2010 Toyota 4Runner Tires & Wheels Problems

I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOR THE 5,000 MILE ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. WHILE I WAS THERE TWO OF THE STUDS ON THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE BROKE. BECAUSE I HAD RECENTLY HAD NEW TIRES ON MY VEHICLE THE DEALERSHIP BLAMED THE PLACE WHO PUT THE TIRES ON. I HAVE GONE TO THE SAME TIRE PLACE FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS. WHEN HE PUT THE NEW TIRES ON, HE BROKE ONE STUD BUT REPLACED IT AT HIS COST. HE DID WARN ME THAT THERE WERE OTHER STUDS THAT DID NOT LOOK RIGHT AND THAT HE COULD SEE OTHERS BREAKING IN THE FUTURE. THIS PLACE HAS CHANGED THE TIRES AT LEAST 4 TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE AND ARE VERY CAREFUL ABOUT THEIR WORK. IT IS NOT A CHAIN WERE EMPLOYEES ARE CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND THEIR EXPERIENCE MAY BE LIMITED. ALL OF THE BROKEN STUDS WERE ON THE SAME WHEEL. I RESEARCHED THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA STUDS ONLINE AND FOUND NUMEROUS POSTINGS BY INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME PROBLEM. I REALIZE YOU CAN FIND BOTH SIDES OF ANY ISSUE ONLINE BUT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THERE IS A DEFECT WITH THIS TOYOTA PART AND THEY DO NOT WANT TO OWN UP TO IT. I HAVE HAD CHEVY BLAZERS AND A NISSAN PATHFINDER PRIOR TO THIS AND HAVE NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM. MY CONCERN IS THAT THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN AGAIN, POSSIBLY CAUSING THE WHEEL TO COME OFF WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE ROAD. I HAVE TALKED WITH THE DEALERSHIP AS WELL AS TOYOTA HEADQUARTERS AND THEY REFUSE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT THIS MATTER. I REALIZED WHEN I PURSUED THIS MATTER THAT THEY MOST LIKELY WOULD NOT DO ANYTHING FOR ME BUT I FEEL THERE IS A SAFETY ISSUE HERE AND THAT MAYBE IF ENOUGH PEOPLE TAKE THE EFFORT TO FILE A COMPLAINT SOMETHING WILL EVENTUALLY GET DONE BEFORE SOMETHING TRAGIC OCCURS. *TR

I BROUGHT MY 4RUNNER IN TO A REPUTABLE TIRE STORE FOR A ROUTINE TIRE ROTATION. THE TECHNICIAN SNAPPED A LUG STUD. I THEN HAD TO TAKE THE TRUCK TO A SEPARATE AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR SHOP TO HAVE THE STUD REPLACED. I ATTRIBUTED THE INCIDENT TO A POORLY TRAINED TECHNICIAN. RECENTLY, I BROUGHT THE TRUCK IN FOR ANOTHER TIRE ROTATION. AGAIN, THE TECHNICIAN BROKE A LUG STUD. THE MANAGER INSISTED THAT THEY ALWAYS USE A TORQUE STICK SET TO FACTORY SPECIFICATIONS AND THAT THERE WAS NO TECHNICIAN ERROR. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE SHOP HAD SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH OTHER TOYOTA TRUCKS OF THIS VINTAGE. I THEN TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER AND, NOT SURPRISINGLY, THEY SAID THE TIRE SHOP WAS AT FAULT. THEY SAID ALL STUDS SHOULD BE EVALUATED. IN DOING SO THEY NOTED THAT 8 STUDS WERE DAMAGED AND SHOULD BE REPLACED FOR A TOTAL COST OVER $400.00. THEY REFUSED TO ACKNOWLEDGE ANY CULPABILITY, SAID THE DAMAGE WAS NOT WARRANTABLE, AND I PAID THE FULL PRICE FOR REPLACEMENT. LOOKING ON THE INTERNET I HAVE FOUND MULTIPLE COMPLAINTS ABOUT LUG STUDS BREAKING ON 2010-2012 4RUNNERS AND TACOMAS. HERE IS A WELL-DOCUMENTED EXAMPLE: HTTP://WWW.ARTSAUTOMOTIVE.COM/PUBLICATIONS/2-EXPLANATORY/170-2010-4RUNNER-LUG-STUD-PROBLEM I PREVIOUSLY OWNED A 1990 4RUNNER FOR 20 YEARS AND NEVER HAD A PROBLEM WITH LUG STUDS BEING BROKEN OR DAMAGED. IN FACT, I HAVE NEVER HAD A LUG STUD BROKEN OR DAMAGED ON ANY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED. I BELIEVE THE 2010 4RUNNER LUG STUDS ARE DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY AND TOYOTA WILL NOT OWN UP TO THIS FACT. *TR

MULTIPLE WHEEL STUD FAILURE DURING ROUTINE TIRE ROTATION. THE OWNERS MANUAL RECOMMENDS 83 FTLBS TORQUE ON THE LUG NUTS. DURING A TIRE ROTATION, THREE WHEEL STUDS FAILED, TWO AT THE RECOMMENDED 83 FTLBS AND ONE AT 75 FTLBS. WHEN TAKEN TO THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP, THEIR SERVICE TECHNICIAN BROKE TWO WITH HIS TORQUE WRENCH SET TO THE OWNERS MANUAL SPECIFIED TORQUE. TOYOTA REPLACED BOTH FRONT AND BACK STUDS. *TR