1998 Toyota 4RUNNER

REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING IS LEAKING FLUID AS A RESULT OF RUST. LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP SAYS THE ENTIRE REAR AXLE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED (IT IS ALL ONE PIECE) TO THE TUNE OF $3000. AN ONLINE SEARCH OF A DIY REPAIR SHOWS THIS PROBLEM (GOOGLE: REAR DIFFERENTIAL RUST) SHOWS THIS PROBLEM IS UNIQUE TO TOYOTA 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS. THIS AMOUNT OF RUST ON AN INTEGRAL PART IS EXTREME AND UNACCEPTABLE THAT TOYOTA HAS NOT DONE A RECALL, EVEN THOUGH THEY DID ONE FOR VIRTUALLY SAME VEHICLE IN THE TACOMA FOR FRAME RUST. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE ENTERING A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY AT 5 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER BALL JOINT FAILED. THE FAILURE CAUSED THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE TO COLLAPSE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN ALIGNMENT PERFORMED EIGHT DAYS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE AND THERE WAS NO MENTION OF ANY ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE ALSO DESTROYED THE INNER AND OUTER BOOT OF THE VEHICLE AND CAUSED GREASE TO LEAK ABNORMALLY. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 159,158. UPDATED 7/19/12*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE LOWER BALL JOINT CAUSED THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL TO LODGE IN THE FENDER, MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO MOVE. THERE WAS ALSO DAMAGED TO THE RUNNING BOARD AS WELL. UPDATED 07/23/12

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED DRIVING VERY ERRATICALLY. THE CONTACT MANEUVERED TO THE SHOULDER AND NOTICED THAT THE REAR STABILIZER BAR WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND THERE WERE NO RECALLS ADDRESSING THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS THEN NOTIFIED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 186,000.

THE FRAME ON MY 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH ON THE REAR AND HAS BROKEN IN HALF. THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE. THE TOYOTA TACOMA PICKUP (SAME MODEL YEAR TIME-FRAME) HAS THE SAME ISSUE AND HAS BEEN RECALLED, BUT THE 4RUNNER HAS NOT. THE 4RUNNER SHOULD ALSO BE RECALLED AND A 15 YEAR EXTENDED FRAME RUST THOUGH WARRANTY APPLIED. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 5 MPH WHEN THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE DETACHED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE AXLE ROD WAS CORRODED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 168,641.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 3 MPH THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER EXAMINING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL WAS POINTING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF THE OTHER FRONT WHEEL. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE LOWER BALL JOINT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE CV JOINT BOOT HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AXLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL MECHANIC WHERE THE UPPER AND LOWER BALL JOINTS AND CV JOINTS WERE REPLACED. THERE WERE NO PRIOR WARNINGS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 223000.

REAR BEARINGS HAVE FAILED. THERE WAS A RECALL ISSUED BY NHTSA #02V021, WHICH SITED THE REAR SUSPENSION PARTS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON ALL 1996-1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNERS. THE PROBLEM WAS FOR 2WD BUT WAS ISSUED FOR 4WD VEHICLES ALSO TO AVOID CONFUSION. (MINE IS A 4WD) MY QUESTION IS, IF THE SPRINGS WERE UNDER-SIZED, WILL THIS CAUSE DAMAGE OR UNDUE STRAIN TO THE REAR BEARINGS? ALSO, TOYOTA REFUSED TO HONOR THE RECALL STATEMENT FROM THE NHTSA THAT STATES THAT "TOYOTA WILL RECALL THESE VEHICLES TO AVOID PUBLIC CONFUSION AS TO WHICH VEHICLES SHOULD RECEIVE THE REPLACEMENT PARTS." *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY HE MADE A TURN AND THE LOWER BALL JOINTS FAILED AND THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE SEPARATED, BROKE, AND THE TIRES CAME OFF. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THIS VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO THE RECALL DUE TO THE VIN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE 16,000. *AK