Consumer Complaints
| Fail date | miles | occurences | Purchase date |
|---|---|---|---|
| STRUCTURE | |||
| 03/01/2007 | 40000 | 1 | |
| 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. | |||
| STRUCTURE - BODY | |||
| 05/05/2012 | 125000 | ||
| 3rd generation 2001 toyota 4runner with excessive frame and body rust. the gas tank stem is rusted, the rear differential is literally porous and leaking oil due to excessive rust. rear bumper is rusted, spare tire mount is rusted. other areas of rust are too numerous to list. repair shop said car is not worth fixing. dana corp that made frames for toyota tacomas/tundras that were recalled also is best know for rear differentials. why weren't the 4runners included in the recall/buyback by toyota? | |||
| 12/01/2008 | 122000 | ||
| The 2001 toyota 4 runner is rusting out. my son and i both have cut our self on the rear bumper. i needed stiches for my injury. i have a scar to remind me not to purchase another toyota. the rust got so bad, i lost my bumper. when i looked under my vehicle at the frame, the entire bottom of the vehicle is riddled w/rust, including the frame. called toyota to see if i could at least get a safety inspection of my frame, they told me that my 01 4runner was not part of any recall and any inspection would cost me money. | |||
| 12/21/2008 | 105000 | 1 | |
| Hello, i own a 2001 4runner and the front and rear bumpers are rusting horribly with the front and rear bumpers actually having an hole all the way through. i have contacted toyota directly on 2 occasions and they have refused to do anything. i have been patching with fiberglass but the rust continues. i live in massachusetts and every 2001 4runner that i see on the road has the same problem. this is a safety issue since the rust affects the integrity of the function of the bumpers in the event of a collision. also, i cannot get an inspection sticker with holes in the bumpers. the cost to replace them is well over $1,300. from a visual inspection, large chunks will continue to rust off the inside of the bumpers during the next 6 months. *tr | |||
| 05/03/2009 | 85000 | 1 | |
| The front and rear bumpers on my 2001 toyota 4runnder are completely rusted out (from the inside out). the rest of the vehicle is in excellent condition. never been in an accident. anyone walking by the vehicle could accidentally brush by the bumpers and get cut from the jagged edges; also not sure what good they would do in case of any impact. *tr | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS | |||
| 04/27/2011 | 121000 | ||
| The rear axel housing on our 2001 sr5 toyota 4-runner is rusted out pretty bad. the entire first layer of thin metal has completely flaked off. it has not began to leak yet, but it is a matter of time until it does. toyota indicated that there has not been a recall issued on this part, which i think there should be since it is such a common occurance with 1999 - 2002 toyota 4 runners. the entire vehicle is in great shape, and runs great - we couldn't be happier with its performance. but the rotting rear axel not only is surprising, but has me quite concerned that we will end up with a pretty expensive repair without toyota taking resposibility for an obviously defective rear axel housing. if anyone simply does and internet search regarding this problem - you will see that are literally thousands of toyota trucks that are experiencing this problem with the rear axel housing. | |||
| 06/07/2008 | 122000 | 1 | |
| When on a long highway trip on the weekend of june 7, 2008, my husband noticed black spots on the rear window of our 2001 toyota 4runner (121,000 miles). he cleaned it off to see if it returned as we resumed our journey. when we next stopped several hundred miles later, the black spots were on the entire rear of the vehicle. my husband checked beneath the rear of the vehicle and saw transmission fluid dripping out of the differential. we then took the vehicle to a mechanic who reported that the rear axle housing was completely corroded to the point of failure, and that it was beyond repair, and that he hadn't ever seen this on a car of this age and mileage. he informed us that toyota has recently recalled tacoma vehicles from the same year for similar corrosion problems. we contacted toyota and they said there was nothing they could do for us. we are left with a vehicle that is beyond repair that we are unable to sell, and we have maintained it in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines. please help. *tr the consumer was informed the entire rear axle including the axle, differential, brakes, and exhaust system were corroded beyond repair. updated 08/27/08. *jb | |||
| STRUCTURE - FRAME AND MEMBERS - UNDERBODY SHIELDS | |||
| 12/28/2012 | 112000 | 1 | |
| My 2001 4runner vehicle will not pass inspection due to corrosion, actual holes and soft spot, on the rear part of the frame in the muffler area. concerned with failure when towing 300 lbs trailer. no other issues with the vehicle, 112k miles and bought new 11 years old. only detecting the problem now. should not be needing to replace frame. cost estimate $10k, shopping around for better pricing. cost to repair 40% of the original purchase price or twice what the vehicle books today. contacted toyota and they will not even disclose # of complaint on this issue. their only comments is there is no recall at this time. finding numerous people experiencing the same issue. *tr | |||
| 10/01/2012 | 113462 | 1 | |
| Severely rusty frame. my 4runner only has a little over 114k miles on it. it shouldn't have anywhere near the amount of rust on the frame. it's everywhere and flakes off to the touch. *tr | |||
| 08/20/2012 | 145000 | 1 | |
| My vehicle has very little rust except for the rear differential. large flakes of rust have formed. the differential recently began leaking. after searching online i see this is a common problem with 4runners. *tr | |||