2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

2000 SPORT EDITION 4 RUNNER, ALL WORKING COMPONENTS AND FRAME ARE BADLY RUSTED. NOTHING CAN BE WORKED ON WITHOUT BREAKAGE OF PARTS AND BOLTS. THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL ON TACOMAS AND TUNDRAS FROM THE EAST COAST WHERE SALT IS USED ON THE ROADS. CUSTOMERS HAVE BEEN GIVEN REPLACEMENT FRAMES OR THEIR VEHICLES HAVE BEEN PURCHASED BACK FROM TOYOTA. OUR CAR IS FROM VERMONT AND NEW YORK WHERE I AM SURE THEY USED ROAD SALT AND THIS IS WHY THE UNTREATED FRAMES OF THESE VEHICLES CORRODED SO BADLY LIKE OUR 4 RUNNER. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD GIVE THE SAME OFFER FOR THE 2000 4 RUNNER. MY SON WORKED FOR TWO YEARS AND AT 18 YEARS OLD PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE FOR $9000.00. WE WERE CRUSHED WHEN WE REALIZED THE EXTENT OF RUST DAMAGE ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THIS VEHICLE. NOTHING CAN BE REPAIRED WITHOUT HUGE EXPENSE, AND EVERY THING ON THE UNDERSIDE OF THIS CAR NEEDS REPLACED. WHERE IS TOYOTA'S CUSTOMER CARE AND SATISFACTION NOW? *TR

MY WIFE AND I OWN A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER AND WE RECENTLY DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. TOYOTA HAD A RECALL ON TACOMA AND TUNDRA MODELS FROM THE SAME YEAR WITH SIMILAR ISSUES AND WAS ABLE TO HELP CONSUMERS. BECAUSE THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ENOUGH COMPLAINTS ON THE 4RUNNER, THEY HAVE NEGLECTED MY CONCERNS. THE FRAME IS NOT SAFE AND FURTHER DAMAGE TO THE FRAME COULD RESULT IN SEVERE INJURY TO MY FAMILY OR OTHERS. I ASK THAT TOYOTA BE FORCED TO EXPAND THE RECALL TO OTHER VEHICLES. IN ADDITION, IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT THE FRAMES ALL CAME FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER. THE METALS USED TO MAKE THE FRAMES WERE NOT OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY, WHICH IS RESULTING IN THIS DETERIORATION OF THE FRAME. *TR

I'M THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF A 2000 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER SUV WHICH IS THE NON-TRUCK VERSION OF THE TACOMA WHICH IS CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA FOR RUST AND CORROSION PROBLEMS. SINCE THE 4 RUNNER AND TACOMA ARE BUILT THE SAME, EXCEPT ONE IS A TRUCK AND THE OTHER A SUV, ISN'T THERE THE SAME PROBLEM OF RUST AND CORROSION? ONE EXAMPLE IS THAT THE SPARE TIRE IS LOCATED IN THE SAME PLACE ON BOTH TYPES OF VEHICLES! *TR

WE HAVE A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, PURCHASED BRAND NEW FROM A MAINE DEALER. THIS VEHICLE RECENTLY FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO RUST HOLES IN THE FRAME. THE MILEAGE READ 88,600 AND IT WAS DECLARED UNSAFE FOR THE ROAD BY OUR LOCAL GARAGE AND THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, SHEPARD TOYOTA, ROCKLAND, MAINE. WE CALLED TOYOTA AND INQUIRED ABOUT A BUY BACK PROGRAM FOR 4RUNNERS, AS IT HAS THE SAME FRAME AS A TACOMA. TACOMAS HAVE BEEN RECALLED FOR FRAME RUST. TOYOTA INFORMED US THAT THE 4 RUNNER WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL PROGRAM,AND THAT THEY WOULD NOT HELP US RESOLVE THIS SAFETY PROBLEM. WE SCHEDULED IT FOR REPAIR AT SHEPARD TOYOTA. THE REPAIR CONSISTED OF A TACK WELDING OF A STEEL PLATE OVER THE RUST HOLES TO CONCEAL THEM, AND THEN SOMETHING BLACK WAS SPRAYED OVER IT. THE STEEL REPAIR PLATE DOES NOT HAVE A CONTINUOUS WELD COMPLETELY AROUND IT. THIS OVERSIGHT MIGHT ALLOW ACCELERATED CORROSION BY TRAPPING MOISTURE AND ROAD SALT BEHIND IT. SHEPARD TOYOTA DEEMED THE VEHICLE SAFE AND IT PASSED THE MAINE SAFETY INSPECTION. WE CHARGED $166.50 FOR THIS SAFETY DEFECT REPAIR. WE CHOSE THE 4 RUNNER WAS FOR ITS ABILITY TO TOW. WE HAVE EXPLAINED TO TOYOTA THAT THIS VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE AND THAT WE TOW HEAVY TRAILERS ON A REGULAR BASIS. THE TRIGGER TO ALLOW A TACOMA OWNER TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BUY BACK PROGRAM IS WHEN RUST HOLES APPEAR IN THE FRAME. EVEN THOUGH OUR 4 RUNNER HAS 2 (NOW HIDDEN) RUST HOLES THROUGH THE FRAME, AND POSSIBLE HOLES CONCEALED BEHIND OTHER COMPONENTS SUCH AS THE FUEL TANK, TOYOTA IS NOT CONCERNED WITH THIS SAFETY ISSUE. WE ARE ALSO WONDERING IF TOYOTA USES LESS CORROSION PROTECTION ON VEHICLES WITH CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS. OUR 4RUNNER WAS RETRIEVED FROM ANOTHER TOYOTA DEALER IN ANOTHER STATE AS OUR ORIGINAL DEALER DID NOT HAVE ONE IN STOCK. IS IT LEGAL FOR A MAINE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO SELL A VEHICLE WITH CALIFORNIA EMISSIONS? WE WOULD LIKE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE OUR ISSUES AND HAVE TOYOTA TAKE OUR SAFETY CONCERNS SERIOUSLY AND TAKE ACTION. *TR UPDAED 04/01/10.*JB