2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

WE PURCHASED A 4RUNNER FOR OUR 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THINKING IT WOULD BE SAFE, ESP IN MN. SHE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE (130 MILES) AND NOTICED IT HAD A BAD VIBRATION, ESPECIALLY OVER 40 MPH. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. WE WERE OUT OF TOWN AND WHEN WE GOT BACK, BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, ONLY TO BE TOLD THE FRAME WAS RESPONDED BEYOND REPAIR (SEE PHOTOS). NOT ONLY DOES THAT SCARE ME FOR MY DAUGHTER, BUT SHE HAS BEEN DRIVING IT A FEW YEARS AND HAD FRIENDS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILES FOR IT'S AGE AND BASED ON TOYOTAS REPUTATION OF LONGEVITY, WE NEVER EXPECTED THIS SORT OF ISSUE. WE'RE THANKFUL SHE WASN'T HURT, BUT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS DRIVING A VEHICLE AND NOT KNOWING IT COULD LITERALLY BREAK IN HALF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD!

THE FRAME OF THIS 4RUNNER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE RUST SINCE THE TIME I GOT IT USED FROM A DEALER. ONCE THEIR UNDERCOATING WORE OFF, MY MECHANIC REPLACED RUSTED UP BRAKE LINES BACK ABOUT 9 YEARS AGO. HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS VERY RUSTY AND THEY DID A NEW RUST TREATMENT. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN BATTLING ISSUES RELATED TO THE FRAME. A PLATE WAS PUT IN TO STRENGTHEN AN AREA. IT ONLY HAS 164K ON IT, I REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AT 125K, AND THE BODY IS IN GOOD SHAPE. JUST THAT THE RUST IS SPREADING EVERYWHERE UNDERNEATH. WE TRIED TO GET IT ADDRESSED IN THE PREVIOUS TOYOTA FRAME RECALL BUT IT WAS NOT FOR THIS AGE FOR WHATEVER REASON. EVERY REPAIR HAS BEEN MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO RUSTING BOLTS, MUFFLERS RUSTING EARLY, BRAKE LINES BUSTING DUE TO RUST, THE TOW HITCH RUSTED THROUGH. NOW THERE IS A GAPING HOLE IN THE REAR SIDE OF THE FRAME SUPPORTING THE CAB. AFTER BEING UNDER THE CAR TRYING TO SCRAPE RUST OFF, AND TO PUT SOME RUST RESTORE/PROTECTION, I SAW THE NEW HOLE AND GOT FED UP. SO I SEE YOU ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THIS YEAR 4RUNNER TO ADD TO THEIR RECALL. PLEASE...DO! SOMETHING SERIOUS COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IT AND IT WILL JUST STAY MOSTLY PARKED UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. BRAKE FAILURE WHEN MY SON WAS DRIVING WAS ALREADY SCARY ENOUGH. THANK YOU.

VEHICLE FRAME HAS CORRODED, FRACTURED ESPECIALLY ON PASSENGER REAR OF VEHICLE. MANY HOLES ALONG FRAME. WAS HEARING LOUD THUNKING IN REAR OF VEHICLE TOOK IT IN FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION AND FOUND THE ISSUE.

I WAS DOING AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED VERY BADLY . I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL 3RD GEN 4RUNNER (1999-2002)THIS IS THE SAME FRAME AS THE TRUCK THAT WAS RECALLED ,SO THIS SHOULD BE INCLUDED .IF THIS FRAME BREAKS IT WILL HURT OR KILL SOME ONE .

FIRST, THE MOTOR BLEW FOR NO REASON AT 152,000 MILES. I REBUILT THE CAR AND HAD A NEW MOTOR PUT IN. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RUSTING FRAME ISSUE, HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A LOVELY NEW REBUILT MOTOR FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR, THE FRAME ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR CAUSING THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. I DON'T DRIVE MUCH, SO THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE TO SALT. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY COLD DAY. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD FROZEN AND LOST ALL THE FLUID AS A RESULT OF THE STEERING RACK BEING RUSTED AND WEAKENED. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME AND ROCKER PANELS ARE SEVERELY COMPROMISED TOO BADLY TO BOTHER FIXING THE STEERING RACK. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

I HAVE SEEN CLASSI. CARS FROM THE 60S WITH FRAMES IN BETTER SHAPE THAN MY 4RUNNER. THE REAR CONTROL ARMS BRACKETS ARE CLOSE TO DETACHING FROM THE FRAME. RUST IS EATING THE BACK HALF OF MY FRAME. THE FRAME RAILS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND WILL SOON NEED REPLACING. THERE ARE NUMEROUS BOLTS AND HARDWARE THAT CAN NO LONGER BE USED DUE TO RUST. THE FILL PLUG ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS RUSTED AWAY AS WELL. THE QUALITY OF THIS STEEL IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF A VEHICLE THAT HAS PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN RUST THIS BAD ON A FRAME BEFORE.

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRAME SINCE 2008. TOYOTA REFUSED TO ADDRESS AFTER FILING FORMAL COMPLAINT. I BELIEVE LIKE TRUCKS OF SAME YEAR THAT HAD FRAMES REPLACED, 4 RUNNERS SHOULD BE INCLUDED

AT A STOP LIGHT, WENT TO DRIVE HEARD LOAD POP CLANK. VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND DRIVING FUNNY. LOOKED UNDER CAR AND MY CONTROL ARM ( THAT STABILIZES MY AXEL ) MOUNT RUSTED OFF. MY ENTIRE UNDER CARRIAGE IS RUSTED OUT. THE CONTROL ARM SHIFTED

ON MY 2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER THE BRACKET WELDED TO THE FRAME FOR REAR TRAILING ARM ON DRIVERS SIDE RUSTED OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY AND ACT VERY STRANGE. LOTS OF OTHER PLACES RUSTED BAD ON FRAME ALSO!

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRAME. RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT, ON PASSENGER SIDE NEAR MUFFLER, BY REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTS. RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME. LIKELY RUSTED IN OTHER PARTS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE.