1997 Toyota 4 Runner

DT: 1997 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WERE TWO DIFFERENT MAJOR BRAKING PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE STARTED HAVING BRAKING PROBLEMS AT 19,900 MILES. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED THEY BECAME WEAK. THIS TOOK 6 MONTHS TO DIAGNOSE, THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING. SHE WAS THEN INFORMED THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THIS WAS REPLACED AT 24,000 MILES. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS SINCE LATE 2003. WHEN CHECKED SHE WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG. WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED, ESPECIALLY ON WET PAVEMENT, THE VEHICLE WOULD SLIDE. SHE WAS TOLD IT WAS PROBABLY THE ABS, SHE STATES IT WAS BRAKING DIFFERENTLY THAN PRIOR TO THE PROBLEM. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DEALER ON AUGUST 19, 2005. THE PARKING BRAKE HANDLE WAS PULLING UP HIGHER THAN USUAL. THIS WAS CHECKED, AND THEY FOUND THE REAR BRAKE PADS WERE SOAKED IN OIL. THIS REQUIRED THE SEALS, BEARINGS, RETAINERS, SENSOR RINGS AND THE REAR BRAKE SHOES TO BE REPLACED. SHE FELT THERE WAS A DESIGN FLAW IN THE REAR AXLE. *JB

COMPLAINT RECEIVED VIA EMAIL. THE BRAKES FAILED MANY TIMES ON MY CAR AND THEY WERE IN THE REPAIR SHOP FOUR TIMES. EACH TIME THEY FIXED IT TEMPORARILY. ALSO, THEY INDICATED THAT OIL OR GREASE WAS LEAKING FROM THE DIFFERENTIAL AND COATING THE BRAKE PADS, RENDERING THEM INEFFECTIVE. THE SYMPTOMS INCLUDED THE ANTI LOCK BRAKES KICKING IN TOO OFTEN/ LOSS OF BRAKING POWER, AND JOLTING AT SLOW SPEEDS. LAST TIME IN THE REPAIR SHOP THEY GUARANTEED THAT PROBLEM WAS FIXED, YET THE SAME PROBLEM RECURRED. THIS WAS VERY DANGEROUS. THEY TOLD ME THIS WAS NOT THE ONLY INCIDENT, AND THAT NEW MODELS WERE DESIGNED TO FIX THIS FLAW. WHAT ABOUT THE SAFETY OF THOSE DRIVING 1997 MODELS ? *AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN. *SLC ONE MONTH AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE, A TIRE BLEW, WITH HOLES THROUGHOUT IT, AS IF SOMEONE HAD SHOT IT, CLEARLY IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE TO BEGIN WITH. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRES . THE CONSUMER WAS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THOMPSON DEALERSHIP IN HOW THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO HANDLE MATTERS. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION CONCERNING MATTER. BRIEFLY READ OTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITH IN THE PURCHASING OF THE VEHICLE. *CB THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE SUN VISOR FELL OFF. *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE TRUCK HAS A THUMPING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR. THE DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM.*JB THE RIGHT REAR SEAT WILL NOT FOLD. THE BRACKETS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND THE SEAT IS STILL HALF WAY FOLDED. ALSO THE DOOR INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATES AND DOES NOT GO OFF AND THE LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK. THEY WERE INSPECTED AND NO PROBLEM WAS FOUND. THE DRIVER SIDE MIRROR IS FALLING. THE BRAKES NEEDED REPAIRS PERFORMED. THE FRONT ROTORS HAD EXCESSIVE ROUT OUT. *JG

VEHICLE LOCKED UP WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLED AND WOULD NOT MOVE. IT HAS BEEN TO DEALER THREE TIMES AND NOTHING HAS CHANGED. ALSO, REAR AXLE SEAL WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED. BRAKE PADS WERE CLEANED. IF PROBLEM REOCCURRED DEALER WAS SUPPOSE TO REPLACE PADS. WHEN IT HAPPENED AGAIN, THEY WERE JUST CLEANED. CONSUMER WAS VERY FUSTRATED AT THIS POINT BECAUSE THERE SEEMED TO BE NO REMEDY. *AK

TRIED TO MAKE A U TURN FROM A PAVED ROADWAY INTO SOMEONE'S PACKED GRAVEL DRIVEWAY. SLOWED TO 25 MPH AND STARTED THE TURN AT LESS THAN 20 MPH. APPLIED BRAKES LIGHTLY TO CONTINUE TO SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN TO LESS THAN 12MPH. SUDDENLY THE BRAKE PEDAL WOULD GO NO FURTHER (FELT A HARD STOP), BUT THE VEHICLE KEPT MOVING. COULDN'T TURN PROPERLY ANYMORE AND VEHICLE KEPT ROLLING. THERE NO SKIDDING SOUNDS OR SLIDING SOUNDS. VEHICLE MOVED AS IF BRAKES WERE NOT ENGAGED. FINALLY AT ABOUT 10MPH HIT A POST THAT ULTIMATELY STOPPED THE VEHICLE. FELT A HARD BANG ON THE BRAKE PEDAL AND SOME VIBRATING JUST AS THE VEHICLE CRASHED AND ALSO AFTER IT STOPPED. ONCE IT STOPPED THERE WAS A LOUD KLANG AND A SPRING RECOIL NOISE (VERY LOUD). FRONT PLASTIC SKIRT BROKEN, BUMPER CRUSHED AND BUMPER RE-INFORCEMENT BAR BENT. DEALER CONTACTED. NO PROBLEM FOUND WITH ABS AND THEY CLAIM THAT IS HOW IT SHOULD FUNCTION (ALL THE NOISE). HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH PRIOR VEHICLES (WITHOUT ABS) IN SIMILAR SITUATIONS. THIS VEHICLE HAS OFF AND ON DISPLAYED SOME PECULIAR ABS BEHAVIOUR. BROUGHT TO THE DEALER ONCE BEFORE AND WAS TOLD THE KLANGING CAME FROM THE SKID PLATES RATTLING. THIS TIME THE NOISE WAS THE ABS ITSELF ... WHAT NEXT? *AK