1995 Toyota 4 Runner

I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE SSC 50N STEERING RELAY ROD REPLACEMENT FOR MY 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SEVERAL MONTHS AGO. AS OF THIS DATE, THERE ARE NO PARTS AVAILABLE, ACCORDING TO SEVERAL TOYOTA DEALERS, TO MAKE THE REPAIR. DUE TO THE NATURE OF THE PART DEFECT, MY 2 FRONT TIRES ARE WEARING BADLY AND NEED TO BE REPLACED. THIS WILL NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, JUST COST MORE MONEY WHEN THOSE TIRES NEED TO BE REPLACED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE POINT OF A RECALL IF THE MANUFACTURER REFUSES TO SUPPLY PARTS TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. TOYOTA HAS GIVEN ME NO TIMELINE WHEN THE PARTS WILL BE AVAILABLE. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND DANGEROUS. *NM

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ON MARCH 6, 2004 AS THE DRIVER WAS TRYING TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN, THE STEERING WENT OUT CAUSING THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WENT THROUGH SOME PINE TREES AND LANDED UPON A POWER LINE POLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL LETTER MARCH 18, 2006 REGARDING THE STEERING RELAY ROD. THE RECALL # IS: 05V389000; STEERING:LINKAGES:ROD:RELAY:CONNECTING. A REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND DETERMINED THE FAILURE OF THE STEERING WAS NOT RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC DETERMINED THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THE STEERING RELAY ROD. UPDATED 5/10/2006 - *NM

PREMATURE HEAD GASKET FAILURE, DUE TO INFERIOR OR SUBSTANDARD HEAD GASKETS AT TIME OF MANUFACTURER AND ALSO AT TIME OF FACTORY RECALL (SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN). SHOULD BE USING THE BEST AVAILABLE, WHICH IS MLS (MULTI-LAYER-STEEL), NOT PLAYING SEMANTIC GAMES OVER "RACING" EQUIPMENT, OR "HIGH PERFORMANCE", WHICH ARE JUST TERMS WHICH TRANSLATE INTO "GREATER DURABILITY" FOR THE CONSUMER. WEBSITE: SEE HTTP://WWW.AA1CAR.COM/LIBRARY/2005/IC010532.HTM CONSIDER CLASSIC SITUATION OF SINGLE MOM WITH CHILD EN ROUTE FROM SKI TRIP THROUGH WILDERNESS HIGHWAY, OR DRIVING IN CRIME-RIDDEN AREAS WHICH IMPAIR DRIVER SAFETY. HEAD GASKET FAILURE IS NOT A ROADSIDE FIX AND STRANDED MOTORIST IS ALSO A SAFETY VIOLATION. THIS PROBLEM IS OCCURRING THROUGHOUT MAJOR LINES OF VEHICLES EVERYWHERE IN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. *JB

I BOUGHT A 1995 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IN NOVEMBER, 2005. THE VEHICLE WAS IN RUNNING CONDITION WHEN I BOUGHT IT AND DROVE IT ABOUT 1,500 MILES WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE OVERHEATED AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. AFTER ALLOWING IT TO COOL DOWN AND PUTTING IN COOLANT IT DID START AND I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. RESEARCHING THE MATTER I CAME TO FIND THAT TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON THE 4 RUNNER DUE TO A FAULTY COOLING SYSTEM LEADING TO A FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET. TOYOTA WAS DOING THE FIRST ROUND OF GASKET REPAIR FOR THE OWNERS. WHEN I CONTACTED TOYOTA FOR THE MATTER THEY DECLINED MY REQUEST FOR THE REPAIR UNDER THE RECALL SAYING THAT MY VEHICLE'S WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED AFTER 60 MONTHS AND/OR 60,000 MILES. NOW THEY WILL CHARGE UP TO $2,500 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. IT IS WRONG OF TOYOTA TO INCLUDE SOME AND EXCLUDE SOME OF THE 4 RUNNERS WITH THE SAME ENGINES AND FAULTS. AS A RESULT I AM HAVING TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED AT A COST OF MORE THAN $2,000 AND I HAVE THE OLD PARTS. *NM

I PURCHASED A USED 1995 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT WAS SERVICED REGULARLY BY A LICENSED MECHANIC. THE CAR HAD NO PROBLEMS LEADING UP TO THE HEAD GASKET FAILURE THAT I JUST EXPERIENCED. THE HEAD GASKET BLEW APPROXIMATELY 75 MILES FROM HOME WHILE MY DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING AND MAY HAVE CAUSED OTHER ENGINE PROBLEMS NOT YET DETERMINED. FROM SEARCHING THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A VERY MUCH MORE THAN ISOLATED PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA HEAD GASKETS. TOYOTA ISSUED A SERVICE CAMPAIGN ADMITTING THE PROBLEM, BUT IT LIMITED THE NUMBER YEARS. THE PROBLEM HAS OBVIOUSLY CONTINUED IN THE SAME MANNER SINCE THE CAMPAIGN BUT TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADMIT THAT FACT. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO INVESTIGATE, AND PROTECT THE CONSUMER FROM THE DANGER OF ENGINE FAILURE ON THE ROADWAY, AS WELL AS EXTREME REPAIR COST BY FORCING TOYOTA TO EXTEND THEIR CAMPAIGN OR ANNOUNCE A RECALL TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *JB