Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2003 record →
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO TOYOTA WALLINGFORD (859 N COLONY RD, WALLINGFORD, CT 06492) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME WAS SEVERELY CORRODED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT SAFE TO BE DRIVEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 134,363.
REAR AXLE BADLY ROTTED. CAR HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT WHICH IS APPARENTLY AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND SENSITIVE PROCESS. THE CORROSION SEEMS TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY PREMATURE AND DUE TO SUBSTANDARD FRAME MATERIALS AND TREATMENT OF SAME. ACTON TOYOTA HAD ALREADY WELDED IN A FRAME BAR 2-3 YEARS AGO. CALLED (800)331-4331 (TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING)SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP (ANGIE) AND HER SUPERVISOR (MARIA) WHO STATED THAT THE WARRANTY ON THE FRAME EXPIRED IN 2006, THEY WERE CLEAR ABOUT TOYOTA'S POSITION THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING W/O A FACTORY RECALL. THIS IS, APPARENTLY, NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/INV/2018/INBC-DP18002-73038.PDF HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2018/TOYOTA-4RUNNER-FRAME-RUST.SHTML HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2017/TOYOTA-RUSTED-FRAME-SETTLEMENT.SHTML HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2016/TOYOTA-TACOMA-RUSTED-FRAMES-LAWSUIT.SHTML
EXTREME FRAME RUST. CAR IS LOW MILEAGE, WELL-KEPT, AND OUTWARDLY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. RECENTLY SUFFERED NEAR-TOTAL BRAKE FAILURE. TOWED IT TO SHOP FOR REPAIR. SHOP REFUSED TO REPAIR BRAKES. THEY SAID FRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE RUST HAD EATEN AWAY THE POINT WHERE THE BRAKE LINES ATTACHED TO THE FRAME, AND BRAKE FUID WAS LEAKING FROM THAT JUNCTURE. THEY SAID IF THEY REMOVED THE BRAKE LINES TO REPLACE THEM, THEY WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO REATTACH THEM BECAUSE THERE WASN'T ENOUGH GOOD FRAME METAL TO WORK WITH. THEY SAID THE FRAME RUST WAS SO SEVERE THAT THEY FEARED IT COULD BREAK CLEAN THROUGH, OR STEERING OR SUSPENSION PARTS COULD BREAK LOOSE. THEY DID NOT WANT TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PUTTING WHAT THEY BELIEVED TO BE AN UNSAFE VEHICLE BACK ON THE ROAD. THEY ONLY REASON I DISCOVERED THIS WAS THAT THE RUST CAUSED MY BRAKES TO NEARLY FAIL. TOYOTA HAS HAD RECALLS AND LAWSUITS ON IDENTICAL ISSUES INVOLVING TACOMAS AND OTHER TRUCK-FRAMED VEHICLES. THE 4-RUNNER IS A TRUCK-FRAMED VEHICLE AND SHOULD BE RECALLED. I HAVE PHOTOS THAT THE REPAIR SHOP SENT ME, BUT I CAN'T SEND THEM FFROM THIS COMPUTER.
REAR AXLE BADLY ROTTED. CAR HAS 66,000 MILES ON IT. REQUIRES REPLACEMENT WHICH IS APPARENTLY AN EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE AND SENSITIVE PROCESS. THE CORROSION SEEMS TO BE EXTRAORDINARILY PREMATURE AND DUE TO SUBSTANDARD FRAME MATERIALS AND TREATMENT OF SAME. ACTON TOYOTA HAD ALREADY WELDED IN A FRAME BAR 2-3 YEARS AGO. CALLED (800)331-4331 (TOYOTA MOTOR MANUFACTURING)SPOKE WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE REP (ANGIE) AND HER SUPERVISOR (MARIA) WHO STATED THAT THE WARRANTY ON THE FRAME EXPIRED IN 2006, THEY WERE CLEAR ABOUT TOYOTA'S POSITION THAT THEY WILL DO NOTHING W/O A FACTORY RECALL. THIS IS, APPARENTLY, NOT AN ISOLATED ISSUE. HTTPS://STATIC.NHTSA.GOV/ODI/INV/2018/INBC-DP18002-73038.PDF HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2018/TOYOTA-4RUNNER-FRAME-RUST.SHTML HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2017/TOYOTA-RUSTED-FRAME-SETTLEMENT.SHTML HTTPS://WWW.CARCOMPLAINTS.COM/NEWS/2016/TOYOTA-TACOMA-RUSTED-FRAMES-LAWSUIT.SHTML
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE FRAME, FRONT DRIVER SIDE LOWER SUPPORT, AND RADIATOR BAR CONTAINED RUST. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TOYOTA OF NAPERVILLE (LOCATED AT 1488 OGDEN AVE, NAPERVILLE, IL 60540, (630) 528-1459), BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 184,000.
EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. MULTIPLE REPORTS OF THIS.
THE CONTROL ARM SEPARATED FROM THE ROTTED RUSTED FRAME WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST DIED!
EXCESSIVE AND PREMATURE CORROSION HAS DEVELOPED AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ON THE VEHICLE FRAME SUCH THAT I AM CONCERNED ABOUT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE FRAME AND IT'S IMPACT ON THE OPERATIONAL SAFETY WHEN I'M DRIVING THIS VEHICLE. IT APPEARS THAT THE CORROSION HAS ORIGINATED ON BOTH THE EXTERNAL FRAME SURFACE WELDED SEAMS AND ALSO FROM INTERNAL FRAME SURFACES. I TOOK PROACTIVE MEASURES TO HAVE MY FRAME TREATED FOR CORROSION RESISTANCE BY AN AFTER MARKET VENDOR IN AN ATTEMPT TO ABATE EARLY SIGNS OF CORROSION BUT THE CORROSION FROM INTERNAL SURFACES HAS NOW WORKED IT'S WAY THRU SHOWING CLEAR HOLES/GAPS/SEPARATION IN THE FRAME STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS. RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT ADDS TO MY CONCERN ABOUT THE VEHICLE OPERATIONAL SAFETY. MY VEHICLE HAS HAD ALL REGULAR, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE PERFORMED BY A TOYOTA DEALER WHOM HAS ALSO POINTED OUT THE STRUCTURAL ISSUES RESULTING FROM CORROSION. I LEARNED ABOUT AND WAS SHOWN THE CORROSION PROBLEMS DIRECTLY FROM THE DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHILE MY VEHICLE WAS ELEVATED ON A LIFT IN A SERVICE BAY. ATTACHED ARE PICTURES TAKEN RECENTLY (5/17/19) WHILE AT THE DEALER OF THE MORE OBVIOUS PROBLEMS AT VARIOUS LOCATIONS ON THE FRAME.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO REPAIR THE REAR BEARING. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR FRAME WAS ROTTED AND HAD HOLES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000. THE VIN WAS NOT PROVIDED.
THE FRAME ON MY 2003 4RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED BEYOND WHAT IS REASONABLE AND SAFE. I PURCHASED THE 4RUNNER NEW AND NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL AUTO REPAIR SHOPS THE FRAME IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SOME SHOPS REFUSE TO PUT THE 4RUNNER ON A LIFT IN FEAR THE FRAME WILL BREAK. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. I FEEL THIS RUST ISSUE IS THE FAULT OF TOYOTA TO NOT PREP THE FRAME TO RESIST CORROSION.
THE FRAME ON MY 2003 4RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED BEYOND WHAT IS REASONABLE AND SAFE. I PURCHASED THE 4RUNNER NEW AND NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL AUTO REPAIR SHOPS THE FRAME IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SOME SHOPS REFUSE TO PUT THE 4RUNNER ON A LIFT IN FEAR THE FRAME WILL BREAK. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. I FEEL THIS RUST ISSUE IS THE FAULT OF TOYOTA TO NOT PREP THE FRAME TO RESIST CORROSION.
THE FRAME ON MY 2003 4RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED BEYOND WHAT IS REASONABLE AND SAFE. I PURCHASED THE 4RUNNER NEW AND NOW I HAVE BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL AUTO REPAIR SHOPS THE FRAME IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE. SOME SHOPS REFUSE TO PUT THE 4RUNNER ON A LIFT IN FEAR THE FRAME WILL BREAK. THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE AND I FEAR FOR THE SAFETY OF MY FAMILY. I FEEL THIS RUST ISSUE IS THE FAULT OF TOYOTA TO NOT PREP THE FRAME TO RESIST CORROSION.
OUR 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS AN UNSAFE FRAME FROM COMPLETELY RUSTING THROUGH. THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE, AFTER BEING INVOLVED IN A MINOR ACCIDENT COMPLETELY COLLAPSED IN ON ITSELF, BENDING THE 1/4 INCH STEEL SUPPORT BRACKET. THE FRAME SHOWS THE SAME TYPE OF RUST THROUGHOUT.
HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR 4 MONTHS. LOW OWNER COUNT, AND 160K MILES WITH GOOD MAINTENANCE HISTORY. NOTICED A SLIGHT SWAY AT TIMES ON THE ROAD, SUSPECTED TIRES AND/OR ALIGNMENT. AFTER REPLACING AND SERVICING IT, IT WAS DISCOVERED THE FRAME IS ROTTED OUT EXTREMELY BAD FROM FRONT TO BACK. THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL IS COMPLETELY OPEN ON THE BOTTOM FROM CORROSION, CAUSING STABILITY ISSUES AND NOW THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE.
THE ENTIRE FRAME IS RUSTED. THE FRONT SECTION HAS ROTTED THRU AND THE RIGHT SECTION HAS ROT THRU MORE THAN HALF WAY PASS THE MUFFLER AREA. ABOVE THE SPARE TIRE CARRAGE IS ROTTED AND THE TIRE CARRAGE IS SIEZED. I FOUND THIS WHILE JACKING UP THE TRUCK FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND HEAR THE FRAME CRUMBLE.
EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST CAUSING VEHICLE TO FAIL SAFETY INSPECTION.
I OWN A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT I PURCHASED NEW. THE VEHICLE HAS ~129K MILES AND WAS GARAGED KEPT TO 11/2015. IT RECENTLY FAILED PA STATE INSPECTION DUE TO A RUST HOLE IN A FRAME RAIL. SINCE 11/2015, THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN LESS THAN 5K MILES A YEAR. PRIOR TO THIS EVENT, I HAVE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT EXPERIENCED A RUST HOLE IN THE FRAME. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THAT FRAME RUST IN 4TH GENERATION 4RUNNERS IS AN ISSUE. AFTER LOOKING AT THE HOLE AND THE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME IT IS OBVIOUS TO ME THAT MORE RUST HOLES WILL OCCUR. TOYOTA CREATED THIS PROBLEM AND HAS A MORAL AND ETHICAL OBLIGATION TO THEIR CUSTOMERS TO MAKE IT RIGHT! TOYOTA NEEDS TO OWN THE PROBLEM, NOT THEIR CUSTOMER! I TRULY BELIEVE THAT THE NHTSA NEEDS TO ISSUE A RECALL BECAUSE IT IS A SAFETY RELATED ISSUE AFFECTING THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE VEHICLE.
THIS VEHICLE FAILED STATE SAFETY INSPECTION AT AN INDEPENDENT AUTO REPAIR CENTER DUE TO EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. THEN HAD VEHICLE INSPECTED BY A LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER WHO INDICATED "NEEDS NEW FRAME - ALL ROTTED - THERE'S NO WHERE TO WELD." THE BODY OF THIS VEHICLE IS IN GREAT SHAPE BUT HAS BECOME A SAFETY HAZARD DUE TO FRAME RUST. THIS RUSTING ISSUE SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE TACOMA. TOYOTA ACKNOWLEDGES THE FRAME ISSUE ON THE TACOMA BUT HAS NOT DONE THE SAME FOR THE IDENTICAL PROBLEM WITH 4RUNNERS.
THE REAR AXLE ASSY MOUNT BRACKET RUSTED STRAIGHT THROUGH AND IT DOES A LOUD CLUNKY NOISE WHILE DRIVING. BROUGHT IT TO A BODY SHOP AND THEY SAID I HAVE TO CHANGE THE WHOLE ASSY, IT CANT BE FIXED. THE CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM DOWN SOUTH, THERES LITERALLY NO BODY RUST, BUT THE FRAME IS ALMOST ALL CHEWED AWAY. I ALSO CANT PASS NY INSPECTION UNTIL I GET IT FIXED, WHICH WILL COST MORE THAN I PAID FOR THE CAR.
EXCESSIVE FRAME ROT. 4RUNNER SHOULD OF BEEN PART OF THE TACOMA RECALL AND IS ABSURD IT WAS NOT IN THE FIRST PLACE. MY WHOLE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME RAIL IS GONE. I HAVE HAD TO CONSTANTLY FIX WELD NEW METAL TO IT.
SIGNIFICANT FRAME RUST HAS COMPROMISED THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. SEVERAL HOLES HAVE PERFORATED THROUGH THE FRAME AND IT HAS BEEN DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO FRAME RUST. TOYOTA NEEDS TO REPLACE THESE 4RUNNER FRAMES.
MOVING VEHICLE AT SCHOOL PARKING LOT - 17 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER DRIVING ABOUT 3 MONTHS AFTER GETTING HER LICENSE. VSC TRAC ABS LIGHTS ALL CAME ON, A LOW TONE NOISE AND THE BRAKE PEDDLE WAS HARD AS A ROCK WHEN DEPRESSING.
"TAKATA RECALL" MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FAILED STATE INSPECTION TODAY FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER DUE TO EXTREME FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALLY UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE OF RUSTED OUT HOLES IN THE METAL FRAME . YES, IF I DROVE OVER LARGE POTHOLE OR INVOLVE IN A COLLISION, THIS VEHICLE WOULD SEPARATE IN PIECES AND NOT TO MENTION WHAT LEVEL OF BODILY HARM YOU WOULD SUSTAIN . EVEN THOUGH MY ODOMETER READS 255,000+ MILES, THE ENGINE SEEMS TO BE ABLE TO RUN ANOTHER 200,000 PLUS MILES WITH NO ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL ISSUES AND BODY LOOKS FANTASTIC FOR THE YEAR. ON-THE-HAND VEHICLE FRAME BELOW IS IN HORRIBLE CONDITION, WITH HOLES RUSTED THROUGH THE METAL AND NO SIGNS OF ANY UNDER COAT PAINT PROTECTION (HATE TO LOSE SUCH A WONDERFUL VEHICLE). PLEASE ADD MY VEHICLE AND SAFETY CONCERNS TO THE LIST OF OTHER 4TH GENERATION TOYOTA 4RUNNERS OWNERS FACING THE SAME FRAME RUST ISSUE.
THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE IS EXTREMELY RUSTED FOR IT'S AGE. EVERY COMPONENT ATTACHED TO THE FRAME IS OVERLY RUSTED AS WELL. IT IS SPREADING LIKE A VIRUS THROUGHOUT THE UNDER BODY. I AM BECOMING INCREASINGLY CONCERNED ABOUT HAULING, TOWING, OR EVEN DRIVING MY VEHICLE DUE TO THIS RUST. WITH ONLY 172,000 MILES, THIS SHOULD NOT BE OCCURRING. I HAVE BEEN KEEPING IT IN A GARAGE FOR THE PAST 5 YEARS BUT AS THE 2ND OWNER IT'S PROBABLY TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE. TOYOTA SHOULD RECALL THESE VEHICLES AS THEY DID SOME OTHER MODELS.
EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST IN MULTIPLE SPOTS ON FRAME ON BOTH SIDES AND ON CROSSMEMBER. THIS IS A WELL DOCUMENTED PROBLEM FOR THIS GENERATION OF 4RUNNER AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. MY VEHICLE HAS BEEN GARAGE KEPT SINCE NEW I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THE VEHICLE.
FRAME ROT AND UNABLE TO PASS INSPECTION NEW EVEN THOUGH I HAVE KEPT THIS TRUCK IN PRISTINE CONDITION. IT IS A REAL SHAME THE DON'T USE BETTER STEEL.
MY FRAME IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT. THERE'S A HOLE IN MY FRAME RIGHT ABOUT WHERE THE DRIVER SITS. I'M INCLUDING A PICTURE OF THE FRAME DAMAGE AND DOCUMENTS FROM TOYOTA INDICATING THE FRAME RUST AND DAMAGE (HIGHLIGHTED IN RED) FROM WHEN THEY INSPECTED IT. NOT SURE WHEN THIS STARTED HAPPENING, BECAUSE I BOUGHT THE 4RUNNER IN 2018. THE INSPECTION FROM TOYOTA ON 12/15/2017 IS THE ONLY THING I CAN FIND DOCUMENTING THE RUST/DAMAGE, BUT IT DEFINITELY STARTED LONG BEFORE THEN. THE TACOMA'S AND TUNDRA'S BOTH HAD THEIR FRAMES RECALLED... WHEN'S IT OUR TURN?
STRUCTURAL RUST TO FRAME. CRACKS AND HOLES AT WELDS AND ATTACHMENT POINTS OF SUSPENSION AND STEERING. FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING UNDER THE TRUCK, COMPLETE STRUCTURAL FAILURE IS IMMINENT.
EXCESSIVE AMOUNT OF FRAME RUST FOR A CAR THAT HAS BEEN GARAGE STORED IN MILD VANCOUVER BC CLIMATE. FRAME IS EXACT SAME AS TOYOTA TACOMA WHICH HAVE KNOWN FRAME RUST AND FRAME ROT, BUT NOT COVERED UNDER THE FRAME RECALL FROM TOYOTA
EXCESSIVE FRAME CORROSION
LARGE RUST HOLES IN THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE FRAME
EXCESSIVE RUSTING ON FRAME
EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST PREVENTING IT FROM PASSING INSPECTION
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOWER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE WINDOW, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND AS THE GLASS BECAME STUCK MIDWAY AND DID NOT MOVE UP. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 112,000.
WE HAD JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE WHEN THE REAR END BEGAN SWAYING FROM SIDE TO SIDE AND WE TOOK IT TO THE MECHANIC AT TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT THE WHOLE FRAME WAS RUSTED OUT AND WAS TO DANGEROUS TO DRIVE BUT THEY COULD NOT HELP US. THE SAME FRAME WAS ON THE OTHER 3 MAKES AND WAS RECALLED AND THAT OURS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THEY ALL KNOW IT NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND I WISH THEY WOULD JUST DO IT BECAUSE IT JUST SITS OUT THERE AND IS IN GREAT CONDITION ALL BUT THE FRAME RUST.
MY 2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WILL NO LONGER PASS INSPECTION AND IS NO LONGER SAFE TO DRIVE AS THE FRAME IS ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO HAVE NEW TIRES PUT ON AND AM INSPECTION DONE WE NOTICED THE SEVERE RUST/ HOLES AND ALSO A CRACK IN THE WELD. THE REST OF THE FRAME IS PRETTY UGLY AS WELL, I DID NOT LOOK OVER THE ENTIRE FRAME BUT I'M SURE THERE ARE PROBABLY OTHER AREAS THAT ARE VERY BAD. I'VE READ ABOUT CATASTROPHIC FAILURE DUE TO FRAME ROT IN THESE MODELS. TOYOTA HAS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS. I'M SUPPOSED TO GET A PHONE CALL FROM TOYOTA TOMORROW AND IF THEY CONTINUE TO DO NOTHING ABOUT IT THEN I'LL START CALLING ALL THE NEWS STATIONS AND START SPREADING THE WORD. I HAVE 45 THOUSAND DOLLARS INVESTED IN THE COMPANY THUS FAR AND WILL NEVER SPEND ANOTHER CENT ON THEM IF THIS ISSUE ISN'T RESOLVED.
MY 4RUNNER HAS BEEN A VERY RELIABLE VEHICLE, YET HAS EXTENSIVE FRAME RUST. THE VEHICLE DID NOT PASS NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTION IN MARCH OF 2018 AS A RESULT OF THE FRAME DETERIORATION. I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO USE THE VEHICLE SINCE THEN, AND FEEL THAT TOYOTA SHOULD ADDRESS THE ISSUE WITH A RECALL AS THEY HAVE ALREADY DONE ON THE TACOMA, TUNDRA AND SEQUOIA. I HAVE HEARD MANY SIMILAR REPORTS ON THE 4RUNNER FRAMES AND TOYOTA HAS YET TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM.
FRAME IS RUSTING THROUGH WHERE "FRONT CLIP" JOINS SIDE RAILS. FOUND DURING NORMAL VEHICLE SERVICE. VEHICLE DEEMED "SAFE" TO USE AT PRESENT, BUT THE FRAME WILL FAIL IN THE FUTURE. VEHICLE WAS PURCHASED NEW, ONE OWNER, GARAGED, APPROXIMATELY 125,000 MILES, ALL STREET MILES, NEVER OFF-ROADED.
I WAS WARNED BY MY TOYOTA DEALER THAT MY 4RUNNER MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME. THE ENTIRE FRAME HAS RUST SPREAD OUT AND IT HAS A FEW REALLY BAD AREAS. I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE USED AND I WAS TOLD THAT THERE WAS A SPOT THAT WAS RUSTED THROUGH AND NEEDED A BRACKET TO BE WELDED OVER IT. IN THE IMAGE ATTACHED YOU CAN WHAT THE GENERAL STATE THE FRAME IS IN BUT IT DOES NOT SHOW THE WORST AREAS. I DON'T HAVE A CAR JACK AVAILABLE SO ITS DIFFICULT FOR ME TO TAKE PICTURES OF THE WHOLE FRAME.
"TAKATA RECALL". SO I'M NOT UNDERSTANDING A PROBLEM WITH MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER. AS OF YESTERDAY THERE WAS A GREAT AMOUNT OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE AREA OF THE OIL STICK FROM MY ASSUMPTION THE OIL WAS GETTING ON THE CADILLAC CONVERTER. OR SOMETHING THAT WOULD HIT SOMETHING HOT ON THE ENGINE TO CAUSE IT TO SMOKE I'M TRYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE IS A RECALL FOR THAT.
I HAD SOME ISSUES WITH MY CAR AND THE MECHANIC PUT THE CAR UP ON THE LIFT AND SAW SOME HOLES CREATED BY CORROSION INTO THE FRAME OF THE TRUCK. I UNDERSTAND THAT THE TOYOTA TACOMA HAS THE SAME FRAME AND WAS RECALLED. WHY IS IT THAT THE SAME FRAME ON A DIFFERENT VEHICLE AND FROM THE SAME MANUFACTURER, TOYOTA, ISN'T BEING RECALLED ON TEH 4RUNNER? I INSIST THAT THERE BE A RECALL AND WILL HOLD ALL ACCOUNTABLE.
VEHICLE WAS MAINTAINED AT A TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR OVER A DECADE BEFORE BEING INFORMED THAT VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE DUE TO HOLES FORMING THROUGHOUT THE ENTIRE FRAME ASSEMBLY FROM CORROSION. FURTHER RESEARCH SHOWES THE FRAME OF THIS VEHICLE RESEMBLES THAT OF THE TOYOTA TACOMA AND TUNDRA MODELS WHICH WHERE RECALLED DUE TO EARLY AND UNSAFE CORROSION LEADING TO COMPONENTS TO DETACH FROM FRAME WHILE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION WHICH CAN LEAD TO SERIOUS LIFE HAZARD. FRAME AND VEHICLE WERE ALSO MANUFACTURED IN OHIO DANA COMPANY WHICH IS THE SUPPLIER OF THE RECALLED FRAMES USED IN THE TOYOTA TUNDRAS AND TACOMA'S.
EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST HAS RESULTED IN THE FRAME ALMOST COMPLETELY DISAPPEARING, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND FORCED TO BE TAKEN OFF THE ROAD. THERE IS LESS THAN AN INCH OF FRAME HOLDING THE REAR RIGHT AXLE IN PLACE
FRAME IS ROTTING APART. SEVERAL HOLES AND CRACKS
THE BACK OF THE TRUCK FRAME HAS RUSTED THROUGH. STATIONARY. FRONT AXLE PICS INCLUDED AS WELL. RUST, WEAR AND TEAR. NOT SURE WHEN IT HAPPENED BC THE DEALERSHIP SOLD THE VEHICLE TO ME LIKE THIS. RUSTED METAL PROVES IT HAPPENED AWHILE AGO. PLUS SOMEONE TRIED TO WELD IT TO COVER UP THE PROBLEM. I'VE ALSO PUT IN A RADIATOR AND NEW MUFFLER WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH.
SEVERE FRAME RUST
4RUNNER FRAME RUST. MULTIPLE TECHS HAVE TOLD ME MY FRAME SHOULD HAVE BEEN INCLUDED WITH AN EXISTING TOYOTA RECALL BUT WAS NOT.
THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND THE REAR SUSPENSION MOUNTING BRACKETS ARE STARTING TO LOOK LIKE POTATO CHIPS. ALSO NOTICED STEERING COMPONENTS ARE SEVERALLY RUSTED.
EXCESSIVE FRAME DUSTING CAUSING DRIVING PROBLEMS
FRAME BROKEN
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2003 Toyota 4Runner → · Every 4Runner year → · How the figures are calculated →