Feds Launch Probe Into Corrosion on 2000-'01 Toyota Tundra

WASHINGTON — The federal government is looking into complaints of severe frame corrosion on 2000-'01 Toyota Tundra trucks. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said an estimated 218,000 vehicles are involved. The preliminary investigation is sometimes a step toward a vehicle recall.

The probe comes on the heels of Toyota's largest U.S. recall in company history. Last week, Toyota announced it will recall 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to replace a floor mat that could cause the accelerator to stick.

"The Office of Defects Investigation has received 20 reports on the subject vehicles that relate to spare tire separation and brake system failures as a result of severe frame corrosion," said NHTSA in its defects investigations summary on the affected Tundras.

"There have been 15 reports alleging the underbody-mounted spare tire separated from the rear crossmember, and five reports alleging broken brake lines at the proportioning valve located on the driver side of the rear crossmember at the upper shock mount."

There are no crashes, fires, injury incidents or deaths related to the Tundra investigation, according to other NHTSA documentation.

The probe was opened on October 6.

Inside Line says: NHTSA launches some fact-finding activities on the 2000-'01 Toyota Tundra. If warranted, the case would go through an engineering analysis before any recall. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent