1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

FRAME RUST, A FAIR AMOUNT OF RUST IS CAUSING CONCERN AND MAKES ME QUESTION HOW TRUSTWORTHY VEHICLE IS. THE DATE LISTED ISNT THE DATE OF THE INCIDENT ITS ROUGHLY AROUND THE TIME THE EXTENT OF THE RUST HAD BEEN NOTICED.

FRAME IS RUSTING FROM INSIDE OUT. HOLES IN FRAME BIG ENOUGH TO PUSH YOUR WHOLE ARM THROUGH. AREAS OF FRAME CONNECTED TO SUSPENSION PREMATURELY RUSTING OUT. THIS REST OF THIS VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, BODY PANELS INCLUDED. WELDER TOLD ME ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTING AWAY AND REPAIR TO THE FRAME IS VERY DIFFICULT ANF EXPENSIVE EVEN IF POSSIBLE. VEHICLE HAS UNDER 185,000 MILES AND RUNS GREAT. I HEAR CREAKING DEVELOPING AND AM AFRAID CAR MAY SPLIT IN HALF. WHY IS TOYOTA NOT STEPPING UP AFTER ADMITTING TO BADLY MANUFACTURED FRAMES.

SHOCK ABSORBER COMPLETELY WENT THREW THE FRAME CAUSING THE 4 RUNNER TO GO SIZE TO SIZE WHILE DRIVING. FRAME IS RUSTING FROM INSIDE OUT. VERY VERY DANGEROUS. THE SAME EXACT FRAMES ON THE TACOMATACOMA GOT A RECALL, THEY REPLACED THEM. WHY WASNT THIS RECALLED ON THE 4RUNNER? AND THE SEATBELTS JUST POP OUT OF THE BUCKLE WHILE YOUR JUST DRIVING. SOMETHING HAS TO HAPPEN SOON OR SOMEBODY IS GONNA GET VERY HURT ,OR KILLED. 1 MORE THING. I HAD A WHEEL POP OFF ALSO FROM THE BALL JOINT BREAKING LUCKILY THAT WAS IN MY DRIVEWAY, LUCKILY I WASN'T ON THE MAIN ROAD I COULD'VE KILLED SOMEBODY.

I WAS GETTING ON THE HIWAY RAMP AND WAS TRAVELING 60PMH WHEN MY VEHICLE FELT LIKE IT WANTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT LANE WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL WAS HELD STEADY. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO NORTHPARK TOYOTA IN SAN ANTONIO TEXAS ON AUGUST 29,2017. IWAS TOLD THE PARTS WERE ORDERED AND WOULD TAKE 2WEEKS TO COME IN. I CALLED 2WEEKS LATER AND COULD NOT GET ANY INFO ON THE PARTS ORDERED. TODAY IS 10/16/2016 AND STILL NO INFO. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING THE VEHICLE LITTLE BECAUSE IT HAS WANTED TO MOVE OVER TO THE NEXT LANE SEVERAL TIMES EVEN THOUGH I HOLD THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT.

THE FRAME HAS PREMATURELY RUSTED THROUGH IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT, REAR TRAILING ARM. MY SHOP TELLS ME THE FRAME IS TOO RUSTED TO REPAIR IT.

TAKATA RECALL I'M SUPER DISAPPOINTED IN THE RUST PROBLEM WITH TOYOTAS, I'VE OWNED NOW THREE TACOMAS, ALL RUSTED OUT, I RECENTLY GAVE UP AND TRIED BUYING A 1996 4RUNNER, GOT A REALLY GOOD DEAL ON IT, I CAN SEE WHY ANYWAYS I BOUGHT IT AND IT TURNS OUT THE WHOLE FRAME WAS COATED SO I COULDN'T SEE RUST, WITH FURTHER INSPECTION THERE'S A BIG CRACK IN THE FRAME FROM RUST, AND THE WHOLE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE CRACK IS RIGHT BESIDE THE EXHAUST, I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID BRING IT IN FOR INSPECTION AND THEY SAID IT WOULD NEED REPLACED, BUT WOULD COST 14-16 THOUSAND DOLLARS. THEN THEY CHARGED ME FOR THE INSPECTION 60 DOLLARS, WHEN THEY DIDN'T EVEN TELL ME I'D BE CHARGED. TOYOTA REALLY NEEDS TO STEP UP!!! FEEL FREE TO CALL ME AT [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THE SUN VISOR HOWEVER THE TOYOTA SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO FULFILL THE RECALL DUE TO THE PART NOT BEING AVAILABLE.

WHILE CORNERING IN CITY DRIVING I HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE AND INVESTIGATED WHEN I ARRIVED HOME. THE FRAME HAS CORROSION AT THE RIGHT REAR TRAILING ARM BRACKET. THE BRACKET WAS RUSTED AWAY FROM THE FRAME AT THE TOP BUT STILL ATTACHED AT THE BOTTOM. THE BRACKET AND FRAME WERE WELDED WITH ADDTIONAL METAL. I CHECKED THE REST OF THE FRAME AND NOTICED THERE IS ALSO A HOLE IN THE CROSSMEMBER BELOW THE DRIVERS SEAT AND OTHER LARGER RUSTED HOLES ALONG THE FRAME. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN. I WILL HAVE TO TAKE IT TO A FRAME SHOP AS TOYOTA SAYS THERE IS NO RECALL ON THE 4RUNNER ONLY THE TACOMA AND TUNDRA. I KNOW MANY OTHER 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNER OWNERS WHO HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE BODY HAS NO RUST OTHER THAN A SMALL SURFACE AREA AT THE DRIVERS DOOR ROCKER PANEL AND NEAR THE WINDSHIELD. THE VEHICLE IS VERY WELL MAINTAINED.

I OWN A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT HAS FRAME IS RUSTED WITH LARGE HOLES. IT HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT YET BUT I BELIEVE THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE. ESPECIALLY WHEN THE SAME COMPANY HAS REPLACED FRAMES AND BOUGHT BACK OTHER MODELS FOR THE EXACT SAME ISSUE. HOW AM I (AS A 4RUNNER OWNER) JUST OVERLOOKED AND BRUSHED ASIDE.

FRAME IS SO ROTTED IT WON'T PASS INSPECTION. SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA. THEY REPLACED FRAMES ON THE TACOMA AND A FEW OTHERS, WHY NOT THE 4 RUNNER.