2006 Toyota 4Runner Structure

I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CAR IS KEPT IN A GARAGE AND IS DRIVEN INFREQUENTLY. CURRENTLY THERE'S ABOUT 76K MILES ON IT. I RECENTLY TOOK IT IN FOR A MAINE STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AND IT WOULD NOT PASS DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. THERE'S AT LEAST ONE HOLE BIG ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR FINGER THROUGH, AND THERE'S RUST FLAKING OFF THE REST OF THE FRAME. I'VE OWNED OTHER CARS FOR LONGER THAN THIS WITH MANY MORE MILES PUT ON THEM, THE RUST ON THIS FRAME IS BEYOND WHAT ANYONE WOULD EXPECT, AND IT'S A SEVERE SAFETY HAZARD. I DON'T FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING THE CAR ANYMORE, AND I'M NOT SURE IF IT CAN BE PATCHED OR NOT. TOYOTA HAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE FRAMES ON OTHER VEHICLES AND THIS ONE IS NO DIFFERENT.

MY 2006 4RUNNER'S FRAME RUSTED SO BADLY THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE CONTROL ARM DETATCHED COMPLETELY.

THERE IS A HOLE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WE'RE A/C DRAIN TUBE IS PRESENT. AFRAID TO CONTINUE DRIVING VEHICLE AND HAVE A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. RUST IS APPARENT ON MAJORITY OF FRAME WHICH SEEMS TO BE FAILING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THIS WAS FOUND WHILE LIFTING VEHICLE TO REPAIR BRAKES.

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. SAFETY ISSUE DUE TO FRAME RUSTING OUT

THE 4RUNNER FRAME HAS EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION. I WAS TOLD BY THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THAT THEY CONSIDER THIS VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO HOLES AND RUST IN THE FRAME, AND THEY REFUSED TO DO ANY MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION, OR FURTHER UPKEEP OF THE VEHICLE. I HAVE KEPT MY VEHICLE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH REGULAR MAINTENANCE THROUGH THE YEARS, COMPLETED BY A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. THE 4RUNNER SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN THE OTHER TOYOTA RUSTED FRAME RECALLS, SINCE IT IS BUILT ON A TACOMA FRAME. THE PROBLEM WAS FIRST NOTED SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND HAS GOTTEN EXCEEDINGLY WORSE.

THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CONTROL ARM BROKE OFF FROM THE FRAME. RUST THROUGH ON THE FRAME WHERE THE CONTROL ARM HOOKS TO THE FRAME. BROKE WHILE SIMPLY BACKING OUT OF DRIVEWAY AND TURNING THE WHEEL. RUST IS ALL THROUGH THE FRAME.

VEHICLE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF CORROSION IN THE FRAME. THIS IS ESPECIALLY APPARENT ON THE WELD POINTS. RUE WILL EVENTUALLY CONSUME THE VEHICLE FRAME THIS MAKING IT UNDRIVABLE.

FRAME OF 4RUNNER IS ALMOST COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF, I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON FRAME. IT IS A SFTY ISSUE.

I HAVE A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH MAJOR RUST ISSUES, INSIDE THE STRUCTURE OF THE FRAME IS FLAKING APART ALSO HOLE'S IN THE FRAME WHERE YOU CAN PUT YOUR HAND AND FEEL THE LAYERS OF THE FRAME COMING APART. THE OTHER OPEN RECALLS WITH THE TACOMA, TUNDRA AND SEQUOIA WITH THE FRAME RUST ISSUE SHOULD HAVE INCLUDED THE 4RUNNER THEY USE THE SAME MATERIAL FOR THE FRAME AS THE OTHER VEHICLES. THEY'RE ARE THOUSANDS OF 4RUNNERS THAT ARE AFFECTED BY THIS ISSUE AND THE OWNERS ARE JUST WAITING FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN, I BEG YOU TO CONSIDER THIS FOR ME AND MY FAMILY'S SAFETY. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 2 MPH, AN ABNORMAL CLUNKING SOUND WAS HEARD. THE CONTACT STOPPED TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND BECAME AWARE THAT A SECTION OF THE PASSENGER'S SIDE WAS SUBFRAME FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED. NEITHER THE DEALER NOR THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.*DT*JB

THE VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED ON 01/26/2017 AND WAS DRIVEN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK UNTIL 1/1/2018 WHEN I RELOCATED TO MY CURRENT ADDRESS IN SOUTH CAROLINA FOR MY NEW CAREER. THE FRAME OF MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER IS SEVERELY RUSTING CAUSING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE TO BE COMPROMISED AND CAUSING DANGEROUS DAMAGE TO STEERING, BRAKE, SUSPENSION, FUEL COMPONENTS THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE ON THEIR MOUNTING POINTS AND THROUGHOUT THEIR SYSTEMS. THE VEHICLE WAS IN START AND STOP TRAFFIC RETURNING TO HOME WHEN LEAVING A STOP LIGHT A LOUD THUD SOUND CAME FROM THE REAR PASSENGER CORNER OF THE VEHICLE, ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS MOBILE UNDER SPEEDS OF 30 MPH THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CAUSE OF THE "FISHTAILING" HOWEVER SPEEDS OVER 30MPH THE VEHICLE WOULD SLOWLY "FISHTAIL" AND WOULD AGGRESSIVELY GET WORSE UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP. ONCE THE VEHICLE WAS HOME AND PARKED I DISCOVERED THE MOUNTING PORTION OF THE VEHICLE REAR TRAILING ARM HAD RUSTED AND BECAME UNATTACHED RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNDRIVEABLE. ATTACHED ARE PHOTOS OF THE RUST DAMAGE TO THE REAR PASSENGER TRAILING ARM AND FRAME.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING INSPECTED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A HOLE IN THE FRAME. THE CONTACT ALSO TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TWO OTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANICS TO GET REFERRALS AND OTHER OPINIONS ON THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE TO THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN A RECALL. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS OFFERED. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 178,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE'S STRUCTURE WAS FLAKING AND METAL HAD DETACHED FROM THE FRAME ONTO THE DRIVEWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR ROUTINE MAINTENANCE WHO DETERMINED THAT THE UNDERCARRIAGE WAS RUSTED. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 85,000.

THE VEHICLE FRAME AS WELL AS OTHER STEEL COMPONENTS INCLUDING IN THE SUSPENSION SYSTEM ARE EXPERIENCING SEVERE, PROGRESSIVE DETERIORATION DUE TO RUSTING. THE FRAME RUST IS THE MOST PROBLEMATIC AND DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT IS OCCURRING ON THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME AND, THEREFORE, CAN NEITHER BE SEEN NOR REMEDIATED. THE ONLY INDICATION I HAD OF THE SEVERITY OF THE FRAME DETERIORATION IS FROM ISOLATED LOCATIONS WHERE THE FRAME HAD RUSTED ENTIRELY THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL IN THE VICINITY OF THE FRONT DOOR. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, I DETERMINED THAT THE INSIDE OF THE LONGITUDINAL FRAME RAILS ON BOTH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDES IS SIGNIFICANTLY DETERIORATED ON THE INSIDE. THE CORROSION APPEARS TO START ON THE BOTTOM OF THE RAIL AND THEN PROGRESS UPWARD ON THE SIDE WALLS OF THE RAIL OVER TIME. THE BOTTOM OF THE TWO FRAME RAILS ARE LITTERED WITH RUST CHIPS RANGING IN SIZE FOR FINGERNAIL-SIZED FLAKES TO CHIPS AS LARGE AS 10 SQ. CM. WITH THE THICKNESS OF THESE RANGING UP TO SEVERAL (3) MM. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT TIRE JACK FOR THE VEHICLE PUNCTURED THE BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WHEN IT WAS USED, THUS GIVING THE MOST GRAPHIC DEMONSTRATION THAT THE FRAME HAD DETERIORATED SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE INSIDE. WITH RESPECT TO THE OTHER STEEL COMPONENTS OF THE UNDERSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, THERE IS WIDESPREAD RUST AND DETERIORATION, PARTICULAR FOR COMPONENTS OF THE SUSPENSION, BUT ALSO ON THE TUBING FOR STEERING AND THE TRANSMISSION COOLING. ALSO, FASTENERS (NUTS, BOLTS, AND BRACKETS) WHICH ATTACH THE MANY COMPONENTS TO THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE ARE RUSTING TO THE POINT THAT THE INTEGRITY OF THESE FASTENERS HAS BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY DIMINISHED. THE VEH

THIS IS AN ADDENDUM TO COMPLAINT NUMBER 11175888. THE PURPOSE FOR THE ADDENDUM IS TO ADD BETTER PHOTOGRAPHS.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO ATLANTIC TOYOTA (671 LYNNWAY, LYNN, MA 01905, 781-599-4922) FOR REAR BRAKE REPAIRS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND HAD A HOLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 159,532. *BF*JB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 127,456. PHOTOS ATTACHED.*JB

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST CAUSED BRACKET TO SNAP ON BUMPY ROADS MAKING VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ISSUE HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST PROBLEM WITH 4RUNNERS AND THIS IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF IT.

THE FRAME OF MY 2006 4RUNNER HAS EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND RUST. THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THE METAL HAS BECOME VERY THIN, AND MORE AND MORE METAL KEEPS FLAKING OFF ALL THE TIME. I HAVE ALREADY NOTICED A COUPLE OF HOLES THROUGH THE FRAME RAILS. I'M ESPECIALLY WORRIED ABOUT THE AREAS WHERE SUSPENSION COMPONENTS BOLT UP TO THE FRAME, THOSE AREAS SHOW SEVERE RUST AND CORROSION.

ON MY WAY TO MY NIECES BIRTHDAY I DROVE OVER TO A LOCAL PARK. ON MY WAY THERE I DROVE OVER A POT HOLE AS I WAS CUT OFF BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND COULDN'T AVOID IT I HEAR A LOUD NOISE FROM THE REAR AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY LEFT AND RIGHT AS I DROVE. I DIDN'T FEEL TO SAFE DRIVING IT AND I WAS A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY FROM MY HOME I DROVE BACK WITH THE HAZARD LIGHTS ON. I THEN PROCEEDED TO INSPECT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT MY UPPER RIGHT CONTROL ARM BRACKET HAD RIPPED OFF THE FRAME !!!! I WAS VERY ALARMED AND SURPRISED TO SEE AS HOW MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 76000 MILES ON IT. THE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME OF THE VECHICLE. I HAVE OWN VEHICLES FAR MORE OLDER WITH MORE MILES THAT HAVE NEVER RUSTED TO THIS EXTENT.

FRAME RUST

MY WIFE'S 4RUNNER STARTED TO HAVE PROBLEMS WITH EXTENSIVE BODY ROLL DURING ACCELERATION, BRAKING, AND BUMPS. IT MADE IT EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE IN IT'S OWN LANE ESPECIALLY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THINKING THE PROBLEM WAS THE FRONT AND REAR SHOCKS I STARTED THE PROCESS OF REPLACING THEM. WHEN I WENT TO INSTALL THE REAR SHOCKS I NOTICED THE THE ACTUAL CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM WAS THE FACT THAT THE FRAME HAD RUSTED THROUGH TO THE POINT THAT THE LOWER CONTROL ARM WAS NO LONGER ATTACHED. I THOUGHT THAT MAYBE THAT JUST HAPPENS OVERTIME BUT THEN I REALIZE THAT THE RUST ON THE FRAMES ON MY OTHER CARS WAS NOT AS SUBSTANTIAL ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING ONE OF THEM WAS MANUFACTURED IN 1992.

'06 4RUNNER THAT THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY SHOT. IT STARTED BY HAVING TO REPLACE THE BALL JOINTS AND TIE ROD ENDS PREMATURELY AND NOW THE WHOLE VEHICLE SITS 3 INCHES LOWER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE. THE REST OF THE VEHICLE IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

RARELY DRIVEN, ABOUT 65,000 MILES AND THE FRAME IS RUSTING OUT. IT STARTED EARLY.

THE ENTIRE UNDERBODY OF MY 4RUNNER HAS A SEVERE AMOUNT OF RUST AND CORROSION. I HAVE ATTEMPTED TREATING THE RUST WITH RUST CONVERTER AND WIRE BRUSHING TO NO AVAIL. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE RUSTED OUT COMPONENTS AND THE EFFECT IT WILL HAVE ON THE VEHICLE.