10.0
really awful- Crashes / Fires:
- 2 / 0
- Injuries / Deaths:
- 0 / 0
- Average Mileage:
- 49,212 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.
It has long been a known fact that the older Tundra have had severe braking problems with warping rotors causing extreme vibrations. Nothing has been done by either Toyota, or the NHTSA. Why? every few thousand miles, I have to either replace or have the rotors turned. The truck gets unsafe and dangerous to drive because of excessive vibrations in the front end. Everyone knows why this happens- heat buildup because of to small front end brakes. Poor design. It can be fixed, but will cost the consumer over $2500. Toyota should be responsible, and fix this issue!
- Telluride, CO, USA
The contact owns 2000 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that the brakes failed. In addition, the contact discovered rust on the frame. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA recall campaign id number: 09V444000 (structure: Frame and members: Underbody shields). The contact believed there was an association between the brake failure and the frame rust and stated that the recall repair was inadequate. The failure mileage was unknown, but the current mileage was 160,000.
- Norton, MA, USA
The contact owns 2000 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that when you start to slow down the front ends start to shake and make the vehicle harder to stop and control. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and the brake pads were replaced twice by the dealer, but the problem was actually with the rotors, caliper and disc. Once they were replaced, the vehicle started to slow down properly. The dealer did not give a reason for the failure; however, they said they upgraded the rotors and the calipers to a larger size. The failure mileage was 160,000 and the current mileage was 214,000. Updated 04/05/11 the consumer was informed the rotors were too small. The rotors were warped which caused a vibration in the front tires when the brakes were applied after the vehicle had been driven for a short period of time. Updated 05/23/11
- Hunters, WA, USA
Guidance is needed to understand how to receive help from Toyota with honoring their recalls for manufacturer defects and omissions on my 200 Toyota Tundra SR5. The vehicle was purchased in Maryland and is now in spain. Yet, it was purchased after the recalls were initiated and Toyota never advised me of the then and current problems with my vehicle. My purchase would have not been made had I known of these defects at the time of purchase.
- Quintanar De La Orden, 00, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Tundra. While driving approximately 45-50 mph he heard a loud noise and the left rear spring broke which caused the vehicle to stop immediately. He engaged the accelerator pedal and heard another loud noise and coasted the vehicle into a parking lot. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealer. The dealer advised him that it would be 3 months before they could repair his vehicle because of the back log of recalls. The dealer performed the recall work on his vehicle on August 23, 2010; recall 09V444000, structure: Frame and members:underbody shields. As he was driving from the dealership he engaged the brakes and the brake pedal went to the floor; he informed the service manager of the failure. The service manager advised the technicians to clean, adjust the rear brakes and relieve some tension on the parking brake cable. The following day the dealer advised him that the transmission was failing and needed to be replaced. The vehicle remained at the dealer waiting for the parts to be available. The failure mileage was 102,168 and the current mileage was 102,192.
- Goffstown, NH, USA
I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra which has had numerous problems with the front and rear brakes. The front brakes were "repaired" within the first 4,000 miles of driving but the front disc rotors continue to warp within 10-15,000 miles of additional "repairs". the rear brakes are frequently bathed in oil from leaking rear-ed seals caused, I'm told, by plugged rear-end vents. The vent has been cleaned or replaced and the rear seals replaced five times in the history of the car (now 109,000 miles). The bias between the brakes is extremely favoring the front brakes and the ABS has not worked for some time. Panic braking, especially in rain-soaked or snow-covered surfaces entirely is entirely insufficient and dangerous. I have been very disappointed by Toyota's responsiveness to these problems and seeming inability to fix these problems. I've read numerous similar complaints from other Tundra owners. This is a pervasive, persistent and life-threatening design flaw that is, apparently, unfixable.
- Davis, WV, USA
The contact owns a 2000 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated while braking to a complete stop, there was an abnormal bang from the rear of the vehicle. The dealer advised the rear axle was fractured and the axle was replaced. In addition, the contact noticed an unknown leak coming from the rear wheels. The dealer replaced the brake seals to correct the failure. The failure recurred within eight months. The dealer then replaced the brake seals and shoes. Within one year, while driving at 60 mph and depressing the brakes, there was an abnormal increase in stopping distance and the brake warning light illuminated on the warning panel. The contact replaced the brake line himself to correct the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000 and the current mileage was 128,000.
- Raleigh, NC, USA
1. normal everyday use. Never plowed. Never towed. No hitch. 2. lost my brakes going down hill on a back road. Lucky! 3. got towed to mechanic. Brake regulator failed due to excessive corrosion near the spare tire mount. Replaced part along w/ all new brake lines due to excessive corrosion along the frame. Was advised to have Toyota inspect the frame due to excessive heavy corrosion. Called Toyota Corp and got a claim # to have the frame inspected. Was told the only part of the frame to be looked at was the "rear cross member' dropped of the truck. Called to see if it was ready. Was told buy the dealership "you are all set. The rear cross member was fine and the truck was ready to be picked up. I asked if they looked at the frame under the transmission. They stated they did and noted there was heavy rust and corrosion. I asked if any holes were found in the frame during the inspection. They stated the noticed perforation on some areas of the frame. I then asked them if it was safe to drive. There was a silent pause and then "let me call you back" they called back and stated it was not safe to drive and were not fixing anything. I called corporate and asked them if I was able to have alternate transportation provided. I was told no. I had to go take my unsafe truck back. I have not been contacted for any follow up from the dealership or the Corp office. The frame has holes in it. It has never been off road. It has never had a hitch attached to it. It has never had a plow attached to it. This truck is nine years old has a great engine that has had all the proper maintenance done as scheduled. The body is in excellent shape. This truck has been very well taken care of. There are several class action suits against Toyota for this malfunction and lack of response. I will be doing the same. How can a dealership advise you to come get your truck and 5 mins later tell you it is unsafe for you and your family. Had I not asked the proper questions. My due diligence.
- Newfane, VT, USA
Hi - in 2001 I purchased a 2000 Tundra and had major issues with the brakes some time later. After several contacts with Toyota corporate offices I was told I was out of luck. The rotors would warp and in 2003 Toyota increased the caliper/pad size to fix the problem. There was a tsb released to fix the older trucks but nothing was done to fix the pre 03 trucks. At one point several years after the trucks hit the road, Toyota said if your truck had under 30K miles they would fix the problem, by then all trucks had more miles than 30K at average yearly mileage rates. I believe people lives were at risk, and Toyota failed to address the problem for financial reasons. I repaired my truck myself as you can see in the attached file, and shared the economical fix with many web users with the same problems and frustration with Toyota. I would like to see Toyota admit they should have recalled the brakes, and repair or reimburse owners. I think my Toyota truck is a very good truck but was very disappointed in their handling of major safety issues. This is the link to how I helped others since Toyota wouldn't step up to the plate www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/1gen-Tundra/93481-just-did-tsb-Tundra-brakes-myself/ the following link is a good example: www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/1gen-Tundra/182418-2000-Tundra-brakes/ www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/attachments/brakes/26027D1195738013-how-to-early-Tundra-brake-upgrade-caliper-upgrade-for-early-Tundra.pdf I think it is pathetic that Toyota could not fix a few trucks, and now boast on commercials they have the best brakes. Any help in this matter would be appreciated. [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).
- Penrose, CO, USA
Brake failure on 2000 Toyota Tundra caused by excessive rusting of frame, cross member and proportioning valve mount. Lost all braking ability when exiting I89 southbound exit 18 in Georgia, Vermont. Narrowly avoided a vehicle stopped in front of me and another oncoming vehicle at the intersection of I89 and us route 7. I reported this event to Toyota that same morning and was issued a case number. Advised to contact local Toyota dealer for immediate inspection. Inspection revealed conditions listed at beginning of this statement and significant flaking/loss of metal on main rails of frame. Told by service manager that truck could not be repaired without inspection of vehicle by Toyota regional rep. The following Monday (brake failure occurred on the preceding Friday), local dealer provided me with a rental vehicle and advised me that the end decision on my vehicle was to replace the cross member and proportioning valve. Vehicle had not been inspected by regional rep. And service manager could not provide me with an estimated completion date for the work due to lack of a part number for the cross member. I learned of prior knowledge of this problem by Toyota and others when researching on the internet. Also learned that recall notices were to be mailed nlt end of January 2010 (Toyota statement). Toyota rep admitted this was not done and recall letters have still not gone out to owners.
- Swanton, VT, USA
Based on news articles in December 2009 regarding severe rusting and deterioration of the support frames of 2000 and 2001 Toyota Tundra pick-up truck I took my vehicle to motor world Toyota in wilkes-barre, pa in January 2010. The service technicians performed an inspection and did, in fact find significant rusting on the frame, cross members and attachment points. I was told that my emergency brakes mechanism was severely rusted and did not function properly. I was told that it would cost approximately $150 to repair the brake. As I was expecting to be notified by Toyota that a re-call was taking place and elected to delay the repair to see if it would be part of the recall of the rusted frames. As of today, 23 February 2010 I have not heard anything regarding a re-call of 2000-2001 Toyota Tundra pick-up trucks. As there have been verified incidents of frame cross members holding the spare tires failing and dropping the tire on the road and other mechanical failures due to the extreme rusting caused by sub-standard steel used in the frames, it is imperative that the dot and NHTSA immediately require a comprehensive re-call of these vehicles.
- Gouldsboro, PA, USA
Toyota vehicles have another safety flaw that seems to be systemic across many models. My 2000 Tundra has a braking quirk where the brakes under light to moderate braking cause a pulsating shudder in the vehicle. My wife's 2001 avalon does the same thing as did her 1993 Camry. Several friends with Toyota or Lexus vehicles have reported similar experiences. The quirk isn't consistent, at times it isn't noticeable and at times it feels like you could lose control of the vehicle. When taken to the dealer the response is that it is the tires, or maybe that they turned the rotors but the end result after balancing tires, replacing them or turning the rotors the quirks remains. It may appear to go away for a while but returns.
- Las Vegas, NV, USA
The brake line tubing at the proportioning valve on the left rear inside frame rail corroded and burst causing all brake fluid to escape and the brake pedal went to the floor and made the vehicle difficult to stop. I was traveling close to home at a speed of approximately 25 mph. I down shifted and was able to slow to 5mph to drive the vehicle to my home garage where I replaced the tubing, fluid and bled the brakes. Fortunately no accident occurred, I discarded the old tubing and fittings after the repairs were made. The frame area behind the tubing near the left rear shock mount is corroded so badly that I am able to pass a tennis ball through the left rear frame rail. The right and left frame rails are perforated where the spare tire carrier is riveted to the horizontal frame channels directly above the rear axle. The frame is corroded badly and paper thin in areas that surround the perforations.
- Bluffton , SC, USA
I had a brake line failure on my 2000 Toyota Tundra, the rear brake line right above the cross member blew. I tried to brake hard for a pedestrian and the pedal went straight to the floor, luckily I was able to avoid him. I was close to my mechanic so I just limped it there with the E-brake.
- Concord, NH, USA
8/3/2009 - steering rack lost all fluid while driving on a highway. Able to maintain control, brought to mechanic who replaced steering rack. 09/08/2009 - front brake lines corroded thru and lost all brake fluid while driving, brought to mechanic who replaced front and rear brake lines as all required replacement. 09/11/2009 - shift cable failed (corrosion) - able to get off the road and towed to mechanic. Frame and underbody of this truck have excessive corrosion which led to these failures. The integrity and safety of this vehicle is questionable.
- Westport, MA, USA
Severe brake vibration. Replaced front brake pads, rotors & calipers (w/ oem parts) around 72K. At 92K truck developed a severe braking vibration both in the front & rear the steering wheel would shake so bad that it was hard to control the truck when braking/stopping. Again I replaced both the front rotors & calipers & had the rear brake pivots cleaned & lubed(at the dealership). Now 10K later I am again starting to experience the same braking problems & vibrations. I should have never had to replace my brake parts after 20K & I definitely should not be experiencing that same problems 10K later.
- Goodyear, AZ, USA
Our 2000 Toyota Tundra (with ~60,000 miles) was parked it in my relatives driveway on 10/18/09. When we went to drive it out of my aunt's driveway on 10/18/09, she started yelling, "stop, something is leaking!" looked at the front drivers brake line and saw a hole that was pushing out brake fluid with high pressure when brakes were applied. Thankfully, the brakes failed in the driveway instead of on route 2 between albany, NY and Massachusetts. If they failed on the drive, my husband would likely have been killed on the mountainous road. Carefully drove the truck to the nearest dealership, lia Toyota of colonie on 10/18/09. Told them about the broken brake line and asked for a frame inspection to be done first, as we did not want to put money into the truck if the frame had issues. On 10/26/09, we finally received an estimate for the work and documentation stating "the frame has normal rust wear for the age of the vehicle" and "the frame has no perforation at this time". the estimate said that the front driver brake lines and junction box were rusted through. The emergency brake pivot was rusted & seized on both sides and completely inoperable, and the front sway bar link was rusted through. Since we were told by lia Toyota of colonie that the frame was intact (no holes) we authorized the work. We picked up our repaired Tundra on 11/02/09 and kept the old parts. The emergency brake did not hold the car and needed adjustment, so the following day, 11/3/09, we took it to our local dealer, colonial Toyota of milford. We asked for a brake adjustment and a frame inspection. The next day, 11/04/09, I received a call from colonial Toyota, saying that our Tundra frame had holes in it and we "should not put another dime into it" and "it is not safe to drive". colonial service took pictures of the perforated frame and called the Toyota reps, who came and looked at our Tundra. On 11/10/09, we were notified that Toyota declined to repair or replace our frame.
- West Haven, CT, USA
2000 Toyota Tundra 102,000 mi. Well maintained was taken for yearly Pennsylvania state inspection and was told that it would not pass inspection due to the brake lines, frame and cross members are rusted through. Making it unsafe to drive. The rear brake lines on the drivers rear side have been replaced.
- Russell, PA, USA
I have a 2000 Toyota Tundra. It suffers from severe frame and undercarriage rust. The rust and metal is literally flaking off in large sheets. My steering fluid lines corroded and burst causing loss of fluid and power steering at highway speeds last fall. This spring my rusted brake line burst and caused complete loss of brakes. My wife was coming out of a business onto a four lane highway. She had to drive it into a ditch to avert a T-bone collision on the main highway. I can hear unexplainable sounds from the rear frame area and my current mechanic tells me that the vehicle will not be inspected when due. I understand others have had similar problems and I want to assure you that there are many more out there just like me. The vehicle has otherwise been mechanically sound. Toyota has no recall notice and I have gone through there process before to no avail. There needs to be a recall insisted upon.
- Ruckersville, VA, USA
- Rangeley, ME, USA