2004 Toyota 4Runner STRUCTURE,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

2004 4Runner rear hatch glass imploded with rear defroster on while driving and glass shattered all inside the vehicle in the back behind rear passenger seat. The loud sound when it imploded sounded like we had got shot at and scared all four of us in the vehicle thinking we were shot at. We pulled the vehicle over at the nearest pull over while driving on a coastal two lane road. We searched for any possible bullets. Did not find any and had to clean up as much possible of shattered glass that had covered all of our clothing and belongings. Had no materials to cover the rear broken window and had to continue our drive to meet family members to attend an early event at 9:00 am.

-The frame is rotted out - If the frame were to break, which my mechanic i saying is very possible, a massive incident could occur - It has been confirmed by an independent service center - It has not been inspected by the manufacturer but is an astonishingly common issue Toyota is very aware of that they continue to ignore. - There were not indicators notifying me of the issue. I wanted to replace my suspension and the mechanic advised not doing so because of the rot.

The chassis is completely rusted/rotten, 1" Holes throughout the chassis and was told that it won't pass inspection.

The truck frame is rusting and making the vehicle unsafe prematurely. My vehicle only has 78 thousand miles and likely needs the frame replaced like many other toyota vehicle because of the lack of corrosion protection.

Vehicle has a rust frame which causes a dangerous

Last year the frame showed rust and holes and was rejected by the inspector. We were able to get the worst hole patched and it passed inspection. I am afraid the car might be unsafe.

My 2004 Toyota 4Runner has holes multiple inches in diameter rusted completely through the frame in multiple locations including where frame rails meet and are welded. This 4Runner is very clean and well kept in a climate controlled garage. The 4Runner was somehow not captured in the class-action law suit against Toyota that included the Tacoma, Tundra and Sequoia. Toyota has long known the frames are prone to excessive, premature rust corrosion because the frames were not properly prepared and treated against rust corrosion when they were manufactured and yet it has failed to offer significant help to owners. The excessive rust damage on my Toyota 4Runner compromises the vehicles safety, stability and crash worthiness because important suspension components, engine mounts, transmission mounts and body mounts anchor to the vehicles frames. I have spoke with a local Toyota dealer who stated they would inspect the vehicle with a diagnostic fee of $139 but that Toyota would not help with repair or replacement of the frame. There is no need to inspect the vehicle as I have multiple pictures illustrating the magnitude of the rust damage to the frame including several holes multiple inches in diameter in critical locations of the frame. I have attached several photos of the rust damage as well as photos of the body for reference to how well kept the vehicle is.

I HAVE ANOTHER 4 RUNNER WITH A HEAVILY RUSTED FRAME. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT A UNSEEN FAILURE CAN OCCUR WHILE TOWING A 4300 POUND CAMER OR WHILE DRIVING ON ROUGH ROADS. I'M NOT ONLY CONCERNED FOR MY WIFE AND I BUT ALSO FOR OUR GRANDKIDS THAT VISIT US MONTHLY. HERE IS THE ACTUAL FAILURE. MY WIFE CAME IN LAST THURSDAY AND ASKED ME WHAT IS THAT CAR PART THAT FELL OFF? I WENT OUT TO CHECK AND FOUND THE RIGHT BODY MOUNT LAYING THERE. THE BOLT THAT HOLDS IT HAD ROTTED IN TWO BETWEEN THE UPPER AND LOWER RUBBER PIECES. THE BOLT AND NUT ON THE BOTTOM LOOKS GOOD SO THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A IMMINENT FAILURE. I'M CONCERNED THAT OTHER MORE SERIOUS FAILURES CAN OCCUR.

MY 2004 4RUNNER LIMITED V6 HAS SIGNIFICANT RUST BUILD UP ON THE FRAME, CONTROL ARMS, DRIVESHAFT, ETC. I AM THE SECOND OWNER WITH JUST OVER 21K MILES DRIVEN IN THE PAST THREE YEAR AND RIGHT AT 160K TOTAL. I'VE MADE SURE TO GET REGULAR WASHES TO PROTECT THE UNDERCARRIAGE AFTER INCLEMENT WEATHER SINCE I'VE OWNED THE VEHICLE. AFTER RETURNING FROM A 10-MONTH DEPLOYMENT, TWO SHOPS HAVE TOLD ME THE CONDITION IS DANGEROUS AND REQUIRES SIGNIFICANT REPLACEMENT PARTS AND ANTI-CORROSION TREATMENT TO REMEDY THE PROBLEM. I DON'T HAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO SPEND ON A TRUCK THAT SHOULD LAST ME AT 250K MILES. I WILL NOT LET MY WIFE AND GIRLS RIDE IN THIS VEHICLE, BUT WE NEED TWO CARS. IMAGINE MY SHOCK TO FIND OUT MANY OTHER TOYOTA OWNERS HAVE DEALT WITH THE SAME THING. THIS IS CLEARLY NOT A COINCIDENCE. HOPING FOR TOYOTA TO RECTIFY THIS SERIOUS SAFETY/QUALITY ISSUE.

FRAME HAS SEVER RUST-THROUGH AND CORROSION ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IN FRONT OF THE REAR TRAILING LINK MOUNT AND BEHIND THE FRONT CONTROL ARM MOUNT. VEHICLE IS DRIVEN IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHERE ROAD SALT IS USED IN THE WINTER, BUT THIS IS EXCESSIVE COMPARED TO OTHER OLDER VEHICLES. VEHICLE IS WASHED REGULARLY IN THE WINTER.

RUST. I WAS TOLD I MAY NOT PASS INSPECTION NEXT TIME BECAUSE OF THE BADLY RUSTED FRAME. ALONG WITH THAT ISSUE, THE REAR HATCH IS RUSTING OFF THE VEHICLE. IT CAN NO LONGER OPEN AND CLOSE BECAUSE THE LATCHING MECHANISM HAS RUSTED OFF. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS PRETTY MUCH RUST FREE. WHY HAS IT RUSTED AWAY SO BADLY?

UPON PRE-INSPECTION OF MY PERSONAL VEHICLE FOR PURCHASE I FOUND THAT BOTH REAR CORNERS OF THE FRAME WERE TOTALLY ROTTED OUT. UPON FURTHER INSPECTION, AFTER REMOVAL OF THE REAR BUMPER, IT TURNED OUT THAT THE RUST EXTENDED ALMOST ENTIRELY THROUGH THE CORNERS OF THE FRAME. THERE WAS ALSO A MAJOR HOLE IN THE FRAME WHERE THE FACTORY WELDS WERE CONJOINING PIECES OF THE FRAME RIGHT WHERE THE EXHAUST BRACKET MOUNTS TO THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF THE INTERIOR FACING OF THE FRAME. ON THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE THERE WAS A MASSIVE RUST HOLE EXTENDING ALONG THE RIGHT FRONT FACTORY WELDS CONNECTING THE RIGHT FRONT BODY MOUNT TO THE FRAME. THE REAR ROTTED CORNERS OF THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE BUMPER AND RIGHT FRONT BODY MOUNT WERE REPAIRED AT MY FATHER'S AUTOMOTIVE SERVICE STATION BY MY DAD WHO HAS MORE THAN 50 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE. WITH A VERMONT STATE INSPECTION LICENSE IT WAS CONCERNING TO HIM TO SEE THE ROTTING AND RUSTING CENTRALIZED AROUND THE FACTORY WELDS, AND OCCURRING WHERE THE BODY OF THE VEHICLE IS MOUNTED TO THE FRAME AND THE REAR BUMPER IS PREVENTING SERIOUS INJURY FROM IMPACT DUE TO A POTENTIAL COLLISION.

VEHICLE FRAME HAS HOLES AROUND HIGH STRESS AREAS FROM SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION.

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST, INCLUDING HOLES, AND GENERAL RUST ALL AROUND THE FRAME. SPECIFICALLY IN THE FRONT AND REAR.

HI, I RECENTLY PURCHASED A TOYOTA 4RUNNER 2004 FROM A PREVIOUS OWNER. I DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT CARS AND HOW THE PROCESS WORKS. BUT WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. I WENT TO GO TAKE IT TO GET IT FIXED AS WELL AS PREPARING THE CAR FOR THE SMOG TEST. WHICH IT FAILED, TOYOTA THE COMPANY WAS UNABLE TO FIX DUE TO HAVING CONCERNS OF BEING LIABLE AND SUED INCASE OF A CAR ACCIDENT. THEY ALSO TOLD ME THAT I WOULD HAVE TO BE CAREFUL DRIVING THE VEICHLE BECAUSE A TIRE CAN BREAK OFF. I AM A COLLEGE STUDENT AND THIS WAS THE ONLY CAR THAT WAS IN MY BUDGET. I REALLY HOPE A RECALL GOES OUT. I AM AFRAID OF MY SAFETY AS WELL AS OTHERS. THANK YOU. I HOPE TO HEAR A RECALL SOON.

THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP DOES NOT WANT TO REPAIR THE SAFETY RECALL THEY DID ON 2004 4RUNNERS TOYOTA. I CALLED OVER A YEAR AGO AND NO ACTION HAS TAKEN PLACE. THE RECALL WAS OVER THE GAS PEDAL AND DASHBOARD, I ALSO HAVE A CASE NUMBER AND HAVE CALLED MANY TIMES AND THEY ONLY TELL ME TO WAIT. THEY DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER TO CHECK THE CAR AND I ALSO WENT IN PERSONALLY SO THEY COULD ORDER THE PARTS AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD CALL WHEN THE PARTS CAME IN, THE GUY TOLD ME TO GIVE IT SIX MONTHS AND NOW IT'S BEEN OVER A YEAR AND STILL HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY CALL. I KNOW THIS RECALL WARRANTY ENDS THIS YEAR 2017 AND IT SEEMS LIKE THE TOYOTA DON MCGILL IN HOUSTON DEALERSHIP IS WAITING FOR THE YEAR TO END SO ONE CAN PAY FOR THE CHANGES TO BE MADE, WHICH IS UNFAIR BECAUSE THIS IS A TOYOTA RECALL. I HOPE YOU CAN HELP BECAUSE THIS HAS TAKEN OVER A YEAR TO FIX NOW AND THE TOYOTA DON MC GILL IN HOUSTON HAS BEEN NO HELP WHAT SO EVER. THIS IS A SAFETY RECALL AND THEY NEED TO FIX IT I ALREADY DID MY PART I HAVE CALLED, I HAVE A CASE NUMBER AND I HAVE GONE PERSONALLY TO TALK TO THEM AND ORDER THE PARTS.

THE ENTIRE FRAME AND UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE IS RUSTED FROM FRONT TO BACK.

I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO FREEDOM TOYOTA IN HAMBURG, PA TO GET SERVICED AND THEY TOLD ME MY FRAME WAS RUSTED THAT BAD THAT IT WOULD NOT PASS INSPECTION, AND COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THIS IS VERY UPSETTING, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY 12 YEARS OLD. I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER PREVIOUSLY AND THAT WAS 14 YEARS OLD BEFORE I GOT RID OF IT WITH 324,000 MILES. THE BUMPERS WERE KNOWN TO RUST OUT ON THOSE, AND THE FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THAT ONE ALSO, BUT NOT AWARE OF THE EXTENT. I CAN ONLY HOPE THAT TOYOTA WILL REPLACE MY FRAME, OTHERWISE I WILL NEVER BUY ANOTHER TOYOTA AGAIN. THE SERVICE GUY, NICKY AT FREEDOM TOYOTA SAID THAT HE DIDN'T KNOW IF THERE WOULD BE A RECALL ON THE 04 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS OR NOT. I HAVE TWO YOUNG CHILDREN AND I ONLY HOPE THAT NOTHING HAPPENS TO ME OR MY CHILDREN DUE TO DRIVING IT WITH A RUSTED FRAME UNTIL I CAN GET A NEW VEHICLE OR GET MY FRAME REPLACED BY TOYOTA.

RUST ROT ON FRAME OF BODY, WILL PROBABLY NOT PASS NEXT IN INSPECTION NOTED BY THOMPSON DEALERSHIP. TOYOTA FIXED OTHER MODELS, BUT AM IGNORING MY MODEL.

THESE VEHICLES ARE PLAGUED BY RUST ON THE FRAME AND COMPONENTS ATTACHED TO THE FRAMES. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT THIS CAN CAUSE A HAZARD DUE TO FAILURE OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS OF THE VEHICLE. THIS ISSUE EFFECTS MULTIPLE VEHICLES AND IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. FRAMES DEGRADE JUST LIKE THE ONES ON THE TACOMA YET NO ACTION IS BEING TAKEN TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF 4RUNNER OWNERS.

MY 2004 4RUNNER WITH $144K MILES WAS RECENTLY DISCOVERED TO HAVE A SIX INCH HOLE IN THE FRAME DUE TO RUST, AND BASED ON MD SAFETY INSPECTION REQUIREMENTS, THIS VEHICLE PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY HAZARD AND CAN NOT BE REGISTERED. THE DEALERSHIP INFORMED ME THE REPAIR WOULD BE A COMPLETE FRAME REPLACED AT A COST OF $18-20K. I HAVE MAINTAINED MY VEHICLE METICULOUSLY THROUGHOUT IT'S LIFE WITH MOSTLY DEALERSHIP MAINTENANCE AND AT NO TIME DID ANY MECHANIC OR SERVICE DEPARTMENT MENTION EXCESSIVE RUST OR HOLES IN THE FRAME. I SPOKE TO TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE AND ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE RECALL PROGRAMS FOR TACOMA AND SEQUOIA VEHICLES DUE TO SIMILAR FRAME RUSTING PROBLEMS, THEY ARE UNWILLING TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT ANY FLAW EXISTS WITH EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE 4RUNNER MODELS. IT APPEARS TO ME THAT TOYOTA HAS A SERIOUS SAFETY PROBLEM RELATED TO THIS GENERATION OF 4RUNNERS, AND SINCE THEY ARE UNWILLING TO EVEN ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM EXISTS, IT APPEARS THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT REQUIRES GOVERNMENTAL/NHTSA INTERVENTION. I CAN'T IMAGINE HOW MANY OTHER 4RUNNERS ARE ON THE ROAD WITH SIMILAR COMPROMISED FRAMES, AND I WOULD HATE TO SEE AN ACCIDENT DUE TO FRAME FAILURE AT HIGH SPEED OR DURING TIGHT CORNERING. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS ISSUE TO PREVENT ANY INADVERTENT INJURY OR DEATH.

TOOK MY 2004 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR INPSECTION AND MAINTENANCE. LEFT DEALER THINKING TRUCK WAS IN GREAT SHAPE. WHEN CHANGING BRAKES, NOTICED AN CV JOINT BOOT WAS TORN SO TOOK THE TRUCK TO A MECHANIC TO HAVE THE AXLE REPLACED (SINCE THEY DON'T JUST REPLACE THE BOOT ANYMORE). THE MECHANIC CALLED ME AS SOON AS HE PUT THE TRUCK UP ON A LIFT AND INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS SERIOUS RUST ISSUES DOWN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME THAT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE. THE WELD ALONG THE WHOLE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME SEEMS TO HAVE RUSTED OUT AND THERE IS A HOLE THE WHOLE LENGTH OF THE FRAME. THERE ARE ALSO ADDITIONAL HOLES TOWARD THE FRONT THAT ARE RATHER LARGE IN SIZE. CALLED TOYOTA, NOT THE TOYOTA DEALER, AND THEY GAVE ME A CASE NUMBER AND SUGGESTED I TAKE THE VEHICLE TO MY LOCAL DEALER FOR AN INSPECTION AND DIAGNOSIS. WHEN I ASKED WHAT WOULD HAPPEN UPON A BAD DIAGNOSIS, THEY STATED NOTHING BECAUSE THERE ARE CURRENTLY NO RECALLS OR CAMPAIGNS FOR THE TOYOTA 4RUNNERS ONLY THE TACOMAS, TUNDRAS AND SEQUOIA'S. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CORRECTING THIS ISSSUE BEFORE CAUSING PEOPLE SERIOUS INJURY OR EVEN DEATH. I AM TERRIFIED WITH MY DAUGHTER DRIVING THIS VEHICLE AND WOULD THINK TOYOTA SHOULD STEP UP TO ENSURE THE SAFETY OF THEIR VEHICLE OWNERS.