2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

I HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE 4WD SO I BROUGHT THE CAR IN THE MY LOCAL SHOP. WHILE INVESTIGATING THE ISSUE, THE AUTO SHOP DISCOVERED SOME MAJOR FRAME ROT TOWARDS THE BACK RIGHT WHEEL THAT EXTENDED INTO THE ARM THAT HOLDS UP THE BACK WHEELS. I WAS TOLD THAT THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THERE IS NO TELLING WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR IF I SIMPLY WENT OVER A BAD POT HOLE. I WAS ALSO TOLD BY A SEPARATE AUTO PERSON THAT THE 4WD ISSUES I HAD BEEN EXPERIENCING MAY ALSO BE THE RESULT OF THE FRAME RUST WHICH MOST LIKELY WARPED THE FRAME AND MESSED WITH THE GEARS INVOLVED IN 4WD. I BROUGHT MY CAR TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER FOR A SECOND OPINION ON THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER REFUSED TO TAKE A LOOK AND INSTRUCTED ME TO CALL CUSTOMER SERVICE. I CALLED CUSTOMER SERVICE AND THEY OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THIS ISSUE IS VERY SIMILAR TO THE TOYOTA TACOMA RECALL AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED IN A SIMILAR FASHION. I WAS TOLD BY CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT THEY DO NOT CONSIDER THEM SIMILAR BECAUSE THE TACOMA FRAMES WERE MADE IN AMERICA WHILE THE 4RUNNER FRAMES WERE MADE IN JAPAN. I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT TAKES AWAY THEIR LIABILITY FOR A POORLY MADE VEHICLE WITH CLEAR MANUFACTURING ISSUES. I HAVE READ ABOUT THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER 4RUNNER OWNERS AND KNOW THAT IT'S NOT JUST MY PROBLEM, THIS IS AN OWNER-WIDE ISSUE AND CLEARLY SOMETHING THAT CAN BE TRACED BACK TO TOYOTA'S MANUFACTURING PROCESS OF THIS VEHICLE. NOW I AM STUCK WITH AN UNSAFE VEHICLE THAT I CANNOT DRIVE WITH A CLEAN CONSCIENCE NOR SELL WITH A CLEAN CONSCIENCE. TOYOTA'S POOR MANUFACTURING HAS LEFT ME LIABILITY ISSUE THAT I THINK SHOULD BE ADDRESSED. I WOULD AT LEAST LIKE TO TRADE IN THE VEHICLE FOR A NEW ONE WITH A SOUND FRAME! *TR

BROUGHT VEHICLE INTO DEALERSHIP FOR GENERAL MAINTENANCE. SERVICE TECH INDICATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH SO BAD THAT THE VEHICLE MIGHT NOT BE SAFE TO DRIVE. SERVICE TECH WAS CONCERNED EVEN LOWERING IT FROM THE LIFT. HE INDICATED THAT HE HAS SEEN THIS ISSUE ON A FAIR NUMBER OF OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES THAT SHARE THE SAME FRAME DESIGN. I'M NOW LEFT WITH A CAR THAT WOULD BE VERY DRIVABLE IF IT WASN'T FOR THE DEFECTIVE FRAME. *TR

I HAVE A 2000 4RUNNER SR5 SPORT THAT HAS LIVED ITS LIFE IN NEW ENGLAND. THE CAR IS IN GOOD SHAPE AND THE FRAME OF THE CAR APPEARS TO HAVE SOME SURFACE RUST. I HAD THE EXHAUST REPLACED LAST WEEK AND THEY FOUND THAT THE INSIDE OF THE FRAME HAD TOTALLY ROTTED OUT FROM THE INSIDE, SO THAT THE THERE ARE ONLY THREE SIDES TO THE FOUR OF THE TUBE FRAME LEFT. I HEARD THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD ISSUES WITH FRAMES RUSTING. I HAVE TWO CHILDREN I DRIVE AROUND IN THIS CAR AND I FEEL THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS BEFORE SOMEONE GETS KILLED. *TR

WHILE DRIVING ON THE NYS THRUWAY IN THE VICINITY OF HARRIMAN, NY, THE STEERING BEGAN TO WANDER, AND THE VEHICLE FELT UNSAFE TO DRIVE. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE A SHORT DISTANCE TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP, WHICH INSPECTED THE 4RUNNER AND FOUND EXTREME RUST DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE FRAME SUCH THAT IT SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AGAIN, AND COULD ONLY BE SCRAPPED. THEY OBSERVED THAT THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL WAS CLOSE TO BREAKING OFF, WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHERE WE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE BEEN KILLED. WE WERE SHOCKED THAT SUCH A DANGEROUS RUST CONDITION COULD DEVELOP IN A TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT WAS ONLY 12 YEARS OLD, WAS BUILT AND INTENDED FOR HEAVY DUTY USE, AND HAD BEEN MAINTAINED IN STRICT ACCORDANCE WITH THE OWNER'S MANUAL. THIS VEHICLE HAD NEVER BEEN DRIVEN OFF-ROAD. WE NOTIFIED TOYOTA BY TELEPHONE AND LETTER OF THIS OCCURRENCE, AND WERE INFORMED THAT THERE HAD BEEN NO RECALL OF THIS MODEL, AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THAT THEY WOULD DO. A SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWED MANY REPORTS OF SIMILAR OCCURRENCES FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL. WE STRONGLY BELIEVE THAT A SAFETY RECALL NEEDS TO BE CONSIDERED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS OIL LEAKING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS LEAKING. THE CONTACT DID NOT TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER OR A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST OR REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 170,000.