2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

I OWN A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH APPROXIMATELY 94,000 MILES. THE VEHICLE PRIMARY USE IS DRIVING LESS THAN 10 MILES A DAY OFF HIGHWAY. THE FOLLOWING ALARM LIGHTS CAME ON: BRAKE LIGHT, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, VSC LIGHT, TRAC LIGHT, ABS LIGHT, AND THE SPEEDOMETER QUIT WORKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MIKE CALVERT TOYOTA IN HOUSTON, TX TO DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. THEIR SCANNER WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY A CODE FOR THE PROBLEM. THE CONCLUSION WAS THAT THE ADS CONTROL MODULE (SKID CONTROL SENSOR) WAS AT FAULT AND THUS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE ASSISTANT SERVICE MANAGER, GRANT MILES ADVISED ME NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL THE ADS CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED. THE COST FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR WAS QUOTED AS $2377.01. IT WOULD TAKE 3 TO 5 BUSINESS DAYS FOR THE PART TO BE ORDERED AND REPLACED. I HAD TO RENT A CAR FROM THE DEALERSHIP BECAUSE OF THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND BECAUSE OF THE LENGTHY REPAIR TIME. THE COST OF THE RENTAL CAR IS APPROXIMATELY $289.00. BECAUSE OF THE POSSIBLE SAFETY ISSUES WITH THE ADS CONTROL MODULE (SKID CONTROL SENSOR-PART # 8954035270), I AM REGISTERING THIS NOTIFICATION WITH THE NHTSA. *TR

2002 4RUNNER SR5 4WD, 141K MILES, COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH REAR DIFFERENTIAL, BOTH REAR AXLE SEALS BUSTED OUT, DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAS SEVERAL PIN HOLE LEAKS AND IS THINNED OUT, THE ONLY FIX IS A COMPLETELY NEW REAR END, WHICH IS VERY COSTLY, I AM THE 2ND OWNER, I'VE OWNED A 99 4RUNNER THAT HAD THESE SAME REAR DIFFERENTIAL RUST ISSUES, THE RUST IS RIDICULOUS AND HAS DETERIORATED THE WHOLE UNDERCARRIAGE AND MY 4RUNNER IS GARAGE KEPT AND I WASH IT ALL THE TIME. I CAN'T BELIEVE TOYOTA HAS NOT BEEN HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE RUSTING OUT OF REAR DIFFERENTIALS AND REAR AXLE ISSUES. *TR

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING HAS RUSTED THROUGH CAUSING ITS OIL TO LEAK OUT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AS A RESULT, FLUIDS WERE LEAKING THROUGH THE REAR AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 152,000.

2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER RUSTED OUT REAR AXLE HOUSING. REAR AXLE HOUSING LEAKS OIL DUE TO RUST EROSION ON THE REAR AXLE COVER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND ALL THE SERVICE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD TO APPLY MORE PRESSURE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND TURNED THE VEHICLE OFF. THE FAILURE CONTINUED AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE ABS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 258,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY BEGAN TO LOSE POWER WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE ALUMINUM RADIATOR AND THE BOLT THAT CONNECTED THE COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID TRANSFER WAS FAULTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WOULD CAUSE THE TWO LIQUIDS TO COMBINE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT CONFIRMED THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WOULD CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO OPERATE WITH EXTREMELY LIMITED POWER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER ABNORMALLY ACCOMPANIED BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT. THE CONTACT LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE ALUMINUM RADIATOR AND THE BOLT THAT CONNECTED THE COOLANT AND TRANSMISSION FLUID TRANSFER WAS FAULTY CAUSING THE TWO FLUIDS TO COMBINE ABNORMALLY. THE CONTACT STATED SPOKE WITH SEVERAL MECHANICS THAT ADVISED HIM OF THAT THE TWO FLUIDS WERE COMBINING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH SHE HEARD A LOUD POPPING NOISE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. SHE PULLED OVER AND SHE OBSERVED SMOKE AND OIL COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT ONE OF THE PISTONS PIERCED AND ENGINE BLOCK NEAR THE OIL FILTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 76,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

VIBRATION FROM BRAKING CAUSING VERY DECREASED VEHICLE CONTROL POSING VERY INCREASED ACCIDENT RISK. TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER 02 LIMITED, RECURRENCE OF PULSING BRAKE PEDAL AND VERY HIGH VEHICLE VIBRATION WHEN BRAKING. THIS OCCURS AFTER LONG MOUNTAIN DESCENTS AT NORMAL / POSTED HIGHWAY SPEEDS UNDER NORMAL PASSENGER LOADS (NOT HAULING), CLEAR DRY CONDITIONS. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS LOW MILEAGE VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCE THIS ISSUE. FIRST TIME, THE FRONT ROTORS WERE REPLACED AT THE DEALER AT THE OWNERS EXPENSE UNDER 40K MILES. THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN AT MOST 5K MILES A YEAR. THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED AND POSES A SERIOUS HAZARD TO OCCUPANTS AND OTHER HIGHWAY TRAVELERS. SEARCHING THE WEB, THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF WARPED ROTORS WHICH TOYOTA DEALERS ARE SAYING ITS DRIVER ERROR / NORMAL USE. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THIS VEHICLE MUCH AND NOT HARD. MY USE WOULD EASILY QUALIFY AS NORMAL HIGHWAY TRAVEL. THE VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 65K MILES ON IT NOW. CERTAINLY THE EXPENSE OF AGAIN REPLACING ROTORS IS CONCERNING, BUT REALLY, THE AMOUNT OF VIBRATION AND DECREASED CONTROL CAUSES ME TO BE VERY CONCERNED FOR MY, AND OTHERS, SAFETY. EVEN IF THE ROTORS ARE REPLACED, IT SEEMS VERY LIKELY THAT THE VIBRATION AND LOSS OF CONTROL WILL RETURN IN A FEW THOUSAND MILES OF NORMAL USE. *TR