1997 Toyota 4RUNNER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO DECELERATE, STOPPING POWER DECREASED AND THE ABS ERRONEOUSLY ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS FOUND THAT THE REAR UNDER BODY FRAME HAD FRACTURED IN HALF DUE TO CORROSION. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS ALSO CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED ABOUT THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 159,000..... UPDATED 03/08/13 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THEY BRAKES WOULDN'T PERFORM AS DESIGNED. THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS RANDOM, BECAUSE OF THE REAR -END SWAYING FROM BEING DETACHED. UPDATED 03/11/13

I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 4X4, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN1997. WITHIN IN WEEKS OF OWNING AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, WHILE BRAKING AS I DROVE OVER IRREGULAR ROAD, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT GRABBING, L AND THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING, COMMENSURATE WITH THE DEMAND THAT I WAS PUTTING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT I WAS GOING TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME! AFTER SEVERAL SUCH EXPERIENCE, IN JUNE OR JULY OF 1997, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I STILL OWN AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS UNCHANGED. BECAUSE I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, WHENEVER I DRIVE OVER IRREGULAR ROAD SURFACES, BUMPS OR EXPANSION JOINTS I KEEP A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I STILL DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKE ISSUE HAS NOT CHANGED. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED WITH THE 4RUNNER WAS THE SHIFTING OF THE BACKEND OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER IRREGULAR ROAD SURFACES. HOWEVER, TOYOTA RECALLED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE A REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE FIX REDUCED THE SEVERITY OF THE SHIFTING OF THE BACKEND, IT DID NOT TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED LIMIT (60 MPH), THE VEHICLE SURGED/JOLTED FORWARD PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO MERGE INTO THE DIRECTION OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. I TRIED TO TURN AWAY FROM TRACTOR TRAILER TO AVOID COLLISION. MY VEHICLE HIT THE REAR TIRE OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND I BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL. MY BRAKES DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP EITHER, THEY DIDN'T FUNCTION. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING OVER 3+ TIMES, THE CAR WAS TOTALED. ALL PASSENGERS WERE HOSPITALIZED BUT NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEOPLE WERE HURT FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING THE PERIODIC ENGINE SURGE AND/OR JOLTING AND LACK OF BRAKE CONTROL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO AVOID FUTURE INCIDENTS. WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN KILLED IN THIS AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR