2006 Toyota 4Runner UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Excessive frame corrosion

My 2006 4Runner Toyota frame is rusted and falling into pieces. From the rear especially and underneath. I’m scared if someone rear ends me that the impact could be life threatening due to the frame falling to pieces as I drive and the vehicle sits.

The frame is corroded and rusted to the point that it’s not safe to drive. This was discovered by our service technician when we had the vehicle inspected for a rattling noise in the rear. I reached out to Toyota and was told that no problems are available regarding this issue. I have maintained my 4Runner meticulously and timely since I purchased brand new. There is no rust on the body, just the frame.

My 17 year old son was parked and when he turned off the defrost the rear hatchback glass shattered. This scared him a lot as we do not know what happened and thankfully he was parked not driving. This is a safety and potentially dangerous issue. We purchased this used vehicle and had Toyota thoroughly inspect and update and upgrade anything he needed and they never told us this was an issue. We researched it online and it has been an issue. This should have been addressed and recalled. I brought in vehicle so that they can fix it and they are saying they won’t even though it’s their equipment defect.

The frame of the vehicle was corroding as if it was not sealed effectively. The frame rotted to point where vehicle began swaying on road and during mechanic check the frame bent when vehicle placed on a lift. I am original owner of vehicle and took the vehicle to local Toyota dealership for ALL scheduled maintenance. The Toyota dealer mechanics NEVER reported signs of corroding frame damage in the vehicle bumper to bumper checks during my scheduled maintenance appointments. I was never informed of any signs of rotting or corroding on the frame.

Under carriage and frame rust due to bad frames that caused a recall on other Toyota models that were settled, but not the 4 Runner.

It’s the frame! It’s completely rotting away the corrosion is unreal it has just over 75000 miles very clean no rust any wear else but underneath is completely gone makes it so unsafe that if not fixed the vehicle will split in half and kill somebody!!!!!!!

The frame is only the bottom 1/2 is Swiss cheese as they say from rust, the top 1/2 is sold. As the steel used was defective to rot out on 1/2 all the way around but not the other 1/2. Only the bottom 1/2 is rotten off

I have frame rust issues on my 2006 Toyota 4Runner. I first heard about the rust issue in 2018, I contacted Toyota and they send me to Huntington Toyota in New York to get it check. They said it's fine. A couple of weeks ago the frame cracked from rust. I've contact Toyota again and they denied the repair. It is vary obvious the frame issue was a flaw from the beginning. I like to see them replace the frame.

This morning my 4Runner rear window exploded inward all over my car while I was idling in a parking lot just after having driven on the highway. I had the defrost on. I lept out of car terrified covering my head thinking I was under attack. Nobody was near me and no projectile was found inside car. I was confused all morning Until I googled exploding forerunner window and saw that they had an extended warranty that has expired in 2018. Should absolutely be a safety recall, I can only imagine what would’ve happened if that had exploded while I was driving on the highway, or with my 2 yr old son who’s car seat is now covered in broken glass. A quick search online revealed several testimonies of it exploding while driving 2006 4runner. I contacted Toyota and have a case number with them it is case number 211228002935. They said that because the warranty was expired they can’t do anything, I don’t even care about getting reimbursement for window as much as I care about them addressing this as a real safety issue and recalling it. Although I’m am shell shocked and have anxiety condition and heart Condition already, I am more worried about this happening to somebody while driving or if somebody has a more dire heart condition or severe PTSD.

The component that failed is the frame of the car. The frame is disintegrated in some places, rusted through in others, and in general rusted all over. I went for an oil change and discovered that the pan holding the gas tank had rusted through and the gas tank was about to fall out of the car. I was told that had this occurred while I was driving the car could have started on fire. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired by a Toyota dealer and an independent service center on several occasions. No warning lamps or messages.

Got my 2006 4 Runner inspected and it failed due to the frame being rusted with holes in it. The gas tank skid plate is also completely rotted. The vehicle is unsafe to drive. If you were to hit a bad pot hole the frame could collapse and cause an accident.

My 2006 4 Runner frame is rusting from the inside out. I first noticed this in 2009. I saw many rust spots in my driveway coming from the frame on a fairly new truck. At my next service I brought it up to the dealer Boch Toyota in Ma. They brushed it off as just normal rust from water dripping through frame. A few months lata in 2010 I looked deeper into the frame holes and could see a good amount of rust inside the frame rails. It was excessive rust for a fairly new truck. I brought it to the dealer ( Boch Toyota) few more times complaining of the issues I saw but Toyota didn’t want to hear it. It has been 11 years since then. The rust has made its way to the outside of the frame and had compromised the Integrity of the frame for some time now.

Bought this 4Runner back in January of 2021 and when I took it to a mechanic I saw rust all over the frame and the spots of the frame where the welds are. The frame has no rotten out spots but it’s way too much rust for a car from 2006. The frames on these 4runners are notoriously known for huge amount of rust

FRAME HAS HOLES AT 150000 MILES. My car has 150,000 miles on it. We are the second owner, although we've had it for over 10 years. The frame has holes in it. It is dangerous to drive in its current condition. There's no way I could sell it and feel good consciously to give this car to someone else. My son has older cars with more miles whose frame does not look anything like this. This is an issue that has been recalled for all other cars in the Toyota lineup except for the 4Runners.

FRAME ISSUE. CRACK MEASURING APPROXIMATELY 8 INCHES LONG WAS DISCOVERED WHEN A BRAKE SERVICE WAS BEING PERFORMED. CRACK LOCATION WAS LOCATED ON PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL REARWARD OF THE CURVED SECTION OF FRAME WHERE IT MEETS THE STRAIGHT FRAME SECTION. TOYOTA MOTOR SALES WAS NOTIFIED AS PER OWNER'S MANUAL. NO SERVICE ADVISORY HAS BEEN FOUND ON THIS ISSUE. OWNED THIS 2006 4RUNNER FOR LESS THAN 1 YEAR, PAID $8000 FOR VEHICLE IT NOW IS JUNK. PLEASE NOTIFY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS ISSUE. VEHICLE CANNOT BE DRIVEN, CITING POSSIBLE FRAME BREAKAGE AND SUBSEQUENT LOSS OF CONTROL AS THE RESULT. THANK YOU FOR THIS REPORTNG SYSTEM. POTENTIAL BUYERS SHOULD THOUROUGHLY HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A MECHANIC AND/OR CERTIED WELDER BEFORE PURCHASE. HOPEFULLY MY LOSS OF A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUT OF MONEY FOR PURCHASE, REMAINING LOAN AMOUNT AND REPAIRS DURING THE TIME OF OWNERSHIP WILL BE ENOUGH TUITION FOR OTHERS TO LEARN FROM THIS POORLY DESIGNED AND QUESTIONABLE STEEL QUALITY USED IN THIS VEHICLE. LOOK FOR SOMETHING ELSE. MY CHEVY SUBURBAN OF THE SAME VINTAGE HAS NOT HAD THIS KIND OF ISSUE.

MY FRAME ON MY 4RUNNER IS SHOWING MAJOR SIGNS OF RUST A HUGE HOLE HAS FORMED RIGHT IN THE MAIN FRAME DRIVER SIDE. AND ANOTHER IN THE TRAILING ARM MOUNT ALSO DRIVER SIDE. IF MY TRAILING ARM SNAPPED LOOSE ON A DIRT ROAD IT COULD FLIP THE WHOLE CAR. IT'S ONLY 14 YEARS OLD NOW AND THIS IS WAY EXCESSIVE FOR THAT AGE AS MOST VEHICLES WILL DRIVE IN THE SALT BELT STATES FOR WAY LONGER. AS YOU KNOW THIS ISN'T THE FIRST FRAME ISSUE WITH TOYOTA. THEY REALLY SLACKED IN RUST PREVENTING. I NO LONGER FEEL SAFE DRIVING THE THING BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW WHEN SHE MIGHT JUST SNAP IN HALF OR WORSE IF I GET INTO AN ACCIDENT IT COULD JUST CRUMPLE LIKE A TIN CAN. THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED. OTHERS HAVE SAID THEIR FRAME COMPLETELY SEPERATED IN HALF ON THE ROAD. THIS COULD KILL PEOPLE. THE PICTURE I PROVIDED IS OLD NOW THE WHOLE HAS WIDENED QUITE A BIT. I HOPE A RECALL HAPPENS SOON OTHERWISE IMNA HAVE TO PATCH IT.

THERE IS SIGNIFICANT AND SUBSTANTIAL RUST ON THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE. THERE IS MORE THAN ONE HOLE EATEN COMPLETELY THROUGH THE FRAME, ALONG WITH TERRIBLE SURFACE RUST THAT HAS EATEN THE FRAME SO THIN THAT ANY LIGHT TAP CREATES A HOLE COMPLETELY THROUGH. THIS HAS ALSO RUSTED THROUGH THE FUEL TANK STRAPS, AND OTHER VARIOUS SUSPENSION POINTS. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AT TOYOTA TOLD ME THE VEHICLE IS NOT RECOMMENDED TO STAY ON THE ROAD, AND DID NOT WANT TO SERVICE THE TIMING BELT DUE TO FEAR THAT OTHER COMPONENTS WOULD EASILY SNAP OFF BECAUSE OF THE AMOUNT OF RUST ALL OVER THE ENTIRE FRAME. THIS VEHICLE IS VERY SIMILAR TO MY 2010 TOYOTA TACOMA, AND SHARES SEVERAL RELATED PARTS AND PIECES. I AM FULLY AWARE OF THE RECALL FOR FRAME RUST ON THE TACOMAS, AND FORTUNATELY MY TRUCK WAS NOT DAMAGED. THIS VEHICLE IS TOO MUCH LIKE THE TACOMA TO NOT HAVE THE SAME CONSIDERATION OF HAVING THE SAME ISSUES. NO VEHICLE, MUCH LESS A VEHICLE ONLY 14 YEARS OLD SHOULD HAVE THIS BAD OF AN ISSUE, AND IT IS A WIDELY KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE TOYOTA ENTHUSIASTS COMMUNITY. THIS IS A NEWER VEHICLE FOR MY WIFE, AND NOW I AM BEING TOLD THAT IT IS TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE! FROM THE OUTSIDE OF THE VEHICLE, YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW THERE WAS ANY ISSUES AT ALL. BUT AFTER SEEING THE RUST AND HOLES, THE RUSTED THROUGH FUEL TANK STRAPS, I AM SHOCKED, DISMAYED, AND ABSOLUTELY SCARED TO LET MY WIFE CONTINUE TO DRIVE IT. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO REVIEW THESE CASES, AND SEE HOW THEY RELATE AS EXACTLY THE SAME SITUATION AS THE TACOMA AND TUNDRA FRAMES. I HAVE OWNED NUMEROUS TOYOTA VEHICLES THROUGH MY LIFETIME, AND TOYOTAS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN MY FAVORITE AND ABSOLUTELY AMAZING VEHICLES FOR ME. THIS IS DEFINITELY OUT OF THE NORMAL SPECTRUM THAT I CONSIDER WHEN I THINK OF, AND BRAG ABOUT THE RELIABILITY AND ALL AROUND ENJOYMENT I HAVE IN AND WITH MY TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND HELP IN THIS MATTER.

FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH ,I WAS HAVING WORK DONE AND THE MECHANIC POINTED IT OUT TO ME.

I TURNED ON THE REAR DEFROST IN THE HIGHWAY. AFTER ABOUT 10 MINUTES, I STARTED TO SMELL A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL. BACKGLASS WAS EXPLODED WITH MY 3 YEARS KID. I CALLED TOYOTA DEALERSHIP THEY SAID THE WARRANTY IS EXPIRED.

WHILE I WAS I DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, THE REAR WINDOW EXPLODED WHILE I WAS USING THE REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER. I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL JUST PRIOR TO IT EXPLODING GLASS ALL OVER THE BACK CARGO AREA

FRAME IS RUSTED EXCESSIVELY. GARAGE KEPT EVERY WINTER. MY REAR DRIVER SIDE SWAY BAR HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED OFF THE FRAME.

TURNING OUT OF A PARKING LOT AND HAD REAR DEFROSTER ON. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES SMELLED A "BURNING SMELL" AND SECONDS LATER MY BACK GLASS SHATTERED.

TURNING OUT OF PARKING LOT. REAR DEFROST WAS ON. STARTED SMELLING A "BURNING SMELL" AND SECONDS LATER MY REAR GLASS SHATTERED.

I NOTICED THAT THE FRAME OF MY 06 4RUNNER HAS BEGUN TO CORRODE SEVERELY. THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME THAT POSE A SEVERE SAFETY THREAT AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THE WHOLE FRAME COULD GIVE OUT AT ANY TIME. TOYOTA RECALLED TACOMA'S FROM THE SAME TIMESPAN DUE TO FRAME ISSUES YET THE 4RUNNERS WERE LEFT OFF... THE TRUCK IS IN PRISTINE CONDITION BESIDES THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE. TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE AND RECALL THEM BEFORE LIVES ARE LOST. THE SUSPENSION DEFINITELY DOESN'T FEEL RIGHT AND WHEN BUMPS OR POTHOLES IN THE ROAD ARE HIT THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF IT'S BEING JERKED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. PLEASE CONTINUE YOUR INVESTIGATION ON THE FRAMES OF THE 4RUNNERS AND GET TOYOTA TO RECALL THEM.