2003 Toyota 4Runner SUSPENSION,STRUCTURE

I own a 2003 Toyota 4Runner with very low mileage for its age. It has been garage kept for most of its life. I was experiencing difficulty steering, and when I took the car to a mechanic, it was determined that the frame was prematurely rusted and rotted to a dangerous level putting my life at risk while driving it.

The contact owns a 2003 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving at limited speeds of 45 mph, the vehicle would wobble and swerve and was very unstable. The vehicle was taken to a Certified Auto Mechanic Shop and an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the failure was caused by severe rusting, perforation and corrosion of the rear subframe and suspension system. The vehicle was also driven to Muffler Shops in Bladensburg, MD on 8-20-2021, and on 10 -22-2021 to Hyattsville Toyota's Certified Toyota Collision Center for Repair Estimates of $4,000.00 and $7,268.00. The vehicle frame manufactured by Dana Holding Corporation which really requires fixing or replacing was not yet repaired. The Toyota manufacturer and local dealer Global Auto Outlet were notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 1 85,000. The used vehicle was purchased from Global Auto Outlet in Temple Hills, MD for $9,552.24 on 8 -1-2019 with 175,000 miles on the odometer. The windshield had a crack in it, the air conditioning & emergency brake didn't work. The Complainant hadn't noticed the perforated excessive rust corrosion on the undercarriage of the vehicle until numerous months afterwards. Moreover, at the time of the purchase the Owner also didn't notice that the spare tire carrier was rusted, as well as undiscovered that the wrong size 265/65/17 spare tire it was held in was perforated and flat. After the purchase of the vehicle shortly later, the exhaust tailpipe rusted broke first and the muffler had to be replaced which costed $258.79. The Owner was nervously forced to operate a more than unsafe motor vehicle for up to 6 months.

THE FRAME IS RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR AND THE VEHICLE HAS SPENT THE MAJORITY OF ITS LIFE IN A N UNDERGROUND GARAGE PROTECTED FROM THE ELEMENTS, AS WELL AS IN FLORIDA. IT HAS VERY LOW MILEAGE, AND NO OTHER SERIOUS PROBLEMS.

I HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH TOYOTA SEVERAL TIMES OVER THE PAST 4 YEARS ABOUT RUST ISSUES WITH THIS FRAME, BUT THE REFUSE TO FIX IT. THEY RECALLED THE TACOMA, TUNDRA AND SEQUOIA OF THE SAME YEAR FOR THIS REASON. THE FRAME RUSTS AND FALLS APART. WHILE DRIVING UP MY ROAD I FELT THE REAR OF THE CAR SHIFT TO THE SIDE, I TURNED AROUND AND WENT STRAIGHT HOME TO FIND THE FRAME AT THE REAR PASSENGER TIRE BROKEN. I HAVE ATTACHED A PICTURE OF THE BROKEN AREA, BUT CAN SEND MORE PICTURES OF THE ENTIRE FRAME IF NEEDED.

EXTREME CORROSION OF FRAME AND BRACKETS

REAR DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM BROKE OFF AT THE FRAME AFTER STRIKING POTHOLE AT HIGHWAY SPEED. AFTER THE FAILURE THE VEHICLE WAS VERY HARD TO CONTROL AND ALMOST LED TO A ROLLOVER. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND HAD TO BE TOWED. TOYOTA RECALLED TUNDRA'S, TACOMA'S, AND SEQUOIA'S FOR FRAME REPLACEMENT SO IT IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. WILL TOYOTA BE HELD LIABLE FOR ACCIDENTS RESULTING FROM PREMATURE FRAME FAILURE? BY RECALLING THE OTHER MODELS THEY OBVIOUSLY ACKNOWLEDGED IT WAS A PROBLEM AND 4RUNNERS SHARE THE SAME PLATFORM AS THE TACOMA SO WHY WERE THEY NOT INCLUDED?

THE VEHICLE FRAME HAS MULTIPLE PERFORATIONS GREATER THAN 10MM. ONE SUCH PERFORATION HAS CREATED A CRACK ON THE FRAME JUST IN FRONT OF THE RIGHT REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM MOUNT. IF THIS VEHICLE WERE TO HIT A BAD ENOUGH BUMP OR POT HOLE, THERE EXISTS A POSSIBILITY THE FRAME COULD SNAP AND ALLOW THE CONTROL ARM TO BECOME FREE AND THE VEHICLE WOULD LOSE CONTROL

VEHICLE FRAME IS SEVERELY RUSTED AND ROTTED TO THE POINT WHERE THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME ITSELF MAKING IT EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS AROUND THE SAME YEAR HAVE BEEN RECALLED WITH SIMILAR FRAME ISSUES, DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE WHY TOYOTA HAS NOT RECALLED THE 2003 4RUNNER FRAMES YET. VEHICLE IS OVER 205,000 MILES AND WOULD PROBABLY RUN ANOTHER 200K IF NOT FOR THE FRAME WHICH MAKES THIS CAR ALMOST UNDRIVE-ABLE. FRAME TO BE REPLACED ASAP.

THE RUST ON THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE IS UNLIKE ANYTHING I'VE SEEN IN COMPARISON TO IT'S AGE. I WORK ON VEHICLES FREQUENTLY AND HAVE NOT SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS IN A MODERN AGE VEHICLE, AND VEHICLES THAT ARE OVER 40 YEARS OLD THAT I OWN OR WORK ON DON'T HAVE RUST THAT IS REMOTELY THIS BAD. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I FOUND THE ENTIRE WELD LINE OF THE FRAME RAILS TO BE CORRODED THROUGH IN AN APPROXIMATELY 28" SECTION. WITH FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE ENTIRE BOTTOM SECTION OF THAT RAIL WAS RUSTED OUT TO BE EXTREMELY THIN AND SEPARATED AT THE SEAM, ENTIRELY COMPROMISING THE INTEGRITY OF THE FRAME RAIL. 2 OF THE BODY MOUNTS ARE ALSO RUSTED OUT AS WELL AS SOME OF THE SUSPENSION MOUNT COMPONENTS. THE VEHICLE IS AT RISK FOR HAVING THE SPRING AND STRUT ASSEMBLY OR THE CONTROL ARM ASSEMBLY DETACHING FROM THE FRAME UNDER NORMAL OPERATION CONDITIONS. THIS IS AN INCREDIBLE SAFETY RISK AS IT COULD RESULT IN THE VEHICLE LOSING ALL STEERING CONTROL. LUCKILY IT WAS FOUND BEFORE AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS CORRODED CAUSING BOTH REAR CONTROL ARMS TO DETACH WHILE DRIVING. THE CONTACT INSPECTED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THERE WERE SEVERAL SPOTS COVERED WITH A BLACK TAPE AND PAINTED OVER TO CONCEAL THE RUST AND HOLES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR TIRE MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD CAUSING THE TIRES TO DAMAGE THE BUMPER AND THE PLASTIC TRIM PANEL. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE CONTACT CALLED AAA AND INFORMED THEM OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED TO CONTACT NHTSA. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WERE MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 200,000.

I TOOK MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER INTO MY LOCAL MECHANIC TO DO MY ANNUAL STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE FRAME WAS TOO RUSTED TO PASS INSPECTION. FURTHERMORE, HE SAID THAT THE RUST WAS SO SEVERE IT HAD SEPARATED THE SUSPENSION FROM THE FRAME. HE TOLD ME IT WAS THE WORST FRAME RUST HE HAD EVER SEEN AND THAT THE CARS FRAME LOOKED LIKE IT WAS 20 YEARS OLDER THEN IT WAS. IT WAS TOTALLY RUSTED THROUGH IN SEVERAL SPOTS. I CALLED TOYOTA TO SEE IF THEY WOULD WORK WITH ME TO FIX THIS ISSUE AND THEY OFFERED NO HELP. ALL THE OTHER CARS BUILT ON THIS FRAME HAVE BEEN RECALLED, I'M NOT SURE WHY THIS ONE HASN'T BEEN.

I HAVE A 2003 4RUNNER WITH SEVERE FRAME RUST THROUGH MAKING THE VEHICLE A HAZARD TO DRIVE AND TO OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THIS IS CLEARLY CONSISTENT WITH TOYOTA'S OTHER RECALLS.

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND NORMAL HIGHWAY SPEED ON THE INTERSTATE. WHEN I LET OFF THE ACCELERATOR, THE VEHICLE LURCHED TO ONE SIDE, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO CROSS INTO THE OTHER LANE. WHEN I APPLIED THE ACCELERATOR AGAIN, THE VEHICLE LURCHED IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, REQUIRING ME TO APPLY CORRECTIVE ACTION TO MAINTAIN CONTROL. UPON INSPECTION, THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR SUSPENSION LINK SUPPORT HAD MOSTLY SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO RUST. I CAN BEND IT BACK AND FORTH WITH MY HAND. I HAVE NOT DRIVEN THE VEHICLE SINCE DUE TO SAFETY CONCERNS. IT IS DIFFICULT TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY A HIGHWAY SPEED.

THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE, UNDRIVEABLE AND UNFIXABLE WITH ONLY 60,000 MILES. WE CANNOT FIND A FRAME OR ANYONE TO FIX IT.

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST HAS RESULTED IN THE FRAME ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARING, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND FORCED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS LESS THAN AN INCH OF FRAME HOLDING THE REAR RIGHT AXLE IN PLACE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S FRAME WAS CORRODED. WHILE DRIVING, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE WAS PULLING TO THE SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS A CERTIFIED MECHANIC AND NOTICED THAT THE TRAILING ARM THAT HELD THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL BRACKET SEPARATED FROM THE FRAME AND WAS COMPLETELY DETACHED. THE CONTACT WELDED THE BRACKET BACK TO THE FRAME. HE CALLED CORWIN TOYOTA OF FARGO (222 40TH ST S, FARGO, ND 58103, (701) 282-8425) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER AND WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT UNDER WARRANTY AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 255,000. *TT*JB

THE BACK OF THE TRUCK FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. STATIONARY. FRONT AXLE PICS INCLUDED AS WELL. RUST, WEAR AND TEAR. NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED BC THE DEALERSHIP SOLD THE VEHICLE TO ME LIKE THIS. RUSTED METAL PROVES IT HAPPENED AWHILE AGO. PLUS SOMEONE TRIED TO WELD IT TO COVER UP THE PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO PUT IN A RADIATOR AND NEW MUFFLER WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH.

EXCESSIVE FRAME ROT. 4RUNNER SHOULD OF BEEN PART OF THE TACOMA RECALL AND IS ABSURD IT WAS NOT IN THE FIRST PLACE. MY WHOLE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL IS GONE. I HAVE HAD TO CONSTANTLY FIX WELD NEW METAL TO IT.

THE FRAME IS RUSTED AWAY BUT THE BODY IS PERFECT. PURCHASED AS IS. WAS NOT INFORMED IN WRITING ABOUT THE BAD FRAME

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE A WEEK AGO. IT APPEARS THE DEALER THEMSELVES NEVER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE PRIOR TO MY PURCHASE. IF THEY HAD, THEY WOULD HAVE KNOW IT WAS AN UNSAFE VEHICLE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF RUST TO THE SUSPENSION, FRAME, AND EVERYTHING UNDERNEATH. JUST TODAY, A TOYOTA MECHANIC HAD TOLD ME THAT IT IS UNSERVICEABLE. IF I HAD OWNED THIS VEHICLE FOR YEARS, THAT FINDING WOULDN'T BE AS PAINFUL TO HEAR. BUT HAVING OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR A WEEK, THIS HAS MADE ME VERY ANGRY. IT ONLY HAS 88K MILES ON IT. I AM NOW AFRAID TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE.

FRAME BROKEN

CURRENTLY THE FRAME RUST IS VERY SEVERE AND IS GETTING TO THE POINT THAT I AM BECOMING HESISITANT TO HAVE IT OUT ON THE ROAD. THERE ARE AREAS AROUND SUSPENSION COMPONENTS AND AXLES THAT ARE VERY RUSTED WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO CASUALTIES IF THE MOUNTS WERE TO FAIL.

FRAME IS SHOWING EXCESSIVE RUST. REMAINDER OF THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE. ENGINE RUNS GREAT, BUT THE FRAME IS NOW IN A DANGEROUS STATE. GAS TANK SUPPORT IS COMPLETELY GONE.

MY VEHICLE ALTHOUGH IN PERFECT VISUAL CONDITION HAS EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. I HAVE BEEN TOLD IT SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AS IT COULD BE HAZARDOUS. THE CAR IS IN GREAT SHAPE WITH NO RUST ON ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR ASIDE FROM THE FRAME FLAKING AWAY

MY 4RUNNER FRAME IS SHOWING EXCESSIVE RUST. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE AND I AM DILIGENT IN KEEPING THE VEHICLE IN GOOD CONDITION. PLEASE CONSIDER MY 4RUNNER AS A FRAME REPLACEMENT CANDIDATE.