general problems of the 1997 Toyota 4Runner - part 1

I have had this vehicle since 12/1997 and it had always been garaged. The body is in very good condition. I live in northern wisconsin and road salt is prevalent during the harsh winters. At the first part od April I was driving on hwy, 47 toward minocqua and suddenly the steering felt vague. I moved the steering wheel slighlty and the vehicle went out of control, I managed to avoid oncoming traffic and pulled to the side of the road. I was still near home and drove very slowly to get home. Upon examining the cundercarriage at a local mechanic, we found that the frame was rusted and had broken where the rear trailing arm is attached, leaving the rear axle loose. I ended up giving the car to the mechanic. After driving it for 26 years it was a very sad moment since ran great and was my daily driver. I called Toyota and they told my vehicle was not included in the recall for.

Rear fram stabilizer brace rusted out and broke away from frame, so axle to frame stalizer does not stabilize rear axle.

Very rusted out undercarriage. My other is only 3 years newer and has nothing like this on it. I was advised to sell it by a suspension shop that noted my broken, rusted out undercarriage, bad shock and the condition of the rear of the truck's frame in general. There is nothing wrong with the truck other than this rust.

Frame rust makes vehicle dangerous while driving.

Tl the contact owns a 1997 Toyota 4runner. While reversing out of the driveway, the vehicle swayed back and forth. There were no warning indicators illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle and noticed that the frame was rusted and there was nothing supporting the stabilizer arm. Fox Toyota (228 fox family ln, clinton, TN 37716, (865)-494-0228) was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was 271,000.

The frame is rotting from the inside out. The frame rot is located in the rear on the drivers side where the rear suspension bracket is welded to the frame.

The frame was poorly designed and not enough rust protection was applied by Toyota. We rarely get snow and still the vehicle has rusted through. Toyota did not make a drain hole so that the water in the frame would evaporate. There are a lot of these vehicles which otherwise last a long time. A lot of owners have 4runenrs with excellent engine/transmission but with rusted frames. This is a disaster waiting to happen on unsuspecting owners.

The bracket that attaches the rear trailing arm to the frame broke off from the frame causing it to swerve and loose stability while driving. The vehicle was in motion.

While driving heard a loud bang and vehicle got squirmy and out of control was about a mile from my house luckily. Got home and looked under vehicle and realized the frame has completely rusted out it is unsafe to drive as components to keep axle in place are rotted out. Issue will get someone killed one day.

My Toyota 4runner frame is rusting to the point that it's a huge safety issue! I've already had the right rear shockmount and bar replaced, and the left is on its way to rusting completely through. On the left side, however, the fuel tank is mounted up, and when the shock mount rusts through and breaks, it will very likely cause something to puncture the fuel tank. That could be extremely hazardous because, since I have no other means of transportation, I must continue to drive the vehicle. So, it is likely that it will be on the road when that happens. Why in the world has this vehicle not been recalled when you recalled the Toyota tacomas for the same issue of rusty frames? this is a very serious matter because it could cause a huge accident involving many people if these vehicles are not recalled and taken off the streets!.

My 1997 4runner has a lot of rust on the chassis frame. The rear shocks cannot be installed because the metal was eaten by the rust.

My 4runner frame is rotted out. Cracked frame unsafe to drive.

Right rear upper shock mount rusted out and shock broke through frame while driving on a city street (bracket sub assembly rear - right rear). Had to remove shock so it would not bust through causing ride instability.

When braking on a curve on a county highway {55 mph} the vehicle jumped and hopped uncontrollably and almost left the road. After slowly getting it home, I inspected the suspension and found the mount for the rear trailing arm broke off the frame from rust. The vehicle only has 155,000 miles and the rest of the vehicle is in vary good condition. I bought the Toyota for its known longevity and did not expect this from Toyota. If this had been a state hwy {70 mph} I'm sure there would have been a crash, injury and posable fatality.

Frame rusted out where the rear axle arm attaches. Arm mount broken loose from frame. Vehichle is undriveable and virtually not repairable. (frame replacement) ridiculous Toyota!!! you know about this problem, make it right to your customers!. Myself and fmaily own 7 Toyotas. Might reconsider ever buying another!.

Frame rotted apart have to have several mechanics look at it and told me not to drive it any longer I need my vehicle fixed cannot afford another vehicle at this time not in our budget my wife and I both work not financially set. . Driving this vehicle is very dangerous totally rotted frame needs replacing.

To whom it may concern: thank you for your immediate attention to this concern. I just purchased a 1997 Toyota 4runner with 173,000 miles on it. I was made aware before buying the vehicle that there is some rust underneath and so I examined the problem and determined that it is not major and is repairable. After purchasing the vehicle, I found that the problem is quite larger than I initially assessed. I realize that this makes me responsible for a bad decision but I also think that it is important for the safety of the general public to bring these rust issues to the attention of the NHTSA with the hope that enough complaints will affect a response that will hold the manufacturer responsible. I realize that this vehicle is 15 years old and has high mileage but at the same time, I don't believe that the rotting frame is an acceptable defect in an 18 year old vehicle that was clearly very well maintained by it's original owner, and by the number of submitted and unsubmitted complaints, this is a common problem with this particular vehicle which points to a defect in manufacturing. In addition, this rotting frame problem must have started when the vehicle was much younger because the frame is rotted through in two places and it doesn't take a scientist to know that this kind of damage takes time. The main frame on my 4runner is rotted completely through in front of and behind the left rear wheel. I cannot drive the vehicle that I just bought because of the safety concerns and I'm concerned that there are less mechanically inclined persons out there who are unaware of this issue and unknowingly putting themselves and the general public at risk. Please take immediate action to hold the manufacturer accountable for this defect. Thank you.

The frame is so rusty that three suspension attachments have rusted (broken) off. The car is unsafe to drive.

The contact owns a 1997 Toyota 4runner. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 02v021000 (suspension), however, the dealer refused to perform the recall repair due to a rusted chassis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 151,000.

I have a 1997 Toyota 4runner. I was driving down the road and my frame suddenly broke. This caused me to loose control and crash into a ditch line. I've contacted Toyota and they are not wiling to help me with a replacment frame. This frame is rusted to the point of no repair. Something needs done about this.

The frame is completely rusted threw in multiple parts of the frame. Someone has already tried welding some plateing to keep rear suspension components of the lower four link attached to the frame. Extremely unsafe.

Tl-the contact owns a 1997 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle veered from left to right independently. The failure occurred on two occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 220,000. Djr.

Vehicle frame is completely rusting out around the rear suspension. Trailing arm mount from axle to frame is separated from frame and vehicle is not safe to drive.

The frame on the passenger side of the vehicle rusted through just in front of the rear axle. The bracket that holds the front of the trailing arm suddenly separated from the disintegrated frame causing the axle to move forward and backward. The vehicle was on the interstate at speed and became wildly difficult to control.

1997 Toyota 4 runner frame rot and rust: I noticed rust debris in my driveway. I inspected under the vehicle and found that the inside of driver-side frame was completely rotted with extensive rust along entire length of adjacent fuel tank. Holes large enough to put four fingers in and crumble. It is clear that the rot has almost gone entirely through the frame as there are several small holes on outside of frame as well. The rust has also seriously compromised the weld seam on the suspension component attached to the frame. Rust and rot of this severity on this vehicle is isolated only to this area of the frame. The rest of vehicle frame shows typical surface rust as expected with age of vehicle.

I heard a noise toward the rear of the vehicle, so I took it to the garage to have it checked. They informed me that the left rear frame was completely rusted into and the frame on the right side was almost as bad. I was told to take it home and park it before a bad accident happened.

Rear frame is rusted badly where the rear suspension connects.

I have a 1997 4runner that is catastrophically rusted through the frame and has been a danger since purchasing. The amount of rust has completely evaporated my investment.

Vehicle developed serious rear end sway when going over bumps in road. Loud popping noise was heard in the vicinity of the rear axle on the passenger side. Upon investigation it was observed that the frame rail had rusted through in several areas. Additionally the frame had rusted away from the lower track arm mounting plate on the passenger side resulting in foward and backward movement in the mounting plate. The vehicle is otherwise virtually rust free.

Frame and certain critical suspension parts have rusted out, creating unsafe driving condition.

Frame is completely rusted. The underside of the body is fine but the frame is rotted. There are holes rusted through in multiple spots including suspension mounts.

I was driving my Toyota 4runner at highway speeds (60 to 70 mph) and it started getting hard to handle. If you accelerated it would turn hard to the right, if you let off the gas it would veer back hard to the left. We stopped and checked it out and the frame mount on the passenger side is rusted off.

I own a 1997 4runner. During my driving the vehicle few weeks ago, the chassis located on the rear passenger side split apart and almost resulted in a fatal accident with my family. This failure, however, is purely an engineering design and manufacturing failures. Hence, the vehicle has become un-drivable. When I contacted Toyota and its dealerships, they said to repair the vehicle will cost me $8,100. 00. Hence, I feel that, in comparison to other vehicles from different brand of cars companies, therewith, whereby, they are still on some part of the world, are still drivable and useful. However, for the kind of money spent on the purchase, the required maintenance, the vehicle is that old they are liable for a fifteen year old vehicle.

This 1997 Toyota 4runner has premature structural frame failure. The frame is rotting from the inside out. The frame rot is located in the rear on the drivers side where the rear suspension bracket is welded to the frame. This is an epidemic among older Toyota trucks and SUV's. Toyota has already recalled the tacoma's of this model year due to the frames rotting. I have read countless numbers of complaints on the internet from other 4runner owners. It is time to push Toyota to help all of the owners of these Toyota's out.

Rusted frame. . . . . Unsafe safe to drive.