EXCESSIVE FRAME RUSTING AND WEAKENING OF SUSPENSION MOUNTING POINTS.
2000 Toyota 4RUNNER
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most 4RUNNER years
Owner complaints for the 2000 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
308 reports with mileage · 71 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 255 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Suspension. Review the 97 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 32 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
Structure complaints
255 reportsTHE STEEL FRAME IS ROTTING THROUGH ON MY 4RUNNER. I HAVE OWNED A LOT OF CARS AND HAVE NEVER SEEN A FRAME ROT PROBLEM LIKE THIS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE MOVED SIDE TO SIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED, RUSTED, AND THE TRAILING ARM ANCHOR WAS RUSTED AND …
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THE VEHICLE MOVED SIDE TO SIDE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY AN INDEPENDENT DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS FRACTURED, RUSTED, AND THE TRAILING ARM ANCHOR WAS RUSTED AND FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 111,000.
I BOUGHT MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER 15 YEARS AGO, ON YEAR 2000. I AM THE ONLY OWNER AND I DON?T ABUSE MY VEHICLES. LOVE THIS CAR. ONE DAYS DRIVING BACK HOME MY CAR SHAKE AND IT SEEMED AN ISSUE IN REAR ?CAUSE THE WAY MY CAR MOVE AND NOISE. IT APPEARS THE REAR LEFT AXEL MOUNTS WAS HANGING OFF THE FRAME. TALKED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEAL…
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I BOUGHT MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER 15 YEARS AGO, ON YEAR 2000. I AM THE ONLY OWNER AND I DON?T ABUSE MY VEHICLES. LOVE THIS CAR. ONE DAYS DRIVING BACK HOME MY CAR SHAKE AND IT SEEMED AN ISSUE IN REAR ?CAUSE THE WAY MY CAR MOVE AND NOISE. IT APPEARS THE REAR LEFT AXEL MOUNTS WAS HANGING OFF THE FRAME. TALKED TO THE LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER NOTHING THEY COULDN'T DO IT REQUIRES A NEW FRAME. STATE OF MASSACHUSETTS DOESN'T ALLOW WELDING DIRECTLY INTO THE FRAMES, IT'S UNSAFE. I WAS TOLD TO JUNK THE CAR OR REPLACE THE FRAME. JUST WHEN IT TURNED 15 YEARS. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS SO APPARENT THAT IT DID NOT NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME UNDERNEATH THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED AND ROTTED OUT. THE CONTACT WAS SO APPARENT THAT IT DID NOT NEED TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,828. ...UPDATED 01/05/17 *BF
SIGNIFICANT FRAME RUST
THERE ARE MULTIPLE HOLES IN THE FRAME, IT IS RUSTING THROUGH VERY BADLY. IT IS UNSAFE. I CAN TAKE MORE PICTURES IF NEEDED. THE "DATE THIS HAPPENED" ISN'T ACCURATE, THIS VEHICLE HAS BEEN RUSTING QUICKLY FOR A LONG TIME.
I TOOK MY 2000 4RUNNER INTO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR A SERVICE CHECK AND TO HAVE ALL FLUIDS CHANGED, AND AS SOON AS THEY HAD THE CAR ON THE LIFT THEY CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT AN EXTENSIVE PORTION OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS ROTTED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT THE RUST AND ROT UNDER THE CAR AND TO TAKE PHOTOS. I A…
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I TOOK MY 2000 4RUNNER INTO A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR A SERVICE CHECK AND TO HAVE ALL FLUIDS CHANGED, AND AS SOON AS THEY HAD THE CAR ON THE LIFT THEY CALLED TO INFORM ME THAT AN EXTENSIVE PORTION OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WAS ROTTED. I WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO INSPECT THE RUST AND ROT UNDER THE CAR AND TO TAKE PHOTOS. I ASKED IF THIS PROBLEM WAS SEEN A SIMILAR MODELS OF MY TRUCK AND I WAS TOLD THAT TOYOTA HAS REPLACED OTHER TRUCK FRAMES UNDER RECALL, HOWEVER THERE ARE NO RECALLS FOR THE 4RUNNER AT THIS TIME. I ASKED HOW THE FRAME COULD BE REPAIRED, AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TOLD ME THAT THEY COULDN'T HELP ME AND THAT I WOULD HAVE TO SEEK ANOTHER SHOP, AND THEY SENT ME ON MY WAY. THEY DIDN'T WARN ME OF ANY SAFETY CONCERNS NOR DID THEY RECOMMEND A LOCAL SHOP THAT COULD HELP WITH THE SPECIFIC REPAIR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A BOOMING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME SEPARATED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION, WHICH RENDERED THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WA…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A BOOMING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IT WAS LATER DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME SEPARATED DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST AND CORROSION, WHICH RENDERED THE VEHICLE UNDRIVABLE. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000. UPDATED 01/06/17*LJ
VEHICLE FRAME IS RUSTED SO BAD THAT MY REAR SWAY ARM BROKE AWAY FROM THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER REAR SIDE. CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE CAR BOUNCING ALL OVER THE ROAD DUE TO THE RUSTED FRAME.
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.
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