2000 Toyota Tundra steering problems

“Lower ball joints must be replaced under a recall. Toyota has told me to contact you to look into it for me and to ask them to recall the part in question for my vehicle. My vehicle is a 2000 Tundra. Models from 2001-06 had a recall for lower ball joints. My truck has the exact same faulty part numbers as the later models. Part numbers are: 43340, 43330 for left and right. This part failing leads to catastrophic failures that causes the entire front end to fall to the ground and the wheels to smash into the fender wells. My truck has very low mileage and is starting to show signs of this failure. My biggest concern is safety especially with an older vehicle. A quick search on the internet will show you this happening to countless other 2000 tundras. This vehicle has been well cared for but this doesn’t fall under routine maintenance when the part has these known issues. My case number with Toyota is under my name [XXX] and the file number is [XXXXXXXX]. Thank you and feel free to reach out to me with more questions if you need to via email: [XXX]”

“FRONT LOWER BALL JOINT RECALL OR LACK THEREOF. THERE IS A CURRENT RECALL FOR TOYOTA TUNDRAS YEAR 2002-2004 BUT DOES NOT INCLUDE 2000-2001 THAT HAVE LOWER BALL JOINTS OF THE SAME DESIGN. MINE FAILED AND SO HAVE SEVERAL OTHERS AROUND THE COUNTRY. MANY CUSTOMERS HAVE REPORTED THAT THEIR RESPECTIVE DEALERSHIPS WILL NOT COVER THE REPAIRS DUE TO A MANUFACTURER FAILED LOWER BALL JOINT. I HAVE ATTACHED A PHOTO OF THE RESULT OF WHAT A FAILED BALL JOINT LOOKS LIKE AND WHEN YOU COMBINE THAT IMAGE WITH THE HYPOTHETICAL OF TRAVELING 65-70 MPH THE DAMAGE CAN THEN ESCALATE TO CATASTROPHIC OR EVEN DEATH. NOT ONLY FOR PASSENGERS BUT FOR OTHERS TRAVELING THE SAME ROAD. WHEN THE BALL JOINT FAILED I WAS LUCKILY TRAVELING 25-30 MPH TO GET ON TO THE FREEWAY, BUT IT FAILED BEFORE I WAS AT FULL HIGHWAY SPEED. I SPOKE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HERE AND THEY CLAIM THAT THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT INCLUDE 2000-2001 YEAR TUNDRA'S, WHICH IS CONCLUSIVE OF THE RESEARCH I DID PREVIOUSLY. I ALSO CHECKED ON THE DESIGN OF THE BALL JOINTS AND THE DESIGN IS IDENTICAL BETWEEN 2000-2002. YET THE DEALER REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR TO THE DAMAGE THAT HAS BEEN CAUSED BY THE FAULTY LOWER BALL JOINT.”

“FRAME RECALL - THE FRAME ORIGINALLY RECEIVED THE CRC COATING FROM KERRY TOYOTA DURING THE FRAME RECALL (UNKNOWN RECALL NUMBER AND TIME OF APPLICATION). THE COATING HAS FAILED AND AS A RESULT THE STEERING RACK MOUNTS HAVE SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO RUST. THE BOLT AND MOUNTING POINT ARE STILL TOGETHER, BUT BROKEN FROM THE CROSSMEMBER. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHEN THERE WAS A SUDDEN CHANGE IN HOW THE STEERING WAS OPERATING. IT WAS CAUSING ME TO WONDER AROUND IN MY LINE. I FELT I HAD VERY LITTLE CONTROL ON THE STEERING. ONCE I PULLED OVER AND LOOKED UNDER THE TRUCK, IT WAS APPARENT AS TO WHAT HAPPENED. THERE IS ALSO SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT FRONT FRAME ASSEMBLY WHERE THE MAIN CROSS MEMBER IS ATTACHED TO THE FRAME. THIS IS ALSO WHERE MAIN SUSPENSION COMPONENTS MOUNT TO THE FRAME. I BELIEVE THE CRC COATING HAS DONE NOTHING TO PREVENT THE RUST FROM DESTROYING THE FRAME AS IT WAS DESTROYED FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THERE ARE OTHER SUB CROSS MEMBERS SUFFERING THE SAME RUST DAMAGE ALONG THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. THERE ARE TWO MOUNTS WHERE THERE IS COMPLETE SEPARATION BETWEEN THE FRAME AND CROSSMEMBER.”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA. WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 10 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL WAS TURNED BUT THE WHEELS WOULD NOT TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING HOUSING SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 170,000. UPDATED 7/14/15*CN UPDATED 10/16/217*CN”

“TRUCK IS VERY HARD TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND DOESN'T CORRECT WHEN COMING OUT OF A TURN. STEERING WANTS TO FREEZE UP WHEN MAKING A U TURN. I'VE HEARD THAT THE BALL JOINTS CAN SNAP AND SEND THE TRUCK CAREENING OUT OF CONTROL. I BOUGHT THIS TRUCK SPECIFICALLY TO HAVE SOMETHING SAFE FOR TRAVELING LONG DISTANCES AND CANNOT HAVE A MALFUNCTION LIKE THIS HAPPEN. *TR”

“DRIVING HOME FROM WORK 1-28-2015 MY 2000 TOYOTA TUNDRA,WITHOUT WARNING THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE SLAMMED TO THE GROUND SLIDING TO A DEAD STOP THE TIRE JAMMED UNDER THE BODY OF THE TRUCK,VERY FRIGHTENING TO THINK WHAT IF I WAS DRIVING FASTER OR IF ANOTHER CAR WAS COMING TOWARDS YOU OR FROM BEHIND,AFTER CALLING A TOW TRUCK AND GETTING THE VEHICLE OFF THE GROUND WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE BALL JOINT FAILED. *TR”