2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

MY 2000 4RUNNER IS RUSTING OUT NEXT TO THE REAR PASSENGER WHEEL WELL. IT'S ALWAYS BEEN PARKED IN THE GARAGE. I TAKE IT FOR REGULAR WASHES--AND THIS STILL HAPPENED. I PURCHASED MY 2000 4RUNNER BRAND NEW WITH AN ADDITIONAL UNDERCOATING PROTECTION--BUT YOU WOULD NOT KNOW IT BY LOOKING AT THE RUST DAMAGE. THIS IS THE TELLTALE SPOT, IT SEEMS, FOR 4RUNNERS RUSTING OUT. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE TOYOTA!!

DRIVING IN MILD WINTER CONDITION (LIGHT WET SLUSH) ON A MAINTAINED HIGHWAY MY 4RUNNER BEGAN TO FISH TALE. WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CORRECT THE FISH TALE NO CONTROL INPUT FROM THE DRIVE WOULD CORRECT THE SLIDING MOTION. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE TOWARD THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW TO ALMOST A STOP, HOWEVER, THE REAR END WAS FAR ENOUGH OFF THE SHOULDER THAT IT BEGAN TO BE PULLED BY GRAVITY DOWN HILL. WHILE IT SLID DOWN HILL THE REAR WHEEL HIT A ROCK CAUSING THE AXLE TO SNAP NEAR THE CONTACT POINT OF THE WHEEL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL ONE AND A HALF TIMES ENDANGERING FOUR LIVES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY HOWEVER NONE WERE INJURED. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED AND NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN.

VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE. THE WELD JOINT WHICH JOINS THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM ATTACHMENT POINT TO THE FRAME HAD SEPARATED ALLOWING TO CONTROL ARM TO MOVE FORWARD AN BACK. THIS IN TURN ALLOWED THE REAR AXLE TO TURN FROM SIDE TO SIDE. ON INSPECTION THE FRAME IS HEAVILY RUSTED IN THIS AREA AND THE WELD HAS GIVEN WAY AND IS TEARING APART FROM FRONT TO BACK. THE JOINT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS ALSO RUSTED, BUT THE JOINT HAS NOT YET SEPARATED.

THE REAR AXLE HOUSING HAS RUSTED THROUGH SUCH THAT DIFFERENTIAL FLUID WAS LEAKING THROUGH A HOLE IN THE METAL AND DRIPPING ONTO THE ROADWAY. THE METAL WAS SO THIN, LIKE PAPER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE ALL OF THE REAR AXLE FLUID COULD LEAK OUT, ALLOWING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO FREEZE OR SEIZE UP, CAUSING A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CREATING A POSSIBLE ACCIDENT. IT COULD ALSO CAUSE OTHER VEHICLES TO LOSE TRACTION ON ROAD DUE TO GEAR OIL LEAKING ONTO ROADWAY. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO HAVE THE CAR REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP WHO HAD TO REPLACE THE ENTIRE AXLE HOUSING. RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET SUPPORTS THIS IS AN ONGOING PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. I THINK THE NHTSA NEEDS TO STEP IN AND MAKE TOYOTA ISSUE A RECALL FOR THESE FAULTY DIFFERENTIALS. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT TOYOTA USED INFERIOR METAL TO MANUFACTURER THESE PARTS. *TR

WHEN GETTING THE LEFT/REAR WHEEL BEARING REPAIRED (DUE TO HEAVY RUSTING OF THE DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING, CAUSING FLUID LOSS), THE TECHNICIAN REPORTED EXTENSIVE FRAME LOSS ALSO DUE TO CORROSION. AFFECTED VEHICLE (OTHERWISE IN GOOD CONDITION) WAS/HAD TO BE JUNKED FOR SAFETY REASONS, THUS FORCING ME TO PURCHASE A NEW VEHICLE SOONER THAN ANTICIPATED. IN N.E. (NORTH EAST) USA, TOYOTA TACOMAS (FRAMES MANUFACTURED IN THE USA) WERE RECALLED FOR THIS CONDITION BUT NOT TOYOTA 4RUNNERS (FRAMES MANUFACTURED IN JAPAN). BOTH MY 4RUNNER CORROSION CONDITIONS ARE NOT UNUSUAL IN N.E. USA! (PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST). SHOULD TOYOTA BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE DOING NOTHING ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS CONDITION? *TR

EXPERIENCED SOFT HUM LIKE NOISE. TOOK VEHICLE TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. REAR END HOUSING FOUND TO BE SEVERELY RUSTED TO THE POINT WHERE THE INTERNAL FLUID IS SEEPING OUT THRU THE REAR OF THAT HOUSING. NON REPARABLE, NEEDS REPLACED MINIMUM $3000. DEALER SAID THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED PROBLEM & HAD CONTACTED TOYOTA OF THIS SITUATION. DEALER WAS TOLD IT HAPPENS & TOYOTA WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. HAS BEEN A GOOD VEHICLE OTHERWISE. DISHEARTENED & FINANCIALLY STRESSED! *TR