Falling Spare Tyre Risk Prompts Toyota US Recall

In the US, Toyota is recalling 110,000 Tundra trucks from the 2000-2003 model years following a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation into complaints of excessive rust in the frame of this particular model. The specific problem relates to the frame rusting to the extent that the spare tyre could fall onto the road, creating a danger for other vehicles.

The NHTSA received 20 complaints of “severe frame corrosion”, including a number of incidents in which the spare tyre, stored underneath the truck, separated from the frame. Therefore, starting in December, Toyota will notify owners in regions affected by the recall to take their vehicles to a Toyota dealership for inspection. If the frame’s cross-member is no longer able to safely support the spare tyre, it will be replaced. If no significant rust is found, a corrosion-resistant compound will be applied to the frame at no cost to the owner.

For vehicles that need to be used prior to their inspection, Toyota recommends owners “minimise the risk of the spare tyre separating from the rear cross-member by removing it.” The manufacturer also urged owners to secure the spare tyre in the truck bed or another area of the vehicle.