1997 Toyota 4 Runner

FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES EXCESSIVELY AT SPEEDS OVER 65. AT 80 MILES PER HOUR VEHICLE IS CLOSE TO BEING UNCONTROLLABLE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY. REPORTED TO DEALER DURING FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP (PENSKE TOYOTA, DOWNEY). DEALER TESTED VEHICLE AND STATED THAT ALL HIGH VEHICLES SHAKE AT HIGH SPEEDS. VEHICLE STILL SHAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO LONGO TOYOTA FOR 15,000 MILE CHECKUP. NEEDED TWO NEW FRONT TIRES AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. LONGO REPLACED TIRES FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE I HAD PROOF OF MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT AND PROOF THAT PENSKE DID NOTHING TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PROBLEM CORRECTED FOR A FEW MILES THEN STARTED AGAIN. RETURNED TO LONGO TOYOTA IN EL MONTE AND REPORTED PROBLEM AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TIRES NEEDED AIR PRESSURE CHANGED. PROBLEM CONTINUED AND ON NEXT VISIT WAS TOLD TIRES NEEDED ROTATING THAT THEY ARE WEARING UNEVENLY. PROBLEM CONTINUED AND REPORTED AGAIN TO LONGO TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED EVERY THOUSAND MILES. THIS ANSWER ANGERED ME AND I GAVE UP ON TRYING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. AT PRESENT, THE TIRES ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY ON ONE SIDE AND DEALER TELLS ME THAT I NEED NEW TIRES. I KNOW I NEED NEW TIRES BUT WHAT I NEED FIRST IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT CORRECTED TO PREVENT THE SHAKING AND UNEVEN WEAR.

MY TOYOTA VIBRATES AS THOUGH IT HAS A WHEEL BALANCE PROBLEM WHEN IT'S DRIVEN BETWEEN 58 AND 65 MPH. MULTIPLE "REBALANCES" AND 3 SETS OF NEW TIRES HAVE NOT FIXED IT. I'VE READ ACCOUNTS OF "DRIVELINE RUNOUT" CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS ALIGNED THE VEHICLE AND I'VE HAD TIRES BALANCED MANY TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW.

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50-55 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE RIM ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF. THE TIRE REMAINED INTACT. DRIVER ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. A NOISE WAS HEARD WHENEVER MAKING RIGHT TURNS ABOUT 3 MONTHS OR MORE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE TRUCK IS BEING INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK