2002 Toyota 4Runner Suspension

FRAME IS RUSTED. DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE

THE VEHICLE IS IN IMPECCABLE CONDITION. THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH IN THE AREA OF THE PASSENGER SIDE ABOVE THE TRAILING ARMS AND THE MIDDLE SECTION OF THE RAIL. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2006 AND HAVE BABIED THE VEHICLE.

ON MY 2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER THE BRACKET WELDED TO THE FRAME FOR REAR TRAILING ARM ON DRIVERS SIDE RUSTED OFF CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO SWAY AND ACT VERY STRANGE. LOTS OF OTHER PLACES RUSTED BAD ON FRAME ALSO!

REAR SWAYBAR RUSTED FROM FRAME CAUSING 4RUNNER TO WOBBLE EXCESSIVLY ALMOST CAUSING ME TO WRECK. THAT SIDE OF FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY.

THE REAR BODY MOUNT BUSHINGS ARE COMPLETELY RUSTED AWAY AND DO NOT HOLD THE FRAME TO THE BODY DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRAME BODY RUST THRU OUT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME. MAKES NOISE WHEN TURNING OR GOING OVER BUMPS

FRAME IS RUSTING OUT

I HAVE A 2002 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER THAT WAS TAKEN IN FOR YEARLY STATE INSPECTION AND THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THAT THE FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH. HE STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND A REJECTION STICKER HAS BEEN PLACED ON THE VEHICLE. NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NOW. THE VEHICLE STILL LOOKS AND RUNS VERY WELL, BUT UNABLE TO DRIVE.

THE FRAME ON THE 2002 4-RUNNER HAS COMPLETELY CORRODED AND CAUSED THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO DEEM THE VEHICLE UNSAFE FOR DRIVING. EVEN THOUGH THIS A RECOGNIZED DESIGN FAILURE, TOYOTA REFUSES TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACEMENT. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED TUNDRA MODELS FOR THIS DEFECT, BUT REFUSES TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE 4-RUNNER DESIGN FLAW SINCE IT WAS MANUFACTURED COMPLETELY AT THEIR HINO JAPAN PLANT. *TR

RUST PERFORATION IN RIGHT SIDE REAR FRAME RAIL ACROSS FROM FUEL TANK INBOARD SIDE. I UNDERSTAND TOYOTA HAS ALREADY RECALLED THE TACOMA (SAME YEAR) FOR THE SAME ISSUES HOWEVER HAS NOT RECALLED THE 4RUNNER. CAR WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION NOR CAN DEALER REPAIR. *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS LEAKING FLUID. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR AXLE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. AS A RESULT, FLUIDS WERE LEAKING THROUGH THE REAR AXLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 152,000.

VEHICLE IS NOT HANDLING RIGHT; BODY FEELS VERY LOOSE AND UNSTABLE GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD. TOOK IT TO A TOYOTA REPAIR SHOP WHO INDICATED THAT FRONT, RIGHT LOWER BALL JOINT WAS LOOSE, WORN AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THAT BALL JOINT WAS ALREADY REPLACED BY THE DEALER WHEN PURCHASED IN 8/05 AS PART OF THE MANUFACTURER'S RECALL. TOOK VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE THE WORK WAS ORIGINALLY DONE AND AFTER 3 HOURS THEY CONFIRMED THAT THE BALL JOINT DID NEED REPLACING. HOWEVER THERE IS ONLY A 1 YEAR WARRANTY ON THE REPLACEMENT AND THEY WANTED OVER $400 TO REPLACE IT. SO YOU'RE TELLING ME THAT I GET OVER 4 YEARS ON AN ALLEGEDLY DEFECTIVE BALL JOINT BUT ONLY 2 YEARS ON THE SUPPOSEDLY GOOD ONE? *TR UPDATED 09/28/07. *JB

2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER RECALL- LOWER BALL JOINT CUSTOMER WANTS TO KNOW IF TECHS ARE REQUIRED TO BE CERTIFIED MECHANICS AND HAVE CERTIFICATION FROM TOYOTA ON THE DIAGNOSIS AND REPAIR OF TOYOTA VEHICLES**CC *TR

2002 4RUNNER WAS UNSTABLE AFTER PURCHASE, CONSUMER HAD TIRES REPLACED AND AN ALIGNMENT. FRONT AND REAR TIRES BLEW OUT. CONSUMER RECEIVED LETTER OF FRONT SUSPENSION BALL JOINTS AFTER ACCIDENT OCCURRED. *TS *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE RECALL WORK FOR NHTSA RECALL # 05V225000, PERTAINING TO THE LOWER BALL JOINT, WAS UNABLE TO BE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE WITHIN THE NOTED 24 HOURS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SERVICE DEALER WHO DETERMINED THE REPAIR WOULD TAKE 2 DAYS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DEALER REFUSED TO PROVIDE A LOANER VEHICLE DURING THAT TIME. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS CONSULTED, WHO WAS UNABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONSULTED, WHO OFFERED TO SEND OUT PAPERWORK FOR AN INVESTIGATION.

ON APRIL 17TH AT 5:45 AM WHILE DRIVING ON I-465, I FELT A LOSS OF STEERING IN THE WHEEL. I DID NOTHING TO THE WHEEL, AS ONE WOULD NORMALLY DO WHEN DRIVING ON ICE. I WAS DRIVING IN THE MIDDLE LANE, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN CAREENED OFF THE ROAD. A CARMEL POLICE OFFICER CAME TO THE SCENE AND AN ACCIDENT REPORT WAS ENTERED. FRONT BALL JOINT(S) FAILED AND FRONT WHEEL FOLDED UNDER VEHICLE; THIS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF STEERING AND CRASH ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE HIT THE CONCRETE HIGHWAY DIVIDER AND THEN BOUNCED ACROSS THE INTERSTATE AND OFF THE ROAD. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS EXAMINED AT THE REPAIR FACILITY IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE BALL JOINT. IT APPEARS THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT(S) WERE NOT REPLACED. THE OLD ASSEMBLY(S) DO NOT APPEAR TO HAVE BEEN TOUCHED. THERE IS A CONSISTENT PATTERN OF RUST ON THE ASSEMBLY(S) AND NUTS THAT HAVE NOT BEEN DISTURBED. I SPOKE WITH A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND WAS TOLD THAT MY VEHICLE ID WAS A PART OF THE RECALL SSC 50J OR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 05V225000. I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT THE WORK HAD BEEN COMPLETED AT OBRIEN TOYOTA ON SEPTEMBER 9TH 2005. THE SSC 50J COMPLETION LABEL WAS NOT APPLIED TO THE VEHICLE. I CALLED THE DEALERSHIP THE FIRST PART OF MAY AND SPOKE WITH THE SERVICE MANAGER, DAN JOHNSON, WHO ASSURED ME THAT THE PART HAD BEEN REPLACED ON BOTH FRONT SUSPENSIONS. HE STATED THAT THIS SERVICE WAS PERFORMED BY JOE, WHO WAS ONE OF HIS BEST MECHANICS. MY COMPLAINT IS EITHER THAT THE RECALLED PART WAS NOT REPLACED OR THAT THE REPLACEMENT PART DOES NOT WORK. *JB

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED HAVING OTHER PROBLEMS AFTER RECALL #05V225000 REGARDING SUSPENSION: FRONT: CONTROL ARM: LOWER BALL JOINT WAS PERFORMED IN 07/06. DURING THE MONTH OF 08/06, THERE WAS A BEEPING SOUND AND AN UNKNOWN LIGHT ON THE DASHBOARD ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY, WHEN THE VEHICLE MADE LEFT TURNS, OR SWITCHED LANES. THIS OCCURRED MANY TIMES, PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT WHICH OCCURRED ON 08/28/06. WHILE CHANGING LANES AT 55 MPH ON A DRY HIGHWAY ON 08/28/06, THE STEERING WHEEL AND BRAKES LOCKED UP. ALSO, A VIBRATION WAS FELT COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL. THE VEHICLE PULLED OVER AND WAS TURNED OFF. IT RESTARTED IMMEDIATELY AND THE STEERING WHEEL UNLOCKED. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE FOLLOWING DAY, THE CONTACT DROVE TO WORK, CONTACTED THE DEALER WHO HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP. THE SERVICE MANAGER DETERMINED THAT THE PROBLEMS WAS DUE TO THE REAR BRAKES. BOTH REAR BRAKES WERE REPLACED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. WHEN DRIVEN OUT OF THE PARKING LOT, THE BEEPING AND STEERING LOCKING HAD STOPPED, BUT THE VEHICLE BEGAN PULLING TO THE RIGHT. A PASSERBY ALERTED THE CONTACT THAT PART OF THE STEEL BELTS WAS STICKING OUT OF BOTH FRONT TIRES. ON 09/29/06, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO REPLACED THE FRONT TIRES AND DETERMINED THAT THE FRONT ALIGNMENT WAS IN THE NEGATIVE. ON 09/29/06, ANOTHER DEALERSHIP WAS CONTACTED, AND DETERMINED THAT AN INVESTIGATION WOULD BE CONDUCTED. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED THAT THE RECALL WORK PERFORMED WITHOUT REALIGNMENT WAS WHAT CAUSED THE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT TIRES.

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE FROM TOYOTA CONCERNING A DEFECT WITH THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINT IN 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS (REF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER : 05V225000). I CONTACTED TOYOTA ON 9 MAY 2006 TO BEGIN THE PROCESS TO REPLACE THE DEFECTIVE PARTS. MY SITUATION IS UNIQUE. I'M IN THE MILITARY AND CURRENTLY STATIONED IN SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA. THERE ARE NO TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS IN SOUTH KOREA, HOWEVER, LEXUS (OWNED BY THE SAME PARENT COMPANY) IS LOCATED IN SEOUL. IT TOOK THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE FOLKS TIL AUG TO NOTIFY ME THAT MY ISSUE HAD BEEN FORWARDED TO TOYOTA HQ IN JAPAN FOR RESOLUTION. IN SEPTEMBER I FOLLOWED UP SINCE NO ONE HAD CONTACTED ME ABOUT THE SITUATION. I WAS TOLD BY TOYOTA THAT TOYOTA HQ HAD UP TO 4 MONTHS TO WORK THE ISSUE. TOYOTA WOULD ALSO NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE OFFICE IN JAPAN HANDLING THE ISSUE AND ALSO WOULD NOT PROVIDE THE CONTACT INFORMATION FOR THE VENDOR THAT WOULD ACCOMPLISH THE RECALL WORK. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AS I'M DRIVING MY WIFE AND ONE YEAR OLD CHILD IN THIS VEHICLE WITH AN IDENTIFIED DEFECT IN THE FRONT SUSPENSION. ANY ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE TO HAVE TOYOTA QUICKLY RESOLVE THIS MATTER WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED. *NM

MY CAR HAS BEEN SHAKING IN THE FRONT WHEN I APPLY MY BRAKES AND ALSO WHEN I GET TO A SPEED OF ABOUT 70MPH. I REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AND ROTERS ON THE CAR, KNOWING THAT THERE WAS ABSOLUTELY NOTHING WRONG WITH THEM, BUT NO MECHANIC COULD FIGURE ANYTHING ELSE OUT AND THEY GAVE THAT A SHOT. I HAVE KEPT THE ORIGINAL BRAKES AND ROTERS TO SHOW THAT THEY WERE ABSOLUTELY FINE. I HAVE SPENT A TOTAL OF ABOUT $133.00 FOR THESE REPAIRS WITH NO SUCCESS. I SEEN THE RECALL THAT WAS POSTED ON THE WORLD NEWS ON 5/17 AND THE SYMPTOMS THAT THEY WERE DESCRIBING MATCHED WHAT MY SUV WAS DOING. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS PROBLEM YET.

FRONT END FAILED VEHICLE GOT OUT OF CONTROL AND HIT THE WALL TOYOTA 4 RUNNER YR 2002