2000 Toyota 4Runner Suspension

Frame is rotted out. Mechanic lifted it on hoist and frame is rusted terribly and said not drivable.

THE UNDER FRAME ROTTED OUT AND BROKE WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 65MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED WEAVING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE BEFORE SLOWING DOWN.PULLED OVER BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE HAD A FLAT. WAS NOT THE CASE. GOT BACK ON THE ROAD AND ANY TIME WE WENT OVER 45MPH IT STARTED TO VIOLENTLY WEAVE BACK AND FORTH. LUCKILY WE DID NOT ROLL OVER OR CRASH WITH AN AUTISTIC CHILD IN THE BACK OF THE 4RUNNER OR MY VERY ILL HUSBAND ON OXYGEN. IF NOT ADDRESSED OR RECALLED SOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. MY 4RUNNER ONLY HAS 168,000 MILES ON IT. *BF CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE.*JB

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN I HEARD A CLANKING SOUND FROM THE REAR, THE CAR STARTED TO SWAY TERRIBLY AND SHAKE AND I LOST CONTROL. I CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY LANES, ROLLED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ENDED UP IN THE DITCH WITH THE CAR UPSIDE DOWN. A WITNESS DRIVING BEHIND ME SAID THE WHEEL OF THE CAR FELL OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR, WE SAW THE TIRE'S TREAD HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF, THERE WERE GASHES IN THE TIRE, AND THE REAR LEFT CONTROL ARM HAD FALLEN OFF. THE CAR HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED ITS REGULARLY SCHEDULED ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION, AND THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES ON THEM. THE CAR HAD 118,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM TOYOTA HAS BEEN HAVING WITH OTHER 4RUNNERS OF THIS MILEAGE AND OF OTHER TOYOTA MODELS WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION OF THE SUSPENSION.THE IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR AT THAT MILEAGE AND I'M LUCKY I SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OTHER TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT FAILS WITHOUT WARNING.

I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I AM SUBMITTING THIS ON BEHALF OF ALL 3RD GEN 4RUNNERS! IT HAS NOT, YET, HAPPENED TO ME BUT I AM FEARFUL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL I REPLACE THE PARTS EVEN THOUGH THEY SEEM FINE. AT THE LEAST A BETTER, SAFER DESIGN COULD BE MADE SO THAT WHEN IT DOES FAIL, PEOPLES LIVE AREN'T PUT INTO JEOPARDY. HELLO! I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT 1996-2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER'S AND THEIR VERY COMMON ISSUE OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS FAILING. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS STOCK OR MODIFIED, FIRST YEAR OR LAST YEAR RUN BUT SOMEHOW TOYOTA ONLY HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2001 AND 2002 MODEL YEARS. LEAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF US VULNERABLE TO A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE POINT IS THE BAIL JOINT AND WHEN IT FAILS IT SEVERS ITSELF FROM THE VEHICLE, PULLING THE AXLE SHAFT OUT AND CAUSING THE FRONT END TO DIP TO THE GROUND CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING EXPERIENCE AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY DIE AT ANY SPEED. YOU CAN FIND THOUSANDS OF STORIES ON GOOGLE, IT HAPPENS LITERALLY EVERYDAY WITH PEOPLE REPORTING IN MANY 3RD GEN 4RUNNER FORUMS AND FACEBOOK GROUPS. GOOGLE '3RD GEN 4RUNNER LBJ FAILURE' FOR INSTANCE. WHY DOES TOYOTA ONLY NEED TO RECALL 2 YEARS OF A 6 YEAR VEHICLE RUN? ALL YEARS ARE EQUALLY AFFECTED. TOYOTA IS A NAME OF DEPENDABILITY SO THIS RARE ACT OF BETRAYING THE CUSTOMER AND PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE IS JUST SO UNLIKE THEM. CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND HELP YA OUT? I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY HAD THIS HAPPEN BUT I CHECK MY LOWER ARMS ALL THE TIME FOR ANY PLAY BUT HAVE HEARD STORIES OF OTHERS WITH DETAILED MAINTENANCE AND IT HAPPENING TO THEM REGARDLESS. IT'S TOTALLY UNSAFE AND A REDESIGN SHOULD BE THOUGHT UP, NEWER GENERATIONS DO NOT HAVE THIS FAILURE PRONE ISSUE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IF THEY DO FAIL THEY DO NOT MAKE FOR A VERY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT.

THOUGHT SHOCKS WERE BAD,PUT NEW ONES ON GOTTEN BETTER ONE PAYED ALMOST A 1,000 DOLLARS FOR FOUR SHOCKS.THE MOST UNCOMFORTABLE RIDE I HAVE EVER IN COUNTER, YOU FI'LL EVERY BUMP AND ANYTHING ELSE IN THE HIGHWAYS. SURELY THIS IS NOT THE WAY IT IS SUPPOSED TO RIDE,.I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA OF ANY STYLE FOR THIS REASON EVER AGAIN. UNHAPPY OWNER

2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME ROT. REAR SUSPENTION IS SEPERATING FROM THE FRAME, MIDDLE OF THE FRAME HAS A 2 FOOT SECTION MISSING, AND THE FRONT OF FRAME RIGHT BY THE FIREWALL HAS BIG ROT HOLES IN IT. THE TRUCK IS BECOMING UN SAFE TO DRIVE AND HARD TO CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS

I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED ACROSS THE CENTER LINE FROM THE REAR END.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO WOBBLE AND THE CONTACT HEARD A CLUNKING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED A METAL BAR HANGING FORM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTED AND DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 142,491.

I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE RECENTLY AND WAS TAKING IT TO HAVE IT SAFETY INSPECTED. DRIVING DOWN A CURVY ROAD, THE VEHICLE BECAME DIFFICULT TO STEER STRAIGHT. A LOUD THUNKING NOISE WAS COMING FROM THE PASSENGER REAR QUARTER. UPON INSPECTION IT BECAME APPARENT THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR LOWER 4 LINK FRAME ATTACHMENT TOWER (JUST FORWARD OF THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR WHEEL AND TIRE) HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THIS CONDITION SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY SEVERE METAL DETERIORATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT, HIDING ITSELF UNTIL IT PERFORATED THE FRAME. ON FURTHER INSPECTION THE FRAME WAS FOUND TO BE PERFORATED ALL ALONG THE LOWER INSIDE WALL - FROM THE 4 LINK TOWER TO THE MIDDLE CROSSMEMBER ATTACH POINT . THIS AREA OF THE FRAME IS ADJACENT TO THE MUFFLER AND IS EXPOSED TO EXAGGERATED THERMAL CYCLING ON A DAILY BASIS. SOME METALLURGICAL REACTION TO THIS CONDITION IS CAUSING EXTREME CORROSION OF THE FRAME RAILS TO THE POINT OF FAILURE. THIS IS HAPPENING TO A LOT OF 1999 TO 2003 4RUNNERS IN THE SAME EXACT SPOT AND IT'S GOING TO GET SOMEONE SERIOUSLY HURT OR KILLED. MANY PEOPLE ARE UNAWARE ANYTHING IS AMISS UNTIL THEY POKE AROUND THE AREA OF THE INSIDE FRAME RAIL.

FATAL LOWER CONTROL ARM BRACKET CORROSION-

IN A GRADUAL LEFT HAND TURN AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE REAR IDLER ASSEMBLY ARM AT THE FRAME CONNECTION SEPARATED (BROKE DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST PER CERTIFIED MECHANIC), CAUSING DRAMATIC BODY ROLL AND A NEAR DEADLY HEAD ON COLLISION WITH ON COMING TRAFFIC. ROLL OVER POTENTIAL WAS ALSO GREATLY INCREASED, AS NEEDED CORRECTION WAS EMPLOYED TO AVOID HEAD ON COLLISION - WHICH CREATED OVER STEER TO BE APPLIED TO COUNTER BALANCE SUDDEN ALMOST UNCONTROLLABLE SPONTANEOUS BODY ROLL.

WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD, THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY UNSTABLE. VEHICLE BEGAN TO WOBBLE BACK AND FORTH UNCONTROLLABLY.HAD TO COME TO A SUDDEN STOP TO REGAIN CONTROL. GOT THE VEHICLE HOME TO FIND OUT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED COMPLETELY THROUGH ALLOWING THE SWAY BAR TO DROP ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.

I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND ALL OF THE SUDDEN MY CAR STARTED TO BOUNCE LEFT AND RIGHT AND COULDN'T STOP IT. I PULLED OVER AND INSPECTED THE CAR .WHEN I CHECKED THE REAR SUSPENSION I'VE SEEN THAT THE ENTIRE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE STABILIZATION BAR ON THE DRIVER SIDE WAS COMPLETELY BROKEN DUE TO RUSTED FRAME. I NEVER SEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS BEFORE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE . I TOOK THE CAR TO A TOYOTA DEALER IN LIBERTIVILLE IL AND AFTER THEY INSPECTED THE CAR THEY TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE BUT UNFORTUNATELY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO AT THIS TIME AS A DEALER CAUSE TOYOTA DOES NOT A HAVE A RECALL ON TOYOTA 4 RUNNERS BUT THERE IS A RECALL WITH THE SAME ISSUES ON OTHER MODELS LIKE TACOMA OR TUNDRA. THIS IS RIDICULOUS . WHAT AM I GOING TO DO WITH THIS CAR NOW. I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT I TOOK THE CAR TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP IN MY AREA AND WHEN THEY SEEN IT THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN NOT WELD THE FRAME AT THIS POINT CAUSE THE ENTIRE FRAME IS ROUTED AND ITS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE THE CAR. SO MY CAR IS TRASH NOW . THANKS TOYOTA *TR

SAFETY ISSUE DO TO FRAME ROT.. COMMON ISSUE WITH 3RD GEN TOYOTA RUNNERS. BOUGHT THE TRUCK NEW, AND NOW MY INVESTMENT IS AT RISK BECAUSE TOYOTA MAKES VEHICLES WITH POOR STEAL AND THE US DOT WILL NOT STEP UP AND FORCE THEM TO CORRECT THE ISSUE. *JS

WHILE HAVING AN OIL CHANGE DONE MY MECHANIC NOTICED SEVER FRAM RUST, SOME SPOTS GO RIGHT THROUGH FRAM. I KNOW TOYOTA RECALLED MANY VECHILES FOR THIS SO I CALL TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY CAN DO NOTHING FOR ME, THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT IT. THEY SAID IF I WANTED IT LOOKED AT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY! SOUNDS LIKE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE MORE PROBLEMS BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JS

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED ROCKING VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH.I APPLIED ON THE BRAKES GENTLY AND THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN BUT WOULD NOT STOP SHAKING, ALMOST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER ON ITS SIDE. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING MY HEAD WAS SMASHED AGAINST THE SIDE WINDOW MULTIPLE TIMES, CAUSING A CONCUSSION AND CUTS TO MY HEAD AND BODY. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AFTER NEARLY BEING HIT BY ON COMING CARS I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SHOULDER, WHILE HITTING THE GUARD RAIL AS I CAME TO A STOP. AFTER I GATHERED MY THOUGHTS AND WHEN IT WAS SAFE, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THE REAR CONTROL ARM BECAME COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF RUST ON THE FRAME. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR ISSUES AND FOUND THAT THE TOYOTA TUNDRA, TOYOTA SEQUOIA, AND VARIOUS OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME YEAR THAT SHARE THE SAME FRAME AS MY CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED BY TOYOTA DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FAIL AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I CALLED TOYOTA EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. SINCE MY CAR SHARES THE SAME FRAME AS THE OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED WIT THE SAME FRAME AS MINE AND IT'S FAILURE HAS CAUSED MYSELF PHYSICAL HARM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHERS TO OCCUR. FURTHERMORE,SINCE THE CAR IS NOW UNDRIVABLE AND UNSAFE WITHOUT THE FRAME REPLACEMENT THAT IT NEEDS FROM TOYOTA, I FEEL THAT THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SAME RECALL BECAUSE THE SAME THREATS HUMAN LIFE ARE CURRENTLY PRESENT TO OTHERS AND THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN IS KNOWN BY TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. *JS

MY 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING CAR AND PULLED SEVERELY TO LEFT. SHE WAS ABLE TO CONTROL CAR AND SLOW DOWN, DRIVE CAR HOME. I HAD MECHANIC LOOK AT IT AND SAID FRAME HAD ROOTED AND STABILIZATION BAR BROKE LOOSE CAR CAN NOT BE FIXED AND IS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THIS SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS YEAR 4 RUNNER TOYOTA IS AWARE OF IT AND REFUSES TO TAKE ANY RESPONSIBILITY. VERY DANGEROUS. IF MY DAUGHTER WAS TRAVELING ANY FASTER VEHICLE COULD HAVE FLIPPED OVER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, A LOUD CLUNKING NOISE SOUNDED OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND SUDDENLY THE REAR WHEELS LOCKED WHICH CAUSED THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE TO SKID ACROSS THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY TWENTY FEET. IN ADDITION, FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEALER WHERE THEY BOTH INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL FRACTURED DUE TO RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY THE AUTHORIZED DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THEY PROVIDED FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TOWARDS THE REPAIR. A FEW MONTHS AFTER THE REPAIR, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO PASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST THROUGHOUT THE FRAME AND REAR DIFFERENTIAL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 125,000.

TODAY, OBSERVED SIGNIFICANT RUST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE LONGITUDINAL FRAME MEMBER. THE FRAME RAIL WAS PERFORATED FOR ~24 INCHES ON THE BOTTOM, INSIDE OF THE RAIL, NEXT TO THE MUFFLER AND UP TO AND INCLUDING THE MOUNTING POINT FOR THE REAR WHEEL LOWER CONTROL ARM. THE RAIL WAS PERFORATED TO A WIDTH OF UP TO ~1 INCH. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME AND AM REPORTING IT AS IT COULD BE SAFETY ISSUE. I HAVE REVIEWED DESCRIPTIONS AND PICTURES OF THIS ISSUE ON WWW.TOYOTA-4RUNNER.ORG FORUM AND FOUND THAT THERE ARE MULTIPLE OCCURRENCES OF FRAME PERFORATION IN THIS EXACT LOCATION ON 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS (SEARCH "FRAME RUST" OR I CAN PROVIDE LINKS). I CALLED THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE CENTER AND INFORMED THEM OF THE ISSUE (CASE#110-621-0707) AND THEY INDICATED THAT TOYOTA DOES NOT HAVE AN ONGOING PROGRAM TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE.

TOYOTA 4-RUNNER 2000, AXLE CENTER WAS TOTALLY BROKEN. *BF WHILE DRIVING, THE CONSUMER SUDDENLY FELT THE VEHICLE BEND TO THE RIGHT AND LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. *JB

TOYOTA 4-RUNNER 2000, AXLE CENTER WAS TOTALLY BROKEN. *BF WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO FELL ABNORMAL, THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A DIVIDER. *JB

BOUNCING OF VEHICLE FROM REAR END. *AK

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 45-50 MILE PER HOUR IN SLIGHT RAIN. ALL OF THE SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SLIDE TO THE LEFT AND HIT THE MIDDLE GUARD RAIL AND AND ROLLED OVER. THIS WAS NOT HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME. IT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE WHEN THE VEHICLE ONLY A MONTH OLD(1500 MILES). I TOOK BACK TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT IT 'S JUST OUT OF SPECS AND ON THE REPAIR STATEMENT DID NOT SHOWN THAT IT HAS BEEN FIXED OR NOT.*AK