2000 Toyota 4RUNNER

TOOK VEHICLE TO SHOP FOR MAINTENANCE. SHOP MECHANIC CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD THERE WAS EXTENSIVE RUST ON THE INSIDE AND BOTTOM OF THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL WHERE THE REAR CONTROL ARM ATTACHES TO THE FRAME. THE VEHICLE IS IN OTHERWISE FANTASTIC CONDITION AND HAS ALWAYS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED. HE INFORMED ME THAT FRAME ISSUES IN THE EARLY 2000S PLAGUES MANY TOYOTA VEHICLES INCLUDING THE 4RUNNER. HE SAID THE CAR WAS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AT ALL IN ITS CURRENT STATE. I WANT TOYOTA TO ISSUE A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. IT APPEARS TO AFFECT MOST 3RD GENERATION 4RUNNERS AND IS A SEVERE SAFETY ISSUE SINCE THE ONLY WARNING SIGN IS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE.

I BROUGHT THE VEHICLE IN FOR ROUTINE WORK AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRAME IS RUSTED AND IS UNSAFE. I LOOKED INTO THIS AND FOUND THAT TOYOTA HAS HAD MANY RECALLS ON THIS ISSUE. THE 4-RUNNER THAT I OWN DOES NOT HAVE THE RECALL. I HAVE SEEN MANY COMPLAINTS ON THIS SO I WANTED TO FILE ONE AS WELL. IT IS VERY CLEAR THAT THE ISSUE IS PREVALENT IN THESE VEHICLES. MANY 4-RUNNER OWNERS ARE EXPERIENCING THE ISSUE.

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE STREET ON MY WAY HOME, I HAD TO MAKE A RIGHT HAND TURN SO I DID, WHEN I GAVE IT SOME GAS AS I COMPLETED MY TURN I NOTICED THAT IF FELT LIKE MY 4 RUNNER WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. EVERY TIME I GAVE IT SOME GAS YOU COULD FEEL AND EVEN SEE IT JERK TO THE RIGHT. THE MORE I DROVE THE I NOTICED THAT IT WASN'T STOPPING, IF ANYTHING IT HAD GOTTEN EVEN WORSE. SO, WHEN I WOKE UP TODAY I WENT TO GET IT LOOKED AT AND WHAT WE FOUND WAS CRAZY. THE FRAME LITERATELY RUSTED IN HALF. IT WAS IN TWO PEACES. MY MECHANIC DIDN'T KNOW WHY OR HOW I EVEN MADE IT THERE. IT WAS VERY SCARY TO SEE, KNOWING I WAS DRIVING IN IT.

BOTH FRAME RAILS ARE RUSTING AWAY, MOST SERIOUS IS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF VEHICLE. THESE FRAME RAILS ARE THE KEY STRUCTURAL SUPPORT ELEMENTS TYING THE UPPER BODY AND DRIVETRAIN/SUSPENSION TOGETHER. THIS IS A KNOWN DESIGN FLAW TO TOYOTA MOTORS AND THEY HAVE RECALLED THE SAME YEAR MODELS OF TACOMA PICKUPS, HOWEVER, THEY FAIL TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM WITH THE 4RUNNER. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND I CANNOT IN GOOD FAITH RESELL THIS VEHICLE OR TRADE IT IN AS-IS. I BELIEVE TOYOTA SHOULD MAKE FAIR COMPENSATION TO OWNERS OF THESE AFFECTED VEHICLES TO EITHER FIX THE PROBLEM OR GET THESE VEHICLES OFF THE ROAD TO PREVENT POTENTIAL BODILY INJURY OR FATALITY.

THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WE NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS LEAKING FLUID ONTO THE GARAGE FLOOR. TOOK IT TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, WHERE THEY INFORMED US THAT THE FRAME OF THE VEHICLE WAS EXTREMELY RUSTY WITH A POSSIBLE HOLE IN THE FRAME AND UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE LEAK WAS FROM THE TRANSMISSION FLUID. THE COMPONENT THAT HOUSES THE FLUID WAS ALSO RUSTING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAD NO CODES AT THIS TIME. WE TOOK IT TO AN AUTO REPAIR SHOP IN OUR TOWN AND LOOKED AT IT UP ON THE LIFT. THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER SIDE IS SO RUSTED IT IS CRACKED AND THERE IS A HOLE IN THE FRAME CLEAR AS DAY (DEALERSHIP STATED POSSIBLE). THEY ALSO REPLACED THE OXYGEN SENSOR, DUE TO THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEING ON. WE NOW HAVE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE ON OUR HANDS THAT WE CAN NOT DRIVE, SELL OR EVEN TRADE IN!

THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO OPERATE ACCORDING TO NYSDMV MY MECHANIC INFORMED ME THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IN SEVERAL PLACES COMPROMISING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE. THIS IS ABSURD AS I HAVE OLDER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME MILEAGE IN THE SAME APPARENT EXTERIOR CONDITION. THAT ARE SOLID AND INSPECTABLE. SO NOW I MUST PAY THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR A REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT OR SELL IT AS PARTS. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THIS FRAME LIKE THEY HAVE WITH THEIR OTHER VEHICLES.

IT HAS BEEN A VERY BIG PROBLEM FOR ALL TOYOTA TRUCK AN SUV FRAMES THEY ARE JUNK AN ALL RUST OUT IN THE SAME EXACT PLACE IF NOT SEEN IN TIME THIS COULD LEAD TO A VERY FATAL ERROR AN MANY LAWSUITS IF THEY CAN CALL BACK ALL TACOMAS THAT HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHY NOT THE 4 RUNNERS MOST THAT ARE STILL ON THE ROAD HAVE MANY PATCHES ON THE FRAME TO KEEP IT DRIVABLE AN SUM WHAT SAFE