2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. BRAKE ROTORS ARE WEARING UNEVENLY, CAUSING SHAKING WHEN SLOWING DOWN. DEALER SAID THE BRAKE PADS HAVEN'T EVEN BEEN USED 50%. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL WORK FOR NHTSA RECALL # 05V225000, PERTAINING TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE NOTED 24 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE 2 DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE DURING THAT TIME. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONSULTED, WHO WAS UNABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONSULTED, WHO OFFERED TO SEND OUT PAPERWORK FOR AN INVESTIGATION.

ON APRIL 17TH AT 5:45 AM WHILE DRIVING ON I-465, I FELT A LOSS OF STEERING IN THE WHEEL. I DID NOTHING TO THE WHEEL, AS ONE WOULD NORMALLY DO WHEN DRIVING ON ICE. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN CAREENED OFF THE ROAD. A CARMEL POLICE OFFICER CAME TO THE SCENE AND AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS ENTERED. FRONT BALL JOINT(S) FAILED AND FRONT WHEEL FOLDED UNDER VEHICLE; THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF STEERING AND CRASH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HIT THE CONCRETE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN BOUNCED ACROSS THE INTERSTATE AND OFF THE ROAD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AT THE REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT. IT APPEARS THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT(S) WERE NOT REPLACED. THE OLD ASSEMBLY(S) DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED. THERE IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF RUST ON THE ASSEMBLY(S) AND NUTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DISTURBED. I SPOKE WITH A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE ID WAS A PART OF THE RECALL SSC 50J OR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AT OBRIEN TOYOTA ON SEPTEMBER 9TH 2005. THE SSC 50J COMPLETION LABEL WAS NOT APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST PART OF MAY AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, DAN JOHNSON, WHO ASSURED ME THAT THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED ON BOTH FRONT SUSPENSIONS. HE STATED THAT THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED BY JOE, WHO WAS ONE OF HIS BEST MECHANICS. MY COMPLAINT IS EITHER THAT THE RECALLED PART WAS NOT REPLACED OR THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART DOES NOT WORK. *JB

2002 4RUNNER WAS UNSTABLE AFTER PURCHASE, CONSUMER HAD TIRES REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT. FRONT AND REAR TIRES BLEW OUT. CONSUMER RECEIVED LETTER OF FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS AFTER ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *TS *JB