1996 Toyota 4RUNNER

I WAS PULLING A U HAUL TRAILER AS I HAVE DONE MANY TIMES, BUT THIS TIME I NOTICED THE TRAILER WANTED TO SWAY AT 40-55 MPH. WHEN I RETURNED THE TRAILER I THEN NOTICES THE TRUCK HANDLING BADLY, AT 65MPH IT WAS ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP IT IN MY LANE AS IT WAS ROCKING SIMILAR TO HAVING A BROKEN STRUT. I GOT THE TRUCK HOME AND CALLED UNDER IT AND THAT'S WHEN I SAW THE MOUNT FOR THE LOWER RIGHT REAR CONTROL HAD BROKEN COMPLETELY AWAY FROM THE FRAME. UNLESS THIS CAN BE REPAIRED, WHICH IS HIGHLY UNLIKELY THE TRUCK WILL HAVE TO BE SCRAPPED. ALL OTHER FEATURES ON THIS TRUCK ARE IN GREAT WORKING ORDER. TOYOTA NEED TO DO SOMETHING. I HAVE A FRIEND WHO HAD A 95 TACOMA WHO RECEIVED A LETTER FROM TOYOTA THAT INSTRUCTED HIM TO COME IN ONCE A YEAR FOR A FREE INSPECTION FOR THIS TYPE OF FAILURE, IF IT DIDN'T PASS TOYOTA WOULD BY THE TRUCK BACK. I'M TRYING TO CONTACT THE ZONE OFFICE NOW TO SEE WHAT ACTION I NEED TO TAKE. I HAVE A 1957 CHEVY 3/4 TON TRUCK AND HAS NO RUST ISSUES, WHAT'S YOUR DEAL TOYOTA!! *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE EMITTED FROM THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND DETACHED OFF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 260,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THERE WAS A LOUD ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE MAIN FRAME IN FRONT OF THE LEFT REAR WHEEL FRACTURED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE REAR SUSPENSION HAD CORROSION BUILD UP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHO DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS DESTROYED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE WAS 195,000.

WHILE DRIVE DOWN THE HIGH WAY AT ABOUT 65 MPH I WAS DRIVING AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A LOUD CLUNK UNDER MY TRUCK. I DIDN'T HIT ANYTHING IN THE ROAD I JUST HEARD A LOUD CLUNK AND AFTER THAT MY TRUCK WOULD SWAY AND DRIFT TO THE LEFT DRAMATICALLY TO THE POINT I ALMOST COULDN'T CONTROL WHAT DIRECTION MY TRUCK WAS GOING I HAD TO SLOW DOWN TO 20 MPH AND PULL OVER. AFTER TAKING IT IN TO THE MECHANIC THEY TOLD ME THAT FRAME AS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND SNAPPED ENTIRELY. THE TRUCK IS AMAZING TRUCK ENGINE RUNS LIKE ITS BRAND NEW BUT THE ENTIRE FRAME RUSTS WAY TO EASY. AND SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE ON THE 96-99 4RUNNER FRAME. BEFORE SOME ONE GETS IN A ACCIDENT. OR IS THAT WHAT TOYOTAS WAITING FOR BEFORE THEY DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MAJOR ISSUE THAT HAPPENS TO ALL 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNER. *TR

I SEE THAT YOU GUYS HAVE ORDERED A RECALL ON 2001-2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINT FAILING. THE PART NUMBER FOR THE LOWER BALL JOINT IS THE SAME FOR YEARS 1996-2002 AND THERE ARE NUMEROUS POSTS OF PEOPLE HAVING THEIR BALL JOINT FAIL ON YEARS PRIOR TO 2001. CAN YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN WHY ONLY YEARS 2001-2002 ARE COVERED? THIS IS A LIABILITY AND TOYOTA SHOULD KNOW THAT THE SAME PART NUMBER IS COVERED FOR ALL 3RD GENERATION TOYOTA 4RUNNERS AND IT IS FAILING ON ALL 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS. PLEASE DO A QUICK GOOGLE SEARCH AND YOU WILL SEE NUMEROUS PEOPLE GETTING INTO ACCIDENTS, FLIPS, ETC. ON 4RUNNERS THAT ARE PRE 2001 (1996-2000) BECAUSE OF LOWER BALL JOINT FAILURE. THIS HAS THE POTENTIAL OF PEOPLE BRINGING SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA AS WELL AS THE SAFETY COMMISSION FOR THEIR NEGLIGENCE IN FIXING THIS MATTER. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS DAMAGED TO THE POINT OF DETERIORATION. THE AFFECTED AREA WAS NEAR THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEEL. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE FOR A ROUTINE INSPECTION BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO OFFERED AN INTERIM FIX TO COAT THE EXTENSIVE RUSTING AND THE DETERIORATION OF THE FRAME. THE AUTHORIZED DEALER DID NOT PROVIDE THE REMEDY TO REPLACE THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS SCHEDULED TO BE REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS PRESENT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE REAR WHEEL AREA. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE METAL BAR THAT HELD THE REAR AXLE WAS RUSTED AND BECAME DETACHED FROM THE FRAME. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEFECT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,000.

DUE TO A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RUST THE FRAME BROKE WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. LUCKILY THE BREAKAGE DID NOT CAUSE AN ACCIDENT, BUT IT DID CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO SWERVE SIDE TO SIDE UNCONTROLLABLY. IF THE BREAKAGE HAD OCCURRED AT A HIGHER RATE OF SPEED OR IF THE BREAKAGE (CAUSING INCREASED TORQUE/PRESSURE IN OTHER AREAS) HAD SPAWNED ADDITIONAL BREAKAGES IN THE MANY OTHER RUSTED THIN LOCATIONS, I FEEL SURE AN ACCIDENT WOULD HAVE BEEN UNAVOIDABLE. A QUICK SEARCH OF THE INTERNET SHOWS NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS OF SERIOUS RUST PROBLEMS ON 4RUNNERS....AND TOYOTA HAS ALREADY RECALLED MANY OF THEIR TRUCK FRAMES FOR SIMILAR EXCESSIVE RUST PROBLEMS. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE THAT COULD HAVE EASILY CAUSED A FATAL ACCIDENT AND 4RUNNER OWNERS ALL OVER THE US ARE AT RISK. I HOPE MY COMPLAINT IS THE ONE THAT FINALLY FORCES TOYOTA TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE PROBLEM AND CORRECT IT BEFORE MORE PEOPLE HAVE TO EXPERIENCE A NEAR-MISS (OR WORSE). *TR