2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS HAVING SWAY BAR LINK REPLACED AND MECHANIC NOTICED EXTENSIVE RUST IN REAR SECTION OF FRAMEON BOTH SIDES,PARTICULARLY AROUND SUSPENSION,INSIDE OF REAR FRAME RAILS,MASSIVE SECTIONS OF FRAME RAIL AFFECTED,AND HOLES/CRACKS IN FRAME. AFTER CONTACTING TOYOTA ABOUT THIS PROBLEM,MY LOCAL DEALERSHIP,LOVE LEXUS OF ST ALBANS,WEST VIRGINIA,THEY SCHEDULED ME AN APPTMNT TO EXAMINE THE VEHICLE.WHEN I ARRIVED,THEY DID NOT EVEN BOTHER TO RACK THE VEHICLE,I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD BE HAPPY TO FIX IT FOR $7000.00,AND GIGGLED AT BY THE SERVICE MANAGER. I WILL NEVER DEAL WITH A DEALERSHIP AGAIN.HE TOLD ME IF IT WAS A TACOMA THEY WOULD REPAIR IT OR BUY IT BACK,BUT SINCE IT WAS A 4RUNNER, IWAS OUT OF LUCK.WITH A DECENT AMOUNT OF MONEY TIED UP IN THIS VEHICLE,AND NO OPTIONS TO REPLACE IT, I NOW HAVE TAKEN IT FROM MY SON AND I AM DRIVING THIS DEATH TRAP MYSELF,ANDCANNOT BELIEVE THAT THE MOST TRUSTED BRAND I EVER KNEW,ONE I HAVE BEEN SHAMELESSLY PROMOTING AND DRIVING FOR OVER 20 YEARS IS TURNING THEIR BACK ON LOYAL CUSTOMERS.I HAVE A FRIEND WHOSE 1999 TACOMA,OLDER THAN MY 4RUNNER,WAS BOUGHT BACK BY THEM THE YEAR BEFORE LAST(THEY GAVE HIM $14,000 FOR HIS TRUCK,WHICH WASRUSTED IN HALF). IF YOU(NHTSA) ARE GOING TO DO NOTHING, I HOPE THAT A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS FILED SOON SO I CAN JOIN. THERE IS NO REASON FOR SUCH BRAZEN DISREGARD FOR SAFETY.I HAVE SEEN SO MANY CASES OF THIS PROBLEM IT IS OUTRAGEOUS.AFTER THE RECIEPT OF MY TAXES I WILL PARK THE VEHICLE,AND REPLACE IT FOR SAFETY CONCERNS.BUT I WILL NOT GET RID OF IT,NOT YET I WANT TOYOTA TO KNOW HOW I FEEL,AND IF THAT MEANS I PARK IT IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR SHOWROOM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT AND WALK AWAY,SO BE IT.BUT I WILL WAIT A WHILE,AND HOPE THEY DO THE RIGHT THING.I OWN A 1993 4RUNNER,AND ITS FRAME IS PERFECT.WHY ARE THEY ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH THIS?I HAVE LOST OVER $5000 AND NOW OWN A HEAP OF JUNK.

FRAME RUSTING THROUGH IN FRONT OF VEHICLE....TOYOTA RECALLED THEIR TACOMA TRUCK, WHICH USES THE SAME FRAME AND RUNNING GEAR, BUT NO RECALL ON THE 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS WHICH HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM WITH FRAME RUST AS THE TACOMA PICKUP TRUCK. I WAS DRIVING THE TRUCK AND SOMETHING "SNAPPED" UNDER THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE 4 RUNNER. AUTO REPAIR BUSINESS SAID THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH.

DRIVING HOME FROM SCHOOL THE OTHER DAY AND I HEAR A LOUD THUD AND NEXT THING I KNOW MY EXHAUST STARTS GETTING LOUDER AND MY REAR END STARTS TO SHAKE BACK AND FORTH LIKE MY CAR WAS FISHTAILING BUT WITHOUT SPINNING THE TIRES. IT GOT HARD TO STEAR AND I ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR. I FIGURED I WOULD STOP BY TO SEE WHAT A MECHANIC WOULD SAY. HE PUT MY 4RUNNER UP ON A LIFT AND SHOWED ME THE MULTIPLE RUST HOLES THAT ATE APART MY FRAME. ALSO THE PART THAT CONNECTS THE REAR AXLE TO THE FRAME RUSTED OUT AND DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME LEAVING MY AXLE TO SHAKE AROUND AND FALL OUT IF I KEEP DRIVING IT. BEING 17 YEARS OLD I SPENT ALL MY MONEY ON THIS TOYOTA BECAUSE I FIGURED THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST CARS AND I WOULD BE ABLE TO GET BACK AND FORTH FROM PLACE TO PLACE. ONLY HAVING 129,000 MILES THIS 4RUNNER SHOULD NOT BE FALLING APART AND UNDRIVABLE. I DON'T HAVE THE INSANE AMOUNT OF MONEY TO REPLACE THE FRAME SO NOW I'M WITHOUT A CAR. THANKS TOYOTA. I THINK I'M GOING TO GIVE MY BUSINESS TO HONDA NEXT TIME.

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

THERE WAS NO INCIDENT, THE FRAME IS RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES. I BROUGHT MY 4RUNNER IN FOR A ROUTINE OIL CHANGE, NOT TO THE RUDY LUTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GOLDEN VALLEY, MN, WHERE I NORMALLY BRING FOR REGULAR SERVICE, BUT TO MINNETONKA AUTO. THEY NOTICED THE FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH ON BOTH SIDES, VERY VISIBLY... I COULD STICK MY HAND IN THE RUSTED HOLES. THE MECHANIC SAID THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS AND SHOULD BE REPLACED IMMEDIATELY AND RECOMMENDED I CONTACT TOYOTA DIRECTLY. THERE IS NO RUST ON THE BODY OF MY TRUCK, JUST THE FRAME. THE DEALERSHIP SENT ME TO TOYOTA CORPORATE. TOYOTA CORPORATE SAID THEY HAD NO PROGRAMS FOR THE 4RUNNER, AND COULDNT OFFER ME ANY OTHER OPTIONS OR SOLUTIONS, OTHER THAN CONTACT YOUR DEALERSHIP. I CALLED RUDY LUTHER TOYOTA DEALERSHIP IN GOLDEN VALLEY, MN AGAIN, THEY SAID THEY HAVE OTHER CASES, BUT CORPORATE WASNT DOING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. I GUESS THEY ARE WAITING FOR A FEW PEOPLE TO DIE FIRST, BEFORE SPENDING ANY $$ TO FIX THEIR DEFECTIVE FRAMES.