2001 Toyota 4RUNNER

ON 7/7/12 I WAS DRIVING FOR A DOG RESCUE TRANSPORT AND NOTICED A STRONG FUEL SMELL IN THE VEHICLE. I THOUGHT NOTHING OF IT AT FIRST SINCE I HAD JUST FILLED UP THE TRUCK AND A GAS CAN. WHAT I DID NOTICE WAS MY GAS GAUGE WAS DROPPING INCREDIBLY FAST SO I LOOKED FOR A CLEAR AREA ON SHOULDER THAT SHOULD THE TRUCK CATCH FIRE. (VERY DRY IN NJ AT THE TIME) I FOUND MY AREA AND SHUT TRUCK OFF AND DRIFTED INTO THE SHOULDER. EXITED THE VEHICLE AND BEGAN RUSHING TO EMPTY THE SEVEN DOG CRATES (JUST IN CASE) ON THE SHOULDER BEHIND GUARD RAIL. ONCE WE WERE ALL CLEAR, I WALKED OVER TO VEHICLE AND POPPED HOOD. THERE WAS FUEL SATURATING EVERYTHING, INCLUDING STILL DRIPPING FROM INSULATION MATERIAL UNDER THE HOOD DIRECTLY ONTO AND AROUND THE EXHAUST AREA. BY TOYOTA DESIGN, THERE IS A CLIP THAT RETAINS/SEPARATES TWO HOSES DIRECTLY ON TOP OF THE FUEL LINE THAT HAD WORN A HOLE INTO THE FUEL LINE. ON 7/9/12 I WENT TO TOYOTA DEALER TO GET THE HOSE WHICH I FIND OUT IS PART NUMBER 23801(P)-62071. IT TURNS OUT THERE ARE ONLY SEVEN OF THIS LISTED PART IN THE WHOLE UNITED STATES AND THAT IT WOULD COST ME $75 AND A WEEK OR MORE TO GET THE PART. I WENT HOME AND BROWSED THE NET TO FIND ONLY ONE STORE THAT STOCKS THIS ITEM AND ORDERED THROUGH THEM TO SAVE ABOUT $20 BUT STILL THE SAME TURN AROUND TIME (LOST ABOUT $67 IN FUEL AS TANK IS NOW BONE DRY PLUS A $250 FLATBED TOW FEE. I AM OUT ALMOST $400). I HAS BEEN A WEEK MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN OUT OF SERVICE DUE TO A TOYOTA DESIGN FLAW, AND THEY WILL NOT FESS UP TO THE DESIGN FLAW OR EVEN OFFER A LOANER CAR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DIFFERENTIAL WAS CORRODED AND DEVELOPED A LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE WHO DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 120,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 180,000.

REAR DIFFERENTIAL COVER RUSTED THROUGH WITH ONLY 22650 MILES ON VEHICLE. DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE WHOLE REAR AXLE ASSEMBLY AT A COST OF $1800 BECAUSE THE COVER IS WELDED ON AND CANNOT BE REPLACED SEPARATELY. MY CONCERN IS FOR THE FRAME RUSTING OUT AND SUBSEQUENT SAFETY ISSUE AS INDICATED BY THE NUMBER OF OTHER COMPLAINTS LISTED HERE. I UNDERSTAND THE TACOMA'S HAVE SIMILAR PROBLEMS AND SIMILAR FRAMES. THE WARRANTY FOR CORROSION HAS BEEN EXTENDED BY TOYOTA FOR THE TACOMA. WHEN ARE YOU GOING TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE WAS DRIVING 40 MPH WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO AVOID CRASHING INTO A DEER AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WENT AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET AND THEN CRASHED INTO A TREE BEFORE HITTING THE GROUND, RENDERING THE CONTACT UNCONSCIOUS. DURING THE CRASH, NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. THE CONTACT WAS THE ONLY PERSON INJURED AND A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED FOR THE AIR BAG FAILURE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 246,000.

3RD GENERATION 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH EXCESSIVE FRAME AND BODY RUST. THE GAS TANK STEM IS RUSTED, THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL IS LITERALLY POROUS AND LEAKING OIL DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST. REAR BUMPER IS RUSTED, SPARE TIRE MOUNT IS RUSTED. OTHER AREAS OF RUST ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO LIST. REPAIR SHOP SAID CAR IS NOT WORTH FIXING. DANA CORP THAT MADE FRAMES FOR TOYOTA TACOMAS/TUNDRAS THAT WERE RECALLED ALSO IS BEST KNOW FOR REAR DIFFERENTIALS. WHY WEREN'T THE 4RUNNERS INCLUDED IN THE RECALL/BUYBACK BY TOYOTA? *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED HAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR AN UNRELATED DEFECT WHEN THE TECHNICIAN DETECTED A HOLE IN THE REAR FRAME AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT ENTIRE FRAME WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED BEYOND REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 128,000. UPDATED 02/10/12 *BF UPDATED 03/12/12

THE 2001 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER IS RUSTING OUT. MY SON AND I BOTH HAVE CUT OUR SELF ON THE REAR BUMPER. I NEEDED STITCHES FOR MY INJURY. I HAVE A SCAR TO REMIND ME NOT TO PURCHASE ANOTHER TOYOTA. THE RUST GOT SO BAD, I LOST MY BUMPER. WHEN I LOOKED UNDER MY VEHICLE AT THE FRAME, THE ENTIRE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE IS RIDDLED W/RUST, INCLUDING THE FRAME. CALLED TOYOTA TO SEE IF I COULD AT LEAST GET A SAFETY INSPECTION OF MY FRAME, THEY TOLD ME THAT MY 01 4RUNNER WAS NOT PART OF ANY RECALL AND ANY INSPECTION WOULD COST ME MONEY. *TR

THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL ON MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER RUSTED SO BADLY IN 9 YEARS OF OWNERSHIP THAT THE STRUCTURAL STEEL FRAME THAT SUPPORTS THE DIFFERENTIAL GEARS (THE HOUSING) CRACKED AND OIL SPILLED OUT ON THE ROAD. I DISCOVERED THE RUST DURING THE YEARLY STATE INSPECTION AND CONSEQUENTLY HAD THE DIFFERENTIAL INSPECTED BY MY TOYOTA DEALER (BERLIN CITY PORTLAND, ME) A FEW MONTHS BACK AND THEY SAID IT WAS STRUCTURALLY SOUND BUT RUSTY. I AM AN ENGINEER AND CLEARLY IT WAS NOT STRUCTURALLY SOUND OR IT WOULD NOT HAVE FAILED IN SHORT ORDER AS IT DID.... THIS FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED THE REAR WHEELS TO LOCK UP RESULTING IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THIS RUST PROBLEM IS COMMON ON MOST TOYOTA TRUCK FRAMES AND DRIVE TRAINS OWNED IN THE NORTH EAST. TOYOTA HAS ELECTED TO REPAIR THE TRUCKS AT NO COST BUT NOT THE 4RUNNERS WITH THE SAME FRAME AND DIFFERENTIALS. THIS IS DANGEROUS AS [XXX]... THEY PUT ME AND MY FAMILY AT GRAVE RISK.... INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

REAR DIFFERENTIAL HOUSING RUSTED THROUGH. THE HOUSING COVER IS A THINNER METAL THAN THE DIFFERNTIAL AXLE AND IS NOT REPLACEABLE. OIL LEAKS OUT THROUGH THE RUSTED COVER UNTIL OIL IS DEPLETED AND COULD CAUSE DRIVETRAIN FAILURE WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. DEALER SAID THEY WILL DO NOTHING TO HELP. THIS IS AN ITEM THAT SHOULD NEVER FAIL ON A VEHICLE. MY VEHICLE HAS ABSOLUTELY NO BODY RUST, YET THIS PART FAILS DUE TO RUST! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE AND TOYOTA SHOULD STEP UP AND TAKE CARE OF THE ISSUE. OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE AND MANY MORE ON THE INTERNET FORUMS. TOYOTA LOSES MUCH RESPECT IF THEY DO NOT ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TT