2002 Toyota 4Runner Structure

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while inspecting underneath the vehicle, he noticed that there was a hole in the subframe and that the subframe and sway bar were corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

Premature rusted frame throughout, vehicle is garaged and well maintained 117,000 miles on my 2002 Toyota 4Runner. Auto body specialist estimates $3k-$4k to restore, at least.

Frame is excessively rusted. The recall that already exists for this issue only covers certain frames from Japan made with this steel. However, the same frames were imported to America and a large percentage of 4Runners were made with the same steel and didn’t receive a recall. Mine is one of them.

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while receiving routine maintenance repair on the vehicle, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the subframe was rusted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

FRAME IS SHOWING EXCESSIVE RUST ALL OVER, A KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH 4RUNNERS AND TOYOTA TRUCKS. AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAYS VEHICLE PROBABLY HAS ONLY 1 YEAR OF LIFE LEFT BEFORE UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE. CAR HAS ONLY 100000 MILES ON IT, 1998 4RUNNER WE HAD MADE IT TO 250000 MILES- UNACCEPTABLE.

I RECENTLY HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO GET NEW TIRES. WHILE ON THE LIFT, THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS BEGINNING TO RUST THROUGH. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND AS I HAVE RESEARCHED POSSIBLE REPAIRS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED.

2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, ORIGINAL OWNER WITH ONLY 110,900 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT! VEHICLE HAS SEVERE RUST/ROT DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FRAME. EXTENDS FROM MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER TO REAR CROSS MEMBER. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY. REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY SOON, AS I'M STARTING TO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70+ MPH). THANK YOU!

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE SUBFRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. TOYOTA OF LINCOLN PARK (1561 N FREMONT ST, CHICAGO, IL 60642) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

RUST/ROT DAMAGE TO PASSENGER SIDE FRAME. EXTENDS FROM MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER TO REAR CROSS MEMBER. ALSO SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO REAR SHOCK MOUNTS. FAILED INSPECTION AS A RESULT. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY.

VERY EXCESSIVE RUSTING AND CORROSION ON THE FRAME NEAR WHERE THE LEADING ARM ATTACHES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HOLE HAS DEVELOPED VERY QUICKLY, ONLY IN THE SPAN OF A COUPLE YEARS. WHEN GOING AROUND LEFT CORNER >15MPH, A CLUNKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE PROBLEM AREA. VERY OCCASIONALLY A SIMILAR NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHEN GOING THROUGH RIGHT TURNS. VEHICLE HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, ALTHOUGH SOME TIME HAS BEEN SPENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA. REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY SOON, AS I'M STARTING TO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70+ MPH). THANK YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY. *TR

I HAVE SEEN CLASSI. CARS FROM THE 60S WITH FRAMES IN BETTER SHAPE THAN MY 4RUNNER. THE REAR CONTROL ARMS BRACKETS ARE CLOSE TO DETACHING FROM THE FRAME. RUST IS EATING THE BACK HALF OF MY FRAME. THE FRAME RAILS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND WILL SOON NEED REPLACING. THERE ARE NUMEROUS BOLTS AND HARDWARE THAT CAN NO LONGER BE USED DUE TO RUST. THE FILL PLUG ON THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HAS RUSTED AWAY AS WELL. THE QUALITY OF THIS STEEL IS ABSOLUTELY HORRIBLE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE ASHAMED OF A VEHICLE THAT HAS PROBLEMS LIKE THIS. I HAVE NEVER SEEN RUST THIS BAD ON A FRAME BEFORE.

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRAME SINCE 2008. TOYOTA REFUSED TO ADDRESS AFTER FILING FORMAL COMPLAINT. I BELIEVE LIKE TRUCKS OF SAME YEAR THAT HAD FRAMES REPLACED, 4 RUNNERS SHOULD BE INCLUDED

AT A STOP LIGHT, WENT TO DRIVE HEARD LOAD POP CLANK. VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING AND DRIVING FUNNY. LOOKED UNDER CAR AND MY CONTROL ARM ( THAT STABILIZES MY AXEL ) MOUNT RUSTED OFF. MY ENTIRE UNDER CARRIAGE IS RUSTED OUT. THE CONTROL ARM SHIFTED

VEHICLE HAS 188,400 MILES, RUNS FLAWLESSLY. BOUGHT 2005, 45K MILES,TOYOTA DEALER CERTIFIED USED SUV. ROTTED THRU REAR TRANSFER CASE 3 YRS AGO, REPLACED FROM A WRECK. SEVERE PROGRESSIVE ENTIRE FRAME RUST/ROT NOTED IN YEARLY PA INSPECTIONS, NOW CANT PASS INSPECTION & PILLARS ALMOST ROTTED THRU..UNSAFE TO DRIVE. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED CANT PULL TRAILER SAILBOAT & M'CYCLES, NOW SITS IN DRIVEWAY USELESS.

VEHICLE FRAME HAS CORRODED, FRACTURED ESPECIALLY ON PASSENGER REAR OF VEHICLE. MANY HOLES ALONG FRAME. WAS HEARING LOUD THUNKING IN REAR OF VEHICLE TOOK IT IN FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION AND FOUND THE ISSUE.

EXCESSIVE RUST ON FRAME. RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT, ON PASSENGER SIDE NEAR MUFFLER, BY REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTS. RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME. LIKELY RUSTED IN OTHER PARTS THAT ARE NOT VISIBLE.

MY 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME TO THE POINT THAT IT HAS BEEN DEEMED BY MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AS "UNSAFE TO DRIVE." IT ONLY HAS 180,000 MILES ON IT, THE RUST SHOULD NOT BE THIS EXTENSIVE.

MY 2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER FAILED MASS STATE INSPECTION DUE TO EMERGENCY BRAKE NOT ENGAGING. I IMMEDIATELY BROUGHT THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL AUTO SHOP FOR REPAIR. I WAS THEN NOTIFIED BY THE SHOP THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY ROTTED & UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THEY REFUSED TO DO ANY REPAIR TO THE E-BRAKE UNTIL THE FRAME WAS REPAIRED. I'M DEVASTATED THAT MY WELL CARED FOR VEHICLE , WITH ONLY 130,000 MILES IS NOW UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO FRAME ROT.

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON SO I TAKE MY 2002 4 RUNNER TO GET IT CHECKED. I NOTICED IT SOUNDS LIKE IT MIGHT BE A EXHAUST PROBLEM. THEN I GET THE BAD NEWS . THE FRAME EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE CORROSION. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE WAS SOME KIND OF RECALL ON THIS MATTER A FEW YEARS AGO BUT I NEVER RECEIVED A NOTICE .I PURCHASED IT USED IN 2003 SO MAYBE THE NOTICE WENT TO THE FIRST OWNER. I HAVE BEEN LIVING AT THE SAME ADDRESS SINCE I OWNED IT.

LEAVING WORK FRIDAY OF LABOR DAY WEEKEND 2018 I NOTICED THE SMELL OF GAS. MY CO-WORKER ALSO LOOKED, AND OBSERVED A PUDDLE OF GASOLINE UNDER THE CAR. SINCE THE DEALER WAS CLOSE, I TOOK THE RISK TO DRIVE IT THE DEALER. THE DEALER IS HERITAGE TOYOTA IN BALTIMORE MARYLAND. THE CAR HAS ONLY 91000 MILES ON IT. THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE CAR IS RUSTED OUT. THIS IS WHAT CAUSED THE FUEL LEAK. THE FRAME IS ALSO RUSTED OUT TO THE POINT OF NOT BEING SAFE ANYMORE. MY COMPLAINTS ARE THESE: 1. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. 2. OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS OF THE SAME YEAR ARE HAVING THEIR FRAMES REPLACED BY TOYOTA. 3. MY TOYOTA WAS SERVICED WITH ME LETTING THE DEALER DO "ANYTHING IT NEEDS". I ESTIMATE SPENDING ABOUT $15,000 AT THIS DEALER. NEVER ONCE WAS I TOLD THERE WAS A RUST PROBLEM. WITH MOUNTING REPAIRED COSTS, I TOOK IT TO ANOTHER MECHANIC WHO IMMEDIATELY RECOMMENDED THAT I TAKE THE CAR TO THE DEALER FOR ASSESSMENT. NEVER DID THE TOYOTA DEALER WARN ME ABOUT THE RUST. 4. TOYOTA WAS COMPLETELY UNINTERESTED IN HELPING. I DID FILE A COMPLAINT #1808271490

RUSTED THROUGH FRAME ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE WHERE AXLE SUPPORT CONNECTS TO FRAME. MEASURES APPROX 2.5 FEET. REAR END FEELS LOOSE WHEN NAVIGATING TURNS.

FRAME IS COMPLETLY RUSTED OUT.

FRAME DETERIORATION.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING ROUTINE SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC SHOP, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED THROUGH AND CAUSED THE TAILPIPE TO DETACH. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 168,000. ..*BF *JB

MY FRAME IS SUFFERING FROM PREMATURE AND EXCESSIVE RUSTING, AS IS COMMONLY REPORTED AMONG OTHER EARLY TO MID 2000'S 4RUNNER OWNERS. THE MOST SEVERE AREA IS THE RADIATOR SUPPORTS. I AM FILING THIS COMPLAINT SO IT IS REGISTERED AMONG THE MANY COMPLAINTS RECEIVED ABOUT THIS ISSUE. I'D BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION IF NEEDED, BUT I'M PRETTY SURE THERE HAVE ALREADY BEEN A LOT OF REPORTS OF THIS SINCE THERE'S NOW AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE ISSUE.