1997 Toyota 4RUNNER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE VEHICLE SWAYED FROM LEFT TO RIGHT AND BECAME HARD TO CONTROL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE BRACKET THAT HOLDS THE STABILIZER BAR TO THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WHOLE REAR FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 263,514.

TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: THANK YOU FOR YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION TO THIS CONCERN. I JUST PURCHASED A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH 173,000 MILES ON IT. I WAS MADE AWARE BEFORE BUYING THE VEHICLE THAT THERE IS SOME RUST UNDERNEATH AND SO I EXAMINED THE PROBLEM AND DETERMINED THAT IT IS NOT MAJOR AND IS REPAIRABLE. AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, I FOUND THAT THE PROBLEM IS QUITE LARGER THAN I INITIALLY ASSESSED. I REALIZE THAT THIS MAKES ME RESPONSIBLE FOR A BAD DECISION BUT I ALSO THINK THAT IT IS IMPORTANT FOR THE SAFETY OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO BRING THESE RUST ISSUES TO THE ATTENTION OF THE NHTSA WITH THE HOPE THAT ENOUGH COMPLAINTS WILL AFFECT A RESPONSE THAT WILL HOLD THE MANUFACTURER RESPONSIBLE. I REALIZE THAT THIS VEHICLE IS 15 YEARS OLD AND HAS HIGH MILEAGE BUT AT THE SAME TIME, I DON'T BELIEVE THAT THE ROTTING FRAME IS AN ACCEPTABLE DEFECT IN AN 18 YEAR OLD VEHICLE THAT WAS CLEARLY VERY WELL MAINTAINED BY IT'S ORIGINAL OWNER, AND BY THE NUMBER OF SUBMITTED AND UNSUBMITTED COMPLAINTS, THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS PARTICULAR VEHICLE WHICH POINTS TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING. IN ADDITION, THIS ROTTING FRAME PROBLEM MUST HAVE STARTED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS MUCH YOUNGER BECAUSE THE FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH IN TWO PLACES AND IT DOESN'T TAKE A SCIENTIST TO KNOW THAT THIS KIND OF DAMAGE TAKES TIME. THE MAIN FRAME ON MY 4RUNNER IS ROTTED COMPLETELY THROUGH IN FRONT OF AND BEHIND THE LEFT REAR WHEEL. I CANNOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE THAT I JUST BOUGHT BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY CONCERNS AND I'M CONCERNED THAT THERE ARE LESS MECHANICALLY INCLINED PERSONS OUT THERE WHO ARE UNAWARE OF THIS ISSUE AND UNKNOWINGLY PUTTING THEMSELVES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC AT RISK. PLEASE TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION TO HOLD THE MANUFACTURER ACCOUNTABLE FOR THIS DEFECT. THANK YOU. *TR

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH AND MY 4RUNNER STARTED TO SWAY AND ROCK VIOLENTLY. I FELT IT VEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE WAY I WAS DRIVING AND BRAKED FEARING THAT I WAS GOING TO FLIP MY VEHICLE. I WAS DRIVING DOWN A SMOOTH STRAIGHT ROAD IN GREAT WEATHER. I BRAKED TO SLOW DOWN TAPPING THEM ABOUT FIVE TIMES. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED. IT HAPPENED ONE TIME A COUPLE DAYS BEFORE I PARKED THE CAR THINKING THAT THE TIRE WAS FALLING OFF AND CALLED MY MECHANIC WHO HAPPILY FIXED A FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIE ROD END AND BALL JOINT. THEY STATED THAT THE CONTROL ARM WAS RUSTING OUT... THAT IT SHOULD BE SAFE TO DRIVE AND THEN THIS. I WAS TERRIFIED. IT IS NOT SAFE THE DRIVER SIDE CONTROL ARM IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT AND HANGING AND THE PASSENGER SIDE IS RUSTING AND BEGINNING TO FALL. I AM AT A LOSS I LOVE THIS VEHICLE HATE THE REPAIRS THAT I HAVE HAD TO DO IN THE SIX MONTHS I HAVE HAD IT AND NOW I OWE FOR REPAIRS AND A SMALL LOAN. I CANT DRIVE IT OR SELL IT AND SENDING IT BACK WILL RUIN MY ALREADY FAILED CREDIT. IT IS INCREDIBLY A HUGE SAFETY PROBLEM AND RESEARCH THAT I HAVE DONE HAS SHOWED THAT THIS YEAR AND MAKE IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM AND IT IS FRUSTRATING AND SAD THAT NOTHING CAN BE DONE EXCEPT LET IT SIT.

I WAS DRIVING IN SCHOOL ZONE POSTED 20 MPH SCHOOL ZONE ROAD A LITTLE ROUGH UNEVEN SURFACE WHILE DRIVING APPROX. 20 MPH WHEN I FELT THE VEHICLE STRAYED TO THE RIGHT WHEN I STEPPED ON THE BRAKES AND AFTER RELEASING THE BRAKES TO TAKE OFF AGAIN HEARING THUMP AND VEHICLE STRAYED TO RIGHT KEEPING THE STEERING WHEEL STRAIGHT WHICH FELT LIKE REAR END OF VEHICLE GONG TO RIGHT AND FRONT END STEERING TO LEFT A LOT OF SWAYING AND THUMPING UPON APPLYING AND RELEASING MY FEET ON AND OFF THE BRAKE PEDAL AND TAKING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP AND APPLYING THE BRAKES TO STOP AND A THUMP SOUND, I PULLED OVER AND CHECKED THE WHEELS SEEM OK BUT UPON LOOKING UNDERNEATH MY VEHICLE JUST IN FRONT OF DRIVERS SIDE REAR WHEEL FRAME ATTACHED TO THE STABILIZER BAR ROTTED AND DROPPED DOWN EXPOSING MY GAS TANK HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE PLATES WELDED TO FRAME TO USE VEHICLE AGAIN WELDER SAID FRAME ALL ROTTED OUT.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 02V021000 (SUSPENSION), HOWEVER, THE DEALER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIR DUE TO A RUSTED CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000. UPDATED 8/21/15*CN UPDATED 10/11/2017*CN

MY SON JARRED WAS DRIVING OUR 1997 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN SUDDENLY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE VIOLENTLY, HE WAS ALSO LOSING CONTROL OF HIS STEERING, HE WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT HOME SAFELY. WHEN I DID AN ACTUAL INSPECTION OF THE VEHICLE FRAME I NOTICED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE REAR CONTROL ARM HAD RUSTED OFF THE FRAME BODY, THUS THE REASON THAT MY SON ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS BEEN AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA AND FRAME ROTTING OUT. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED THE TUNDRAS AND SEQUOIAS NOT THE 4-RUNNERS. I'M HOPING THAT TOYOTA DOES THE RIGHT THING AND RECALLS THE 4-RUNNERS. I HAVE PIC'S IF SOMEBODY WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE DAMAGE. *TR