1997 Toyota 4RUNNER

SERIOUS CORROSION ON REAR DIFFERENTIAL CASING AT BELOW FILL BOLT, LEAKING FLUIDS. DEALER UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE PART IS NOT A COVER AS IN MOST VEHICLES. DEALER ONLY SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WITH ALL PARTS. THIS SITUATION PRESENTS A SERIOUS THREAT TO LIFE AS THESE COMPONENTS ARE SEVERELY AND UNUSUALLY RUSTED. *TR

1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME ROTTING OUT. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 1997 TOYOTA TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON, THE 4RUNNER HAS THE SAME FRAME AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADD THE 4RUNNER TO THE RECALL OR FIX THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES. MY 4RUNNER IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE EXCEPT THE FRAME IS ROTTING THROUGH IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THESE 4RUNNERS SHOULD BE RECALLED THE SAME AS THE TACOMAS TO FIX THE DEFECT. *TR

1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME ROTTING OUT. THERE IS A RECALL ON THE 1997 TOYOTA TACOMAS FOR THE SAME REASON, THE 4RUNNER HAS THE SAME FRAME AND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM. TOYOTA REFUSES TO ADD THE 4RUNNER TO THE RECALL OR FIX THE DEFECTIVE FRAMES. MY 4RUNNER IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE EXCEPT THE FRAME IS ROTTING THROUGH IN SEVERAL LOCATIONS. THESE 4RUNNERS SHOULD BE RECALLED THE SAME AS THE TACOMAS TO FIX THE DEFECT.

THE SUB-FRAME OF MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER SUV HAS RUSTED BEYOND REPAIR. THE SUSPENSION BOX HAS RUSTED FREE FROM THE FRAME RAIL. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN RENDERED UNSAFE AND CANNOT BE DRIVEN. TOYOTA WANTS $3,000 + LABOR TO REPLACE THE FRAME. THIS IS THE SAME SUB-FRAME TOYOTA IS CURRENTLY REPLACING ON THEIR 1995 - 2010 TACOMA PICKUP TRUCKS AT THE COMPANY'S EXPENSE. MY SUB-FRAME HAS THE SAME TYPE AND DEPTH OF RUST DAMAGE AS THE TACOMA TRUCKS. TOYOTA SHOULD BE REPLACING THESE SUB-FRAMES ON THEIR SUV'S AS WELL AS THEIR TACOMA TRUCKS. *TR

I WANTED TO REPORT THIS ISSUE BECAUSE IT WAS UNSAFE AND I WAS LUCKY I WASN'T PULLING MY BOAT OR TRAVELING AT HIGH SPEEDS WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED. BASICALLY THE FRAME FOR MY 4RUNNER RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH. ONE BRACE THAT IS WELDED TO THE FRAME TO STABILIZE THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BROKE OFF THE FRAME ON ONE SIDE. THE OTHER SIDE IS HOLDING ON BY A STRING. THERE ARE HOLES IN THE FRAME WITH PIECES MISSING FROM RUSTING OUT. THE FRAME COULD IN MY OPINION BREAK IN HALF NEAR THE REAR OF THE TRUCK. THIS SEEMS SIMILAR OR WORSE THAN WHAT I READ ABOUT THE TACOMA TRUCKS. I BROUGHT IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND THAT WAS WHAT THE GUYS SAID THERE. THE WORDS DIRECTLY FROM THE SERVICE GUYS WERE - THIS IS WORSE THAN ANY OF THE TACOMA'S THEY HAVE SEEN. THEY HAD THE REGIONAL TOYOTA REP TAKE PICTURES AND RUN A REPORT AND SAID THEY WOULD GET BACK IN TOUCH WITH ME SOON. THAT WAS ON 9/9/09. NO WORD BACK YET. RIGHT NOW THERE IS NO RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE THAT I KNOW ABOUT SO I WANTED TO MAKE SURE IT WAS REPORTED TO YOU. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION FOR ME AND MULTIPLE OTHERS ON THE ROAD. THEY ADVISED THE FRAME WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE OR TOW ANY ITEMS AND NOT TO HAVE MORE THAN TWO PEOPLE IN THE VEHICLE AT ONE TIME. THE ADVISED TO GET THE FRAME WELDED BY A WELDING COMPANY. *TR

NO CRASH OR INJURY,BUT 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER DIFFERENTIAL IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND LEAKS OIL THROUGH NUMEROUS PINHOLES. IT CAN'T BE PATCHED AND REPLACEMENT IS IN THE $1500 RANGE. I CAN'T TAKE THE VEHICLE ON TRIPS. I HAVE FOUND MANY INSTANCES OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS ON THE WEB - IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. ON AUGUST 5 2009, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH HE HEARD A NOISE AND OBSERVED THAT THE FRAME BROKE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE LEFT TIE ROD CORRODED AND BROKE IN HALF WHICH CAUSED THE FRAME TO FALL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE FRAME IS NOT REPAIRABLE. THE MANUFACTURER CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO EXISTING RECALL AND WILL NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 190,000.

I RECENTLY FOUND OUT THAT THERE IS EXCESSIVE RUST DAMAGE TO THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE, WHICH RESULTED IN HOLE AND A 7 INCH CRACK TO THE FRAME. TOYOTA HAS A FRAME SAFETY RECALL ON 1995-2000 TACOMA. I CONTACTED TOYOTA WITH THE PROBLEM AND THEY SAY THERE IS NOTHING THEY CAN DO. I HAVE A 1997 4RUNNER WHICH SITS ON THE SAME FRAME. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO FIX THE PROBLEM. *TR