New TS member here. I own a 2001 Toyota Tundra 4X4 longbed with Astro cap on bed, with 129,000 miles on it, bought it new from local dealer. I have had virtually no problems with the Tundra truck until today. While making a slow turn (about 5 mph) in a subdivision circle , the front left lower ball joint broke free, dropping that side of suspension to the pavement, separating the front four-wheel drive axle, and slightly bowing the fender outward as the wheel wheel fell on the tire. Towed the Tundra into the local dealer (I'm a VIP customer for 20 years with 5 new Toyota trucks bought under my belt, and all service done at same dealer), and haven't got the estimate yet, but expecting a large bill.
Thank you to everyone who gave me advice on my Tundra LBJ disaster. The (800-331-4331) Toyota Corp. number was the one to call. It took about a week for them to collect all the info and talk to my local dealer, Dunning Toyota-Ann Arbor. Toyota Motor Corp. decided to pay ALL the mechanical repair bills... replaced the lower left ball joint, replaced the left front wheel drive axle and bearings, do front-end alignment, and try to pull out the front fender (it got misaligned as the fender well fell on the front tire, binding the front door opening; if not acceptable I'll have to see a body shop), and a week's worth of Corolla rental car. I only have to pay for two days worth of rental, total cost for me on all the repair work.... appr. $70 bucks!!! I'll pick it up tonight just in time for the holidays , to see how she steers down the road.
I want to thank Toyota Corp. and Dunning Toyota for treating their customers fairly and responding quickly and efficiently to their needs. I guess that is why Toyota Motor is headed to the No. 1 spot in the world in total vehicle sales while domestic auotomakers are downsizing. My Tundra was manufactured in Indiana (except the engine and trans), and Toyota employs 700 at their local Ann Arbor based Technical Center with a huge expansion project expected in the local area in coming years, so Toyota is creating plenty of new jobs in the USA. If you want the corporate profits also, you can always buy their company stock, which headed upward lately. Billions of their corporate profits get funneled back into the local economy in the USA, to build new plants and expanded technical and design studios.
I'm very happy with Toyota after 20+ years and 5 new pickups, and so ordered a few months ago a new '06 Prius (silver pine mica/with dark gray interior) for delivery after Jan, '06, that's when the big tax incentives (over $3000 tax CREDIT) go into effect for the first 120,000 hybrid vehicles of each manufacturer ...that's about six months of Prius manufacturing by 2005's count!! Keeping the Tundra for the BADaxx winters here in Michigan, and the four-wheel drive capabilities!!!
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