2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT OF BEING A DANGER TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE. FRAME DID NOT EASILY APPEAR RUSTED WHEN I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE 4 YEARS AGO. IT APPEARS THAT THE FRAME RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND THE COATING CONCEALED THE DAMAGE UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE TO REPAIR. MY VEHICLE DRIVES PERFECTLY BUT IS NOT SAFE DUE TO THE FRAME DAMAGE. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE SUBFRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. TOYOTA OF LINCOLN PARK (1561 N FREMONT ST, CHICAGO, IL 60642) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHEN I HAD MY STATE INSPECTION IN JANUARY OF 2020, THE MACHANIC TOLD ME THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AGAIN. IT IS SEVERELY RUSTED THROUGH AND IN HIS OPINION IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. A FEW WEEKS LATER, I WAS TRAVELLING TO MY FATHER'S RESIDENCE AND THE BRAKES GAVE OUT. THE TECHNICIAN THAT REPAIRED MY BRAKE LINE ALSO TOLD ME AND DOCUMENTED ON THE BILL THAT THE TRUCK IS REALLY NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 18 YEARS, AND ONLY DRIVEN IT FIVE WINTERS. I WASH THE TRUCK NUMEROUS TIMES DURING THE WINTER TO REMOVE SALT. IT IS MY ONLY VEHICLE, AND I CANNOT AFFORD A NEW ONE. WHY WASN'T THIS INCLUDED IN THE FRAME RECALL FROM TOYOTA?!? NOW I'M NERVOUS ABOUT MY SAFETY AND THOSE ON THE ROADWAYS.

RUST/ROT DAMAGE TO PASSENGER SIDE FRAME. EXTENDS FROM MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER TO REAR CROSS MEMBER. ALSO SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO REAR SHOCK MOUNTS. FAILED INSPECTION AS A RESULT. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY.

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH A SEVERELY RUSTED FRAME. MY VEHICLE HAS LESS THAN 70K ORIGINAL MILES ON IT, NO BODY RUST, BUT AN EXTREMELY RUSTED UNDERCARRIAGE AND FRAME. I FEEL IT IS UNSAFE TO CONTINUALLY DRIVE WITH THIS PROBLEM, AS IT WILL ONLY GET WORSE AND COULD AFFECT OTHER COMPONENTS SUCH AS STEERING, SUSPENSION, BRAKES, ETC. SEEING AS HOW TOYOTA HAS ALREADY HAD A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST THEIR TRUCKS OF THE SAME YEAR FOR UNSAFE RUSTED FRAMES, I FEEL MY 4RUNNER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE FRAME REPLACEMENT RECALL.

WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ILLUMINATED, THE TRACTION CONTROL AND ANTI LOCK BRAKE FEATURES ARE AUTOMATICALLY DISABLED.

VEHICLE HAS 188,400 MILES, RUNS FLAWLESSLY. BOUGHT 2005, 45K MILES,TOYOTA DEALER CERTIFIED USED SUV. ROTTED THRU REAR TRANSFER CASE 3 YRS AGO, REPLACED FROM A WRECK. SEVERE PROGRESSIVE ENTIRE FRAME RUST/ROT NOTED IN YEARLY PA INSPECTIONS, NOW CANT PASS INSPECTION & PILLARS ALMOST ROTTED THRU..UNSAFE TO DRIVE. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED CANT PULL TRAILER SAILBOAT & M'CYCLES, NOW SITS IN DRIVEWAY USELESS.

I PURCHASED THE 2002 4RUNNER IN 2014. AT THAT TIME, THE 4RUNNER ONLY HAD 79,000 MILES AND HAD BEEN CARED FOR METICULOUSLY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS. UPON TAKING THE 4RUNNER IN DUE TO A VIBRATION AND CHECK OF THE DIFFERENTIAL, THE MECHANIC CALLED ME IN TO LOOK AT THE FRAME WHILE IT WAS UP ON THE LIFT. BELOW IN THE ATTACHED PHOTOS, THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUSTING OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, AXLE AND FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND THE ISSUE WAS FOUND DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE RUSTED FRAME AND DIFFERENTIAL HAVE RENDERED THIS VEHICLE PRACTICALLY VALUELESS AND UNSAFE.

VERY EXCESSIVE RUSTING AND CORROSION ON THE FRAME NEAR WHERE THE LEADING ARM ATTACHES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HOLE HAS DEVELOPED VERY QUICKLY, ONLY IN THE SPAN OF A COUPLE YEARS. WHEN GOING AROUND LEFT CORNER >15MPH, A CLUNKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE PROBLEM AREA. VERY OCCASIONALLY A SIMILAR NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHEN GOING THROUGH RIGHT TURNS. VEHICLE HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, ALTHOUGH SOME TIME HAS BEEN SPENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA. REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY SOON, AS I'M STARTING TO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70+ MPH). THANK YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY. *TR

RIGHT FRAME RAIL IS VERY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF NON REPAIR. UNABLE TO REPAIR SUSPENSION DUE TO UNABLE TO REMOVE BOLTS THAT HOLD SUSPENSION TO FRAME.