2007 Toyota 4Runner Body & Structure Problems

The contact owns a 2007 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the vehicle was swaying while driving approximately 35 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the subframe was corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

I was having front brakes repaired, and mechanic called me over to lift to see under the car. Extremely rusty, flakes of metal coming off. He advised I do not even try and put it on a lift again, as he does not trust the structural integrity. He advised that it was definitely not normal, and not in keeping with the otherwise excellent and well cared for car.

The frame on my 4-Runner is rusted out to the point of being borderline unsafe, as per the Toyota Dealer. I don't have a scanner otherwise I would upload the pictures. The invoice from the dealer has my contact info. Not sure if you want that info.

Excessive frame rust on the frame itself and on suspension components including control arms and support brackets. Toyota dealership stated that rust could be an issue with maintenance.

I HAVE A 2007 4RUNNER WITH CURRENTLY AROUND 180K MILES. WHEN I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IT HAD SOME RUSTING TO THE FRAME BUT NOTHING DEEMING IT UNSAFE OR DANGEROUS. WITHIN A MATTER OF MONTHS THE FRAME HAD, AND STILL IS, RUSTING AND DETERIORATING AT AN ALARMING RATE. I AM NOT SURE HOW TOYOTA HAS GOT AWAY WITH THIS ISSUE THUS FAR BUT I'M PRUONG

THE FRAME HAS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH IN MANY PLACES. WE HAVE HAD IT CHECKED AND BEEN ADVISED THE VEHICLE IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM ON MANY 4 RUNNERS AS WELL AS OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES IN THE SAME ERA.

VERY WELL TAKEN CARE OF AND FRAME IS RUSTING THRU IN MULTIPLE SPOTS ALREADY

VERY RUSTY FRAME. RADIATOR MOUNT RUSTED OUT AND ALSO CROSSMEMBERS.

I WAS DRIVING WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR AND LOST CONTROL OF STEERING AND HEARD LOUD NOISE. I HAD NO CONTROL OF STEERING AND THE CAR CROSSED LANES LUCKILY MISSING OTHER VEHICLES. IT STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND A BODY SHOP HAPPENED TO WITNESS THE WHOLE THING. HE TRIED TO DRIVE IT INTO HIS SHOP (TWO DRIVEWAYS AWAY) BUT ENDED UP HAVING TO DRAG/TOW IT IN BECAUSE THE FRONT END FRAME HAD RUSTED AND FALLEN FROM THE VEHICLE. THAT BODY SHOP LOOKED AT IT AND I ALSO GOT A SECOND OPINION AND THEY TOLD ME THE SAME THING. THE FRONT END OF THE CAR NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. THE FRONT STEERING RUSTED SO BADLY IT DISCONNECTED COMPLETELY AND FELL OUT FROM THE FRAME. IT IS ALSO SO RUSTED THERE IS NOT ENOUGH METAL TO RE-WELD IT TOO. THE CAR IS TOTALED WHEN THE CAR HAS BEEN PROPERLY MAINTAINED. IT WAS TERRIFYING AND WAS LUCKY I HAPPENED TO ONLY BE GOING 25 MPH DOWN A STRAIGHT ROAD AND NO ONE WAS HURT. THE CAR THAT WAS RUNNING GREAT AND WAS WELL MAINTAINED IS NOW NOT DRIVABLE OR EVEN FIXABLE AND MY CHILD AND MYSELF WERE IN SERIOUS DANGER. EVERY MECHANIC IS TELLING ME THIS IS A FAULT COMMON IN TOYOTAS AND IS A PROBLEM WITH THE FRAME AND SHOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. I AM EXTREMELY FRUSTRATED AND WAS TOLD THE ONLY THING I COULD DO WAS FILE A COMPLAINT BUT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE THAT TOYOTA SHOULD BE RESOLVING.

BACK DOOR LATCH HAS BECOME A STICKY MESS. WHEN OPENING, A TAR LIKE SUBSTANCE GETS ALL OVER YOUR FINGERS.

I HAVE AN INSURMOUNTABLE LEVEL OF RUST ON THE FRAME AND SURROUNDING COMPONENTS. THERE SHOULD NOT BE THIS LEVEL OF RUST AT THIS POINT ON THE VEHICLE'S LIFE. *TR

THE RUBBER ON THE INSIDE THE TAILGATE HANDLE HAS MELTED AND ERODED. IT IS STICKY TO THE TOUCH AND CONSISTS OF A BLACK TAR-LIKE SUBSTANCE. YEAR ROUND THE HANDLE IS DIFFICULT TO LATCH AND MAY CAUSE TAILGATE TO OPEN UNEXPECTEDLY. THIS COMPLAINT INVOLVES THE 2007 4-RUNNER. THIS MAY POSE A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SHOULD THE TAILGATE OPEN WHILE TRANSPORTING CARGO ON THE ROAD. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS FAULTY PART ON THE VEHICLE. UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MODEL YEAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY, IT SHOULD STILL BE CORRECTED AS THE MANUFACTURER IS WELL AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE BACK HATCH HANDLE HAS MELTED AND GETS A TAR LIKE RESIDUE ON YOUR HANDS, TOYOTA SHOULD FIX THIS PROB SINCE IT SEEMS TO BE A HUGE COMPLAINT. *TR

NOTICED RUST ON FRAME FEW YEARS AGO BUT THE DEALER SAID TOYOTA WILL NOT DO A ANYTHING. IF TACOMA IS BEING RECALLED, 4 RUNNER SHOULD BE SINCE IT IS BUILD ON THE SAME FRAME. *DT*JB

HANDLE/LOCK ON REAR HATCH IS FAULTY. MECHANISM ON THE HANDLE/LOCK OF THE REAR HATCH OF 2007 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WILL NO LONGER ENGAGE TO ALLOW HATCH TO BE OPENED. PROBLEM HAD BEEN INTERMITTENT, NOW IS MORE PROBLEMATIC. CANNOT OPEN REAR HATCH TO ACCESS THE CARGO AREA OF VEHICLE. DEALER SERVICE DEPT ACKNOWLEDGES THIS IS A COMMON ISSUE. LOTS OF SIMILAR ISSUES FOUND ONLINE. THIS HAS NOT BEEN A RECALL ISSUE YET. *TR

THE LIFT GATE HANDLE IS STICKY AND LEAVE BLACK RESIDUE ON FINGERS. WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT LOOKS LIKE IT IS MELTED. I THINK IT IS A REAL PROBLEM. I'M RESEARCH HOW TO REPAIR, BUT ONCE I'VE BEEN ON THIS SITE I SEE THERE ARE OTHERS WITH THIS ISSUE. I THINK TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE. *TR

THE TRUNK LATCH TO OPEN THE DOOR IS INCREDIBLY STICKY AND LEAVES A BLACK RESIDUE ON MY HANDS. WHEN I TRY TO OPEN IT NOW THAT IT'S COLDER IT WON'T OPEN. I'M AFRAID IF THERE IS EVER AN EMERGENCY I WON'T BE ABLE TO GET IN. *TR

THE BACK DOOR RUBBER COVER OF THE HANDLE WAS MELTED FOR SECOND TIME, THE FIRST TIME WAS ON JUNE 26,2009 AND ITS WAS CHANGE BY GUARANTEE FOR THE DEALER. NOW I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM THE RUBBER WAS MELTED. THE PART NUMBER IS 84840-35010. I THINK THAT TOYOTA NEED TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM WITH A GOOD QUALITY RUBBER. *TR

THE RUBBER ON THE INSIDE THE TAILGATE HANDLE HAS MELTED AND ERRODED. IN WARM WEATHER, IT IS STICKY AND CAUSES BLACK TAR-LIKE SUBSTANCE ON HANDS. IN COLDER WINTER MONTHS, IT IS DIFFICULT TO DEPRESS TO OPEN THE TAILGATE. IN QUICKLY SCANNING ALL COMPLAINTS ON THIS SITE RELATED TO THE 2007 4-RUNNER, ABOUT 10% ARE FOR THIS ISSUE! NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY OR VEHICLE OPERATION ISSUE, BUT INDICATES A FAULTY PART ON THE VEHICLE. UNDERSTANDING THAT THIS MODEL YEAR IS LONG OUT OF WARRANTY, IT SHOULD STILL BE CORRECTED, AS A GOODWILL MEASURE IF NOTHING ELSE. *TR

THE PAD (LOCATED ON THE HATCHBACK LATCH) WHERE YOU PLACE YOUR HAND TO PRESS DOWN TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK HAS MELTED. IT IS DIFFICULT TO OPEN THE HATCHBACK AS THE RUBBER HAS MELTED & THE BUTTON NO LONGER RELEASES PROPERLY. WHEN I CALLED DON MCGILL TOYOTA IN HOUSTON, TX, THEY EXPLAINED THIS IS NOT A RECALL ITEM & IT WOULD COST APPROXIMATELY $350 TO REPAIR SINCE IT INCLUDES REPLACING THE ENTIRE BUTTON & ELECTRICAL PARTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HATCHBACK. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE SINCE I CANNOT OPEN THE HATCHBACK PROPERLY. I BELIEVE THIS IS A FAULTY HATCHBACK HANDLE WHICH TOYOTA SHOULD REPAIR AT NO CHARGE. THE PARTS THAT WERE ORIGINALLY USED ON THIS HANDLE ARE FAULTY. *TR