2004 Toyota 4Runner Structure

On April 14, 2019, I was informed by an auto repair shop that my 2004 Toyota 4Runner showed signs of excessive rusting on the front end of the frame at the bumper and radiator support. The repair shop owner/mechanic indicated the bumper may eventually fall off. At the time, the odometer reading was only 117,834 miles. On June 22, 2021, I took the truck in to the Toyota dealer where I purchased it to have the regular oil change done and requested that they inspect the frame during the routine "Multi-Point Inspection." On this visit to the Toyota dealer, the truck's odometer reading was 141,595. The mechanic pointed out the more severe areas of rusting, which included the "Front right bumper support crumple zone area, also right side top under pass front seat area very thin." He indicated that the left side of the frame, although not as advanced as the right side, was also rusting, because water from wet roadways accumulates within the frame and does not drain. I was not able to take photos of the top under pass due to lack of access. However, the mechanic had me run my fingers along the top of the frame. The frame was so corroded that it was crumbling, and my fingers went right through the frame. Some areas already had holes from the corrosion. I have included both the repair shop and Toyota dealer's observation reports as well as the photos of the front end of the frame and the right side under pass. It was not possible to take photos of the top of the right side under pass, which the mechanic pointed out was the most affected. The vehicle is available for inspection if necessary.

On April 17, 2019, I was informed by P.R. Auto Repair that my 2004 Toyota 4Runner showed signs of excessive rusting on the front end of the frame at the bumper support and radiator support. This observation was noted by the auto repair shop's owner. It is important to point out that my truck had only 117,834 miles on its odometer and should not already have had such a serious rusting problem. My truck was in for replacement of rear pads and rotors and was on a lift when the problem was noted. At the time the problem was being pointed out to me, a portion of the rusted metal in that area came right off. I was told that eventually the bumper could fall off and potentially lead to increased more dangerous problems. I have taken my 4Runner to A-1 Toyota where I purchased the vehicle for the regularly scheduled oil changes. "A-1 Toyota Quality Vehicle Inspections" were conducted each time with issues that required further attention noted in the report, but the rusting problem has never been included in the reports or pointed out to me. The truck now has just over 141,240 miles on its odometer and the corrosion problem has become significantly worse and my safety and the safety of others has become a growing concern to me. I have included a scanned copy of the April 19, 2019 invoice/receipt from the P.R. Auto Repair shop. The observation of the problem is noted under the Instructions section. I have also included two photos (one of the left side view and one of the right side view). The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. I understand that there is currently an ongoing investigation related to excessive rusting on Toyota 4Runners' frames. It is my hope that my 2004 Toyota 4Runner can be recalled for this problem as were other makes of Toyota vehicles that suffered the same problem before mishaps or tragedies occur as a result.

The frame is rusted very badly and may need to be salvaged. Many of the other Toyota vehicles in this same year which have the same frame have already been recalled. Why not the 4runners? I've owned many other early 2000's vehicles and none have had this bad of rust. Simple not acceptable and not safe!

THE ORIGINAL FRAME ON OUR CAR IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED. THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME AND COMPLETE CORROSION ALONG THE SIDE BEAMS. THIS IS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING. THERE IS SO MUCH RUST ON THE UNDERBODY. ALL PARTS ARE COMPLETELY STOCK AND ORIGINAL. THIS SHOULD NOT BE A PROCESS WE HAVE TO PAY FOR AS IT IS A MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN THAT TOYOTA IS COMPLETELY OVERLOOKING. THE HOLES IN THE FRAME ARE ABOUT A BASEBALL SIZE WHOLE. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO OVER THREE MECHANICS AND A BODY SHOP RECOMMENDED FROM TOYOTA AND EACH OF THEM SAID THE FRAME IS ALMOST ENTIRELY UNSAFE.

EXCESSIVE RUST/ROT ON THE FRAME, WHICH IS LEADING TO EXPENSIVE REPAIRS AND FEARS OF UNSAFE OPERATION.

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST CAUSING FRONT RIGHT FRONT BODY MOUNT TO DETACH FROM THE FRAME, PASSENGER FRAME RAIL HAS DISINTEGRATED BETWEEN CROSSMEMBERS. THE 4RUNNER HAS 170000 MILES ON IT WITH NO BODY RUST.

I PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE IN 2015 WITH 111K MILES ON IT. JUST FOUND OUT TODAY MARCH 2 THAT THE FRAME IS SHOT AND THE CONTROL ARMS FOR THE REAR AXLE HAVE LET GO ON BOTH SIDES DO TO FRAME ROT, THERE ARE ALSO OTHER QUESTIONABLE PARTS OF THE FRAME. SO VERY DISAPPOINTED IN THIS TOYOTA VEHICLE. THIS CAR COULDN'T EVEN LAST 20 YEARS, NOT THE REPUTATION OF WHAT I THOUGHT TOYOTAS WERE KNOW FOR.

The contact owns a 2004 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a loud sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact looked under the vehicle and saw several holes throughout the subframe of the vehicle due to rust. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with the subframe needing to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the Vin was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

OUR 2004 4RUNNER WAS INSPECTED YESTERDAY (VIRGINIA REQUIRES ANNUAL INSPECTIONS), AND FAILED DUE TO RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME. WE HAVE A PHOTO OF THE HOLES. THIS SEEMS ODD TO US, BECAUSE THE BODY IS RUST FREE AND WE LIVE IN A SOUTHERN STATE WHERE THERE IS NOT A LOT OF ROAD SALT. VIRGINIA DOES NOT ALLOW ANY MODIFICATIONS TO FRAMES. I'M NOT SURE WHETHER THIS CAN BE REPAIRED. WE'VE MAINTAINED THE CAR IN TIP TOP SHAPE AND ARE VERY DISAPPOINTED IN TOYOTA. THE CAR IS REGISTERED IN MY WIFE'S NAME, [XXX]. REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) *CC

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRONT AND REAR SECTIONS OF THE SUBFRAME WAS RUSTED. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 163,000.

FRAME IS ROTTED 115K MILES ON THE CAR, IT SEEMS TO BE ROTTING AT THE WELDS ONLY.

FRAME RUSTS TOO EASILY. COATING WAS NOT GOOD ENOUGH FROM FACTORY. TACOMA'S WITH SAME FRAME WERE RECALLED.

THE FRAME HAS RUST AND HAS A HOLE. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WILL NEED TO BE ADDRESSED VERY SOON. THERE WAS NO SPECIFIC INCIDENT. I RECENTLY BOUGHT THIS CAR. I DON'T KNOW WHEN IT HAPPENED.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE TECHNICIAN NOTICED THE MUFFLER AND CHASSIS WERE FRACTURED AROUND THE SEAL. THE TECHNICIAN INFORMED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A TOYOTA DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS LATER TAKEN TO BILL PAGE TOYOTA DEALER, 2923 ANNANDALE RD, FALLS CHURCH, VA 22042, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 137,000.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND AFTER TURNING ONTO A STATE HIGHWAY IT SUDDENLY SWERVED BADLY AND THE REAR END BEGAN SWAYING BACK AND FORTH MAKING IT UNCONTROLLABLE. I STOPPED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME HAD RUSTED SO BADLY IT BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE REAR AXLE. I HAD TO TOW IT HOME ON A FLATBED TRAILER.

THE STRUCTURAL FRAME OF THE VEHICLE IS RUSTED OUT. HOLES, LARGE AREAS OF THE FRAME HAS RUSTED OUT. THE FRAME IS STRUCTURALLY COMPROMISED. JUST NOTED ON 10/19/20. VEHICLE WAS IN LESS THAN A YEAR EARLIER WITH NO SIGN OF THE DAMAGE.

I RECENTLY BOUGHT A USED 2004 4RUNNER AND WHEN I INSPECTED THE FRAME THERE WAS RUST EVERYWHERE. NOT ONLY SURFACE RUST BUT ACTUAL HOLES IN THE FRAME FROM IT. ALSO THE STEERING ASSEMBLY IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. I'M NOT THE ONLY 4RUNNER OWNER WHO HAS EXPERIENCED THESE ISSUES. IF YOU DO A QUICK ONLINE SEARCH FOR '4RUNNER FRAME' THERE ARE MANY RESULTS DETAILING THIS ISSUE. AS I USE THIS VEHICLE FOR COMMUTING TO AND FROM WORK I AM CONCERNED ABOUT ITS STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY. IT ONLY HAS 70000 MILES ON IT AND IT'S COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT ISSUED A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AS THEY DID WITH OTHER MODELS (TACOMA, TUNDRA, SEQUOIA).

SEVERE RUST ON THE FRAME.

MY 4RUNNER HAS EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST ON THE ENTIRE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE RUST IS FAR MORE PERVASIVE THAN ON ANY OTHER VEHICLE I HAVE SEEN AND WILL BECOME DANGEROUS IF NOT FIXED. I BELIEVE THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH ALL 4RUNNERS FROM THIS TIME PERIOD (2002-2006). *TR

CORROSION WAS FOUND ON PASSENGER SIDE OF FRAME DURING 2020 STATE SAFETY INSPECTION CAUSING FAILURE OF SAID STATE INSPECTION. CORROSION WAS PREVIOUSLY FOUND ON DRIVER SIDE FRAME DURING 2018 STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND WAS RECTIFIED BY BODY SHOP WELDER. VEHICLE IS GARAGED WHEN NOT IN USE.

MY 4RUNNER'S FRAME BROKE WHILE DRIVING DUE TO RUST. THERE'S A RECALL FOR TACOMA'S BUT NOT 4 RUNNERS. I THANKFULLY WAS NOT INJURED BUT NOW I'M WITHOUT A VEHICLE. WHEN I BOUGHT MY 4 RUNNER I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION TOYOTA WAS #1 WHEN IT CAME TO SAFETY FOR THEIR CUSTOMERS. PLEASE HELP ME

FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE STRONG BUT THE FRAME IS THE WEAK LINK TO THIS TOYOTA. THIS VEHICLE WILL NOT PASS INSPECTION AND WILL NEED TO BE SCRAPPED. *TR

EXCESSIVE RUST THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE THAT COULD POTENTIALLY BE DANGEROUS. MANY RUSTED PARTS ARE CONNECTED TO OTHER PARTS OF THE VEHICLE SUCH AS THE AUXILIARY CROSSMEMBER, FUEL TANK STRAP AND FRAME ITSELF. VEHICLE HAS A CLEAN CARFAX HISTORY. *TR

FRAME IS RUSTING. THERE ARE 2 BIG HOLES. *TR

FRAME IS SEVERELY RUSTING. HOLES PRESENT WHICH HAD TO BE PATCHED NUMEROUS TIMES FOR IT TO PASS INSPECTION. IF SOMETHING IS NOT DONE SOON, I WILL BE FORCED TO GET RID OF THE VEHICLE BECAUSE OF SAFETY CONCERNS AND IT NOT BEING ABLE TO PASS PA INSPECTION. THIS HAS TO BE ADDRESSED NOW. FOR YEARS, TOYOTA DEALERSHIPS HAVE BEEN SUPPOSEDLY TAKING PICTURES AND SENDING THEM TO TOYOTA. THEY KNOW IT IS A PROBLEM AND NOTHING IS BEING DONE ABOUT IT!