1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

FRAME HAS RUST PERFORATION WHERE THE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET MOUNTS TO FRAME.....APPARENTLY THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH 1996-2002 4 RUNNERS AND TOYOTA HAS REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *TR

VEHICLE STARTED A CLUNKING SOUND AND BEGAN TO SWAY FROM SIDE TO SIDE. MECHANIC INSPECTED AND FOUND FRAME HAD RUSTED ON DRIVERS SIDE NEAR REAR SWAY BAR. *TR

DURING NORMAL SERVICE AND INSPECTION, MY TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE REP. REPORTED FRAME RUST, INCLUDING PERFORATION OF THE FRAME. SERVICE REP RECOMMENDED THAT VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVEN, AND TAKEN OUT OF SERVICE. I HAVE OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR 13 YEARS. TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE DONE THE SERVICE AND REPAIRS ON THIS VEHICLE, AND NEVER REPORTED THIS PROBLEM PREVIOUSLY. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE EVEN HEARD OF FRAME RUST. NOW, I HAVE A VEHICLE THAT IS ALMOST WORTHLESS. I REPORTED THIS PROBLEM TO TOYOTA, BUT THEY DID NOT OFFER ANY SUGGESTIONS OR HELP. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON A BUSY ROAD THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM FRAME MOUNT BROKE DUE TO FRAME ROT. THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY AND I WAS ABLE LIMP IT TO THE REPAIR SHOP. THE FRAME AND MOUNT FOR THE CONTROL ARM ARE ROTTED THROUGH AND THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE, THIS IS MY MAIN DAILY DRIVER VEHICLE. THERE IS NO FIX FOR THIS BESIDES REPLACING THE FRAME. I KNOW THERE IS ALOT OF MILES ON THIS TRUCK BUT MECHANICALLY THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT AND IT RUNS GREAT. *TR

TWO WEEKS AGO I WAS DRIVING DOWN A FLAT PAVED ROAD AND MY LOWER BALL JOINT (ATM 1012460) CAME OFF FOR NO REASON CAUSING ME TO SKID TO A HALT. MY TIRE WAS SIDEWAYS AND PUSHED INTO MY FENDER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE WHEEL WELL AND OTHER PARTS. THIS PART (LOWER BALL JOINT) WAS REPLACED 8 MONTHS PRIOR ALONG WITH TIE RODS, AXLE, CONTROL ARM, UPPER BALL JOINT AND A NUMBER OF OTHER ITEMS IN THAT AREA. RIEBES AUTO PARTS REPLACED THE FAULTY BALL JOINT, TIRE, FENDER, AND OTHER PARTS THAT WERE DAMAGED. I JUST GOT IT BACK LAST NIGHT AND MY WIFE STATED IT FELT LIKE IT WAS PULLING TO THE LEFT. I DROVE IT TO MY MECHANIC AND ON THE WAY THE OTHER SIDE POPPED OF GOING 15 MPH ON A FLAT ROAD. SO ALL THE SAME DAMAGE AGAIN. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE BECAUSE Y WIFE AND KIDS WERE JUST IN THE CAR A FEW HOURS BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. IF IT WOULD HAVE OCCURRED ON THE FREEWAY IT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN ROLLING. ALTROM LOWER BALL JOINT FOR A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS THE PART. *TR

I WAS DRIVING AND SUDDENLY IT FELT LIKE THE REAR DRIVER SIDE TIRE FELL OFF. FURTHER INSPECTION SHOWED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKET WAS ROTTED OUT OF THE FRAME. THERE IS NO WAY I CAN DRIVE MY TRUCK ANYMORE. I HAD SOMEONE LOOK AT THE FRAME AND WAS TOLD ITS COMPLETELY ROTTED AND THE TRUCK IS A TOTAL LOSS. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHY THERE IS NOT A RECALL FOR THE 4RUNNERS WHEN THE FRAME IS SIMILAR TO THE TACOMAS. THE TACOMAS DID HAVE A RECALL FOR ROTTING OF THE FRAME. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THE FRAME ON THE 4RUNNERS SINCE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD. THE AXLE OF THE 4RUNNER COULD FALL OUT AND COULD CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS CORROSION ON THE LEFT REAR AXLE TRAILING ARM ATTACHMENT POINT. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 230,000. *TR

I WAS DRIVING ON A BACK ROAD, HIT A POTHOLE AND THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE CONTROL ARM RIPPED AWAY FROM THE FRAME. FOUND OUT FRAME WAS RUSTED FROM THE INSIDE OUT, AND SHOULD NOT HAVE BEEN INSPECTED. I HAD JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT THE VEHICLE, AND IT HAD GONE THROUGH PA INSPECTION TWO MONTHS BEFORE I BOUGHT IT. ITS A SHAME, THE REST OF THE TRUCK, MOTOR, INTERIOR, BODY PANELS, WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME AND TRAILING ARM BRACKET EXHIBITED SEVERE RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR REPAIR BUT THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT DUE TO LIABILITY ISSUES, THEY COULD NOT SERVICE THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 250,000.

TOYOTA ADVISES THAT FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION. SHOULD NOT HAPPEN TO A 14 YEAR OLD CAR WITH 87,000 MILES. *TR