2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

I TOOK MY 4 RUNNER TO JOSEPH TOYOTA TO THE HAVE THE ROTORS CHECKED AND THE I WAS TOLD THEY FOUND RUST ON MY MAIN FRAME AND WOULD NOT SERVICE THE CAR. THEY SAID I NEEDED TO BUY A NEW CAR BECAUSE MINE WAS NOT SAFE. THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I HAVE AND I HAVE TAKEN GOOD CARE OF IT. I WAS SHOCKED THAT TOYOTA WOULD TURN ME AWAY AFTER PURCHASING 4 CARS FROM THEM. THEY TOLD ME THAT THE 4 RUNNER WASN'T COVERED BY THE RECALL FOR MAIN FRAME RUSTING LIKE THE TACOMA. I THINK WHEN TOYOTA KNOWS THIS PROBLEM EXIST THEY SHOULD HAVE TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE DEFECT. NOT EVERYONE CAN JUST GO BUY ANOTHER CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS CONCERNED THAT THE FRAME WOULD POSSIBLY FRACTURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 127,000. UPDATED 10/22/2014*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER AND THE DEALER WERE CONTACTED. THE DEALER ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. THE MANUFACTURER DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. UPDATED 04/2/2015 *JS

THE VEHICLE FRAME IS DETERIORATING FROM RUST ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THIS SEVERE RUST IS PREVALENT AT SUSPENSION ATTACHMENT POINTS; SIGNIFICANTLY WHERE THE RIGHT-SIDE REAR "TRACK BAR" IS ATTACHED. IF THIS WERE TO FAIL, THE REAR AXLE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME DISCONNNECTED FROM THE VEHICLE UNDOUBTEDLY CAUSING A CRASH. FOUND OUT TONIGHT THE FRAME RAIL FORWARD OF THE TRACK BAR HAS ALSO DETERIORATED ON THE BOTTOMSIDE AND IS EXHIBITING NUMEROUS HOLES. THIS CONDITION MAKES THE VEHICLE UNSERVICABLE FROM A SAFETY ASPECT. IT CANNOT BE SAFETY INSPECTED IN NYS ANY LONGER. THIS VEHICLE WAS PUCHASED NEW IN ITHACA, N.Y. THE FRAMEWORK DETERIORATION IS INDICATIVE OF OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH FRAMES RUSTING AND CAUSING MAJOR STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY ISSUES. TOYOTA HAS DONE DUE DILIGENCE IN SUPPORTING THEIR CUSTOMERS ON THEIR TACOMA AND TUNDRA VEHICLES. THEY PERFORMED FRAME REPLACEMENTS AND A BUYBACK PROGRAM ON THESE. I BELIEVE THEY OUGHT TO DO THE SAME FOR THE 4RUNNERS SEEING THEY ARE A VIRTUAL DUPLICATE OF THE TACOMA TRUCKS' FRAME. THE FACT THAT THE TUNDRA AND TACOMA FRAMES WERE PRODUCED IN USA AND THE 4RUNNER'S FRAMES WERE PRODUCED IN JAPAN DOES NOT HAVE A BEARING ON THIS RUST PROBLEM..IT DOES SHOW AN ENGINEERING DEFICIENCY ON TUNDRA, TACOMA AND 4RUNNER'S FRAME DESIGN. THIS ISSUE IS CAUSING MY FAMILY AN UNDUE FINANCIAL BURDEN. I MOST EMPHATICALLY BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL !!. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE SHOOK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE UNDER CARRIAGE WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND FRACTURED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT WAS 128,000. UPDATED 9/2/14*CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS SOLD TO A SERVICE THAT BUYS JUNK CARS FOR A TOTAL OF $600.00. UPDATED 12/17/2014 *JS

I AM WRITING TO REPORT A DEFECT IN THE FRAME OF MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I JUST PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED FOR MY 16 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO DRIVE. INSPECTION BY A CERTIFIED MECHANIC REVEALED THAT THE FRAME EXHIBITS EXTENSIVE RUSTING. THE FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH ON THE PASSENGER SIDE BETWEEN THE FRONT AND REAR WHEELS. IT HAS HOLES AND HAS SEPARATED ALONG THE BOTTOM WELD. THE MECHANIC WARNED THAT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE IS LIKELY TO OCCUR. *TR

MY 2000 4RUNNER ENGINE BROKE DOWN ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED MAKING A LOUD CLANKING NOISE AND WE PULLED OVER AND IT DIED AND WOULDN'T START AGAIN , WE HAD TO GAVE IT TOWED HOME AND THE MECHANIC INFORMED US AFTER REPLACING THE STARTER , ALTERNATOR AND BATTERY THAT IT NEEDED A NEW ENGINE. WE HAVE ALWAYS KEPT UP WITH OIL CHANGES AND TUNE UPS SO THIS WAS A SHOOK TO US. WE WILL BE CONTACTING TOYOTA TO SEE WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THESE 2000 4RUNNERS SINCE I HAVE READ THAT MANY CONSUMERS ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM. *TR

BROUGHT VEH IN FOR NHSI, WAS TOLD THAT VEH WOULD NOT PASS AGAIN DUE TO FRAME PERFORATION. THE RUST IS COMING FROM THE INSIDE OUT ON PASSENGER SIDE INNER FRAME RAIL ALONG WHERE THE MUFFLER IS LOCATED. SPOKE TO TOYOTA ON MANY LEVELS AND WAS TOLD BY THEM THAT THERE ARE NO FRAMES AVAILABLE FOR PURCHASE AND THAT THE "CHUCKS" TO BUILD THE FRAMES WITH HAD BEEN LOST SO TOYOTA WILL NOT BE MAKING ANYMORE. SO I CANNOT FIX THIS PROBLEM PROPERLY IF I WAS TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. PAID A BODY SHOP $650 TO WELD IN A PATCH TO GET ME BY AS I STILL OWE ON IT. TOO BAD TOYOTA WILL NOT RECOGNIZE THIS AS THE SAME ISSUE TACOMA, SEQUOIA, AND TUNDRA HAVE. IF THE FRAME WAS TO SEPARATE @ THE CORROSION SIGHT @ HIGHWAY SPEEDS IT WOULD RESULT IN INJURY AND POSSIBLY DEATH!! *TR

UPON A RECENT MECHANICAL INSPECTION MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE FOR DRIVING DUE TO FRAME DEGRADATION DUE TO RUSTING. THE FRAME HAS SEVERAL LOCATIONS WITH HOLES AND DETERIORATION THAT SERIOUSLY UNDERMINE THE MECHANICAL RIGIDITY OF THE FRAME AND TRUCK. THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AND IS IN GREAT CONDITION WITH THE FRAME AS THE ONLY EXCEPTION. I HAVE OWNED SEVERAL VEHICLES FROM DIFFERENT MANUFACTURERS AND HAVE DRIVEN AND STORED THEM IN THE SAME LOCATION BUT HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUES. FRAME RUST AND DETERIORATION TO THE EXTENT THAT MY VEHICLE HAS EXPERIENCED IS NOT TOLERABLE FROM ANY MANUFACTURER AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED DURING THE DESIGN, TESTING, AND MANUFACTURING STAGES OF PRODUCTION. I BELIEVE THAT THE 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS, ALONG WITH PREVIOUS YEARS WITH IDENTICAL FRAME BUILDS, SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED AND RECALLED IN A SIMILAR MANNER TO THE TOYOTA TACOMAS OF THE SAME GENERATION THAT WERE RECALLED FOR THE SAME ISSUE. THE 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS MARKETED AS A FAMILY VEHICLE WITH A HISTORY OF SAFE OPERATION AND SHOULD BE HELD TO THIS STANDARD. SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET INJURED DRIVING ONE OF THESE VEHICLES. *TR

WHILE HAVING AN OIL CHANGE DONE MY MECHANIC NOTICED SEVER FRAM RUST, SOME SPOTS GO RIGHT THROUGH FRAM. I KNOW TOYOTA RECALLED MANY VECHILES FOR THIS SO I CALL TOYOTA AND THEY SAID THEY CAN DO NOTHING FOR ME, THEY DIDN'T EVEN WANT TO LOOK AT IT. THEY SAID IF I WANTED IT LOOKED AT I WOULD HAVE TO PAY! SOUNDS LIKE THEY KNOW THEY HAVE MORE PROBLEMS BUT THEY ARE NOT GOING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT. *JS