general problems of the 2006 Toyota 4Runner - part 1

Excessive frame corrosion.

We took the vehicle in for inspection and it failed due to the exhaust leaks, and more importantly the frame rusting out. We never received the recall notice for this issue. We have owned this vehicle for many years, so there is no reason we would not have been notified for the recall of the frame. The vehicle was just serviced last year and we spent a great deal of money to keep it running properly so we would not have any issues and it would last us for quite a long time to come. With the frame being rusted through, there is simply no way to keep this vehicle safe. Toyota did not notify customers that had the vehicles with the frame issue. This is something that is simply not acceptable. We are a family of Toyota owners and have always depended on the reliability of them. Finding this out has really shocked us and honestly diminished our trust in the Toyota reliability. Is Toyota willing to fix this issue, are we just stuck with this. Please help.

Unknown, found excessive rust on undercarriage.

While towing a 16' utility trailer using the 2" ball on a switch ball #42178, the ball separated from the shank. I was driving my 2007 Toyota 4runner traveling on the highway at about 60mph at the time. Fortunately the safety chains did their job and prevented the trailer from completely disconnecting from the vehicle. Upon stopping my vehicle several hundred feet after separation, I found the 2" ball still locked and secured inside of the trailer's coupler, and the shank still securely attached to my vehicle. As a result my rear bumper is now heavily damaged from the trailer contacting it after uncoupling from the vehicle. I'm glad nobody was hurt or killed as a result of this incident. If the safety chains had not done their job, the unattached trailer could have caused serious damage, injury, and/or death. This incident could have also resulted in losing control of my vehicle, which thankfully I did not. This switch ball #42178 was purchased in September of 2022 and this was the first time I've used it. At the time of the incident I had towed the trailer approximately 75 miles. I have a background in selling and installing utility trailers and towing accessories. I'm confident the product was installed and used as directed. I contacted curt manufacturing with the above concerns. At their request I shipped the trailer ball to them for inspection. They have denied any responsibility stating their product did not fail. They have blamed the incident on "user error". I'm happy to share all communication with the NHTSA. I am including pictures of the damage to my bumper which was caused by the trailer after the curt ball became disconnected from it's mating shank. I can share more about my assessment of why this failure occurred upon request.

The frame is corroded and rusted to the point that it’s not safe to drive. This was discovered by our service technician when we had the vehicle inspected for a rattling noise in the rear. I reached out to Toyota and was told that no problems are available regarding this issue. I have maintained my 4runner meticulously and timely since I purchased brand new. There is no rust on the body, just the frame.

My 2006 4runner Toyota frame is rusted and falling into pieces. From the rear especially and underneath. I’m scared if someone rear ends me that the impact could be life threatening due to the frame falling to pieces as I drive and the vehicle sits.

My 17 year old son was parked and when he turned off the defrost the rear hatchback glass shattered. This scared him a lot as we do not know what happened and thankfully he was parked not driving. This is a safety and potentially dangerous issue. We purchased this used vehicle and had Toyota thoroughly inspect and update and upgrade anything he needed and they never told us this was an issue. We researched it online and it has been an issue. This should have been addressed and recalled. I brought in vehicle so that they can fix it and they are saying they won’t even though it’s their equipment defect.

The frame of the vehicle was corroding as if it was not sealed effectively. The frame rotted to point where vehicle began swaying on road and during mechanic check the frame bent when vehicle placed on a lift. I am original owner of vehicle and took the vehicle to local Toyota dealership for all scheduled maintenance. The Toyota dealer mechanics never reported signs of corroding frame damage in the vehicle bumper to bumper checks during my scheduled maintenance appointments. I was never informed of any signs of rotting or corroding on the frame.

Under carriage and frame rust due to bad frames that caused a recall on other Toyota models that were settled, but not the 4 runner.

I have a 2006 Toyota 4runner. I also have a 2005 GMC sierra, but this 4runner's frame is absolutely toast, while the GMC is completely fine. Toyota issued recalls on the tacoma, tundra, and the sequoia, so why not the 4runner? my car started swaying and violently shaking on the highway. I pulled over and looked underneath, only to see the rear section of the frame had completely disconnected. This could have caused a major accident or even death if I did not catch it soon enough. This is a massive safety issue, and if people do not know what to look for with these, Toyota will be seeing a lot of wrongful death lawsuits.

It’s the frame! it’s completely rotting away the corrosion is unreal it has just over 75000 miles very clean no rust any wear else but underneath is completely gone makes it so unsafe that if not fixed the vehicle will split in half and kill somebody!!!!!!!.

The frame is only the bottom 1/2 is swiss cheese as they say from rust, the top 1/2 is sold. As the steel used was defective to rot out on 1/2 all the way around but not the other 1/2. Only the bottom 1/2 is rotten off.

This morning my 4runner rear window exploded inward all over my car while I was idling in a parking lot just after having driven on the highway. I had the defrost on. I lept out of car terrified covering my head thinking I was under attack. Nobody was near me and no projectile was found inside car. I was confused all morning until I googled exploding forerunner window and saw that they had an extended warranty that has expired in 2018. Should absolutely be a safety recall, I can only imagine what would’ve happened if that had exploded while I was driving on the highway, or with my 2 yr old son who’s car seat is now covered in broken glass. A quick search online revealed several testimonies of it exploding while driving 2006 4runner. I contacted Toyota and have a case number with them it is case number 211228002935. They said that because the warranty was expired they can’t do anything, I don’t even care about getting reimbursement for window as much as I care about them addressing this as a real safety issue and recalling it. Although I’m am shell shocked and have anxiety condition and heart condition already, I am more worried about this happening to somebody while driving or if somebody has a more dire heart condition or severe ptsd.

I have frame rust issues on my 2006 Toyota 4runner. I first heard about the rust issue in 2018, I contacted Toyota and they send me to huntington Toyota in new york to get it check. They said it's fine. A couple of weeks ago the frame cracked from rust. I've contact Toyota again and they denied the repair. It is vary obvious the frame issue was a flaw from the beginning. I like to see them replace the frame.

The component that failed is the frame of the car. The frame is disintegrated in some places, rusted through in others, and in general rusted all over. I went for an oil change and discovered that the pan holding the gas tank had rusted through and the gas tank was about to fall out of the car. I was told that had this occurred while I was driving the car could have started on fire. The vehicle has been inspected and repaired by a Toyota dealer and an independent service center on several occasions. No warning lamps or messages.

Frame has holes at 150000 miles. My car has 150,000 miles on it. We are the second owner, although we've had it for over 10 years. The frame has holes in it. It is dangerous to drive in its current condition. There's no way I could sell it and feel good consciously to give this car to someone else. My son has older cars with more miles whose frame does not look anything like this. This is an issue that has been recalled for all other cars in the Toyota lineup except for the 4runners.

Got my 2006 4 runner inspected and it failed due to the frame being rusted with holes in it. The gas tank skid plate is also completely rotted. The vehicle is unsafe to drive. If you were to hit a bad pot hole the frame could collapse and cause an accident.

When I went to have a tail pipe replaced, it was discovered that the frame of my car was badly rusted. Upon bringing to a mechanic, an auto body shop and a Toyota dealer, they all said the car is not safe to drive. The rest of the body is in mint condition as is the interior and mechanics. I called Toyota corporation asking for assistance, provided them with the VIN and was told they would do nothing and suggested I "junk' the car. Toyota replaced the same frames on their tacoma models under a recall and it turns out there is no recall for this model. The same frames are used on the 4runner as well as the tacoma. Saftcap. Com in cranston ri holds a united states patent for replacing parts of these frames and the owner feels there should have been a recall on the 4runners just like the tacomas.

The plastic slider for the sunroof malfunctioned releasing the sunroof so when I went to open the sunroof while driving the airflow caught underneath the sunroof lifting it up and shooting it off and hurtling into traffic behind me and innocent highway drivers, and I completely shocked did not know where it landed or who it landed on. Now I don’t have any protection from the weather and my headliner is coming off due to the wind. Now I have to save money or go to a pick and pull and figure out how to get this fixed before it causes more damage to my vehicle. I do not know if it caused any injuries or crashes or if anyone got hurt being that I was going down the highway at the time of the incident.

Bought this 4runner back in January of 2021 and when I took it to a mechanic I saw rust all over the frame and the spots of the frame where the welds are. The frame has no rotten out spots but it’s way too much rust for a car from 2006. The frames on these 4runners are notoriously known for huge amount of rust.

I have a 2006 4runner with no rust on the body but the frame is full of rust. All body mounts have rusted away from the frame causing a wable when hitting bumps. I am so worried that the car is going to break in half at any time. It causes unusual sounds, creaking, squeaking, unusual noises, bad alignment, uneven wear in the tires, suspension, and shocks. . . . Frame is visibly bent and severely damaged . . . The worst thing is that I called Toyota for service and they won't fix my frame. . . My mechanic said that is too far gone to fix . . I'm not able to drive it because it broke off on me. .

In pennsylvania, there is a requirement for yearly safety inspections on all vehicles. We bought this vehicle from a used car dealership in July 2019 and have had little to no issues with the car. We replaced the exhaust (which is typical in pennsylvania) and a few suspension parts in may/June 2020, only to be told that our mechanic observed rust to the frame that he believed posed a real danger to our safety. We took the car back in in late July 2020 to further investigate the frame issue, as the yearly inspection is up at the end of August. Our mechanic stated we could do a repair job of $1,500, but essentially the frame will not pass inspection next year. He said the rest of the vehicle is in excellent condition, but the frame is a safety hazard. We gave our local Toyota dealer a call to see if we could fully replace the frame and were willing to pay for needed repairs. The technician/representative in their service department let us know that the frame for this car has been totally discontinued. He stated our only option would be to have it custom made, shipped in from japan, and would cost $7,000 just for that part. Labor was not discussed, as the car is currently only worth that much according to kelly blue book. Essentially, the car is totaled due to rusting on the frame that is a known issue in similar Toyota models in the same year (according to my research on this issue). I have tried to reach out to Toyota's customer service regarding this issue, but they say there is no services available at this time to repair the frame on this car. We had bought this car under the assumption that because it was not included in the recent frame recall, it would not be an issue.

Major frame rust. The body is still great but when you look underneath it's a different story. I can flake off pieces of the frame with my finger. My mechanic says it may only have a couple of years left. I will have to take it to a dealership to get their opinion on the matter.

The frame is completely rusted with rusted out holes. Caused the driver side lower control arm to break off, almost causing my teenage son to crash fortunately he was on a side street and driving slow.

I was driving my 2006 Toyota 4 runner on highway when frame broke by rear tire causing me to crash into the median. I had towed too repair shop and was notified that the whole frame was rotted from rust and the vehicle is no longer drive able. What? it ran like a champ and and I never had any problems with it. Did normal maintenance life was good. The engine out lasted the frame. That is just crazy apparently the 2006 tacoma, highlander, and tundra that used same frame were covered but Toyota skipped the 4 runner. The frame completely split and was close in other area. There must be some recourse.

There is significant and substantial rust on the frame of this vehicle. There is more than one hole eaten completely through the frame, along with terrible surface rust that has eaten the frame so thin that any light tap creates a hole completely through. This has also rusted through the fuel tank straps, and other various suspension points. The service technician at Toyota told me the vehicle is not recommended to stay on the road, and did not want to service the timing belt due to fear that other components would easily snap off because of the amount of rust all over the entire frame. This vehicle is very similar to my 2010 Toyota tacoma, and shares several related parts and pieces. I am fully aware of the recall for frame rust on the tacomas, and fortunately my truck was not damaged. This vehicle is too much like the tacoma to not have the same consideration of having the same issues. No vehicle, much less a vehicle only 14 years old should have this bad of an issue, and it is a widely known problem in the Toyota enthusiasts community. This is a newer vehicle for my wife, and now I am being told that it is too dangerous to drive! from the outside of the vehicle, you would never know there was any issues at all. But after seeing the rust and holes, the rusted through fuel tank straps, I am shocked, dismayed, and absolutely scared to let my wife continue to drive it. Please take the time to review these cases, and see how they relate as exactly the same situation as the tacoma and tundra frames. I have owned numerous Toyota vehicles through my lifetime, and Toyotas have always been my favorite and absolutely amazing vehicles for me. This is definitely out of the normal spectrum that I consider when I think of, and brag about the reliability and all around enjoyment I have in and with my Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Thank you for your time and help in this matter.

I bought my 4runner new and have taken meticulous care of it via the dealership I bought it from, doing an oil change every 5000 miles. Now they tell me the truck should not be driven since the frame has rusted through in the rear. The trucks maintenance was done at prestige Toyota mahesh NJ 201-669-4525 service manager is robert j teunisen.

Frame is rusting through ,I was having work done and the mechanic pointed it out to me.

While I was I driving on the highway, the rear window exploded while I was using the rear window defroster. I smelled a burning smell just prior to it exploding glass all over the back cargo area.

Did an oil change yesterday, and as usual I do an inspection on my undercarriage to make sure everything is fine, (I. E. Leaks, making sure the suspension is tight, etc) and I am noticing excessive frame corrosion, which is worrisome as I know there have been recalls on the tacomas, tundras, and sequoias, but nothing for the 4runners. Its starting to get pretty bad and I really wouldnt want my frame to fail as the rest of the truck is in excellent condition. I just want Toyota to make it right like they did for the others. I love this truck and would not want something catastrophic to happen.

Rear hatch window shattered due to overheating of defroster. Overheated while in motion. Shattered after parked.

Frame is rusted excessively. Garage kept every winter. My rear driver side sway bar has completely rusted off the frame.

My frame on my 4runner is showing major signs of rust a huge hole has formed right in the main frame driver side. And another in the trailing arm mount also driver side. If my trailing arm snapped loose on a dirt road it could flip the whole car. It's only 14 years old now and this is way excessive for that age as most vehicles will drive in the salt belt states for way longer. As you know this isn't the first frame issue with Toyota. They really slacked in rust preventing. I no longer feel safe driving the thing because I don't know when she might just snap in half or worse if I get into an accident it could just crumple like a tin can. This needs to be fixed. Others have said their frame completely seperated in half on the road. This could kill people. The picture I provided is old now the whole has widened quite a bit. I hope a recall happens soon otherwise imna have to patch it.

I purchased this vehicle used from a dealer in 2014 with low miles on it and it appeared to be in great shape. The undercarriage was sprayed with what I thought was a coating to protect against rust. I realize now the dealer was probably trying to hide the rust problems. The coating flaked off a short time later and ever since, I too have been plagued by the frame and other component rust problems. Had to replace the exhaust, running boards, sway bar and several other things that all rusted off on the undercarriage. My skid plates are about to fall off next. Just had my brakes replaced and the shop noticed a couple areas where frame now has holes through it and says it likely won't pass state inspection which will be coming due soon. The rust problems with these 4runners seems like a big problem that Toyota should address. I'm going to have to put a bunch more money into fixing this vehicle or be left with a worthless piece of junk I can't drive and will be taking a big loss on.

I was driving down the highway using my rear defroster when my back window shattered without cause, it sounded like a gunshot. The shock caused me and the driver behind me to both swerve almost causing two wrecks.