Toyota Tundra: Toyota recalls 110,000 pickups on rusted-frame concern

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 110,000 Toyota Tundra pickups for the 2000 to 2003 model years after reports that rusted frames in cold weather may cause spare tires under the truck bed to break loose and fall onto the road.

Corrosion of the rear cross-member, which supports the spare tire, also eventually may affect the rear brake line and lengthen vehicle stopping distances, increasing the risk of a crash, Toyota said in a statement Tuesday.

Toyota will contact owners of vehicles in 20 cold-weather states that have high road salt use--including New York, Michigan, Ohio and Pennsylvania--the statement said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received about 300 complaints, including reports of three injuries but no deaths.

NHTSA on Tuesday urged owners of the recalled Tundras to remove the spare tires before bringing the vehicles to the dealer for repair.

Last month, Toyota announced a recall of 3.8 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles to replace a floor mat that could cause the accelerator to stick.

By Neil Roland- Automotive News