2000 Toyota 4Runner UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
FRAME IS RUSTING TO BEYOND REPAIR AND NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE
THE REAR FRAME BROKE AND THE SHOCK TOWER BROKE OFF DUE TO RUST. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY AND A LOUD BANG WHEN IT LET GO TEARING OFF THE EXHAUST L.
FRAME IS GETTING MANY LARGE RUST HOLES
THE REAR FRAME ON MY VEHICLE HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND HAS BROKEN IN HALF. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE CAUSING ME TO NEARLY LOOSE CONTROLE OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE READ WHERE A GREAT MANY OF THE 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS HAVE HAD FAULTY FRAMES .
THE ENTIRE FRAME OF MY TOYOTA HAS RUSTED AND IS BECOMING UNSAFE. THERE ARE GIANT HOLES IN THE FRAME WHERE RUST HAS EATEN IT AWAY. THE REST OF THE 4RUNNER IS PERFECTLY BRAND NEW AND FINE. I AM WORRIED THAT THE FRAME WILL BREAK AT ANY MOMENT CAUSING CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY WOULD NOT REPLACE FRAME OR HELP IN ANYWAY. THE FRAME NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND REPLACED BY TOYOTA. IT IS A KNOWN ISSUE ON MOST OF THEIR TRUCKS FROM THE 2000S. THEY JUST HAVEN'T BEEN FORCED TO RECALL THIS MODEL/YEAR. PLEASE HELP!
FRAME ROTTED
THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN DETERMINED TO BE 'CATASTROPHIC' BY THE DEALER MECHANIC AS THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS NEARLY COMPLETELY ROTTED. IT HAS BEEN STORED MOSTLY IN A GARAGE OVER THE LAST 8 YEARS!!! OUR TEENAGE DAUGHTER COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED DRIVING THIS CAR!
MECHANIC FOUND FRAME RAIL ROT NO OTHER RUST OR CORROSION I TOOK TO SEVERAL PLACES IN TOWN SUURPRISED NOT A RECALL WAS EVERY RESPONSE
THE FRAME ON MY 2000 4 RUNNER IS RUSTED THROUGH. I BROUGHT IT TO GET WORK DONE IT BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND HE WOULDN'T PUT IT ON THE LIFT BECAUSE THE FRAME IS SO ROTTEN.
TOYATA SERVICE DEPARTMENT REPORTING SEVERE RUSTING OF THE FRAME ON THE 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, RENDERING VEHICLE UNSAFE.
FRAME RUST FOUND NEXT TO MUFFLER ON PASSENGER SIDE AND NEXT TO GAS TANK ON DRIVER SIDE. HAS RUSTED THROUGH AND CONTROL ARM IS ALMOST BROKEN OFF. REQUEST FRAME REPLACEMENT.
FRAME HAS COMPLETELY ROTTED OUT
2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS HAVING SWAY BAR LINK REPLACED AND MECHANIC NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST IN REAR SECTION OF FRAMEON BOTH SIDES,PARTICULARLY AROUND SUSPENSION,INSIDE OF REAR FRAME RAILS,MASSIVE SECTIONS OF FRAME RAIL AFFECTED,AND HOLES/CRACKS IN FRAME. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM,MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP,LOVE LEXUS OF ST ALBANS,WEST VIRGINIA,THEY SCHEDULED ME AN APPTMNT TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE.WHEN I ARRIVED,THEY DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO RACK THE VEHICLE,I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO FIX IT FOR $7000.00,AND GIGGLED AT BY THE SERVICE MANAGER. I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH A DEALERSHIP AGAIN.HE TOLD ME IF IT WAS A TACOMA THEY WOULD REPAIR IT OR BUY IT BACK,BUT SINCE IT WAS A 4RUNNER, IWAS OUT OF LUCK.WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY TIED UP IN THIS VEHICLE,AND NO OPTIONS TO REPLACE IT, I NOW HAVE TAKEN IT FROM MY SON AND I AM DRIVING THIS DEATH TRAP MYSELF,ANDCANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE MOST TRUSTED BRAND I EVER KNEW,ONE I HAVE BEEN SHAMELESSLY PROMOTING AND DRIVING FOR OVER 20 YEARS IS TURNING THEIR BACK ON LOYAL CUSTOMERS.I HAVE A FRIEND WHOSE 1999 TACOMA,OLDER THAN MY 4RUNNER,WAS BOUGHT BACK BY THEM THE YEAR BEFORE LAST(THEY GAVE HIM $14,000 FOR HIS TRUCK,WHICH WASRUSTED IN HALF). IF YOU(NHTSA) ARE GOING TO DO NOTHING, I HOPE THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS FILED SOON SO I CAN JOIN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR SUCH BRAZEN DISREGARD FOR SAFETY.I HAVE SEEN SO MANY CASES OF THIS PROBLEM IT IS OUTRAGEOUS.AFTER THE RECIEPT OF MY TAXES I WILL PARK THE VEHICLE,AND REPLACE IT FOR SAFETY CONCERNS.BUT I WILL NOT GET RID OF IT,NOT YET I WANT TOYOTA TO KNOW HOW I FEEL,AND IF THAT MEANS I PARK IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR SHOWROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WALK AWAY,SO BE IT.BUT I WILL WAIT A WHILE,AND HOPE THEY DO THE RIGHT THING.I OWN A 1993 4RUNNER,AND ITS FRAME IS PERFECT.WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS?I HAVE LOST OVER $5000 AND NOW OWN A HEAP OF JUNK.
THE FRAME RUSTED AND THE SWAY BAR MOUNT BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR.
FRAME RUSTING AWAY. UNSAFE TO DRIVE
I HAVE A 2000 4RUNNER THAT THE FRAME RUSTED OUT MAKING IT UNSAFE. TRUCKS OF THIS YEAR WERE RECALLED FOR SAME THING. SEEM A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE THIS PROBLEM. CAN WE GET SOME HELP? FRAME BROKE WHEN FORCED TO STOP HARD WHEN CAR PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME. NEVER DREAMED THE FRAME WAS THIS BAD.
MY WIFE WAS COMING FROM WITH AND WAS GETTING ON INTERSTATE WHEN CAR STARTED SWAYING UNCONTROLLABLE WHEN I LOOKED AT IT THE ARM THAT HOLDS THE REAR END HAD ROTED OFF GOOD THING SHE WAS NOT UP TO SPEED
FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH.
THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE ACCORDING TO NYSDMV MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IN SEVERAL PLACES COMPROMISING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS ABSURD AS I HAVE OLDER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME MILEAGE IN THE SAME APPARENT EXTERIOR CONDITION. THAT ARE SOLID AND INSPECTABLE. SO NOW I MUST PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OR SELL IT AS PARTS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THIS FRAME LIKE THEY HAVE WITH THEIR OTHER VEHICLES.
FRAME RUSTING THROUGH IN FRONT OF VEHICLE....TOYOTA RECALLED THEIR TACOMA TRUCK, WHICH USES THE SAME FRAME AND RUNNING GEAR, BUT NO RECALL ON THE 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS WHICH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH FRAME RUST AS THE TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND SOMETHING "SNAPPED" UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE 4 RUNNER. AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS SAID THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.
FRAME IS RUST OUT
DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL THE OTHER DAY AND I HEAR A LOUD THUD AND NEXT THING I KNOW MY EXHAUST STARTS GETTING LOUDER AND MY REAR END STARTS TO SHAKE BACK AND FORTH LIKE MY CAR WAS FISHTAILING BUT WITHOUT SPINNING THE TIRES. IT GOT HARD TO STEAR AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. I FIGURED I WOULD STOP BY TO SEE WHAT A MECHANIC WOULD SAY. HE PUT MY 4RUNNER UP ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME THE MULTIPLE RUST HOLES THAT ATE APART MY FRAME. ALSO THE PART THAT CONNECTS THE REAR AXLE TO THE FRAME RUSTED OUT AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME LEAVING MY AXLE TO SHAKE AROUND AND FALL OUT IF I KEEP DRIVING IT. BEING 17 YEARS OLD I SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON THIS TOYOTA BECAUSE I FIGURED THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST CARS AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BACK AND FORTH FROM PLACE TO PLACE. ONLY HAVING 129,000 MILES THIS 4RUNNER SHOULD NOT BE FALLING APART AND UNDRIVABLE. I DON'T HAVE THE INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPLACE THE FRAME SO NOW I'M WITHOUT A CAR. THANKS TOYOTA. I THINK I'M GOING TO GIVE MY BUSINESS TO HONDA NEXT TIME.
TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE. SHOP MECHANIC CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE INSIDE AND BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WHERE THE REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE IS IN OTHERWISE FANTASTIC CONDITION AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. HE INFORMED ME THAT FRAME ISSUES IN THE EARLY 2000S PLAGUES MANY TOYOTA VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 4RUNNER. HE SAID THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT ALL IN ITS CURRENT STATE. I WANT TOYOTA TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS TO AFFECT MOST 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS AND IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE ONLY WARNING SIGN IS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.
THERE WAS NO INCIDENT, THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES. I BROUGHT MY 4RUNNER IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, NOT TO THE RUDY LUTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GOLDEN VALLEY, MN, WHERE I NORMALLY BRING FOR REGULAR SERVICE, BUT TO MINNETONKA AUTO. THEY NOTICED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES, VERY VISIBLY... I COULD STICK MY HAND IN THE RUSTED HOLES. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY AND RECOMMENDED I CONTACT TOYOTA DIRECTLY. THERE IS NO RUST ON THE BODY OF MY TRUCK, JUST THE FRAME. THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME TO TOYOTA CORPORATE. TOYOTA CORPORATE SAID THEY HAD NO PROGRAMS FOR THE 4RUNNER, AND COULDNT OFFER ME ANY OTHER OPTIONS OR SOLUTIONS, OTHER THAN CONTACT YOUR DEALERSHIP. I CALLED RUDY LUTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GOLDEN VALLEY, MN AGAIN, THEY SAID THEY HAVE OTHER CASES, BUT CORPORATE WASNT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I GUESS THEY ARE WAITING FOR A FEW PEOPLE TO DIE FIRST, BEFORE SPENDING ANY $$ TO FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE FRAMES.
I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE WORK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME IS RUSTED AND IS UNSAFE. I LOOKED INTO THIS AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD MANY RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. THE 4-RUNNER THAT I OWN DOES NOT HAVE THE RECALL. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SO I WANTED TO FILE ONE AS WELL. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE ISSUE IS PREVALENT IN THESE VEHICLES. MANY 4-RUNNER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE.
Trend Over Time
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Quick Summary
The 2000 Toyota 4Runner has 37 UNKNOWN OR OTHER complaints on file. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.