1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

I SEE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ORDERED A RECALL ON 2001-2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILING. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINT IS THE SAME FOR YEARS 1996-2002 AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THEIR BALL JOINT FAIL ON YEARS PRIOR TO 2001. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY ONLY YEARS 2001-2002 ARE COVERED? THIS IS A LIABILITY AND TOYOTA SHOULD KNOW THAT THE SAME PART NUMBER IS COVERED FOR ALL 3RD GENERATION TOYOTA 4RUNNERS AND IT IS FAILING ON ALL 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS. PLEASE DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS PEOPLE GETTING INTO ACCIDENTS, FLIPS, ETC. ON 4RUNNERS THAT ARE PRE 2001 (1996-2000) BECAUSE OF LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE BRINGING SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA AS WELL AS THE SAFETY COMMISSION FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE IN FIXING THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION. THE AFFECTED AREA WAS NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO OFFERED AN INTERIM FIX TO COAT THE EXTENSIVE RUSTING AND THE DETERIORATION OF THE FRAME. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE THE REMEDY TO REPLACE THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE METAL BAR THAT HELD THE REAR AXLE WAS RUSTED AND BECAME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

DUE TO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RUST THE FRAME BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. LUCKILY THE BREAKAGE DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT DID CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE SIDE TO SIDE UNCONTROLLABLY. IF THE BREAKAGE HAD OCCURRED AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED OR IF THE BREAKAGE (CAUSING INCREASED TORQUE/PRESSURE IN OTHER AREAS) HAD SPAWNED ADDITIONAL BREAKAGES IN THE MANY OTHER RUSTED THIN LOCATIONS, I FEEL SURE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF SERIOUS RUST PROBLEMS ON 4RUNNERS....AND TOYOTA HAS ALREADY RECALLED MANY OF THEIR TRUCK FRAMES FOR SIMILAR EXCESSIVE RUST PROBLEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT AND 4RUNNER OWNERS ALL OVER THE US ARE AT RISK. I HOPE MY COMPLAINT IS THE ONE THAT FINALLY FORCES TOYOTA TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT BEFORE MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A NEAR-MISS (OR WORSE). *TR

AS I KNOW OTHER PEOPLE HAVE POSTED, I HAVE THE CLASSIC 4RUNNER REAR DIFFERENTIAL SEEPAGE. MINE IS A 1996. SEEMS TO BE DUE TO A BAD CASTING FROM FACTORY. NEVER HAVE I RUN INTO THIS BEFORE. VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY WASHED, HARDLY ANY RUST ON ENTIRE VEHICLE, BUT FOR THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL CASTING TO BE RUSTED THROUGH/POROUS ENOUGH TO SEEP GEAR OIL THROUGH THE INTERSTICES WHILE MAINTAINING STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY (SAFETY ISSUE?!!!!!) IS A MAJOR FAILURE FOR TOYOTA AS FAR AS I'M CONCERNED AND SHOULD BE REDEEMED BY COMPANY. I SEE FROM READING ONLINE BLOGPOSTS THAT I AM 1 OF MANY THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM. I'VE HAD MANY OTHER OLDER VEHICLES, ONE IN MY POSSESSION NOW (1989 FORD F-150 WHICH HAS BEEN USED IN WINTER BUT SAT ALL LAST SUMMER, AND HASN'T BEEN WASHED IN YEARS) THAT HAS NO PROBLEMS REMOTELY LIKE THIS RELATED TO THE REAR AXLE. SOMEWHERE ALONG THE LINE TOYOTA PUT OUT FAULTY REAR AXLE HOUSINGS, AND I'D LIKE TO SEE THEM STAND BY THEIR PRODUCT AND FIX THESE---AS I'M SEEING THROUGH INVESTIGATION THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH MANY TOYOTA OWNERS. SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS FAILED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE, AND I'M AFRAID THEY WILL LOSE MANY CUSTOMERS (INCLUDING MYSELF) IF THEY CONTINUE TO IGNORE THE ISSUE. TOO BAD. THE TRUCK STILL RUNS AND LOOKS GREAT OTHERWISE. SEEMS LIKE A LARGE PRICE TO PAY AS FAR AS LOSS OF BUSINESS FOR TOYOTA, BUT TO NOT ADDRESS A SIMPLE MISTAKE LIKE THIS AND MAKE THE CUSTOMER HAPPY?-----THEIR CHOICE. IF YOU CAN ADDRESS THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AND MAKE THEM REPAIR THEIR MISTAKE, I WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE IT, AS I'M SURE MANY FORMERLY HAPPY TOYOTA CUSTOMERS WOULD AGREE. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME, A CONCERNED CONSUMER. *TR

THE REAR END OF THE FRAME BROKE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BACK BY THE REAR WHEEL GOING AT A SPEED OF 60 MPH. UPON APPLYING THE BRAKES THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWAY OUT OF CONTROL. TO MAKE MATTERS WORSE THERE WAS AN ON COMING SEMI & ANOTHER ONE FOLLOWING BEHIND ME, WAY TOO CLOSE OF COURSE. THIS SCARED THE HELL OUT OF ME FOR I THOUGHT FOR SURE THAT THERE WAS GOING TO BE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. I HAVE TAKEN EXCELLENT CARE OF MY 4RUNNER FROM THE DAY I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 1996 & PRIDED MYSELF FOR IT LOOKING LIKE NEW. ALL THE SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED OVER THE YEARS. IT DOES NOT LEAK ANY FLUID OR BURN ANY OIL WITH 250,230 MILES ON IT. IN FACT I RECEIVE COMPLIMENTS REGULARLY ON IT'S EXCELLENT CONDITION. NO DOOR DINGS, KEEP IT POLISHED & IN THE WINTER RINSE THE UNDER BODY AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK TO KEEP THE SALT OFF. I HAD PLANNED ON DRIVING THIS VEHICLE FOR AT LEAST ANOTHER 100,000 MILES. AFTER ESCAPING A NEAR DEATH ACCIDENT I NURSED IT OVER TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR I COULD NOT SEE ANYTHING WRONG BY SIMPLY LOOKING UNDER THE VEHICLE. ONCE I ARRIVED AT THE DEALERSHIP THEY PUT IT UP ON THE LIFT & ASKED ME TO COME LOOK AT IT. I WAS IN DISBELIEF AT WHAT I HAD SAW. A PORTION OF THE FRAME THAT KEPT THE DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL IN PLACE WAS COMPLETELY SEPARATED. WHEN I ASKED THEM WHAT COULD BE DONE THEY SUGGESTED A NEW FRAME. I SAID CAN YOU TELL ME HOW MUCH THAT WOULD COST HE SAID HE WOULD CHECK & COME & GET ME. HE CAME BACK SEVERAL MINUTES LATER TO TELL ME IT WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $10,000.00. EVEN IN EXCELLENT CONDITION THE VEHICLE MIGHT BE WORTH $3,000.00. NOT ONLY DO I NOT HAVE $10,000.00 TO FIX & IF I DID, WOULD I? I DON'T KNOW A LOT ABOUT REPLACING FRAMES, BUT I KNOW IT'S NO SMALL JOB. WOULD IT BE WORTH IT? I BOUGHT A TOYOTA BECAUSE THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO LAST FOREVER. NOW I'M LEFT WITH NO VEHICLE & I HAVE NOTHING TO TRADE IN! WILL TOYOTA STAND BEHIND IT'S PRODUCT? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO CONFIRMED CORROSION OF THE FRAME ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 250,864 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 250.884.

ON JULY 7, 2012, I WAS DRIVING MY 1996 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER WHEN THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE FAILED. THE FOUR TIRES WERE DUNLOP GRAND TREK AT21 P265170R16 (111S M+S 014814), PURCHASED NEW AND INSTALLED IN JUNE 2007. I DRIVE LESS THAN 8,000 MILES PER YEAR ON THIS VEHICLE. THE MILEAGE ON THE FAILED TIRE WAS ONLY 25,843 MILES. IT WAS PROPERLY INFLATED. I DID NOT STRIKE ANY OBJECT ON THE FREEWAY. THE SUV WAS IN EXCELLENT RUNNING ORDER AND WELL MAINTAINED. AT THE TIME OF THE TIRE FAILURE, I WAS TRAVELING 70 MPH ON INTERSTATE I-80 IN IOWA ON MY WAY FROM KANSAS CITY TO CHICAGO. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT MILEPOST 287.5, WEST OF DAVENPORT, IOWA. I TRIED TO CONTROL THE SUV, BUT I STRUCK THE MEDIAN MADE OF STEEL POSTS AND ANTI-CROSSOVER CABLES, FIRST SUSTAINING DAMAGE TO THE DRIVER?S SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THEN, THE SUV HIT A POTHOLE IN THE MEDIAN AND SPUN 180 DEGREES STRIKING THE POST AND CABLE BARRIER MEDIAN AGAIN WITH THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WHICH BENT THE FRAME AND CAUSE MAJOR DAMAGE TO ALL BODY PANELS ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE. I CAME TO REST ALONG THE MEDIAN FACING BACKWARDS, IN THE DIRECTION OF THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC. LUCKILY, I DID NOT HIT ANY OTHER VEHICLE, AND MY PASSENGER SUSTAINED ONLY A VERY SORE KNEE THAT BUMPED AGAINST THE DASHBOARD. THE IOWA STATE PATROL ARRIVED AND HANDLED THE SITUATION (REPORT AND PHOTOS AVAILABLE). THE SUV WAS TOWED TO A GARAGE WHERE BOTH REAR TIRES WERE REPLACED AND THE BODY METAL WAS PULLED OUT. -- THE MECHANIC AT THE STORE SAID IT APPEARED THAT THE BAD TIRE MAY HAVE DELAMINATED BEFORE COMPLETELY FAILING, AND FROM THE VERY GOOD CONDITION OF THE OTHER 3 TIRES, IT WAS PROBABLY DEFECTIVE. -- THE SUV WAS DRIVABLE THE NEXT DAY DESPITE THE EXTENSIVE BODY DAMAGE TO NEARLY ALL BODY PANELS. THE BODY WORK WAS ESTIMATED AT $7,026 AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED BY MY INSURANCE COMPANY. I REPORTED THE TIRE FAILURE AND ACCIDENT TO DUNLOP/GOODYEAR, WHICH SAID THEY COULD DO NOTHING AT ALL BECAUSE I DID NOT KEEP THE FAILED TIRE. *TR

AS I WAS MERGING ONTO THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY, I INCREASED MY SPEED TO 60 MPH. AFTER GOING OVER AN UNEVEN SURFACE ON THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLY TO THE POINT WHERE IT FELT AS IF IT WERE GOING TO ROLL. I IMMEDIATELY SLOWED DOWN TO THE BREAKDOWN LANE WHERE I CHECKED TO SEE WHY THE VEHICLE WAS DOING THIS. TO MY SURPRISE THE REAR CONTROL ARM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY BROKE OFF OF THE FRAME DUE TO WHAT MY OPINION WAS RUST. AFTER RECEIVING A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION BY AN INDIVIDUAL SHOP, THE WHOLE FRAME WAS SHOWN TO HAVE HOLES DUE TO RUST. AFTER THIS DISCOVERY THEY INFORMED ME THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THAT I SHOULD INFORM TOYOTA ABOUT THE INCIDENT AND SEE IF THEY WOULD BE WILLING TO HELP IN ANY WAY. WHEN I DID CALL TOYOTA THEY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO. *TR

I HAD A MECHANIC REPLACING ROTORS ON BRAKES AND WHEN I WENT TO PICK IT UP TODAY, HE TOLD ME THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF MY VEHICLE WAS RUSTING AWAY. HE ADVISED ME TO AVOID HITTING ANY HOLES OR BUMPS IN THE ROAD SINCE THE FRAME SUPPORTING THE GAS TANK IS VERY DAMAGED FROM RUST. HE STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT TRUST DRIVING IT VERY FAR DISTANCES SINCE THINGS WERE GOING TO START FALLING OFF UNDERNEATH. *TR