2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

06 4RUNNER SAME FRAME AS RECALLED TACOMA. SAFETY ISSUE HEAVY RUST ON FRAME . MECHANIC SAID TO GET RID OF IT, ROTTING WHERE IT CONNECTS TO CONTROL ARMS. MAY NOT PASS NEXT INSPECTION

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FROM A DEALER IN 2014 WITH LOW MILES ON IT AND IT APPEARED TO BE IN GREAT SHAPE. THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS SPRAYED WITH WHAT I THOUGHT WAS A COATING TO PROTECT AGAINST RUST. I REALIZE NOW THE DEALER WAS PROBABLY TRYING TO HIDE THE RUST PROBLEMS. THE COATING FLAKED OFF A SHORT TIME LATER AND EVER SINCE, I TOO HAVE BEEN PLAGUED BY THE FRAME AND OTHER COMPONENT RUST PROBLEMS. HAD TO REPLACE THE EXHAUST, RUNNING BOARDS, SWAY BAR AND SEVERAL OTHER THINGS THAT ALL RUSTED OFF ON THE UNDERCARRIAGE. MY SKID PLATES ARE ABOUT TO FALL OFF NEXT. JUST HAD MY BRAKES REPLACED AND THE SHOP NOTICED A COUPLE AREAS WHERE FRAME NOW HAS HOLES THROUGH IT AND SAYS IT LIKELY WON'T PASS STATE INSPECTION WHICH WILL BE COMING DUE SOON. THE RUST PROBLEMS WITH THESE 4RUNNERS SEEMS LIKE A BIG PROBLEM THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS. I'M GOING TO HAVE TO PUT A BUNCH MORE MONEY INTO FIXING THIS VEHICLE OR BE LEFT WITH A WORTHLESS PIECE OF JUNK I CAN'T DRIVE AND WILL BE TAKING A BIG LOSS ON.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY USING MY REAR DEFROSTER WHEN MY BACK WINDOW SHATTERED WITHOUT CAUSE, IT SOUNDED LIKE A GUNSHOT. THE SHOCK CAUSED ME AND THE DRIVER BEHIND ME TO BOTH SWERVE ALMOST CAUSING TWO WRECKS.

LETTER FROM SENATOR MANCHIN III ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT, REQUESTING ASSISTANCE WITH HER EFFORTS TO REPORT DAMAGE AFFECTING THE DRIVING SAFETY OF HER TOYOTA 4-RUNNER (ATTN: ANGIE WALSH). *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS RUSTED. *JS *JS

I RECENTLY EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT OF A TIRE STILL IN LIKE NEW CONDITION. I MAINTAIN ACCURATE AIR PRESSURE AT ALL TIMES AND CHECK THEM OFTEN. I ALSO HAD NOT DAMAGED THE TIRE IN ANY WAY. NO HOLES. NO REPAIRS. IT WAS LIKE NEW IN EVERY RESPECT. I WAS TRAVELING AT THE RATED SPEED LIMIT OF 70MPH ON AN INTERSTATE WHEN AT FIRST I HEARD A NOISE AND THEN FELT VIBRATIONS, AND THEN THE BACK OF VEHICLE SWAYED A LITTLE FROM SIDE TO SIDE. I BACKED OFF THE ACCELERATOR AND PULLED OVER OFF THE ROAD SAFELY. I FOUND THAT THE TREAD SECTION OF THE TIRE HAD TORN AWAY FROM THE SIDEWALL. AND UPON FURTHER EXAMINATION I COULD CLEARLY SEE WHY. THE THICKNESS OF THE RUBBER CONNECTING THE TREAD TO THE SIDEWALL WAS LESS THAN A 1/4" THICK ON ONE SIDE OF THE TIRE, WHILE DIRECTLY ACROSS 180 DEGREES ON THE OTHER SIDE IT WAS CLOSER TO A HALF INCH IN THICKNESS. THE THINNER PORTION OF RUBBER ON THE ONE SIDE WAS SIMPLY NOT THICK ENOUGH, NOR STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THE TIRE TOGETHER AT HIGHWAY ROTATIONAL SPEEDS AND IT SIMPLY CAME APART. WALMART SAID THEY WOULD REPLACE THE TIRE, BUT I AM STILL VERY CONCERNED NOW ABOUT THE OTHER 3 TIRES ON MY SUV PURCHASED AT THE SAME TIME AS THIS DEFECTIVE TIRE. ***ADDED: I TRIED CALLING NHTSA AND THE PERSON WHO ANSWERED THE PHONE WAS VERY CONTROLLING, UNPLEASANT, RUDE, AND HUNG UP WHEN I TOLD THEM THEY WERE NOT LISTENING TO WHAT I SAID. SHE INSISTED I USE A PRINTER OR GO GET ONE, OR RUN TO THE LIBRARY AND JUMP THROUGH A BUNCH OF HOOPS FOR THEM. I TOLD HER THAT WILL NOT BE HAPPENING. THIS WEBSITE SHOULD BE RUN CORRECTLY SO WE THE PEOPLE CAN PUT THE CORRECT INFORMATION INTO IT RATHER THAN BE TOLD TO PUT INCORRECT INFORMATION INTO IT. I TRIED TYPING IN THE CORRECT BRAND AND TIRE SERIES, AND THIS WEBSITE WILL ONLY ACCEPT THE INCORRECT INFORMATION WHICH MAKES NO SENSE, BUT IT IS GOVERNMENT AFTER ALL AND THAT MEANS INCOMPETENT AND AUTHORITARIAN EVEN WHEN WRONG AND RUDE! A DISSERVICE TO CITIZENS. CORRECT TIRE FOR THIS COMPLAINT: ANTARES SMT A7, AND NOT COMFORT A5.

'06 4RUNNER THAT THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY SHOT. IT STARTED BY HAVING TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS PREMATURELY AND NOW THE WHOLE VEHICLE SITS 3 INCHES LOWER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME RUST. I JUST GOT BACK FROM THE STATE INSPECTION AND THEY SAID THE 4RUNNER WOULD NOT PASS STATE INSPECTION IN ONE YEAR. THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH IN SOME AREAS. THE FRAME NEEDS TO BE FIXED OR REPLACED. I AM HAVING TOYOTA INSPECT THE FRAME ON 5/15/2019 AT AUTONATION TOYOTA IN LEESBURG VA UNDER THE VEHICLES VIN OF [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

MY WIFE'S 4RUNNER STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH EXTENSIVE BODY ROLL DURING ACCELERATION, BRAKING, AND BUMPS. IT MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN IT'S OWN LANE ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THINKING THE PROBLEM WAS THE FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS I STARTED THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THEM. WHEN I WENT TO INSTALL THE REAR SHOCKS I NOTICED THE THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE FACT THAT THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THAT JUST HAPPENS OVERTIME BUT THEN I REALIZE THAT THE RUST ON THE FRAMES ON MY OTHER CARS WAS NOT AS SUBSTANTIAL ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING ONE OF THEM WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1992.

I WAS DRIVING HOME ON A SUBURBAN ROAD GOING ABOUT 25 MPH AND TOOK A CORNER WHICH FELT LIKE I HAD HIT SNOW OR ICE, HOWEVER CONDITIONS WERE OPTIMAL. THE FISHTAILING CONTINUED AND I PARKED MY CAR AS IT DID NOT FEEL SAFE TO DRIVE. WHEN THE MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT HE SAID I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT AND POSSIBLY A ROLL HAD I TAKEN IT ON THE HIGHWAY. THE FRAME WAS CRACKED. WE ALSO HAD ALREADY REPLACED THE SUSPENSION ON THIS VEHICLE, AND THE EXHAUST FELL OFF ON THE HIGHWAY THE YEAR PRIOR DUE TO RUST. THE UNDERBODY OF THE CAR IS EXCESSIVELY RUSTED.

RARELY DRIVEN, ABOUT 65,000 MILES AND THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT. IT STARTED EARLY.