2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE MAIN FRAME WAS RUSTING ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 209,000.

I WAS AT A FULL STOP, BEHIND A LINE OF CARS, AT A RED LIGHT, ON A CITY STREET. A JEEP LIBERTY SUV REAR-ENDED ME AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, PUSHING ME INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AND TOTALING MY VEHICLE. MY SHOULDER BELT DID NOT LOCK IN PLACE, CAUSING ME TO HIT, AND CRACK, THE WINDSHIELD, WITH THE LEFT FRONTAL ASPECT OF MY SKULL, RESULTING IN A CONCUSSION. THE DRIVER OF THE VEHICLE THAT RAN INTO ME, WAS TAKEN BY AMBULANCE TO THE HOSPITAL. WHILE MY CAR WAS AT THE COLLISION REPAIR CENTER, BEFORE IT WAS TAKEN TO SALVAGE, I WENT TO GATHER MY BELONGINGS THAT WERE INSIDE MY 4RUNNER. AT THE RECOMMENDATION OF MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE MANAGER, I REPEATEDLY TESTED BOTH THE DRIVER, AND FRONT PASSENGER SHOULDER BELTS, BY ABRUPTLY AND RAPIDLY PULLING ON THEM. THE DRIVER SIDE BELT ONLY LOCKED IN PLACE ONCE, DURING APPROXIMATELY 10 TRIALS. THE PASSENGER SHOULDER BELT LOCKED IN PLACE EVERY TIME.

TAKATA RECALL: I RECEIVED A NOTICE REGARDING THIS RECALL BUT WHEN I CHECK IT SAYS MY VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN RECALLED. THERE IS A CLASS ACTION SUIT. IF MY VEHICLES COME HAS THESE AIRBAGS IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AS WELL SO I CAN GET IT FIXED. I HAVE CHILDREN THAT NEED PROTECTED

FRAME IS PERFORATED BY RUST WHERE THE REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNT MEETS THE FRAME RAIL.

"TAKATA RECALL" FRAME RUSTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE OUT. LOOKING AT ON FRAME IT WAS AT LEAST 1.5 INCHES OF DIRT AND SMALL ROCK FROM MAINE ROADS AND THAN WHEN RAINED IT WAS JUST MUD THE BAD SPOT IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE D BY TORSION BAR NO WAY TO DRAIN. ALSO REAR END DIFFERENTIAL GEAR COVER RUSTED OUT ON OTHER VEHICLES YOU REPLACED JUST THE COVER ON THE 4RUNNER I WAS TOLD TO REPLACE THE REAR END PRICE JUST FOR THE REAR END WAS $2500 THAN LABOR.

THE FRAME ON MY 4RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTING. HAD TO GET IT SPOT WELDED TO PASS INSPECTION. THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS. PLEASE HELP.

I HAVE OWNED MY 2002 4RUNNER SINCE I BOUGHT IT NEW IN 2002. AROUND 8,500 MILES A YEAR, AND SOMEHOW MY FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THIS IS NOT NORMAL, AND NOW IT WON'T PASS INSPECTION AND IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. TOYOTA BOUGHT THE FRAMES FROM A THIRD PARTY IN JAPAN WHICH DID NOT COAT THESE FRAMES PROPERLY. WE UNDERCOATED THE CAR FOR 5 YEARS AFTER BUYING IT, AND YET RUST STARTED SHOWING UP AROUND 2009. WE HAVE TAKEN CARE OF THE CAR, EVERYTHING EXCEPT THE FRAME IS PERFECT AND CLEAN. TOYOTA IS KNOWINGLY LETTING 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS DRIVERS DRIVE THEIR CARS EVEN WHEN THEY'RE UNSAFE. THEY NEED TO INSTITUTE A BUYBACK OR FRAME REPLACEMENT PROGRAM. WE DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW, BECAUSE WE CAN'T DRIVE OR SELL THE VEHICLE, YET EVERYTHING RUNS PERFECTLY.

FRAME RUST. ONLY HAS 63,000 MILES ON IT AND MY MECHANIC RECENTLY NOTICED HEAVY SCALING AND RUST, ALSO A FEW HOLES/ROTTED SECTIONS. TOYOTA NEEDS A SERVICE CAMPAIGN, OR RECALL THESE FRAMES, AS THEY DID WITH THE TACOMA. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY SAID IT'S OUR PROBLEM WHEN THIS IS A CLEAR COMMON ISSUE. THE OTHER COMMON ISSUE ON THESE FRAMES, IS AT THE BACK SHACKLE, THAT ATTACHES THE CONTROL ARM TO THE REAR END, ROTS RIGHT OFF. I FEAR FOR MY SAFETY THAT SOMETHING WILL FAIL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. IT IS VERY DISCONCERTING THAT WITH ONLY 63,000 MILES MY FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING QUICKLY.

AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY AND TOYOTA WOULD NOT GIVE THE NAME AND TYPE AND BRAND AND THE MAKER NAMES OF THE AIRBAG. TOYOTA IS ASKING ME TO GO TO COURT TO HAVE THE COURT ORDER THEM TO RELEASE THE AIRBAG SPECIFICATIONS AND THE TYPE AND BRAND AND THE MAKER. CAN YOU MAKE TOYOTA GIVE ME THIS INFORMATION?

TAKATA RECALL. I HAVE A RUSTY FRAME THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED FOR SAFETY REASONS I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 55 MPH FRAME CRACKED AND I ALMOST DIED BECAUSE OF IT TOYOTAS HAVE POOR FRAME THAT SHOULD BE RECALLED