2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

TOOK 2003 4RUNNER TO DEALER FOR ALIGNMENT. WAS INFORMED THAT FRAME HAS RUSTED TO POINT OF MAKING CAR UNSAFE TO DRIVE. NO OTHER ORIGINAL COMPONENTS HAVE RUST.

FRAME ROTTING. 4 RUNNER GARAGED AND SHORT COMMUTE. VERY WELL MAINTAINED AT LOCAL DEALER. VEHICLE LOW MAINTENANCE. ROTTING REPORTED BY TOYOTA TECHNICIAN.

THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUST DAMAGE ON THE FRAME TOWARDS WHERE THE TRANSMISSION CONNECTS TO THE ENGINE. IN 1-2 YEARS, MY 4RUNNER WILL NEED FRAME REPAIRS, IF NOT SOONER.

VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED TWICE. ONCE BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN, AND BY A TOYOTA DEALER. THE REASON FOR FAILURE IN BOTH CASES WAS, RUSTED CRACKED FRAME RAILS. THE DEALER GAVE A VERBAL ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR OF $21,500. ($12,250 PARTS $12,250 LABOR)

WHILE MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS IN A SERVICE APPOINTMENT, I WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE FRAME HAS SEVERELY DETERIORATED DUE TO CORROSION AND RUST. I WAS ABLE TO INSPECT AND DOCUMENT THE CORROSION WITH PHOTOGRAPHS. THE VEHICLE WILL SOON BECOME UNSAFE TO OPERATE OR DRIVE.

TOOK VEHICLE FOR NEW MUFFLER. ADVISED NOT ONLY MUFFLER RUSTED THROUGH BUT THE FRAME HAS EXTENSIVE RUST AND DEEMED UNSAFE.

DASHBOARD IS CRACKING FROM SIDE TO SIDE; A FEW CRACKS ARE RIGHT OVER THE PASSENGER AIRBAG. I WORRY ABOUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE AIRBAG. IF ANYTHING MALFUNCTIONS, AT LEAST I'LL HAVE THIS COMPLAINT ON RECORD.

THE FRAME OF THE 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER BECAME SO RUSTED THAT WHEN TRYING TO PUT THE CAR ON THE LIFT AT A MECHANIC SHOP, THE FRAME BEGAN TO CRUMBLE AND FALL APART AT THE POINT WHERE THE LIFT CONTACTED THE FRAME. THE ENTIRE FRAME HAS MULTIPLE POINTS WHERE THE METAL HAS RUSTED AWAY AND BECOME VERY WEAK, COMPROMISING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME AND POTENTIALLY WEAKENING AREAS WHERE STEERING AND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ATTACH TO THE FRAME.

EXCESSIVE FRAME AND UNDERCARRIAGE RUST. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL OTHER CARS OVER 30-40+ YEARS AND THIS 03 4RUNNER HAS THE WORST RUST. INSTEAD OF SIMPLE SURFACE RUST, THIS RUST HAS AFFECTED FRAME WELDS, SUSPENSION MOUNTING POINTS, TOW AND LIFT POINTS. RUSTING PACE IS EXTREMELY FAST MOVING. THERE APPEARS TO BE ONLY A SIMPLE LAYER OF THIN PAINT, WITH NO UNDERCOATING ANYWHERE. THIS 4RUNNER WAS SERVICED REGULARLY, MOTOR IS RUNNING GREAT, BODY AND INTERIOR ARE IN GREAT CONDITION. THIS WAS A GIFT FROM GRANDPA TO GRANDSON, BUT I AM CONCERNED OF SAFETY AND AT THIS POINT RECOMMENDING ONLY LOCAL, UNDER 35MPH TRAVEL ONLY. PROBABLY SCRAP THE CAR SOON AS NOT MUCH TO DO BUT REPLACE FRAME. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH MISLED CONDITION, OUTSIDE/INSIDE/MOTOR PERFECT, BUT FRAME ROTTING AWAY. MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS HAVE PURCHASED TOYOTAS WITH LITTLE INCIDENT, BUT I WON'T BUY OR RECOMMENDED KNOWING THEY HAVE A LIFE OF ~10YRS.

FRAME IS COMPLETELY CORRODED. WE LIVE IN THE MIDWEST (CINCINNATI AREA) SO NOWHERE NEAR THE OCEAN. THE 4RUNNER HAS BEEN MATICULOUSLY MAINTAINED. WE HAVE RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE AND FOUND THESE MODELS' FRAMES WERE NOT PROPERLY COATED BEFORE SOLD...HENCE THE RUST. OUR LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DEEMED IT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VIDEO SPEAKS FOR ITSELF....WE ARE HOPING THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS AS THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. VIDEO LINK TAKEN BY TOYOTA: HTTP://ISRE.US/6QTRKD