2001 Toyota 4 Runner

WHILE MAKING A LANE CHANGE(FROM LANE 3 TO LANE 4), I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF MY 2001 4RUNNER ON THE FREEWAY, AND ENDED UP HYDROPLANING ACROSS THE FREEWAY TOWARDS THE CENTER DIVIDER. I WAS SOME HOW ABLE TO STOP MY CAR MOSTLY IN LANE 1 AND PARTIALLY IN LANE 2 BUT BEFORE I COULD ATTEMPT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT MY CAR I WAS THEN HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DUE TO THIS IMPACT, MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ROADS WERE WET DUE TO RAIN AND VISIBILITY WAS LOW DUE TO EVENING. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO A BALL JOINT/STEERING FAILURE BECAUSE 1. I WAS MOVING RIGHT BUT SOMEHOW ENDED UP HYDROPLANING LEFT 2. MY FRONT RIGHT TIRE FELL OFF(BUT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO IMPACT OF THE OTHER CAR HITTING MY FRONT END-BUT SAW AN ARTICLE ABOUT A FATAL ACCIDENT 03/21/2006-2000 4RUNNER WHERE THE DRIVER VEERED RIGHT, ROLLED OVER, DRIVER DIED AND HER LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF.). MY CAR VEERED LEFT AND MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF, HER CAR VEERED RIGHT AND HER LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF. 3. I HAVE 25+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING WITH NO MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND I WAS SIMPLY MAKING A LANE CHANGE. I DID NOT MAKE ANY SUDDEN TURNS ( I THINK MY SUV WOULD HAVE SURELY ROLLED OVER) ,DID NOT BRAKE SUDDENLY(NO ONE WAS IN LANE 4 WHEN I MADE THE LANE CHANGE) AND WAS NOT ON MY CELL PHONE. I LATER FOUND OUT(VIA INTERNET) THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2001-2002 4RUNNER FOR BALL JOINT FAILURE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE CRASH AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FOR 60 DAYS AND THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME BACK IN 3 DAYS TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THEY NEVER CALLED BACK TO SET UP THE APPOINTMENT. SINCE I WORK FULL TIME AND HAVE A SMALL CHILD, I AM NOT ABLE TO GIVE UP MY CAR FOR 60 DAYS, SO I SETTLED WITH MY CAR INSURANCE. *JB

DROVE TO STORE, PARKED CAR, SHOPPED , GOT IN CAR PUT KEY IN IGNITION AND KEY WOULD NOT TURN , TRIED TURNING WHEEL WAS STRANDED FOR 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES PULLING AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL . NEXT DAY SAME THING HAPPENED AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE. CALLED TOYOTA OF RUNNEMEDE NJ WAS TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE AND THEY GET ABOUT 7 CALLS A DAY FROM STRANDED CUSTOMERS. AND TO TURN THE WHEEL, JIGGLE THE KEY AND THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL SHOULD DISENGAGE. THIS HAS NOT HELPED AT ALL. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED NEW IN 2001 AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED UNTIL NOW AND I AM NOT PARKING ANY DIFFERENTLY THEN I HAD IN THE PREVIOUS 4 YEARS, SO SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG. HELP PLEASE. I CAN'T BE GETTING STRANDED LIKE THIS EVERYDAY. THANKS *JB

DT: TOYOTA 4 RUNNER, WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND IT CAME A STOP. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 1 MONTH AGO. VEHICLE WAS ON A STREET AND NOT ON THE FREEWAY. CONSUMER WILL TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. CONSUMER TALKED TO TOYOTA, AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE 4 RUNNER IN FOR SERVICE. TOYOTA HAD NOT HEARD OF STALLING IN THIS VEHICLE. THE 4 RUNNER HAD TO BE IN PARKED, AND DID START RIGHT BACK UP. THERE WAS NO DELAY IN GETTING THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. THERE WAS NO NOISE, AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DID NOT COMING ON BEFORE VEHICLE DIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE CAM SHAFT FAILURE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK CONSUMER HAS WRITTEN 5 LETTERS, TO TOYOTA, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MD,USA (2), ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MD (1) AND SERVICE MANAGER AT TOYOTA OF GLEN BURNIE. WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED THE VEHICLE KEPT COASTING THEN THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE CONSUMER ADDED OIL BUT IT CAME OUT ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION WHICH SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. *BF *NM