1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER Complaints

I GOT THE 4RUNNER IN LIKE 2006 OR 2007 AT A USED DEALERSHIP IN GREAT CONDITION. DIDN'T LOOK GOOD AT THE UNDERNEATH AT THE TIME. AROUND 6-7 YEARS LATER, THE VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING WHEN I WOULD DRIVE ON THE MAIN ROAD. GOT IT CHECKED OUT AND THE FRAME WAS RUSTED SO BAD THAT I WAS LUCKY TO NOT HAVE THE ENTIRE BOTTOM FALL OUT WHEN DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. GOT SOME WELDED TO LAST AWHILE LONGER AND A YEAR LATER, THE OTHER SIDE BROKE FROM RUST. IT IS A SHAME BECAUSE THE BODY AND INTERIOR, EXTERIOR, ENGINE, ETC. IS IN GREAT CONDITION! EVEN THE BACK BUMPER AND HITCH IS RUSTED OUT BAD NOW. I THINK SINCE THE TACOMA HAS A RECALL FOR THE RUST ON FRAME, THE 4RUNNER SHOULD AS WELL BECAUSE I AM LOSING MONEY FROM MY 4RUNNER & JUST LETTING IT GO TO SCRAPS. IT WOULD COST MORE TO FIND AN ENTIRE NEWER FRAME THAN TO JUST FIND ANOTHER VEHICLE. SOMETHING NEEDS TO CHANGE BECAUSE IT IS VERY DANGEROUS FOR PEOPLE TO DRIVE THESE MODELS WHEN THE RUST IS SOO BAD! *TR

VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND CLUNKING. I WAS NEAR HOME AND ABLE TO GET IT BACK TO MY DRIVEWAY. UPON TOWING TO THE MECHANIC, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED OUT AND DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. FRAME ROT WAS DISCOVERED ON THE SIDE RAILS. CAR IS CONSIDERED UNDRIVEABLE AND SHOULD BE TOTALED. *TR

1998 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRAME RUST. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE REAR SUPPORT BRACKET SNAPPED OFF THE MAIN FRAME OF THE VEHICLE.

FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AROUND REAR CONTROL ARM BRACKETS. NUMEROUS RUST HOLES IN FRAME. THIS VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN THIS CONDITION AND TOYOTA DOES NOT WANT TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I HAVE SEEN HUNDREDS OF THE SAME MODEL VEHICLE ONLINE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A RECALL, JUST LIKE THE TACOMA FRAMES. VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. IT IS A SHAME THIS 4RUNNER IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. BEAUTIFUL TRUCK, UNSAFE FRAME. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED UNDER THE HOOD AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE FOR 100 MILES. THE CONTACT SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND WHEN THE HOOD WAS OPENED, THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM THE ALTERNATOR. THE FIRE DAMAGED THE WIRING HARNESS BUT WAS EXTINGUISHED QUICKLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE FIRE WAS STARTED BY A DEFECTIVE VOLTAGE REGULATOR TO THE ALTERNATOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS A MAINTENANCE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. UPDATED 9/25/12 *CN UPDATED 10/04/2012 *JS UPDATED 10/16/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FIRST DEALER FAILED TO THE CONTACT OF PENDING ALTENATOR FAILURE , AFTER THE CONSUMER TOLD THE DEALER BOTH ABS AND BATTERY WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. UPDATED 10/18/2012 *JS

REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING IS LEAKING FLUID AS A RESULT OF RUST. LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (IT IS ALL ONE PIECE) TO THE TUNE OF $3000. AN ONLINE SEARCH OF A DIY REPAIR SHOWS THIS PROBLEM (GOOGLE: REAR DIFFERENTIAL RUST) SHOWS THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE TO TOYOTA 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS. THIS AMOUNT OF RUST ON AN INTEGRAL PART IS EXTREME AND UNACCEPTABLE THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT DONE A RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THEY DID ONE FOR VIRTUALLY SAME VEHICLE IN THE TACOMA FOR FRAME RUST. *TR

I WAS GETTING OFF 385 ONTO WOODRUFF ROAD. I NEEDED TO GET OVER INTO THE OTHER LANE BECAUSE I WAS GOING TO TURN DOWN ORDHIRD PARK ROAD AND THERE IS ONLY ONE LANE THAT ALLOWS YOU TOO. I PUT ON MY BLINKER AND GOT OVER. ONCE I HAD GOTTEN OVER THIS MAN STARTED TO HONK HIS HORN AND DROVE UP TO THE REAR OF MY CAR AND A VERY FAST PACE. HE KEPT HONKING SO I PULLED INTO THE SHOPPING CENTER RIGHT BESIDE THE KANGAROO GAS STATION. I WAS THEN ABOUT TO TURN ONTO ORCHIRD PARK WHEN THE WHITE CHRYSLER CAME BY AND STOPPED IN FRONT OF ME AND STARTED HONKING AND FLICKING ME OFF. HE FINALLY GOT OUT OF THE WAY AND SO I PULLED ONTO ORCHIRD PARK. HE THEN PROCEEDED TO STICK HIS FINGERS OUT OF THE WINDOW AND FLICK ME OFF AND KEEP SLAMMING ON HIS BRAKES. HE WAS AND OLDER WHITE MALE. HE SHOULD BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD FOR THIS TYPE OF BEHAVIOR. IN NO WAY DID I CUT HIM OFF. AT ALL TIMES I FOLLOWED THE ROAD SAFETY RULES. THE VEHICLE WAS A WHITE CHRYSLER 300 WITH CHROME ALL AROUND THE TRIM. THEN MAN HAD SOME TYPE OF BANDAGE ON HIS HAND. AND HER WORE GLASSES. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED EIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE ALSO DESTROYED THE INNER AND OUTER BOOT OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED GREASE TO LEAK ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 159,158. UPDATED 7/19/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO LODGE IN THE FENDER, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGED TO THE RUNNING BOARD AS WELL. UPDATED 07/23/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED DRIVING VERY ERRATICALLY. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR STABILIZER BAR WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 186,000.

FUEL GAUGE WARNING COMES ON WHEN TANK GAUGE READS 2/3 FULL, THEN AS DRIVING, GAUGE READS EMPTY WHEN STILL HAS 10 GALLONS IN TANK- NO WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AT THAT READING. *TR