1996 Toyota 4Runner Suspension

MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN SLIPPING A LOT CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE IT'S NOT THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED JUST RECENTLY IT HAPPENED AGAIN AND I WAS TOLD TO CHECK IF THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE VEHICLE BUT THERE WASN'T BUT AFTER RESEARCHING MY 4RUNNER I'VE READ THERE WAS SOME RECALLS ON THE CAR ABOUT THE REAR SUSPENSION.

THE REAR AXLE/SUSPENSION IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. JUST TOOK IT TO MY AUTO SHOP FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND THEY WILL NOT PUT IT UP FOR AN OIL CHANGE BECAUSE THEY ARE AFRAID IT WILL COLLAPSE.

THE AXEL SUPPORT RUSTED OFF CAUSING IT TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME. THIS RESULTS IN A DANGEROUS CONDITION

FRAME BADLY ROTTED CROSSMEMBER FOR TRANSMISSION AND LEFT REAR ARE WORST .

ON DECEMBER 31, 2014 WE WERE DRIVING IN HILLSBORO, OH AND NOTICED A POPPING AND CRACKING NOISE UPON STOPPING AND ACCELERATING. ON THE WAY HOME, WE NOTICED THAT THE NOISE SUBSIDED. ON JANUARY 1, 2015, WENT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE JUST OUTSIDE OUR CORPORATION LIMIT AND NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS SWAYING BACK AND FORTH LIKE A BOAT OUT ON THE WATER, AND THOUGHT IT WAS JUST CAUSED BY EXCESSIVE WIND. ON JANUARY 2, 2015 WE WERE TRAVELLING ON US 35 TOWARDS CHILLICOTHE, OH AND HIT A RIPPLE IN THE ROAD AND THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING VIOLENTLY AT ABOUT 45 MPH. WE PULLED THE VEHICLE OFF THE ROAD AND THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE FRONT END AND COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. WE TOOK OFF AGAIN AND IT DID THE SAME THING AT ABOUT THE SAME SPEED AND PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND DECIDED TO TAKE IT TO GUSWEILER TOYOTA IN WASHINGTON C.H. OH APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES AWAY. A TECHNICIAN INFORMED US THAT THE FRAME WAS BROKEN WHERE THE LEFT REAR TORTION BAR HOOKS TO THE FRAME. HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED HOME AND UPON FURTHER INSPECTION WE FOUND THAT THE FRAME HAS CRACKS ALL THROUGH IT. WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN SEPTEMBER 2013 FROM A USED CAR DEALER WHO BOUGHT IT FROM JOSEPH AIRPORT TOYOTA IN DAYTON OH. TO DATE WE ONLY PUT 5,169 MILES ON IT AND IT HAS BEEN JUST SITTING EVER SINCE.

AS I WAS MAKING A RIGHT HAND TURN FROM A STOP, THE VEHICLE BECAME SEVERELY POOR HANDLING. UPON INSPECTION, IT WAS REALIZED THAT THE MOUNTING FLANGE FOR THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM AND FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH AND THE CONTROL ARM WAS NO LONGER CONNECTED TO THE FRAME. *TR

I WAS PULLING A U HAUL TRAILER AS I HAVE DONE MANY TIMES, BUT THIS TIME I NOTICED THE TRAILER WANTED TO SWAY AT 40-55 MPH. WHEN I RETURNED THE TRAILER I THEN NOTICES THE TRUCK HANDLING BADLY, AT 65MPH IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT IN MY LANE AS IT WAS ROCKING SIMILAR TO HAVING A BROKEN STRUT. I GOT THE TRUCK HOME AND CALLED UNDER IT AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE MOUNT FOR THE LOWER RIGHT REAR CONTROL HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FRAME. UNLESS THIS CAN BE REPAIRED, WHICH IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THE TRUCK WILL HAVE TO BE SCRAPPED. ALL OTHER FEATURES ON THIS TRUCK ARE IN GREAT WORKING ORDER. TOYOTA NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD A 95 TACOMA WHO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA THAT INSTRUCTED HIM TO COME IN ONCE A YEAR FOR A FREE INSPECTION FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, IF IT DIDN'T PASS TOYOTA WOULD BY THE TRUCK BACK. I'M TRYING TO CONTACT THE ZONE OFFICE NOW TO SEE WHAT ACTION I NEED TO TAKE. I HAVE A 1957 CHEVY 3/4 TON TRUCK AND HAS NO RUST ISSUES, WHAT'S YOUR DEAL TOYOTA!! *TR

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 WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN FRAME IN FRONT OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL FRACTURED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION HAD CORROSION BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 195,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT ISNT CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING ANY FAILURES AT THIS TIME. THE CONTACT HAS BEEN WAITING TO HAVE THE RECALL REPAIR HONORED SINCE JANUARY 1, 2007. THE RELATED RECALL# IS 0V021000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115000.

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 20MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL FRACTURED AND DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE LOWER BALL JOINT WAS WORN. THE VEHICLE RESIDES AT THE DEALER WAITING ADDITIONAL INSPECTION.

AFTER MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE REAR SUSPENSION RECALL 02V021000 PERFORMED THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE . THIS HAS OCCURRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.*AK *NM

RECALL 02V021000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION. CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

PER THE CONSUMER THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION 02V-021, TOYOTA MOTOR, CLEVELAND OH, 216-321-9100 .*JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING THE REAR SUSPENSION. *AK *JB

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02 V 021 000. CONTACTED DEALER, AND PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

CONSUMER HAD REAR SUSPENSION REPAIRS PRIOR TO RECALL SSC20A NOTIFICATION. DEALER REPACKED AND ADJUSTED REAR AXLE AND REPLACED BEARINGS. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES INCURRED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. *TT

AFTER VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED UNDER RECALL 02 V021 000, AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS REAR OF VEHICLE LOST DIRECTIONAL STABILITY, RESULTING IN LOSS OF CONTROL/COLLISION. *AK

WHEN CARRYING MORE WEIGHT VEHICLE GRINDS AND FISHTALES IN BACK. WEIGHT IS ON SHOCKS INSTEAD OF SPRINGS WHICH CAUSES SHOCKS TO WEAR OUT.*AK

THIS ACCIDENT HAS BEEN REFERRED TO A LAWYER AND AN ENGINEERING EXPERT TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE AXLE FAILED DUE TO A MECHANICAL DEFECT. ON WITNESS FOLLOWING THE VEHICLE SAID THE VEHICLE DROPPED.

HIGH SPEED MANEUVER TO AVOID ROAD HAZARD RESULTED IN A ROLL OVER/ACCIDENT.

WHEN THE VEHICLE IS LOADED AND UPON HITTING A BUMP, THE VEHICLE BECOMES VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED THE DELAER, DEALER HAS REPLACED THE SHOCKS AND THE SPRINGS. *AK

SUSPENSION SPRINGS FAILED.

VEHICLE HAS A SEVERE VIBRATION PROBLEM. *AK

VEHICLE PULLS AND VIBRATES EXCESSIVELY W/FRONT TIRES WORN. DEALER NOT ABLE TO ADJUST THEM BECAUSE VEHICLE IS TOO NEW. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS.