general problems of the 2000 Toyota 4Runner - part 2

There was no incident, the frame is rusted through on both sides. I brought my 4runner in for a routine oil change, not to the rudy luther Toyota dealership in golden valley, mn, where I normally bring for regular service, but to minnetonka auto. They noticed the frame was rusted through on both sides, very visibly. . . I could stick my hand in the rusted holes. The mechanic said this is very dangerous and should be replaced immediately and recommended I contact Toyota directly. There is no rust on the body of my truck, just the frame. The dealership sent me to Toyota corporate. Toyota corporate said they had no programs for the 4runner, and couldnt offer me any other options or solutions, other than contact your dealership. I called rudy luther Toyota dealership in golden valley, mn again, they said they have other cases, but corporate wasnt doing anything about it. I guess they are waiting for a few people to die first, before spending any $$ to fix their defective frames.

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.

The frame on my 2000 Toyota 4runner is rusted out on one side of it, it was just the side, but now there is rust holes in the bottom of it as well. This is a very big issue and could end up totaling my truck if I'm not willing to spend thousands on a new frame/repair. These 4runners are known for being reliable, but also for terribly made frames, and I have run into that unfortunate case. Please actually look into recalling and replacing these frames, I know many other people with this same issue, and it doesn't make sense why other trucks except for the 4runner were recalled. Everyone with one of these models would greatly appreciate a recall on these frames. Thank you, liam (do not have a specific photo of the rust on frame, but I do have one of the rust on the body, just to give you an understanding, the frame is way more severe though).

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.

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.

Excessive frame rust beyond normal aging.

Bought a 2000 Toyota 4runner 3 months ago. Inspection was up and took it to get inspected. They said the frame was trashed from rust.

The frame on my 2000 model Toyota 4runner is rusted so bad that it has broken. I contacted Toyota asking about a recall. They informed me that there was no recall on this and they have had several complaints on the same subject affecting all 3rd generation Toyota 4runners. The receptionist provided me with this website and told me to file a complaint. She also informed me that there would not be any thing done about this situation unless the government issued a recall. It's really upsetting to know that I've only got 138,000 miles on this vehicle and it's not drivable anymore. A replacment frame cost well over $4,000 not including the labor fees.

4runner was in shop for muffler repair when rusted right side of frame near rear torsion bar was pointed out to me. My concern is torsion bar will brake away and cause accident.

Frame is rusted out and Toyota wont do nothing about it.

Multiple holes rusted through passenger side of frame on the inside next to the exhaust. Hole rusted through on the driver side of frame on outside by tow hitch mount.

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.

Vehicle suddenly became very unstable and loose in the rear end while driving down highway at 50 mph. Rear end started swaying back and forth pushing vehicle into center of 2 lane highway. Once vehicle was under control and off the road frame showed significant rust. Lower suspension arm mount on frame had rusted and broke. Roughly 24 inch section of this frame area had rusted out. Leaving no attachment of the suspension arm to the frame mount. Upon inspection many areas of frame are showing signifficant rust damage. Vehicle us now unsafe to drive. I have owned this vehicle for 11-12 years. Bought it with 12,000 mile and have taken great care of it. Engine purrrrrs like a kitten. Runs as well now as when I bought it. Toyota will not warranty a bad design/manufacturing process. Called Toyota dealership whom I purchased it from and they said they have been seeing many of these coming in and Toyota will not warranty the bad frames.

Frame is rusted through. Toyota has recalled frames for tacomas and tundras but not 4runners 4runner is built on same frame as tacoma. Why no recall?.

Went to my mechanic for an full exhaust repair and was told that the vehicle had frame rot so extensive that the repair should not be done, and that in fact the car was unsafe to drive. There was a recall on this frame for the tacoma and the tundra as well, and there should be one on this generation of 4runner. I have a 1989 4runner with 250k miles and no such issues with frame rot. Now I'm out thousands of dollars since I'll have to junk the car and buy a new one. Toyota should take responsibility for this.

I brought my vehicle to a repair shop for inspection because the vehicle was not riding safely. They found extensive rust and corrison on the back under carriage of the frame of the car posing a potential safety and road hazard. It was not normal wear and tear. I don't have the VIN number yet to post because the vehicle is in the shop to be repaired.

Took 2000 Toyota 4runner sr5 in for inspection. My independent mechanic said frame is bad. Frame is severly rusted and has multiple holes on passenger side rear wheel area in both the front and back of this area. It also has severe rust and holes in the frame on the driver side in the same rear area and above the gas tank on the driver side. Vehicle is considered unsafe because of the damage to the frame. Spoke to the local Toyota dealer customer service repair center rep and inquired about any recalls for rusted frame such as the buy back program that Toyota had for the tacoma. I was informed there were no recalls or buy backs for the 2000 Toyota 4runner sr5. I called Toyota corporation customer support and filed a complaint with them. I was also told that there were no recalls or buy backs at this time. I asked if there was anyone else I could speak to in regards to this matter and was told that there was not. Rep said they would notify me if Toyota issued a recall. I told the rep what good would that do since I would have to scrap the vehicle and unless Toyota issued a recall within the next few days a recall would not help me if I no longer owned the vehicle. I also told the rep that this placed an undue economic hardship on me because I would have to purchase a replacement vehicle since the 4runner was no longer safe because of the frame damage. He sympathized with me but said the only thing he could do for me was file my complaint and issue me a case number. Searching the internet it seems that there are a lot of Toyota 4runner owners that have the same issue. I think the NHTSA needs to step in and make Toyota issue a recall for these faulty frames. It is obvious that Toyota used inferior metal to manufacturer these frames and that is why they are rusting out prematurely.

I purchased my 2000 Toyota 4 runner one year ago at dry ridge Toyota used cars. While driving the vehicle, the vehicle began shaking in the rear end from side to side on the highway at any speed. It was difficult to control the vehicle with the side to side rear end wobbling which was visible from vehicles following behind. Upon having the vehicle checked out at a garage and put up on a lift, the frame underneath has rusted through and and is ready to break. The garage said they wouldnt repair it because of liability issues. They said it is unsafe to drive. So now I have a vehicle that I cant drive, cant be fixed and a loan to pay on it. Toyota said there is no recall on it and it is out of warranty so they will do nothing. I think this needs to be recalled, it has rusted through in a years time and its only a 2000.

I took my 2000 Toyota 4runner limited to my local mechanic for the annual NY state inspection. This is a one owner (me) vehicle with only 126,777 miles. What he found was extensive rust and perforations on the passenger side frame from front to rear. He told me that it was not repairable and that it is a safety concern. He said we were lucky not to have experienced a complete collapse and failure in that section while driving. I was shocked at the amount of rust and deterioration I saw in the frame. I called Toyota corp the same day and explained the issue. I was told that an authorized Toyota dealership would need to look at the vehicle and document it. I tool it to the dealership the next day and the service manager completed a report and took photos. He informed me that the vehicle has frame perforations beyond repair and that the rear end housing is porous. He also found an exhaust leak. He stated that the vehicle was not safe to drive. He told me that this has been an issue with the 4runner for several years. He also told me that the tundra and tacoma had a similar rust issue and that there was a safety recall campaign for those vehicles whereby new frames were installed, but not for the 4runner. He did not know why the 4runner was not included in the recall campaign. This is a serious safety issue that could result in serious injuries and fatalities. This is also an economic concern to me. My 4runner's interior and exterior is in very good to excellent condition. It's value is around $7 thousand. I expected to drive this vehicle for a long time. Now it sits in my garage waiting for Toyota or the dot to rectify the issue. I urge Toyota and the dot to issue a recall for this frame problem in order to avoid needless customer injuries and fatalities.

While driving on a family vacation, the 4 runner had a near catastrophic frame failure. The speed of the vehicle at the time of the failure was approximately 30 mph. This failure caused total loss of vehicle control and the inability to safely operate the vehicle. The vehicle was rendered unsafe for operation and it had to be towed. An independent inspection revealed multiple failure points along the frame rail related to corrosion.

Took the vehicle in for regular service (oil change, tire rotation, etc. ) and was informed that the frame had rusted through in several areas. They recommended taking the vehicle to a Toyota dealer since extreme rust problems have been a reoccurring problem with Toyota trucks & suvs. Looking online, I saw recalls for the rust problems with trucks, but no recall for 4runners??? I think there should be the same responsibility shown by Toyota for the same problem in similar vehicles.

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.

Hi, I have a 2000 Toyota 4 runner. It has a little over 200k miles and I took it in for service to have the timing belt and water pump replaced. I drive the vehicle daily. The mechanic did not perform the work because he noticed the frame had rusted through and recommended to not drive the vehicle for safety reasons. He stated that if the frame did bend or separate the vehicle would buckle and there would not be any control, especially on the expressway. The mechanic recommend that I check to see if there has been any recalls. I did check to see if there were any recalls and there was not. I was informed that the Toyota tundra and Toyota tacoma had similar issues with the frame's rusting through and Toyota did a recall/buy back for those vehicles. I was on the Toyota forum and it sounds like there are a lot of Toyota 4 runners in this same circumstance. I feel if there are other similiar vehicles from Toyota having the same issue, then they should be included in the recall/buyback process. Thank you.

Frame is showing signs of serious rust.

Severe rust on passenger side of frame unsafe will not pass inspection.

Rusted out frame. I took my truck in for some minor repairs. The shop called me back and said the frame is so rusted that the car is no longer safe to drive. . The support holding up the transmission is about to break. This could've caused a serious accident or worse if it happened while I was driving. . Not to mention I don't have the money to just buy a new car on a whim. . Unfortunately I will have to continue driving this death trap until either the frame breaks or I have the money to buy a new car. Toyota needs to do something about this before someone gets hurt or worse. . I know I'm not the only one with this problem. They need to recall the 4runners like they did the tacomas. . Rusted out frame!!!! rusted out frame!!!! rusted out frame!!!!.

Rear axle seals leaking gear oil from rear differential into rear brake drum housing covering brake shoes, drums, and braking components in gear oil. Loss of gear oil in rear differential can cause differential failure as well as failure in rear braking. A notorious issue with 3rd generation Toyota 4runners due to poor engineering of rear axle seals and retainers, therefore failing to properly seal components. Seals begin to leak again soon after; even when repaired, due to poor mating of seal and retainer on axle within the axle housing.

Frame rusted through. Will not pass state inspection.

Frame has severe rust that has caused the frame to become weak and unsafe. Multiple holes in frame have developed. Vehicle has been washed regularly and stored indoors for years but has severe frame rot. Toyota will not repair because they say there was never any problem with the 4runner frames just the tacoma and tundra had issues. The frame on the 96-02 4runners are the same as the tacoma, only difference is the rear suspension setup. They appear to have the same rust issues.

I took my 4 runner to joseph Toyota to the have the rotors checked and the I was told they found rust on my main frame and would not service the car. They said I needed to buy a new car because mine was not safe. This is the only car I have and I have taken good care of it. I was shocked that Toyota would turn me away after purchasing 4 cars from them. They told me that the 4 runner wasn't covered by the recall for main frame rusting like the tacoma. I think when Toyota knows this problem exist they should have to take responsibility for the defect. Not everyone can just go buy another car.

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.

At a regular oil change, at a Toyota dealer, I was shown a picture of a hole in my frame. My 4runner has been an excellent and reliable vehicle with regular maintance. It has a rust spot on a bumper, and thats all! this is our family vehicle, and is not abused. I only have 154,000 miles and feel strongly that a frame on a vehicle should last much longer, as in past vehicles I've owned. I have had no problems with my 4runner, and don't want to junk yard it over a bad quality frame from Toyota, but it may come to this if I can't have it welded. The vehicle is not safe, the hole is in a weight bearing area. Shame on Toyota for not doing a recall on the 4runners like they did with their trucks. Safety should be first. Yes, I do transport children in my vehicle on a daily basis, so again, shame on them. I strongly feel that others are not safe, and someone should address this pressing issue.

The frame is rusted out. I can only see one side. Toyota took pictures, but never heard back from them. I took some photos myself.

Suspension system rusted apart causing the rear shocks to become disconnected from the frame. The vehicle also has severe rust on the frame that is characteristic of the problems other are experiencing with frame rot. There are nearly 200 complaints on here for this issue. . . It should be recalled and repaired. I cary my 2 year old around in this car on a daily basis. Surprised to find such a poor quality car from Toyota and that they aren't doing anything about it when they did something about it on other vehicles with the same frame and same problem.

Frame rusting away. Unsafe to drive.