1999 Toyota 4 Runner

I WAS DRIVING MY 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WHICH I HAD JUST PURCHASED WITH 104,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS DRIVING IN THE FAST LANE ON I-695 WHEN THE CAR STARTED LOSING POWER AND SLOWING DOWN VERY FAST. I BARELY CROSSED THREE LANES OF TRAFFIC TO GET TO THE SHOULDER. THE GAS GUAGE READ JUST UNDER 1/2 FULL, BUT ACCORDING TO A TSB, THE GUAGE AND SENDER UNIT SHOULD HAVE BEEN REPLACED. I HAD NO WARNING FROM THE CAR TO TELL ME MY GAS TANK WAS FULL. RUNNING OUT OF GAS ON THE HIGHWAY IS DANGEROUS. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS ISN'T A RECALL - WHY THIS ISN'T CONSIDERED A DEFECTIVE PRODUCT. THE DEALER WANTS TO CHARGE ME TO FIX IT, BUT I CAN'T AFFORD IT. I WAS USING MY ODOMETER TO KEEP TRACK, BUT THE OTHER DAY, I RAN OUT AGAIN WHILE DRIVING IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD. I THINK WITH THE A/C ON, IT MUST USE MORE GAS. I'M VERY UPSET.

1999 4 RUNNER SR5. MY COMPLAINT IS THAT I HAVE HARD STARTING, INTERMITTENT (POOR, ROUGH) IDLE AND SOME TIME NOT IDLE. AT HIGH ELEVATION, I HAVE EXTREMELY POOR GAS MILEAGE. I HAVE HAD SEVERAL DEALER SERVICES INVESTIGATE THE PROBLEM. DEALERS WERE NOT ABLE TO ISOLATE PROBLEM. HOW I DEALT WITH IT OVER THE YEARS. NEVER USED THE VEHICLE OTHER THAN AT SEA LEVEL AND PUMP THROTTLE WHEN IDLE WAS NOT ABLE TO BE RETAINED. *JB

WHILE DRIVING, THE FUEL LINE FAILED. APPROX. 7 GALLONS OF GASOLINE SPRAYED OVER THE ENTIRE ENGINE. WHEN I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY, GAS WAS DRIPPING FROM THE HOOD AND STREAMING DOWN THE SIDES OF THE ENGINE. THANKFULLY, NO FIRE! TIM'S BUICK, PONTIAC, GMC, TOYOTA, 1006 COMMERCE DR., PRESCOTT, AZ 86304, REPLACED THE HOSE AND PLACED ADDITIONAL RUBBER HOSE AROUND THE FUEL LINE AT THE POINT OF WEAR.*AK

ENGINE STALLS WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION. STALLING OCCURS DURING DECELERATION (E.G. APPROACHING A TOLL BOOTH) AND ACCELERATION (E.G. ACCELERATING AFTER MAKING A FULL STOP). FAILURES ARE SPORADIC AND RANDOM (3X/MONTH). DEALER CLAIMS TO HAVE 4 TO 5 VEHICLES (SAME MAKE AND MODEL) WITH SAME PROBLEM. DEALER CLAIMS INABILITY TO FIX PROBLEM UNTIL SPECIAL TECHNICAL TEAM ARRIVES FROM MANUFACTURER.