1997 Toyota 4 Runner

THE FIRST TIRE THAT THE TREAD CAME OFF WAS WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY - JULY, 2002. NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR MYSELF. TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME OUT AND CHANGED THE TIRE. WENT TO DISCOUNT TIRE TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED, THEY REPLACED IT AT NO COST. WHEN I ASKED IF THE OTHERS WERE SAFE, THEY SAID YES, LEAVING THE OTHER DESERT DOG TIRES ON. AUGUST, 2003 - DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AGAIN WITH MY HUSBAND, WE FELT A VIBRATION, PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT THE TREAD HAD COME OFF ONCE AGAIN. HAD THAT REPLACED AT DISCOUNT TIRE, WHERE THEY DIDN'T MENTION AGAIN THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REMAINING DESERT DOG TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. OCTOBER, 2003 - MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, TRAVELING ABOUT 75 MPH, FELT A TIRE GO DOWN, THIS TIME CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL RIGHT, THEN BACK TO THE LEFT. THEN THERE WAS TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL AS HE VEERED DOWN INTO THE MEDIAN WHERE THE VEHICLE ROLLED 6 - 8 TIMES. ONCE AGAIN, THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED CAUSING WHAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN HIS DEATH. LUCKILY, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY SERIOUS INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALLED. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TIRES FROM PIRELLI ON JUNE 7, 2001. THE RECALL STATES THAT PIRELLI WOULD NOTIFY THEIR DISTRIBUTORS. DISCOUNT TIRE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET US DRIVE AWAY FROM THEIR LOCATION WITH THOSE TIRES!! *LA

MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT WITH A 1997 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. SHE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE POLICE HAVE EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO TOYOTA TWICE TO REPLACE THE REAR SUSPENSION FOR A TOYOTA RECALL. BOTH BEFORE THE RECALL AND AFTER THE RECALL THE REAR END WAS SAGGING AND WAS NOT STABLE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE. BOTH CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HER DEATH. *NLM IN SPEAKING WITH INVESTIGATIVE SHERIFF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 38-51 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DROVE OFF AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED 2-3 TIMES DOWN A 50-70 FOOT DROP. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS DAMAGED REARWARD AND THE DRIVER SLID OUT OF THE SEAT BECAUSE OF THIS DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION THE SEAT BELT WAS STILL FASTENED. THE INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER STATED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CRASH AND DAMAGE TO THE SEAT THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A VEHICLE DEFECT WITH THE SEAT BELT OR SEAT. CW

ENGINE STOP RUNNING, BECAUSE OF SLUG BUILD UP IN 4 RUNNER ENGINE 1997. OTHER CARS IN THE TOYOTA LINE HAVE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE FIXING THE ENGINE FOR FREE, BUT NOT THE 4 RUNNER. THEY HAVE 3 MODELS THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING, THE ENGINE ARE SLUGGING UP AND CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. THEY SAID THIS MODEL DOES NOT FALL IN THAT LINE, AND WILL COST ME $9,000 TO FIX, BUT FIRST THEY QUOTE ME $5000. THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES OR SO, NOT ALL BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE AND DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE AND NOT REVERSIBLE, TO GET MONEY OUT OF THE CONSUMER. I HAD 3 OTHER CARS WITH WHERE HONDA'S AND THEY NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND TWO OF THOSE HONDA'S HAD OVER 200,000 MILES AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT THE SAME INTERVALS AS THE 4 RUNNER. DO YOU THINK THE CONSUMERS HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO FIXED SOMETHING LIKE THIS. $9000 FOR A REBUILT ENGINE, YOU CAN BUY A USED VERY GOOD HONDA FOR THIS PRICE. THIS CAR STILL HAVE A LEAN ON IT. TOYOTA'S SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD CARS, WITH BAD ENGINES. ALL MY PROBLEMS START WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON SHOCKS AND AFTER THAT THE ENGINE START LEAKING OIL AND SMOKING WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DID SOMETHING TO MY CAR AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT???????????? *NLM

NAR 3-11-03. WHILE DRIVING THE CONSUMERS 4RUNNER SLIPPED OUT OF CONTROL AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. DAMAGES COST APPROX $2000. SOON AFTER A RECALL WAS RELEASED BY TOYOTA ABOUT A FAULTY SUSPENSION. THE CONSUMER ASKED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE REPAIR MADE AFTER THE ACCIDENT BECAUSE IT MAY HAVE BEEN THE FAULTY SUSPENSION THAT CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO LOSE DIRECTIONAL STABILITY. *CB *JB