We found the following complaints for TOYOTA 4RUNNER (1996)
Read complaints for TOYOTA 4RUNNER (1996)
Takata recall. Antilock brakes slipped and didnt stop. The air bags open until after the truck was towed and parked back at my house when no one was in it.
Takata recall.was notified almost a year ago about the air bag recall and still have not been provided a fix.
I was getting on the hiway ramp and was traveling 60pmh when my vehicle felt like it wanted to move over to the next lane while the steering wheel was held steady. I took the vehicle to northpark toyota in san antonio texas on august 29,2017. Iwas told the parts were ordered and would take 2weeks to come in. I called 2weeks later and could not get any info on the parts ordered. Today is 10/16/2016 and still no info. I have been driving the vehicle little because it has wanted to move over to the next lane several times even though i hold the steering wheel straight.
Shock absorber completely went threw the frame causing the 4 runner to go size to size while driving. Frame is rusting from inside out. Very very dangerous. The same exact frames on the tacomatacoma got a recall, they replaced them. Why wasnt this recalled on the 4runner? and the seatbelts just pop out of the buckle while your just driving. Something has to happen soon or somebody is gonna get very hurt ,or killed. 1 more thing. I had a wheel pop off also from the ball joint breaking luckily that was in my driveway, luckily i wasn't on the main road i could've killed somebody.
Car lurches forward when air conditioning compressor engages.
As i know other people have posted, i have the classic 4runner rear differential seepage.mine is a 1996.seems to be due to a bad casting from factory.never have i run into this before.vehicle was regularly washed, hardly any rust on entire vehicle, but for the rear differential casting to be rusted through/porous enough toseep gear oil through the interstices while maintaining structural integrity (safety issue?!!!!!) is a major failure for toyota as far as i'm concerned and should be redeemed by company.i see from reading online blogposts that i am 1 of many that have experienced this problem.i've had many other older vehicles, one in my possession now (1989 ford f-150 which has been used in winter but sat all last summer, and hasn't been washed in years) that has no problems remotely like this related to the rear axle.somewhere along the line toyota put out faulty rear axle housings, and i'd like to see them stand by their product and fix these---as i'm seeing through investigation that this is a common problem with many toyotaowners.same problem.toyota has failed to address the issue, and i'm afraid they will lose many customers (including myself) if they continue to ignore the issue.too bad.the truck still runs and looks great otherwise.seems like a large price to pay as far as loss of business for toyota, but to not address a simple mistake like this and make the customer happy?-----their choice.if you can address this issue with toyota and make them repair their mistake, i would greatly appreciate it, as i'm sure many formerly happy toyota customers would agree.thank you for your time,a concerned consumer.
Differential/axle housing rusted out.i purchased the truck this past week and noticed a significant amount of rust on the differential housing and where the suspension parts connect to the housing.this is what holds the differential/axle assembly to the truck. If left unchecked the cover will eventually rust out and leak oil and could potentially lead to a crash if the differential locks up due to no fluid.also the brackets could rust out causing the suspension parts to break away from the housing causing a crash.this is a know issue on 4runners and well documented on many internet forums.
Shock absorber completely went threw the frame causing the 4 runner to go size to size while driving. Frame is rusting from inside out. Very very dangerous. The same exact frames on the tacomatacoma got a recall, they replaced them. Why wasnt this recalled on the 4runner? and the seatbelts just pop out of the buckle while your just driving. Something has to happen soon or somebody is gonna get very hurt ,or killed. 1 more thing. I had a wheel pop off also from the ball joint breaking luckily that was in my driveway, luckily i wasn't on the main road i could've killed somebody.
Takata recall. Antilock brakes slipped and didnt stop. The air bags open until after the truck was towed and parked back at my house when no one was in it.
I was getting on the hiway ramp and was traveling 60pmh when my vehicle felt like it wanted to move over to the next lane while the steering wheel was held steady. I took the vehicle to northpark toyota in san antonio texas on august 29,2017. Iwas told the parts were ordered and would take 2weeks to come in. I called 2weeks later and could not get any info on the parts ordered. Today is 10/16/2016 and still no info. I have been driving the vehicle little because it has wanted to move over to the next lane several times even though i hold the steering wheel straight.
Toyota 4runner limited 1996 vintage...steering wheel shakes bigtime
As i know other people have posted, i have the classic 4runner rear differential seepage.mine is a 1996.seems to be due to a bad casting from factory.never have i run into this before.vehicle was regularly washed, hardly any rust on entire vehicle, but for the rear differential casting to be rusted through/porous enough toseep gear oil through the interstices while maintaining structural integrity (safety issue?!!!!!) is a major failure for toyota as far as i'm concerned and should be redeemed by company.i see from reading online blogposts that i am 1 of many that have experienced this problem.i've had many other older vehicles, one in my possession now (1989 ford f-150 which has been used in winter but sat all last summer, and hasn't been washed in years) that has no problems remotely like this related to the rear axle.somewhere along the line toyota put out faulty rear axle housings, and i'd like to see them stand by their product and fix these---as i'm seeing through investigation that this is a common problem with many toyotaowners.same problem.toyota has failed to address the issue, and i'm afraid they will lose many customers (including myself) if they continue to ignore the issue.too bad.the truck still runs and looks great otherwise.seems like a large price to pay as far as loss of business for toyota, but to not address a simple mistake like this and make the customer happy?-----their choice.if you can address this issue with toyota and make them repair their mistake, i would greatly appreciate it, as i'm sure many formerly happy toyota customers would agree.thank you for your time,a concerned consumer.
Frame rust, a fair amount of rust is causing concern and makes me question how trustworthy vehicle is.the date listed isnt the date of the incident its roughly around the time the extent of the rust had been noticed.
I have extreme frame rust.
I own a 1996 toyota 4runner that has frame is rusted with large holes. It has not caused an accident yet but i believe the manufacturer should be held accountable. Especially when the same company has replaced frames and bought back other models for the exact same issue. How am i (as a 4runner owner) just overlooked and brushed aside.
My 4 runner has an extremely rotted frame that renders the vehicle unsafe to drive. The rest of the vehicle is inexcellent condition. Toyota says their sorry but this problem doesn't warrant a repair or recall. Just a little investigating indicates that their are many unhappy 4 runner owners with the same exact problem. I know that their tacoma truck was recalled for frame rot problems and mechanics have told me that both frames are very similar.
Rust on frame.advised that it may not be safe.
The frame on my 96 4 runner limited is rusting from the inside out approximately 1 foot long on the drivers side by the gas tank where the rear body mount and trailing arm meet the frame. Both inside and outside frame rails are rotted through. My 4 runner body is in perfect condition with no rust. The rest of the frame is in good condition with only minimal surface rust. Without periodic inspection it would never be known that a problem existed because the rest of the vehiclee is near perfect condition.
Second owner of this suv that i have owned for 12 years.frame rust issues have proceeded to the point where one month ago, the left rear lateral axle link bracket broke free from the frame.the car is now unsafe to drive because the rear axle is not tied to the frame on the driver's side.mechanic told me it might be able to be fixed/welded, but the rest of the frame is so bad there isn't much to weld to.i have found numerous other complaints online about this generation 4runner and its frame rust issues.i also found many cases where the exact same issue with the axle link bracket has occurred.this really seems to be a broader issue that toyota has not remedied for 4runner owners.disappointed that i'm not able to keep this longer like i'd planned.
Frame is rusting vary badly,in two years the frame that is the drive train will be all gone rust!and auto will not be drivable then
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. While driving 40 mph, the vehicle began to wobble uncontrollably. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame on the driver side had completely rusted and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 224,000.
I recently bought my 1996 4runner at the beginning of 2015. There was some rust on the frame but no noticeable damage from the outside. Now, six months later i had it looked at because the exhaust system became increasingly loud.the mechanic looked at the frame while looking at the exhaust system and he found that the frame had rotted from the inside out. He recommended i do not drive it anymore as it is unsafe. He said he would never attempt to repair damage such as my 4runner has. My vehicle only has 166,000 miles on it. There is no reason the frame should be as damaged as it is or to have it rusted from the inside out.
I have owned my 4runner for 26 years and i have meticulously cared for it.one of my shocks gave way and i brought it in for my technician to inspect it.upon my his inspection i was notified about the extensive rust on the frame and other parts under the truck such as the gas line.i was informed that my engine runs strong with 209k on it.my technician would not do any repairs to this frame because of how coors ice it was.he showed me several fingers going through a stress point near the rear axel.the truck looks beautiful and is now useless with the rusty frame.i live in salty ct and believe the frame was not properly conditioned from the frame factory. Vin number:[xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
While drive down the high way at about 65 mph i was driving and all of a sudden i heard a loud clunk under my truck. I didn't hit anything in the road i just heard a loud clunk and after that my truck would sway and drift to the left dramatically to the point i almost couldn't control what direction my truck was going i had toslow down to 20 mph and pull over. After taking it in to the mechanic they told me that frame as completely rusted through and snapped entirely. The truck is amazing truck engine runs like its brand new but the entire frame rusts way to easy. And something needs to be done on the 96-99 4runner frame. Beforesome one gets in a accident. Or is that what toyotas waiting for before they do anything about this major issue that happens to all 3rd generation 4runner.
Excessive frame corrosion. Vehicle unsafe to drive.
Traveling nb approaching green light and a car ran red light in intersection.the car on sb swerved on miss them, hit them anyway and hit me head on.both on their air bags went off and mine did not.i am still in physical therapy for partial rotator cuff tear, sprained neck, back, shoulder, elbow and i still cannot use right arm from elbow down.i have not worked since the accident.i want to know why my air bags did not go off.
Frame broke due to rust by the lower control arm going straight down the road doing about 30mph almost causing me to go off the road. Had it towed to a local garage to find out it was rusted through in several places and the mechanic told me it was a common problem with this year of 4runner. If this had happened going down the highway it could of costed me my life or someone else's and being as common of a problem as it is i feel it should be addressed there's no reason a frame should rust as bad and as quick as this considering it has been undercoated every year of its life
I was driving down the highway with my son in the car when i heard a loud noise coming from the passenger side of the truck and immediately followed with a loss of control. Luckily it was in the afternoon and rush hour had yet to hit so the nearest cars/trucks were able to avoid me. I limped to the side of the highway and looked under the truck only to see that the frame rail on the passenger side had completely snapped in half. Upon further inspection it had clearly rusted from the inside out. I have kept the truck in excellent shape, regular maintenance, etc and even checked for rust since i knew this was an issue. However since it rusted from the inside out, i had never even noticed. Got it towed to the dealer who would proceed to inform me that the only fix for it was a new frame. Perfect 4runner, low miles, with excellent care taken to make sure it would last 300k, and now its worth less than a rotten banana. Talk about a punch to the face. Im just thankful my family and i were not hurt in this mess. I've read about the constant rust issues with these trucks and i pray that it doesn't hurt an entire family somewhere in the future other than their wallet.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer who confirmed corrosion of the frame on the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 250,864 and the current mileage was 250.884.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, an abnormal noise was present from the driver side rear wheel area. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised that the metal bar that held the rear axle was rusted and became detached from the frame. The contact was informed that the defect was not repairable. The manufacturer was not notified.the failure mileage was 186,000.
1996 toyota 4runner will not pass pennsylvania safety inspection due to frame rust and deterioration.extent of damage may inhibit repair without total frame replacement.vehicle is not operable without inspection.
I had a mechanic replacing rotors on brakes and when i went to pick it up today, he told me the entire underside of my vehicle was rusting away.he advised me to avoid hitting any holes or bumps in the road since the frame supporting the gas tank is very damaged from rust.he stated that he would not trust driving it very far distances since things were going to start falling off underneath.
Hi,the frame is extremely rusted.it had a small tear on a weld. Now it has a large tear in the frame.it appears that it is rusting at all the weld points at a accelerated rate and or the frame itself is not thick enough.i have read of hundreds of others that own this car and the frame has rusted through.i know that the tacoma has been recalled and it has the exact same frame-------please advise as this car is not even 20 years old......the car is in great condition otherwise and in no way should be ready for the junk yard........
My 1996 toyota 4runner suffers from excessive rust that caused me to be have a horrible loss of vehicle control due to the frame excessively cracking. The cracking was due to what an independent research company stating that the right-rear frame rail cracked and separated from the frame due to excessive rusting. The independent research company pointed to numerous known reporting's on the internet as a common occurrence of this vehicle.i made a personal call to toyota customer care and was told that they logged my complaint but that they would not cover any claims herein to help in fixing the issue. My vehicle only had approximately 137,000 miles at the time of the incidence. The occurrence happened when i was traveling on an interstate at approximately 65 miles per hour.i crossed an area that had standing water (not deep by any means mind you) and the rear end completely shifted out to the right of me and caused me to spin.this water went across all three lanes and no one else experienced anything like i did.the vehicle completely spun around and i ended up in the emergency lane facing head on at oncoming traffic.i was fortunate that no one was injured or hit in the incident.however, the vehicle was not safe to drive due to the separation from the frame after this.i am uploading the results of the independent assessment stating their findings and showing pictures of what has happened.
The frame has prematurely rusted through in front of the right, rear trailing arm. My shop tells me the frame is too rusted to repair it.
While cornering in city driving i heard a clunking noise and investigated when i arrived home. The frame has corrosion at the right rear trailing arm bracket. The bracket was rusted away from the frame at the top but still attached at the bottom. The bracket and frame were welded with addtional metal. I checked the rest of the frame and noticed there is also a hole in the crossmember below the drivers seat and other larger rusted holes along the frame. This is a major safety concern. I will have to take it to a frame shop as toyota says there is no recall on the 4runner only the tacoma and tundra. I know many other 3rd generation 4runner owners who have the same problem. The vehicle body has no rust other than a small surface area at the drivers door rocker panel and near the windshield. The vehicle is very well maintained.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 mph, an abnormal noise emitted from the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The contact discovered that the frame was rusted and detached off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 260,000. The vin was unavailable.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4 runner. The contact stated that the rear bumper and frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was taken for inspection where the inspector stated that the frame was severely corroded and exhibited many holes in the midsection. The vehicle was unable to pass inspection and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted in regards to the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the frame on the vehicle was rusting from the inside out. The contact took the vehicle to a local mechanic to have the vehicle inspected who stated that the frame was rusting just like the toyota tacoma recall. The contact is concerned that his year, make and model vehicle was not a recall since both vehicles share the same structure. The failure mileage was 188,000.
I contacted toyota about a recall on my 1996 limited 4runner.there was a rear coil spring recall.i took my 4runner to the local toyota dealership to have the springs replaced and was informed by their mechanic that the frame was so rusty with holes that they would not work on it and it was unsafe to drive.they stated that they needed to have a service rep look at this issue.i was told to bring the 4runner back at a later date.i was not given a loaner car even after i was told it was unsafe to drive. A few weeks later i drove the 4runner back to the dealership for inspection by a toyota service rep and was told the same thing. He stated that the 4runner was unsafe to drive and toyota was not going to do anything about it.they then performed the coil spring recall after they stated it was unsafe to drive.over the next few weeks i made many calls to toyota with no help.to stop me from calling they stated they would give me $1000 towards a new or used toyota purchased from a toyota dealer. Much documentation was done on this problem and no one from toyota has ever contacted me about my unsafe 4runner being removed from service because of the rust holes in the frame.
Frame is rusting from inside out. Holes in frame big enough to push your whole arm through. Areas of frame connected to suspension prematurely rusting out. This rest of this vehicle is in excellent condition, body panels included.welder told me entire frame is rusting away and repair to the frame is very difficult anf expensive even if possible.vehicle has under 185,000 miles and runs great. I hear creaking developing and am afraid car may split in half.why is toyota not stepping up after admitting to badly manufactured frames.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the frame was damaged to the point of deterioration. The affected area was near the rear passenger side in front of the rear wheel. The contact took the vehicle for a routine inspection by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer who offered an interim fix to coat the extensive rusting and the deterioration of the frame. The authorized dealer did not provide the remedy to replace the frame. The vehicle was scheduled to be repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure several times to no avail. The approximate failure mileage was unknown.
Takata recall i'm super disappointed in the rust problem with toyotas, i've owned now three tacomas, all rusted out, i recently gave up and tried buying a 1996 4runner, got a really good deal on it, i can see why anyways i bought it and it turns out the whole frame was coated so i couldn't see rust, with further inspection there's a big crack in the frame from rust, and the whole frame is rusted. The crack is right beside the exhaust, i contacted toyota and they said bring it in for inspection and they said it would need replaced, but would cost 14-16 thousand dollars. Then they charged me for the inspection 60 dollars, when they didn't even tell me i'd be charged. Toyota really needs to step up!!! feel free to call me at [xxx]information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u.s.c. 552(b)(6).
The rear end of the frame broke on the drivers side back by the rear wheel going at a speed of 60 mph. Upon applying the brakes the rear end of the vehicle started to sway out of control. To make matters worse there was an on coming semi & another one following behind me, way too close of course. This scared the hell out of me for i thought for sure that there was going to be a serious accident. I have taken excellent care of my 4runner from the day i bought it new in 1996 & prided myself for it looking like new. All the scheduled maintenance had been performed over the years. It does not leak any fluid or burn any oil with 250,230 miles on it. In fact i receive compliments regularly on it's excellent condition. No door dings, keep it polished & in the winter rinse the under body at least once a week to keep the salt off. I had planned on driving this vehicle for at least another 100,000 miles. After escaping a near death accident i nursed it over to the toyota dealership for i could not see anything wrong by simply looking under the vehicle. Once i arrived at the dealership they put it up on the lift & asked me to come look at it. I was in disbelief at what i had saw. A portion of the frame that kept the drivers side rear wheel in place was completely separated. When i asked them what could be done they suggested a new frame. I said can you tell me how much that would cost he said he would check & come & get me. He came back several minutes later to tell me it would be a minimum of $10,000.00. Even in excellent condition the vehicle might be worth $3,000.00. Not only do i not have $10,000.00 to fix & if i did, would i? i don't know a lot about replacing frames, but i know it's no small job. Would it be worth it? i bought a toyota because they're supposed to last forever. Now i'm left with no vehicle & i have nothing to trade in! will toyota stand behind it's product?
The vehicle right rear veered to the right because lower control arm detached (broke) from frame (strut rod fastened to the frame).i lost control of vehicle but regained, narrowly missing a little girl on her bike. Toyota has had recalls on tacoma, tundra, and some sienna for prematurely rusted and broken frames. I called toyota in local town and they said my vin number has had no recall. To my research, the 4-runner has the same frame and build as the tacoma with numerous recalls.mechanic stated the breakshould never have happened.i have kept this vehicle within all manufacturer's suggested repairs and maintenance.i trusted toyota as a vehicle that was safe and dependable.
The frame on my 1996 4runner is rusted beyond repair. A place with significant rust had bend and would break off at any moment. The vehicle is unsafe to drive and completely useless at this point.
As i was merging onto the garden state parkway, i increased my speed to 60 mph. After going over an uneven surface on the road, the vehicle started to sway back and forth almost uncontrollably to the point where it felt as if it were going to roll. I immediately slowed down to the breakdown lane where i checked to see why the vehicle was doing this. To my surprise the rear control arm on the left side of the vehicle completely broke off of the frame due to what my opinion was rust. After receiving a more detailed inspection by an individual shop, the whole frame was shown to have holes due to rust. After this discovery they informed me that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and that i should inform toyota about the incident and see if they would be willing to help in any way. When i did call toyota they told me that there was nothing that they would do.
My son was driving vehicle and hit a pothole causing damage to the vehicle. After further inspection the frame had broke into because it was rusting from the inside out.
Due to a tremendous amount of rust the frame broke while the vehicle was in motion.luckily the breakage did not cause an accident, but it did cause the vehicle to swerve side to side uncontrollably.if the breakage had occurred at a higher rate of speed or if the breakage (causing increased torque/pressure in other areas) had spawned additional breakages in the many other rusted thin locations, i feel sure an accident would have been unavoidable. A quick search of the internet shows numerous complaints of seriousrust problems on 4runners....and toyota has already recalled many of their truck frames for similar excessive rust problems.this is a serious issue that could have easily caused a fatal accident and 4runner owners all over the us are at risk.i hope my complaint is the one that finally forces toyota to acknowledge the problem and correct it before more people have to experience a near-miss (or worse).
The vehicle right rear veered to the right because lower control arm detached (broke) from frame (strut rod fastened to the frame).i lost control of vehicle but regained, narrowly missing a little girl on her bike. Toyota has had recalls on tacoma, tundra, and some sienna for prematurely rusted and broken frames. I called toyota in local town and they said my vin number has had no recall. To my research, the 4-runner has the same frame and build as the tacoma with numerous recalls.mechanic stated the breakshould never have happened.i have kept this vehicle within all manufacturer's suggested repairs and maintenance.i trusted toyota as a vehicle that was safe and dependable.
On december 31, 2014 we were driving in hillsboro, oh and noticed a popping and cracking noise upon stopping and accelerating. On the way home, we noticed that the noise subsided. On january 1, 2015, went to drive the vehicle just outside our corporation limit and noticed that the vehicle was swaying back and forth like a boat out on the water, and thought it was just caused by excessive wind. On january 2, 2015 we were travelling on us 35 towards chillicothe, oh and hit a ripple in the road and the front end of the vehicle started swaying violently at about 45 mph. We pulled the vehicle off the road and thought it was in the front end and couldn't see anything. We took off again and it did the same thing at about the same speed and pulled off the road and decided to take it to gusweiler toyota in washington c.h. Oh approximately 3 miles away. A technician informed us that the frame was broken where the left rear tortion bar hooks to the frame. Had the vehicle towed home and upon further inspection we found that the frame has cracks all through it. We purchased the vehicle in september 2013 from a used car dealer who bought it from joseph airport toyota in dayton oh. To date we only put 5,169 miles on it and it has been just sitting ever since.
Shock absorber completely went threw the frame causing the 4 runner to go size to size while driving. Frame is rusting from inside out. Very very dangerous. The same exact frames on the tacomatacoma got a recall, they replaced them. Why wasnt this recalled on the 4runner? and the seatbelts just pop out of the buckle while your just driving. Something has to happen soon or somebody is gonna get very hurt ,or killed. 1 more thing. I had a wheel pop off also from the ball joint breaking luckily that was in my driveway, luckily i wasn't on the main road i could've killed somebody.
The frame on my 1996 4runner is rusted beyond repair. A place with significant rust had bend and would break off at any moment. The vehicle is unsafe to drive and completely useless at this point.
Frame badly rotted crossmember for transmission and left rear are worst .
As i was making a right hand turn from a stop, the vehicle became severely poor handling. Upon inspection, it was realized that the mounting flange for the right rear control arm and frame had rusted through and the control arm was no longer connected to the frame.
I was getting on the hiway ramp and was traveling 60pmh when my vehicle felt like it wanted to move over to the next lane while the steering wheel was held steady. I took the vehicle to northpark toyota in san antonio texas on august 29,2017. Iwas told the parts were ordered and would take 2weeks to come in. I called 2weeks later and could not get any info on the parts ordered. Today is 10/16/2016 and still no info. I have been driving the vehicle little because it has wanted to move over to the next lane several times even though i hold the steering wheel straight.
Takata recall. Antilock brakes slipped and didnt stop. The air bags open until after the truck was towed and parked back at my house when no one was in it.
My vehicle has been slipping a lot causing me to lose control of the vehicle it's not the first time it has happened just recently it happened again and i was told to check if there was a recall on the vehicle but there wasn't but after researching my 4runner i've read there was some recalls on the car about the rear suspension.
The rear end of the frame broke on the drivers side back by the rear wheel going at a speed of 60 mph. Upon applying the brakes the rear end of the vehicle started to sway out of control. To make matters worse there was an on coming semi & another one following behind me, way too close of course. This scared the hell out of me for i thought for sure that there was going to be a serious accident. I have taken excellent care of my 4runner from the day i bought it new in 1996 & prided myself for it looking like new. All the scheduled maintenance had been performed over the years. It does not leak any fluid or burn any oil with 250,230 miles on it. In fact i receive compliments regularly on it's excellent condition. No door dings, keep it polished & in the winter rinse the under body at least once a week to keep the salt off. I had planned on driving this vehicle for at least another 100,000 miles. After escaping a near death accident i nursed it over to the toyota dealership for i could not see anything wrong by simply looking under the vehicle. Once i arrived at the dealership they put it up on the lift & asked me to come look at it. I was in disbelief at what i had saw. A portion of the frame that kept the drivers side rear wheel in place was completely separated. When i asked them what could be done they suggested a new frame. I said can you tell me how much that would cost he said he would check & come & get me. He came back several minutes later to tell me it would be a minimum of $10,000.00. Even in excellent condition the vehicle might be worth $3,000.00. Not only do i not have $10,000.00 to fix & if i did, would i? i don't know a lot about replacing frames, but i know it's no small job. Would it be worth it? i bought a toyota because they're supposed to last forever. Now i'm left with no vehicle & i have nothing to trade in! will toyota stand behind it's product?
My son was driving vehicle and hit a pothole causing damage to the vehicle. After further inspection the frame had broke into because it was rusting from the inside out.
Frame is rusting from inside out. Holes in frame big enough to push your whole arm through. Areas of frame connected to suspension prematurely rusting out. This rest of this vehicle is in excellent condition, body panels included.welder told me entire frame is rusting away and repair to the frame is very difficult anf expensive even if possible.vehicle has under 185,000 miles and runs great. I hear creaking developing and am afraid car may split in half.why is toyota not stepping up after admitting to badly manufactured frames.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, an abnormal noise was present from the driver side rear wheel area. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who advised that the metal bar that held the rear axle was rusted and became detached from the frame. The contact was informed that the defect was not repairable. The manufacturer was not notified.the failure mileage was 186,000.
Frame rust, a fair amount of rust is causing concern and makes me question how trustworthy vehicle is.the date listed isnt the date of the incident its roughly around the time the extent of the rust had been noticed.
The axel support rusted off causing it to separate from the frame.this results in a dangerous condition
The rear axle/suspension is completely rusted out. Just took it to my auto shop for an oil change and they will not put it up for an oil change because they are afraid it will collapse.
I see that you guys have ordered a recall on 2001-2002 toyota 4runner for the lower ball joint failing.the part number for the lower ball joint is the same for years 1996-2002 and there are numerous posts of people having their ball joint fail on years prior to 2001. Can you please explain why only years 2001-2002 are covered?this is a liability and toyota should know that the same part number is covered for all 3rd generation toyota 4runners and it is failing on all 3rd generation 4runners.please do a quick google search and you will see numerous people getting into accidents, flips, etc. On 4runners that are pre 2001 (1996-2000) because of lower ball joint failure.this has the potential of people bringing suit against toyota as well as the safety commission for their negligence in fixing this matter.
I was pulling a u haul trailer as i have done many times, but this time i noticed the trailer wanted to sway at 40-55 mph. When i returned the trailer i then notices the truck handling badly, at 65mph it was almost impossible to keep it in my lane as it was rocking similar to having a broken strut. I got the truck home and called under it and that's when i saw the mount for the lower right rear control had broken completely away from the frame. Unless this can be repaired, which is highly unlikely the truck will have to be scrapped. All other features on this truck are in great working order.toyota need to do something. I have a friend who had a 95 tacoma who received a letter from toyota that instructed him to come in once a year for a free inspection for this type of failure, if it didn't pass toyota would by the truck back. I'm trying to contact the zone office now to see what action i need to take. I have a 1957 chevy 3/4 ton truck and has no rust issues, what's your deal toyota!!
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 mph, there was a loud abnormal noise. The contact discovered that the main frame in front of the left rear wheel fractured. The contact also stated that the rear suspension had corrosion build up. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who discovered that the frame was destroyed beyond repair. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vin was unavailable. The approximate failure was 195,000.
Known documented issues with toyota 4runner frame rot.this particular vehicle the control arm support brackets are showing signs of rustthrough with holes appearing in the brackets. This is documented with photos! the vehicle was purchased new by my father in 96,always garage kept ,in 2006 i bought the vehicle from him and also is kept in a dry garage not sitting out over moist soil.the 4runner has never been in a accident. I am a certified mechanic who performs safety inspections as i work for engineering university.it came to my attention when i was hearing and reading stories of these 3rd generation 4runners havestability problems directly related to the rusted out frame support brackets that hold the control arms in place for the rear axle. This is a main frame component , if the support bracket break free it allows the axle to wander around as it's not being held in place, causing loss of steering stability, it is a road hazard that is eventually going to kill people . I have a 95 blazer that was purchased six months before the 4runner andi still have it! the body on the blazer is literally rusted everywhere however,the integrity of the frame is still solid but the frame is rusted badly ! conversely, the body on the 4runner is excellent especially for the year,having a rusted out body is a appearance issue not a safety related issue as in the 3rd generation toyota 4runner that reside in the upper midwest.toyota has aa buy back program with tundra pickups that have frames that are safety hazards. I feel these 4runners are no different than the tundras, toyota should have the frames either replaced or buy the vehicle back! i took great care of this 4runner it looks great ,however i can not sell it due to the possibility of the control arm breaking free from the frame caused by inside frame rot.
Dt*:the contact stated while driving 20mph, the front passenger wheel fractured and detached from the vehicle.the vehicle was towed to the dealer who determined the lower ball joint was worn.the vehicle resides at the dealer waiting additional inspection.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4 runner. The contact isnt currently experiencing any failures at this time.the contact has been waiting to have the recall repair honored since january 1, 2007.the related recall# is 0v021000.the current mileage was 115000.
Frame is rusting vary badly,in two years the frame that is the drive train will be all gone rust!and auto will not be drivable then
Frame is so rotted it won't pass inspection. Seems to be a common problem with toyota. They replaced frames on the tacoma and a few others, why not the 4 runner.
There was a recall for the sun visor however the toyota service department was unable to fulfill the recall due to the part not being available.
Takata recall i have a bad rust problem on the chassis frame underneath
Axel supports rusted off the frame making it dangerous to drive
Known documented issues with toyota 4runner frame rot.this particular vehicle the control arm support brackets are showing signs of rustthrough with holes appearing in the brackets. This is documented with photos! the vehicle was purchased new by my father in 96,always garage kept ,in 2006 i bought the vehicle from him and also is kept in a dry garage not sitting out over moist soil.the 4runner has never been in a accident. I am a certified mechanic who performs safety inspections as i work for engineering university.it came to my attention when i was hearing and reading stories of these 3rd generation 4runners havestability problems directly related to the rusted out frame support brackets that hold the control arms in place for the rear axle. This is a main frame component , if the support bracket break free it allows the axle to wander around as it's not being held in place, causing loss of steering stability, it is a road hazard that is eventually going to kill people . I have a 95 blazer that was purchased six months before the 4runner andi still have it! the body on the blazer is literally rusted everywhere however,the integrity of the frame is still solid but the frame is rusted badly ! conversely, the body on the 4runner is excellent especially for the year,having a rusted out body is a appearance issue not a safety related issue as in the 3rd generation toyota 4runner that reside in the upper midwest.toyota has aa buy back program with tundra pickups that have frames that are safety hazards. I feel these 4runners are no different than the tundras, toyota should have the frames either replaced or buy the vehicle back! i took great care of this 4runner it looks great ,however i can not sell it due to the possibility of the control arm breaking free from the frame caused by inside frame rot.
I am the sole owner of my 1996 toyota 4runner. I have all service and maintenance records. New toyota parts have been used in all repairs performed by my local toyota dealership. While driving my 4runner this spring, i noticed it starting to sway on the highway. A rear sway bar broke off. I can feel the vehicle sway when accelerating and decelerating. Not once did my toyota dealership service department mention that my frame was deteriorating from rust. It has been on the lift a hundred times for maintenance and repairs, some extensive, and not one mention of a rusting frame. Now, it may be too late to repair due to the extensive rust. I have spent thousands of dollars maintaining my 4runner over the years. I feel toyota has knowingly deceived all 4runner owners of this safety issue. All current owners of early model 4runners should be alerted of this safety issue as loss of control of your vehicle on the highway is imminent.
I recently bought my 1996 4runner at the beginning of 2015. There was some rust on the frame but no noticeable damage from the outside. Now, six months later i had it looked at because the exhaust system became increasingly loud.the mechanic looked at the frame while looking at the exhaust system and he found that the frame had rotted from the inside out. He recommended i do not drive it anymore as it is unsafe. He said he would never attempt to repair damage such as my 4runner has. My vehicle only has 166,000 miles on it. There is no reason the frame should be as damaged as it is or to have it rusted from the inside out.
Frame rust issue. Rear shock and spring mount on frame has broken due to excessive rust.
1996 toyota 4runner, the frame is rustting out totally. The total frame is rust or gone. This 4runner was zebarted when new. I have bought this 4runner new from sunshine toyota battle creek,mi
I have a toyota 4 runner and have complained to the toyota dealer about my gas pedal sticking.they did nothing to fix it and said nothing is wrong!
Accelerator sticks.when depressing accelerator pedal, it sticks without moving.the only way to get it to move is by putting ever increasing pressure on the pedal until it suddenly breaks free and the care lurches forward.
Car lurches forward when air conditioning compressor engages.
I have a 1996 4runner that was in good condition until september 4, 2009 when it suddenly accelerated out of control, became a runaway vehicle, and struck a gas station building, resulting in severe property damage. I paid $7800.00 to fix the truck and insurance company paid to fix damages to the gas station. I have police report for the accident and no longer feel safe driving the vehicle since media report of worn/defective gas pedal causing similar accidents. Please advise asap.
I-26 rocks everywhere flying up cracking windshield.have a crack hallway across front windshield with 5-7 chips in various places.correction should be road sealed and road swept.have to replace entire windshield.
The frame on my 1996 4runner is rusted beyond repair. A place with significant rust had bend and would break off at any moment. The vehicle is unsafe to drive and completely useless at this point.
The contact owns a 1996 toyota 4runner. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the sun roof detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure and informed the contact that she would receive a callback. The failure mileage was approximately 256,000.
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