2003 Toyota 4Runner Suspension

EXTREME RUST AND CORROSION IN FRAME, SUSPENSION COMPONENTS. THIS WILL LEAD TO CATASTROPHIC FAILURE AT SOME POINT IF HOLES AND FRAME DETERIORATION IS NOT ADDRESSED QUICKLY.

VEHICLE WOULD NOT PASS NEW YORK STATE INSPECTION. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED TWICE. ONCE BY A NATIONAL AUTO CHAIN, AND BY A TOYOTA DEALER. THE REASON FOR FAILURE IN BOTH CASES WAS, RUSTED CRACKED FRAME RAILS. THE DEALER GAVE A VERBAL ESTIMATE FOR REPAIR OF $21,500. ($12,250 PARTS $12,250 LABOR)

THE REAR AXLE ASSY MOUNT BRACKET RUSTED STRAIGHT THROUGH AND IT DOES A LOUD CLUNKY NOISE WHILE DRIVING. BROUGHT IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE ASSY, IT CANT BE FIXED. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM DOWN SOUTH, THERES LITERALLY NO BODY RUST, BUT THE FRAME IS ALMOST ALL CHEWED AWAY. I ALSO CANT PASS NY INSPECTION UNTIL I GET IT FIXED, WHICH WILL COST MORE THAN I PAID FOR THE CAR.

FRAME ROT AND UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION NEW EVEN THOUGH I HAVE KEPT THIS TRUCK IN PRISTINE CONDITION. IT IS A REAL SHAME THE DON'T USE BETTER STEEL.

I WAS DRIVING MY 2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER ABOUT 1 MILE FROM MY HOME WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE WAS A LOUD POP AND THE 4 RUNNER RAISED UP IN THE REAR LIKE A CAT AND THERE WAS ANOTHER LOUD BANG AND I WAS STOPPED DEAD IN MY TRACKS ALMOST GETTING THROWN INTO THE WINDSHIELD AND DASH. THE 4 RUNNER WOULD NOT MOVE, AND THERE WAS A LOUD POPPING NOISE AGAINST THE FLOORBOARD AND ALSO ON THE GROUND. I GOT OUT AND LOOKED UNDER THE REAR AND SAW ALL THE DAMAGE AND WHAT CAUSED IT. THE CAUSE WAS COMPLETE RUST, I HAVE NEVER SAW A VEHICLE RUST THAT FAST THAT BADLY. IT WAS FINE IN THE SPRING WHEN I WASHED IT AND UNDERNEATH IT AS I ALWAYS DO AFTER WINTER. THE REAR END WAS RUSTED SO BAD IT WOULD CRUMBLE IN YOUR HANDS THE WHOLE UNDERSIDE WAS IN THE SAME SHAPE. THE GAS TANK GUARD WAS HALF RUSTED AWAY THE FRAME WAS COVERED IN RUST, EVERY PIECE OF METAL UNDER THE 4 RUNNER WAS BADLY RUSTED. NOW BACK TO THE DAMAGE THAT WAS CAUSED, THE BIG BAR THAT CONNECTED THE REAR END TO THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE HAD RUSTED COMPLETELY OFF AND THE REAR END SHIFTED BACK AND DOWN PULLING OUT THE DRIVE SHAFT AND IT STUCK INTO THE PAVEMENT MAKING THE 4 RUNNER SUDDENLY STOP. THE BIG BAR ON THE DRIVERS SIDE BENT DOWN FROM THE FORCE BENDING IT AND THE SHOCKS PULLING THE RUBBER BRAKE LINES LOOSE AND BENDING THE METAL BRAKE LINES. THE FRONT OF THE REAR END WAS CRACKED IN A LONG LINE ON THE FRONT. THIS IS A LOT OF DAMAGE DUE TO RUST FROM INFERIOR METAL WHICH TOYOTA FIXED ON THEIR TRUCKS WHICH THE FRAME IS THE SAME. THEY NEED TO RECALL THESE VEHICLES BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED OR HURT. THIS 4 RUNNER ONLY HAS 102375 MILES AND SHOULD NOT BE IN THIS SHAPE. I HAVE 84, 91, AND 94 FORDS THAT DO NOT HAVE THIS RUST. I CAN'T HELP BUT THINK WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD BEEN DOING 55 OR MORE ON A FOUR LANE ROAD WHEN THIS BROKE OFF. MY GRAND SONS OR I COULD HAVE BEEN KILLED OR SOMEONE ELSE. RECALL

FRAME RUSTING OUT. WAS TOLD COULD NOT DRIVE OF DEALERS LOT AFTER BEING BROUGHT IN FOR BREAK JOB.

2003 4RUNNER HAS SIGNIFICANT FRAME RUST AND IS A COMMON AND WELL KNOWN PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS ACKNOWLEDGED THE SAME PROBLEM WITH OTHER SIMILAR MODELS. TOYOTA HAS TAKEN ACTION ON OTHER MODELS BUT WILL NOT WITH THE 4RUNNERS WITH SAME FRAME.

ETENSIVE UNDERCARRIAGE RUSTING.

MY 2003 4RUNNER FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AT THE REAR TRAILING ARM SUPPORT AND HALF WAY DOWN THE RAIL. THIS 4RUNNER IS IN PERFECT SHAPE AND ONLY HAS 200K. TOYOTAS WERE SUPPOSED TO LASS FOR A LOT LONGER THAT'S WHY WE BOUGHT IT. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE AND CORRECTED JUST LIKE THE OTHER FRAME PROBLEMS TOYOTA HAS DEALT WITH IN THE PAST!!

AFTER AN INSPECTION BY OUR MECHANIC WE WERE INFORMED THAT OUR 2003 4RUNNER'S FRAME RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE LOCATIONS AND WILL BE DRIVABLE FOR A LIMITED TIME. WE ARE AN ORIGINAL OWNERS, THE CAR HAS BEEN MAINTAINED BY A PROFESSIONAL MECHANIC AND HAS BEEN GARAGED ITS ENTIRE LIFE.

EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME AND UNDER STRUCTURE OF THE VEHICLE FOR A 2003 4RUNNER LIMITED. NOTICED DURING INSPECTION 10/19/17 AND PRIOR YEARS.

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING AND THIRD MEANDER ARE EXTREMELY RUSTED I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY KNOW THERE IS A ISSUE WITH RUST ON SOME 4RUNNERS BUT THEY ARE NOT RECALLING THEM

FRAME RUSTING UNDERNEATH THE REAR OF VEHICLE. HAPPENED WITHIN THE LAST YEAR BECAUSE WHEN THE AUTO WAS INSPECTED IN 5/2016 THE RUST WAS NOT THERE.

2003 4RUNNER FAILED INSPECTION DUE TO ROTTING FRAME. RECALL WAS AVAILABLE ON THE TUNDRA'S TACOMA'S AND SEQUOIA'S. WHY NOT THE 4RUNNERS?

THE REAR SWAY BAR AND AXLE HAVE ROTTED OUT. THE SWAY BAR DROPPED TO THE GROUND WHILE DRIVING AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL STABILIZER ARM WAS RUSTED AND DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 182,835.

ON 10/03/16 I TOOK MY 4-RUNNER TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP FOR FRONT END BRAKE REPLACEMENT. A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER, I CONTACTED THE REPAIR SHOP AN ASKED THEM TO ALSO REPLACE ALL SHOCK ABSORBERS, WHICH THEY AGREED TO DO. LATER, I WENT TO THE SHOP AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE AND FRAME WERE SEVERLY CORRODED AND DID NOT INSTALL THE SHOCK ABSORBERS DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CORROSION. THE MECHANIC WROTE THE FOLLOWING STATEMENT ON MY INVOICE. "FRAME OF CAR IS ROTTED IN SEVERAL PLACES. DO MINUIUM REPAIRS TO KEEP ON ROAD. SHOULD NOT BE USED ON HIGHWAY!!!

THE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT.

TOOK MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IN FOR SERVICE AND TO HAVE IT INSPECTED. THE SERVICE GUYS SAY THEY CANNOT INSPECT MY TRUCK BECAUSE IT HAS A HOLE IN THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. THE FRONT OF MY FRAME IS SEVERELY CORRODED AFTER ONLY 160K MILES AND COMPLETELY UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD. THIS TRUCK HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND KEPT CLEAN IN THE WINTER MONTHS. THIS IS ENTIRELY UNACCEPTABLE FOR A VEHICLE OF THIS ERA AND HIGHLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I AM SURE THERE ARE MANY OTHERS OUT THERE DRIVING AROUND NOT KNOWING THEIR TRUCKS ARE RUSTING AWAY TO THE POINT THE FRAME THEY ARE RIDING ON IS FALLING APART UNDER THEM. *JS

2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH EXCESSIVE FRAME ROT ON REAR OF FRAME. REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNT IS COMPROMISED WITH EXTREME RUST PERFORATION. BUMP STOP OVER AXLE IS MISSING BECAUSE OF 2"-4" HOLE IN OUTER FRAME RAIL. CAR IS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE.

MY PRIVATE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT MY VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS RUSTING AND WAS A SAFETY CONCERN. HE NOTIFIED TOYOTA CUSTOMER CARE WHO STATED THAT TOYOTA WAS NOT RESPONSIBLE. TOYOTA HAS TAKEN RESPONSIBILITY IN THE PAST FOR OTHER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CASE # WITH TOYOTA IS [XXX]. PLEASE INVESTIGATE AND ADVISE. THANK YOU! INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

THE DEALER DISCOVERED SEVERE RUSTING AND A HOLE IN THE VEHICLE FRAME. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED AND SHOULD NOT BE RUSTING AND CREATING A SAFETY ISSUE AT THESE MILES AND VEHICLE AGE. TOYOTA WAS NOTIFIED AND SAID THAT THERE IS NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE. SINCE THESE VEHICLES SHARE THE SAME FRAME MANUFACTURER ISSUES AS THE PREVIOUS FRAME RECALLS FOR TUNDRA AND TACOMA VEHICLES, TOYOTA SHOULD DO A RECALL AND REPLACEMENT OF THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES ON THE 4RUNNERS AS WELL.

2003 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER WAS BROUGHT INTO DEALERSHIP ON SATURDAY AUGUST 29, 2015 TO INSPECT THE FRAME RUST. THE RUST WAS VERIFIED BY THE DEALER, AND WAS SENT ON MY WAY, WITH NO WARNING THAT IT WAS UNSAFE. MONDAY AUGUST 31, 2015, THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A FRAME FAILURE THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC. THE DRIVER SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM MOUNT BROKE FREE FROM THE FRAME AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH. THE REAREND STARTED TO SHAKE, WOBBLE AND VIBRATE AND WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. TALKED TO DEALER, NO RECALLS ON SAID VEHICLE. TALKED TO TOYOTA CORPORATE, THEY SAID THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. TACOMA'S AND TUNDRA'S HAVE A RECALL, BUT NOT THE 4RUNNER. A COMPLAINT WAS FILED HERE ON JULY 5, 2015.

THE DRIVER WAS TRAVELING 35MPH,THE VEHICLE STARTED SWAYING FROM LEFT TO RIGHT. THE REAR SHOCKS BLEW THE SEALS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE MOVED AND WAS TOWED TO THE RESIDENCE. NITROUSENTERTRISES AFTER MARKET PRODUCT.

AFTER REACHING 55 MPH VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY. *AK