IllustrationTHERE IS A RUST ISSUE ON THE FRAME.
2000 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 2000 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4RUNNER years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
50–25K
425–50K
650–75K
1975–100K
127100–150K
147150K+
308 reports with mileage · 71 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports1 fire reports6 injury reports
Structure complaints
255 reportsWITH ONLY 129,000 MILES AND WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS MY FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH LEAVING MY VEHICLE TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT CONDITION IN EVERY OTHER ASPECT, AND WAS NOT DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR MISUSED IN ANY WAY. I NOTICED THE REAR END SWAYING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND TOOK IT IN TO THE LOC…
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WITH ONLY 129,000 MILES AND WITH NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS MY FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH LEAVING MY VEHICLE TOO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE IS IN GREAT CONDITION IN EVERY OTHER ASPECT, AND WAS NOT DRIVEN OFF ROAD OR MISUSED IN ANY WAY. I NOTICED THE REAR END SWAYING WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS IN THE ROAD AND TOOK IT IN TO THE LOCAL MECHANIC. HE SAID I SHOULD NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE AGAIN AND IT WAS ONLY GOOD FOR PARTS AT BEST SINCE THE FRAME IS UNREPAIRABLE. IN ADDITION TO THE OBVIOUS PLACE IT IS CRACKED IT IS RUSTING AWAY IN MULTIPLE OTHER LOCATIONS. I AM STUCK WITH A CAR THAT RUNS GREAT, BUT IS A SAFETY HAZARD. HAD I NOT NOTICED THE SWAYING I MAY HAVE BEEN KILLED OR KILLED OTHER MOTORISTS DUE TO THIS MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
TAKATA RECALL. I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 55 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 138. I HIT BLACK ICE AND DROVE STRAIGHT INTO A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY FACE AND HEAD, FROM SMASHING INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.
FRAME TOTALLY ROTTED AWAY AND SUSPENSION DETACHED WITH 4 CHILDREN IN THE VEHICLE! THANK GOD I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND HAD IT TOWED. YOU ALMOST KILLED 6 PEOPLE TOYOTA!!!!
THE FRAME IS ROTTING OUT ALL ALONG THE PASSENGER SIDE DUE TO RUST. ITS STARTING TO RUST AROUND KEY FRAME BRACKETS. AFTER A MECHANIC LOOKED AT HE SAID THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THIS SERIES 4RUNNER.
SEVERE CORROSION IN THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING (THE BOX BEAM ON THE RIGHT SIDE) OF THE CAR RESULTED IN THE SUDDEN LOSS OF A PORTION OF THE BOTTOM FLANGE OF THE BOX BEAM. THE PORTION OF THE BOTTOM FLANGE THAT FELL OFF IS ABOUT 3 IN. WIDE BY 14 IN. LONG. THAT PORTION OF THE FAILED FLANGE ALSO INCLUDED THE CONNECTION OF THE STRUCT ROD…
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SEVERE CORROSION IN THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING (THE BOX BEAM ON THE RIGHT SIDE) OF THE CAR RESULTED IN THE SUDDEN LOSS OF A PORTION OF THE BOTTOM FLANGE OF THE BOX BEAM. THE PORTION OF THE BOTTOM FLANGE THAT FELL OFF IS ABOUT 3 IN. WIDE BY 14 IN. LONG. THAT PORTION OF THE FAILED FLANGE ALSO INCLUDED THE CONNECTION OF THE STRUCT ROD SUPPORTING THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL. THE LOST OF THE STRUCT ROD SUPPORT TO THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SWAY WIDELY SIDE TO SIDE AND TO ROLL LEFT TO RIGHT WHILE I WAS TRYING TO CONTROL THE CAR. THE CAR DRIFTED TO THE SIDE WHEN I APPLIED BRAKING TO THE CAR. IT WAS VERY FORTUNATELY THAT WHEN THIS FAILURE OCCURRED, I WAS DRIVING ON A LOCAL ROAD IN LESS THAN 40 MPH, AND THERE WAS NO OTHER CARS IN MY IMMEDIATE SURROUNDING. OTHERWISE, A SERIOUS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE HAPPENED. AFTER SENDING THE CAR TO THE REPAIR SHOP, IT WAS OBSERVED THAT THE CORROSION HAS SEVERELY UNDERMINED THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING OF THE CAR, IN THIS CASE IT WAS THE LONGITUDINAL BOX BEAMS SUPPORTING THE CAR. I DISCUSSED THE PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA OF AMERICA AND THEY INFORMED ME THE WARRANTY FOR CORROSION IS ONLY FOR 60 MONTHS. HOWEVER, I TOLD THEM THE STRUCTURAL FRAMING OF THE VEHICLE SHOULD HAVE A MUCH, MUCH LONGER SERVICE LIFE THAN 60 MONTHS. A SUDDEN STRUCTURAL FAILURE OF THE VEHICLE IN MOTION COULD HAVE DEADLY CONSEQUENCE. THE ODOMETER READING OF MY CAR IS LESS THAN 63,000 MILES.
DRIVING HOME FROM WORK MY TORTION BAR SNAPPED OFF MY CHASSIS, COME TO REALIZE A HUGE SECTION OF MY CHASSIS ROTTED AWAY.
RUST HAS CONSUMED MY FRAME, SUSPENSION AND LOWER BODY PANELS.
CAR WAS TOWED TO BODY SHOP AND ONCE PUT ON LIFT MECHANIC OBSERVED SOCKS WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE ENITIRE FRAME ADVISING US THIS CAR IS NOT SALVAGEABLE TO DO A ROTTED FRAME AND FUTHERMORE IS A DEATH TRAP FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE ITALSO REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING.. CAR HAS UNDER 130,000 MILES AND WAS MAINTAINED WITH ALL RECORDS IN TACT…
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CAR WAS TOWED TO BODY SHOP AND ONCE PUT ON LIFT MECHANIC OBSERVED SOCKS WENT RIGHT THROUGH THE ENITIRE FRAME ADVISING US THIS CAR IS NOT SALVAGEABLE TO DO A ROTTED FRAME AND FUTHERMORE IS A DEATH TRAP FOR ANYONE TO DRIVE ITALSO REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LEAKING.. CAR HAS UNDER 130,000 MILES AND WAS MAINTAINED WITH ALL RECORDS IN TACT.. APPARENTLY TOYOTA IS AWARE OF THIS SAFTEY ISSUE AND HAS NOT RECALLED ON THIS MAKE ,YEAR AND MODEL
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED ON THE SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. A MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.