2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE ATLANTIC TOYOTA DEALER LOCATED AT 145 ALBANY AVE, AMITYVILLE, NEW YORK, 11701, FOR A CHECK UP WHEN THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONT FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS AS A RESULT OF SALT ON THE ROAD, AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY, BUT DID NOT OFFER ADDITIONAL ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,660.

I BOUGHT THE 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN AUGUST 2015. AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE, THERE HAD ALREADY BEEN A REPAIR TO THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. IN JANUARY OF 2016, A BRAKE CALIPER MALFUNCTIONED AND I TOOK IT IN FOR REPAIR. AT THAT TIME, I WAS INFORMED THERE WERE ROT HOLES IN THE FRAME THAT NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. THEY SHOWED ME PICTURES OF THE RUST HOLES AND I ABOUT FELL OVER. I COULDN'T BELIEVE MY EYES. I HAD THE HOLES REPAIRED. WHEN I TOOK THE CAR FOR INSPECTION IN AUGUST 2016, THERE WERE MORE ROT HOLES AND IT COULDN'T BE INSPECTED. I HAD THOSE HOLES REPAIRED, AND THE REPAIR GUY SAID IT WAS DANGEROUS TO KEEP DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. HE SAID IT IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. I WAS SO MAD BECAUSE I JUST BOUGHT IT LESS THAN A YEAR AGO, AND AM NOW FACING LOSING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS DUE TO THIS FAULTY FRAME. I GOT THE OIL CHANGED RECENTLY AND THE COMMENT ON THE MULTIPOINT INSPECTION IS THAT THE FRAME IS RUSTING. WHEN I PARKED THE CAR TODAY, I HAD THE WHEEL TURNED, AND I SAW ANOTHER ROT HOLE IN THE FRAME BY THE WHEEL THAT I WILL HAVE TO GET REPAIRED. THIS IS A TERRIBLE SAFETY HAZARD, THE FRAME COULD RUST THROUGH WHILE I'M DIVING IT. I CAN'T JUST GO OUT AND GET ANOTHER CAR WHILE LOSING THOUSANDS ON THIS ONE WHICH IS WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF I HAVE TO TRADE IT IN. SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE HERE.YES IT IS A 2003, AND I WOULD EXPECT SOME RUST ON AN OLDER VEHICLE, BUT THIS IS RIDICULOUS. I DO HAVE REPAIR BILLS, BUT I CAN'T SCAN THEM IN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND FELT STIFF, WHICH CAUSED A LONGER BRAKING TIME. WHEN THE FAILURE FIRST OCCURRED, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS WERE ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED AND THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LOSING BRAKE POWER WHILE BEING OPERATED AT HIGHER SPEEDS. THE MECHANIC RECOMMENDED THAT THE MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER ASSEMBLY BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 90,000.

I AM DEEPLY DISTURBED BY THE THOUGHT ITSELF THAT MY SON AND I COULD HAVE DIED OR SEVERELY INJURED WHILE THE BRAKES DIDN'T WORK LAST WEEKEND. ALL OF A SUDDEN, BUNCH OF LIGHTS ON THE DASHBOARD CAME ON AND CONTINUED LOUD SOUND STARTED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD WHEN I WAS REACHING MY SON'S SCHOOL TO DROP HIM OFF FOR A TENNIS MATCH. WHILE I FEEL VERY FORTUNATE THAT I WAS DRIVING VERY SLOW AND I WAS ABLE TO APPLY THE EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE CAR BEFORE IT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE OR A TREE, I AM VERY CONCERNED FOR THE SAFETY OF THE OTHER DRIVERS WHO MAY FACE THE SAME ISSUE WHILE DRIVING AT A HIGHER SPEED AND/OR ON A BUSY ROAD. I WOULD LIKE YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS ISSUE AND REQUEST YOU TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE WITH TOYOTA. THERE ARE FEW OTHERS WHO HAVE REPORTED THE SAME ISSUE. TOYOTA DISMISSES THE CASE BY SAYING ITS 'WEAR AND TEAR'. HOW CAN WEAR AND TEAR CAN BE A JUSTIFICATION WHEN IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD AND PEOPLE CAN LOSE LIVES? PLEASE DON'T WAIT TO WARN AND INVESTIGATE UNTIL SOMEONE LOSES A LOVED ONE'S LIFE.

FRAME RUSTING UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF VEHICLE. HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WHEN THE AUTO WAS INSPECTED IN 5/2016 THE RUST WAS NOT THERE.

FRAME RUSTED THROUGHOUT TO THE POINT THAT MECHANICS AND BODY SHOP EMPLOYEES HAVE ADVISED US NOT TO DRIVE VEHICLE OR SELL IT. WE WERE TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW FRAME AND IS BEYOND REPAIR. WE PURCHASED 11/29/16. PREVIOUS OWNER SPRAY UNDERCARRIAGE BLACK TO HIDE RUST. ONLY 151K MILES!

TODAY, I DROVE MY 2003 4RUNNER LIMITED THAT HAS 135409 MILES WITH THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS DEEMED "UNSAFE" BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TODAY. THIS WAS AFTER I TOOK MY 4RUNNER FOR FRONT BRAKES AND THE MECHANIC TOLD REMOVE MY KIDS CAR SEATS FROM THE BACK SEAT AND TOLD ME TO BRING TO THIS TOYOTA ATTENTION. THE 2003 4RUNNER FRAME IS UNSAFE AND I SHOULD NOT DRIVE UNTIL THEY REPAIR / REPLACE FRAME.

RUST COVERING ALL CHASSIS COMPONENTS DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE NEEDS TO BE SCRAPED PRIMED AND PAINTED TO PROTECT AGAINST FURTHER DAMAGE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTED THAT THERE WERE CRACKS IN THE DASHBOARD NEAR THE AIR VENTS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKING AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER ALSO SENT A LETTER ASKING OWNERS TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER TO HAVE THE DASHBOARD INSPECTED HOWEVER, THE DEALER STATED THAT THE REPAIR PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH ON A CITY STREET, WITH MY LITTLE GIRL IN THE VEHICLE, BREAKS FAILED AND LOUD CABIN ALARM SOUND AND ABS, VSC AND TRAC DASH LIGHTS CAME ON. WE WERE CLOSE TO HOME SO WE GOT IT THERE INTO THE GARAGE APPLYING EMERGENCY BREAK AND USING SHIFTER IN ORDER TO STOP AND AVOID CRASHING. HAD VEHICLE TOWED TO DEALERSHIP TWICE AS THEY SAID THE FIXED IT AFTER ONLY HAVING IT 30 MINUTES AND SAID THE ACCUMULATOR PUMP WAS BLOCKED UP. CAME HOME, DROVE IT TWICE AND THE ONE WEEK LATER ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES GO OFF AGAIN. HAD IT TOWED ONCE AGAIN AND NOW BEING TOLD THAT IT WILL COST US $4000 TO FIX. VERY ODD TOYOTA GOES FROM A THIRTY-MINUTE CHARGE AND FIX TO A THREE-DAY PROCESS BECAUSE THEY HAVE TO ORDER PART AND COST US $4000. SUPPOSEDLY THE ABS PUMP BREAK MASTER CYLINDER IS BAD AND HAS TO BE REPLACED. I HAVE READ 1000S OF POSTS AND THREADS IN BLOGS FROM TOYOTA OWNERS WITH SIMILAR ISSUE, AND SOME THAT CAUSED ACCIDENTS. I HAD JUST COME OFF THE HIGHWAY, SO THIS COULD HAVE CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT JUST MINUTES EARLIER. THIS SEEMS TO BE A VERY COMMON OCCURRENCE AND TOYOTA IS VERY AWARE OF THE SITUATION BUT NO RECALL. THIS SITUATION MERITS AN INVESTIGATION BY TOYOTA AND A RECALL SHOULD BE AWARDED BEFORE HUMAN LIFE IS LOST IN AN ACCIDENT. THEY SHOULD ALSO FIND A BETTER LESS EXPENSIVE FIX. GENERATIONS OF MY FAMILY HAVE PUT OUR FAITH INTO TOYOTA VEHICLES AND TO BE SCREWED LIKE THIS IS JUST NOT FAIR. THE ECONOMY BAILED CAR DEALERSHIPS OUT WHEN THEY WERE GOING UNDER AND THEY CAN'T DO THE RIGHT THING TAKING OWNERSHIP OF THIS KNOWN ISSUE. WILL ANALYSIS MY OPTIONS WHEN BUYING ANOTHER TOYOTA.