2001 Toyota 4Runner Complaint Log

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT NOTICE THAT THE FRONT AND REAR BUMPERS WERE COVERED WITH RUST IN MARCH 2007. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THE DEALER TOLD HIM THAT THE ROAD SALT CAUSED THE BUMPER TO RUST. HE CALLED THE MANUFACTURER AND FILED A COMPLAINT WITH A REPRESENTATIVE. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED AT THE TIME OF THE COMPLAINT. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 66,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000. UPDATED 04/12/10.

1-THE REAR LIFTGATE WILL NOT UNLOCK. 2-THE LIFTGATE HAS NO MANUAL LOCK CONTROL AND IN AN EMERGENCY CANNOT BE OPENED. 3-THE PROBLEM IS NOT YET CORRECTED. THE TOYOTA MECHANIC SAID IT CAN BE A REAL PROBLEM TRYING TO REMOVE THE ACCESS PANEL WITH THE LIFTGATE CLOSED. *JB

WHILE MAKING A LANE CHANGE(FROM LANE 3 TO LANE 4), I SUDDENLY LOST CONTROL OF MY 2001 4RUNNER ON THE FREEWAY, AND ENDED UP HYDROPLANING ACROSS THE FREEWAY TOWARDS THE CENTER DIVIDER. I WAS SOME HOW ABLE TO STOP MY CAR MOSTLY IN LANE 1 AND PARTIALLY IN LANE 2 BUT BEFORE I COULD ATTEMPT TO STRAIGHTEN OUT MY CAR I WAS THEN HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE. DUE TO THIS IMPACT, MY CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. ROADS WERE WET DUE TO RAIN AND VISIBILITY WAS LOW DUE TO EVENING. I FEEL THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO A BALL JOINT/STEERING FAILURE BECAUSE 1. I WAS MOVING RIGHT BUT SOMEHOW ENDED UP HYDROPLANING LEFT 2. MY FRONT RIGHT TIRE FELL OFF(BUT THIS MAY HAVE BEEN DUE TO IMPACT OF THE OTHER CAR HITTING MY FRONT END-BUT SAW AN ARTICLE ABOUT A FATAL ACCIDENT 03/21/2006-2000 4RUNNER WHERE THE DRIVER VEERED RIGHT, ROLLED OVER, DRIVER DIED AND HER LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF.). MY CAR VEERED LEFT AND MY RIGHT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF, HER CAR VEERED RIGHT AND HER LEFT FRONT TIRE FELL OFF. 3. I HAVE 25+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE DRIVING WITH NO MAJOR ACCIDENTS AND I WAS SIMPLY MAKING A LANE CHANGE. I DID NOT MAKE ANY SUDDEN TURNS ( I THINK MY SUV WOULD HAVE SURELY ROLLED OVER) ,DID NOT BRAKE SUDDENLY(NO ONE WAS IN LANE 4 WHEN I MADE THE LANE CHANGE) AND WAS NOT ON MY CELL PHONE. I LATER FOUND OUT(VIA INTERNET) THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON 2001-2002 4RUNNER FOR BALL JOINT FAILURE. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT MY CAR WAS NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I ASKED THEM TO INVESTIGATE THE CRASH AND THEY TOLD ME THEY WOULD NEED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE FOR 60 DAYS AND THAT SOMEONE WOULD CALL ME BACK IN 3 DAYS TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT, BUT THEY NEVER CALLED BACK TO SET UP THE APPOINTMENT. SINCE I WORK FULL TIME AND HAVE A SMALL CHILD, I AM NOT ABLE TO GIVE UP MY CAR FOR 60 DAYS, SO I SETTLED WITH MY CAR INSURANCE. *JB

I DRIVE HIGHWAY 90% OF THE TIME AND THEN 10% ON CITY STREET. I WAS TOLD BY GREENVILLE TOYOTA THAT MY CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. I WAS QUOTED $1,070.00.00. I HAVE A 2001 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, 2WD, SR5. I HAVE BEEN TOLD THAT THESE DON'T DIE THIS SOON. IS THERE A RECALL? *JB

REAR BUMPER RUSTING THROUGH FROM THE INSIDE OUT. DEALER SAYS THE RESULT OF POOR WELDS ON THE BUMPER BRACKETS. VEHICLE HAS 5 YEAR RUST THROUGH WARRANTY THAT DEALER AND COMPANY WILL NOT HONOR ON THE BUMPER, ONLY ON SHEET METAL. *NM

DROVE TO STORE, PARKED CAR, SHOPPED , GOT IN CAR PUT KEY IN IGNITION AND KEY WOULD NOT TURN , TRIED TURNING WHEEL WAS STRANDED FOR 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES PULLING AND TURNING STEERING WHEEL . NEXT DAY SAME THING HAPPENED AND IT HAS BEEN HAPPENING EVER SINCE. CALLED TOYOTA OF RUNNEMEDE NJ WAS TOLD IT WAS A SAFETY FEATURE AND THEY GET ABOUT 7 CALLS A DAY FROM STRANDED CUSTOMERS. AND TO TURN THE WHEEL, JIGGLE THE KEY AND THE LOCKED STEERING WHEEL SHOULD DISENGAGE. THIS HAS NOT HELPED AT ALL. I HAVE HAD THIS CAR SINCE I PURCHASED NEW IN 2001 AND THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED UNTIL NOW AND I AM NOT PARKING ANY DIFFERENTLY THEN I HAD IN THE PREVIOUS 4 YEARS, SO SOMETHING ELSE MUST BE WRONG. HELP PLEASE. I CAN'T BE GETTING STRANDED LIKE THIS EVERYDAY. THANKS *JB

107 DEGREE WEATHER, HIGHWAY SPEEDS, FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT P235/75R15 TIRE WITH TOTAL TREAD SEPARATION. CAUSED DAMAGE TO WHEEL WELL, BUMPER, VEHICLE BODY.

DT: TOYOTA 4 RUNNER, WHEN DRIVING BETWEEN 35-40 MPH VEHICLE SHUT OFF AND IT CAME A STOP. THE FIRST TIME THIS HAPPENED WAS 1 MONTH AGO. VEHICLE WAS ON A STREET AND NOT ON THE FREEWAY. CONSUMER WILL TAKE VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP TOMORROW. CONSUMER TALKED TO TOYOTA, AND WAS ADVISED TO BRING THE 4 RUNNER IN FOR SERVICE. TOYOTA HAD NOT HEARD OF STALLING IN THIS VEHICLE. THE 4 RUNNER HAD TO BE IN PARKED, AND DID START RIGHT BACK UP. THERE WAS NO DELAY IN GETTING THE VEHICLE STARTED AGAIN. THERE WAS NO NOISE, AND THE DASHBOARD LIGHTS DID NOT COMING ON BEFORE VEHICLE DIED.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE OIL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO STALL. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER OF THE CAM SHAFT FAILURE. THE PROBLEM WAS NOT RESOLVED. *AK CONSUMER HAS WRITTEN 5 LETTERS, TO TOYOTA, ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MD,USA (2), ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MD (1) AND SERVICE MANAGER AT TOYOTA OF GLEN BURNIE. WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED THE VEHICLE KEPT COASTING THEN THE WHEELS LOCKED UP. THE CONSUMER ADDED OIL BUT IT CAME OUT ONTO THE PAVEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. CONSUMER FEELS THIS IS A LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION WHICH SHOULD NOT BE ALLOWED TO CONTINUE. *BF *NM

1. NO GIVEN INDICATION THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM BEFORE THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT CAME ON. . TRASNMITION FAILURE. REQUIREMENT OF A COMPLETE NEW TRANSMITION.. REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMITION.*AK

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH DRIVER SIDE REAR TIRE EXPERIENCED A BLOWOUT, CAUSING THE TREAD TO SEPARATE FROM THE SIDEWALL. TIRE SIZE P265/70R16, DOT DA72C440702. *AK

TIRE TREAD BELT SEPARATED. CONSUMER DID NOT REMEMBER LOCATION OF FAILED TIRE. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT REPAIR THE PROBLEM. STEEL RADIAL, 225/75R15, DOT# 3DBHHA630700. *AK

VERY STRONG VIBRATION/SHAKING FELT WHEN BRAKING HARD OR DOWNHILL. ROTORS AND BRAKES ARE GOOD. *NM

FRONT WHEEL BEARING LOCKED UP. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, AND DEALER WAS NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NOT REALLY A COMPLAINT, BUT YOU GUYS DON'T HAVE 4RUNNER LISTED AS A MODEL FOR TOYOTA. JUST THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW... *LA

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY WITH THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER'S SIDE WINDOWS DOWN, THE WAS A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. *AK THE VEHICLE EXPERIENCED WIND TURBULENCE FAILURES WHEN DRIVEN 30 MPH WITH ALL THE WINDOWS CLOSED, THEN SUDDENLY THE REAR PASSENGER WINDOW WAS OPENED AND A LOUD SOUND OCCURRED. THIS CAUSED EAR DAMAGES AND DIZZINESS TO THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS. *SCC *JB

WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY THE DRIVER SIDE SEAT COLLAPSED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. TS *TR

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER HEARD A BEEPING NOISE AND THE TRACTION CONTROL WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. ALL 4 WHEELS THEN LOCKED UP SIMULTANEOUSLY WHICH CAUSED VEHICLE TO SWERVE, ALMOST COLLIDING WITH OTHER VEHICLES. PROBLEM OCCURRED SEVERAL TIMES DURING TRIP. DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE YAW CONTROL SENSOR MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO THINK IT WAS FLIPPING OVER, THUS TAKING CONTROL OF VEHICLE.*JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *NLM

CONSUMER STATES ATTEMPTED TO BACK OUT OF GARAGE. WHEN CONSUMER SHIFTED VEHICLE INTO REVERSE, IT SUDDENLY ACCELERATED CAUSING A COLLISION. CONSUMER ADVISED ATTEMPTED TO DEPRESS BRAKES, BUT THEY DID NOT FUNCTION. *AK *YH

WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED OF 50MPH HAS A FRONT COLLISION, AND NEITHER PASSENGER OR DRIVER AIR BAG DEPLOY. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. ANY DETAILS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, FEEL FREE TO ADD ON.*AK

WHILE MAKING RIGHT TURNS VEHICLE WOULD LOSE POWER AND THEN T STALL OUT.*AK

TRANSMISSION SLIPPING AT TIMES

PE 020; WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY, HEARD A NOISE. REAR RIGHT TIRE TREAD SEPARATED. FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS, AT P225/75R15 (NO MENTION OF DOT #). *AK *TT

CONSUMER STATES THAT AFTER WASHING AND SPRAYING THE UNDERCARRIAGE TO WASH OFF ROAD SALT, CONSUMER BACKED CAR INTO GARAGE WITH NO PROBLEMS BUT THE NEXT DAY THE ENGINE WOULDN'T START. *JG

VSC, STABILITY/TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM LIMITS POWER TO NORMALLY ACCELERATE FROM A STOP WHILE 4WD ENGAGED. HAPPENS 99% OF TIME WHEN IN 4WD RARELY IN 2WD MODE. DIRECTION DOESN'T AFFECT(CAN BE GOING STRAIGHT OR TURNING EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT) MAY RESULT IN REAR END OR SIDE IMPACT COLLISION BECAUSE FOLLOWING OR ONCOMING VEHICLE NOT EXPECTING MY VEHICLE TO BE AN OBSTRUCTION. NO HELP FROM DEALER. *TR

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING 45-60 MPH, ESPECIALLY WHEN MAKING TURNS, THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL SUDDENLY BREAKS, THE VEHICLE DECELERATES, A BUZZER ALARM SOUNDS (WITH NO WARNING LIGHT ON) AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECOMES UNCONTROLLABLE. THE CONDITION IS SIMILAR TO HITTING A WATER PUDDLE WITH THE FRONT WHEEL. THIS HAPPENS 2 TO 3 TIMES A MONTH. DEALER COULD NOT FIND ANY ABNORMAL CONDITION WITH THE TRACTION CONTROL SYSTEM. *TT

TRANSMISSION SOMETIMES SLIPS. THIS HAS HAPPENED FROM DAY ONE AND I WAS TOLD THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES AT A SUDDEN/ EMERGENCY STOP VEHICLE WOULD SLIDE OR SKID BEFORE STOPPING. DEALER NOTIFIED. FEEL FREE TO PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS ON THIS MATTER. *AK

BRAKE PEDAL IS OF SUCH DESIGN THAT WHEN APPLYING BRAKES CONSUMER HAS TO TURN FOOT SIDEWAYS TO GET PEDAL TO DEPRESS. ARM THAT ATTACHES TO PEDAL GOES UPWARD, AND IS IN THE WAY WHEN APPLYING BRAKE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED TOYOTA, WAS TOLD TO CONTACT DEALER. *AK

VEHICLE WILL LOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING. WHEN REAR WHEELS SPIN. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

ON THE EVENING OF 2-4-10, I WAS TRAVELING ON AN ANGLED, CURVED, ON-RAMP TO A FREEWAY, WHEN THE VSC (VEHICLE SKID CONTROL) SUDDENLY AND AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED THE VEHICLE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE SPEED WAS APPROX. THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THE TURN. THE CONDITIONS WERE WET, AS IT HAD BEEN RAINING OFF AND ON ALL DAY. A BEEPING SOUND WAS HEARD, AND SIMULTANEOUSLY THE VEHICLE LOST TRACTION, AND TRAVELED IN A TANGENT/STRAIGHT DIRECTION TO THE CURVED ON-RAMP. I HAD ZERO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE FOR ~3 LONG SECONDS, AND ENDED UP SIDEWAYS ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY, NO ONE WAS HURT NOR CLOSE BY. THIS COULD EASILY HAPPEN ON A YIELD TURN, CAUSING A BLIND-SIDED T-BONE COLLISION, OR REAR-ENDED COLLISION. THIS FAULTY SYSTEM NEEDS IMMEDIATE FIXING, AND SHOULD BE CONSIDERED AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD. *TR

VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. *MR THE ENGINE PROBLEM ONLY OCCURRED AFTER MAKING A COMPLETE STOP. WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE WOULD ONLY ACCELERATE APPROXIMATELY 6 MPH AND LAST ABOUT 4-10 SECONDS. NEITHER DEALER COULD FIND THE PROBLEM. SCC

ALL FOUR VEHICLE TIRES ARE FEATHERING(IMPROPER WEAR). THIS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO PULL TO THE RIGHT/LEFT WHILE DRIVING. THE CAUSE OF THE FEATHERING WAS UNDETERMINED. DUELER H/T689.*AK