| 06/19/2010 | 160000 | ||
| This is a long shot in the dark but its worth a try. toyota has a recall out for the 2004 toyota tacoma ball joint. the recall summary : on certain sport utility vehicles, due to manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a posibility that the surface of the ball joint may have been scratched. the ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and loosness, resulting in increased steering effort. consequense: the lower ball joint may seperate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur. remedy: dealer will replace the front suspension lower ball joints free of charge. the recall began on july 5, 2005. i own a 2004 toyota tacoma and i was coming home from los angeles my steering felt kind of funny felt like i had a flat tire so i pulled off the road and checked the tires but everything seemed to be fine i continued driving i came into town and turned onto vista chino off of the hwy 111 in palm springs all of a sudden the whole front of my truck collapsed and went sliding down the road not being able to stop thank god it didnt do that on the freeway or even in town someone could of lost a life i had it towed to the shell station at the corner i called toyota and had it taken over to the dealer. i looked online to see if there were any recalls and sure enough there was. i called the recall number corporate toyota they asked for my vin# they said that my truck does not fall in under the recall. they had a tech fly out from the factory and said the same thing because my truck was manufactured on a diffrent date. i have done some research and there a lot of consumers that are running into the same problem that i have been through with the vin#. i could of lost my life or taken someone elses in this collision. its obvious it is the same problem in the recall, tires just dont break at the ball joint while your driving tires should stay intact to your vehilce | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 101560 | 1 | |
| Feb 6,2010 as i was driving south on figueroa in highland park, the lower ball joint on right front tire completely broke causing my tire to fold under the truck. my vehicle is a 2004 tacoma toyota with101,560 miles. since i was going about 20 mph, since it was raining at the time, there were no injuries, however if the failure had occurred on the freeway at much higher speeds, the failure could have resulted in my losing control and leading to a very serious accident, resulting in serious injury or even death. i had my truck towed to nearest repair shop and had the lower ball joint replaced. i went to the dealer where i originally purchased my truck, and i was dismissed, with service manager saying it was out of warranty, and the failure could happen any time. i did have two more contacts with this dealer (bob smith toyota in la cresenta) but no help at all. i reported it to toyota customer assistance in torrance, ca. and was told that this was not covered by any recall and there was nothing they could do (i spoke with dawn and the reference # is 10021153 of my call). i did more research and found that there was a recall on my model and year of my truck for the exact failure that occurred. the nhtsa campaign id# is 05v225000 and covers toyota model tacoma from 2001 to 2004. the nhtsa action # is ea04024. the description of the recall is the component front control arm lower ball joint. neverthe less i was told twice that my truck was not covered by the recall. since the recall is listed by nhtsa i don't understand why i was told my truck was not covered. i feel this is very dangerous defect that can result in serious accidents. also, what other action can i take to have the other lower ball checked to be sure it is safe, or replaced if necessary. i am retired, and i need to use this truck daily but feel very nervous when ever i drive it. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - CONTROL ARM - LOWER BALL JOINT | |||
| 02/06/2010 | 101560 | 1 | |
| Feb 6,2010 as i was driving south on figueroa in highland park, the lower ball joint on right front tire completely broke causing my tire to fold under the truck. my vehicle is a 2004 tacoma toyota with101,560 miles. since i was going about 20 mph, since it was raining at the time, there were no injuries, however if the failure had occurred on the freeway at much higher speeds, the failure could have resulted in my losing control and leading to a very serious accident, resulting in serious injury or even death. i had my truck towed to nearest repair shop and had the lower ball joint replaced. i went to the dealer where i originally purchased my truck, and i was dismissed, with service manager saying it was out of warranty, and the failure could happen any time. i did have two more contacts with this dealer (bob smith toyota in la cresenta) but no help at all. i reported it to toyota customer assistance in torrance, ca. and was told that this was not covered by any recall and there was nothing they could do (i spoke with dawn and the reference # is 10021153 of my call). i did more research and found that there was a recall on my model and year of my truck for the exact failure that occurred. the nhtsa campaign id# is 05v225000 and covers toyota model tacoma from 2001 to 2004. the nhtsa action # is ea04024. the description of the recall is the component front control arm lower ball joint. neverthe less i was told twice that my truck was not covered by the recall. since the recall is listed by nhtsa i don't understand why i was told my truck was not covered. i feel this is very dangerous defect that can result in serious accidents. also, what other action can i take to have the other lower ball checked to be sure it is safe, or replaced if necessary. i am retired, and i need to use this truck daily but feel very nervous when ever i drive it. *tr | |||
| 03/27/2008 | 77000 | 1 | 09/01/2004 |
| Tl*the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. the contact felt that the steering was very tight. while driving 20 mph, the front driver's side tire fell off. the vehicle was taken to the auto shop and repaired. the mechanic stated that the lower ball joint failed. the dealer and manufacturer stated that the vehicle was not included in nhtsa campaign id number 05v225000 (suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint). the manufacturer took a report and informed the contact that he would be notified by a toyota representative. the current and failure mileages were 77,000. | |||
| 11/07/2006 | 0 | 1 | 10/17/2004 |
| During a 23000 mile servicing, camelback toyota informed me i would need to have the brakes serviced, because 95% of the pads have worn down. i am aware of a recall on these trucks lower ball joint, but the service agent did not tell me that at the time i brought it in. i was never informed by the dealer of this recall. now, i am being charged for repairs, while the vehicle is still under warranty, for brake system failure (excessive/premature pad wear), and i believe this damage is because of the recall suspension issue. *jb | |||
| 04/20/2006 | 38000 | 1 | 05/07/2004 |
| 2004 toyota tacoma will not pass inspection due to worn steering rack bushings. according to my mechanic (and confirmed as plausible by dealership service dept), this was caused by defective lower ball joints. also, there is a current service/recall bulletin for just this problem. however, dealership and manufacturer representatives both insist the bulletin does not apply to my vehicle. this makes no sense as the problem exists. the bumper to bumper does not apply as the vehicle is currently 2k over. *jb | |||
| SUSPENSION - FRONT - MACPHERSON STRUT | |||
| 01/30/2008 | 69000 | 4 | 06/30/2006 |
| Purchased 2004 tacoma for $18,000, from right toyota in scottsdale, az in june 2006, received bill for $25,000+!! so much for agreeing on a price! i also purchased an extended warranty for $2200 (included in the $25,000). weeks after getting the truck i noticed the rear passenger side seemed to give when turning corners. i assumed i needed to adjust to driving a truck with hard suspension. unfortunately it persisted so i took it into camelback toyota and had them check it out. they assured me that everything was in tip top shape, i got the feeling they never really checked anything out. they just assumed that it would be unusual to see this stuff breakdown, a valid thought, but they were of no help. here it is now, a year and a half later, and its just getting worse! so i took it into earnhardt toyota and the first 2 visits they performed needed front end alignments and tire balancing. they looked at it recently after me yelling at them, and told me that my entire suspension system needs to be replaced. apparently my leaf springs are bad ($1700 purchase and install), and front struts ($650), and rear shocks ($450) as well! so $2800 to repair a truck that i purchased directly from toyota not 1.5 years ago, and even purchased a warranty. they assured me that everything was covered under the warranty. they lied. now i owe $18000 on a $14000 truck! steer clear of right toyota, they totally scammed me. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - AXLE - SPINDLE | |||
| 02/01/2005 | 1 | 12/01/2003 | |
| Dt: the contact owns a 2004 toyota tacoma. had truck lifted on 6-7-04 for $3700 , and on 6-24-04 got the truck retorqued which tightened and aligned it. around february 2005 heard a clanking noise from the brake system, and the steering wheel shook. while pressing on the brakes and the truck shook and it turned to the right, suspension was loose. on 3-7-05 took it to a toyota dealer to inspect vehicle and fix it. consumer refused to deal with the other companies because they were rude and intimidating. vehicle was not under a warranty because another company tightened the bolts and charged consumer $80. the toyota dealer replaced rear:axle:spindle. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SHOCK ABSORBER | |||
| 01/30/2008 | 69000 | 4 | 06/30/2006 |
| Purchased 2004 tacoma for $18,000, from right toyota in scottsdale, az in june 2006, received bill for $25,000+!! so much for agreeing on a price! i also purchased an extended warranty for $2200 (included in the $25,000). weeks after getting the truck i noticed the rear passenger side seemed to give when turning corners. i assumed i needed to adjust to driving a truck with hard suspension. unfortunately it persisted so i took it into camelback toyota and had them check it out. they assured me that everything was in tip top shape, i got the feeling they never really checked anything out. they just assumed that it would be unusual to see this stuff breakdown, a valid thought, but they were of no help. here it is now, a year and a half later, and its just getting worse! so i took it into earnhardt toyota and the first 2 visits they performed needed front end alignments and tire balancing. they looked at it recently after me yelling at them, and told me that my entire suspension system needs to be replaced. apparently my leaf springs are bad ($1700 purchase and install), and front struts ($650), and rear shocks ($450) as well! so $2800 to repair a truck that i purchased directly from toyota not 1.5 years ago, and even purchased a warranty. they assured me that everything was covered under the warranty. they lied. now i owe $18000 on a $14000 truck! steer clear of right toyota, they totally scammed me. *tr | |||
| 11/15/2004 | 5000 | 1 | 08/13/2004 |
| One of rear shocks had to be replaced in less than 5,000 miles on a new 2004 tacoma. *ak | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY | |||
| 01/30/2008 | 69000 | 4 | 06/30/2006 |
| Purchased 2004 tacoma for $18,000, from right toyota in scottsdale, az in june 2006, received bill for $25,000+!! so much for agreeing on a price! i also purchased an extended warranty for $2200 (included in the $25,000). weeks after getting the truck i noticed the rear passenger side seemed to give when turning corners. i assumed i needed to adjust to driving a truck with hard suspension. unfortunately it persisted so i took it into camelback toyota and had them check it out. they assured me that everything was in tip top shape, i got the feeling they never really checked anything out. they just assumed that it would be unusual to see this stuff breakdown, a valid thought, but they were of no help. here it is now, a year and a half later, and its just getting worse! so i took it into earnhardt toyota and the first 2 visits they performed needed front end alignments and tire balancing. they looked at it recently after me yelling at them, and told me that my entire suspension system needs to be replaced. apparently my leaf springs are bad ($1700 purchase and install), and front struts ($650), and rear shocks ($450) as well! so $2800 to repair a truck that i purchased directly from toyota not 1.5 years ago, and even purchased a warranty. they assured me that everything was covered under the warranty. they lied. now i owe $18000 on a $14000 truck! steer clear of right toyota, they totally scammed me. *tr | |||
| SUSPENSION - REAR - SPRINGS - LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY - HANGER/BRACKET | |||
| 04/23/2004 | 15000 | 1 | 11/15/2003 |
| While traveling on the bruckner by-pass i executed a 90 degree turn to a side road. when i turned the truck came to a sudden stop. i inspected the truck and found both rear springs broken and the rear axle shifted to the right jamming the tire into the wheel well. the truck was empty and not used as a hauling vechiele. the manufacturer replaced the springs. the original springs were clearly defective and could of resulted in a major accident if they had failed on the main highway. | |||