IllustrationAUTO REPAIR SHOP TELLS ME I HAVE SIGNIFICANT FRAME RUST/ROT. IT'S ACTUALLY BEGUN TO FAIL IN PASSENGER SIDE REAR. THIS WAS DISCOVERED DURING UNRELATED SERVICE. FEELS ACTION REQUIRED TO MAKE SAFE.
1999 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 1999 Toyota 4RUNNER are substantially higher than the model-year median of 58.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 4RUNNER years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
00–25K
225–50K
750–75K
1475–100K
46100–150K
111150K+
180 reports with mileage · 40 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Structure. Review the 111 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 61 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
12 crash reports2 fire reports6 injury reports
Structure complaints
111 reportsFRAME IS RUSTING DESPITE ONLY 72,680 MILES.
1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER REAR FRAME RUSTED DRIVER SIDE
FRAME SEVERELY RUSTED DEEMED UNSAFE.
FRAME HAS RUSTED WHERE ENGINE SUPPORT IS COMPROMISED,
FRAME ON 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS INSPECTED BY MECHANIC AT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. INFORMED US THAT FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH, WITH HOLE BEING BIG ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR HAND THROUGH. ADVISED US NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS UNSAFE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE IS NOW PARKED AND WORTH NOTHING TO US. PLEASE TAKE THE TI…
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FRAME ON 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WAS INSPECTED BY MECHANIC AT LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP. INFORMED US THAT FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH, WITH HOLE BEING BIG ENOUGH TO PUT YOUR HAND THROUGH. ADVISED US NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS UNSAFE AND COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. VEHICLE IS NOW PARKED AND WORTH NOTHING TO US. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO MOVE FORWARD WITH AN INVESTIGATION REGARDING THIS ISSUE BEFORE PEOPLE ARE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED IN ACCIDENTS RESULTING FROM THIS PROBLEM THAT THEY MAY NOT EVEN KNOW THEY HAVE.
FRAME RUSTING THOUGH ON PASSENGER SIDE ON SECTION NEXT TO MUFFLER AND CONTROL ARM. MECHANIC INSPECTED AND INSTRUCTED FRAME NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED OR REPLACED. MILEAGE OF VEHICLE WAS 133,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE RUST CORROISION NEAR THE CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE M…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE FRAME EXHIBITED EXCESSIVE RUST CORROISION NEAR THE CONTROL ARM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 235,000.
I BROUGHT MY RECENTLY PURCHASED 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER INTO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY SERVICES UP TO DATE AND WAS LATER INFORMED THERE'S AN APPROXIMATELY 3 FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT REAR FRAME THAT IS ROTTED THROUGH. IN ADDITION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LEFT REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME BY THE SPRING MOUNT IS ALSO RUSTED TH…
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I BROUGHT MY RECENTLY PURCHASED 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER INTO MY LOCAL TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TO BRING MY SERVICES UP TO DATE AND WAS LATER INFORMED THERE'S AN APPROXIMATELY 3 FOOT SECTION OF THE RIGHT REAR FRAME THAT IS ROTTED THROUGH. IN ADDITION, THEY TOLD ME THAT THE LEFT REAR SECTION OF THE FRAME BY THE SPRING MOUNT IS ALSO RUSTED THROUGH IN MULTIPLE PLACES. THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAD MADE A REPAIR ATTEMPT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT NEEDS TO BE REPAIRED AGING. THERE ARE ALSO A FEW MORE SPOTS THAT ARE RUSTED ALL THE WAY THROUGH AND I WAS ADVISED TO NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE.
DRIVING ON THE EXPRESSWAY AND THE REAR END STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH. HAD TO EXIT AND TOOK THE CAR TO THE MECHANIC WHO SAID THE BRACKET WAS ROTTED AS WELL AS THE FRAME WHERE IT WAS ATTACHED TO. SAID HE HAS NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE.
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.