Problems with 2002 Toyota 4Runner SUSPENSION

Right frame rail is very rusted to the point of non repair. unable to repair suspension due to unable to remove bolts that hold suspension to frame.

I have a 2002 toyota 4runner with a severely rusted frame. my vehicle has less than 70k original miles on it, no body rust, but an extremely rusted undercarriage and frame. i feel it is unsafe to continually drive with this problem, as it will only get worse and could affect other components such as steering, suspension, brakes, etc. seeing as how toyota has already had a class action lawsuit against their trucks of the same year for unsafe rusted frames, i feel my 4runner should be included in the frame replacement recall.

I was doing an oil change and noticed that the frame was rusted very badly . i think that there should be a recall on this model 3rd gen 4runner (1999-2002)this is the same frame as the truck that was recalled ,so this should be included .if this frame breaks it will hurt or kill some one .

On my 2002 toyota 4 runner the bracket welded to the frame for rear trailing arm on drivers side rusted off causing the vehicle to sway and act very strange. lots of other places rusted bad on frame also!

Rear swaybar rusted from frame causing 4runner to wobble excessivly almost causing me to wreck. that side of frame is completely rusted away.

Rear axel is rusted off the frame, and rotting, mechanic says it's unsafe to drive

Frame rust on the inside portion for the frame. 33" hole rusted through completely on passenger side. rust continues about 80% of the way through the rear lower control arm mount. driver's side has a similar amount of severe rust that has weakened the structural integrity of the frame to the point where it is no longer safe to drive. should the co troll arm mount finish rusting through, the axle will no longer be attached to the frame on that side. there is noticble flex and sound associated with the frame rot. it is only a matter of time before the control arm mount disconnects completely, or the frame buckles.

The rear body mount bushings are completely rusted away and do not hold the frame to the body due to excessive frame body rust thru out the vehicle's frame. makes noise when turning or going over bumps

This is yet another costumer of the 4runner 3rd generation complaining about the frame rusting out. there needs to be responsability for the bad frames on this year 4runner. my frame has holes in the rear control arm attachment area and more rust all throughout entire frame. i'm doing all i can to keep my frame from getting any more rust on it and keeping it safe to be on the road. i strongly believe toyota should also have a frame recall for the 4runner like it did for the tundra tacoma and sequoia frames.

Takata recall: i was driving on. freeeway (5) freeway and ball joints busted off and lost wheel and slid about 60 feet before stoping. busted break line and bent control joint.

Traction control system malfunctions intermittently while driving around curves. several times while driving approximately 30-40 miles per hour on a mountain road, the anti skid light illuminates without warning on a dry paved road with a subsequent sudden pull to the right and "grinding" noise. this has happened multiple times without warning. the toyota dealer can not help, since he can not replicate the problem. the latest occurrence pulled the vehicle across the center line into the oncoming traffic lane. (had there been oncoming traffic this would have been a serious accident)

I took my vehicle in for a routine oil change recently and the technician said that i have some major rust issues on my rear axle and drivetrain. he should me when it was on the lift. he explained to me that the bolt and clip than holds the brake line down on the rear differential had rusted and broken off of the differential cover. the rear differential is now leaking gear oil. the technician advised me that it is too risky to attempt to repair as it may cause the entire differential to be damaged and the whole rear axle would need to be replaced. the technician also said that it is a risk to drive the vehicle and is possibly unsafe to keep driving. he stated that it is unknown how much longer i would be able to drive it until the rear axle ceases.

I have a 2002 toyota 4 runner that was taken in for yearly state inspection and the technician informed that the frame is rotted through. he stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive and a rejection sticker has been placed on the vehicle. not sure what to do now. the vehicle still looks and runs very well, but unable to drive.

Vehicle was stationary. while replacing exhaust system components. found what appeared to be minor rust on the passenger (right) side rear suspension mount. further investigation uncovered a larger area of rust along the 3 welds on the inner frame rail. cut / ground the metal back to good metal and am in the process of patching for my yearly maine vehicle inspection. either toyota has built an inferior frame or the newer chemicals being used to keep the roads clear in the winter to be the cause of this rust which could cause the rear suspension to fail at this point in the frame and cause a accident.

Frame and some suspension parts are very rusted, frame has holes and is becoming unsafe to drive. vehicle is only 13 years old, only 100100 miles. passenger side front suspension pop's when stressed in cornering. when at idle, you can hear the vibration from rust chunks in the frame. all heat shields rusted. skid plates on front and fuel tank so rusted must remove. now nothing is protecting the fuel tank.

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the rear trailing arm on the vehicle prematurely deteriorated and fractured. the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence and then towed to an independent mechanic. who diagnosed that the rear end housing and axle differential needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 64,000. updated 11/20/15*lj the consumer stated the vehicle should not have to be repaired at the owner's expense. the rear differential had to be replaced. the frame of the was also badly rusted. updated 2.3.16 *js *cn

Vehicle bucked and swayed as rear frame separated at the joint on driver side was unaware of issue before this tried to find sway bar issue it was spotted at a distance by coworker. *tr

After buying this vehicle i was underneath vehicle to repair a axle seal leaking and found extensive frame rust on passenger rear of frame. by extensive i mean the frame was rusted completely through! i have lived in ohio all of my life and have never seen a vehicle with this mileage and of this year have such severe frame rust! after further inspection i noticed rear end housing was also severely rusted. the rust on the frame is severely perforated at point where trailing arm for the rear end attaches to the frame! i was not aware of this issue before buying vehicle but after some research have found that this is definitely a manufacturer defect of some sort! these vehicles are not safe to drive with these frames in this condition and toyota is aware of this!

The frame is rusting almost in two. looks like it could break any time. rear axel is also very rusted with pieces falling off. *tr

Frame is rusting out

The frame on the 2002 4-runner has completely corroded and caused the toyota dealership to deem the vehicle unsafe for driving. even though this a recognized design failure, toyota refuses to cover the cost of replacement. toyota has recalled tundra models for this defect, but refuses to acknowledge the 4-runner design flaw since it was manufactured completely at their hino japan plant. *tr

Extensive rust thru on drivers side of frame, rear suspension link rusted to the point where complete failure in coming soon. last two feet of frame completely gone. doubt it will pass another safety inspection without significant repair. rear differential rusted to the point gear oil leaks. this is common on all 4 runners and should be recalled just like the tacomas. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the rear axle was corroded and caused the frame to detach. the vehicle was taken to a dealer. the technician diagnosed that the frame and rear end needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 86,000.

Rust perforation in right side rear frame rail across from fuel tank inboard side. i understand toyota has already recalled the tacoma (same year) for the same issues however has not recalled the 4runner. car will not pass inspection nor can dealer repair. *js

Frame rusted out, similar to tacoma pick up trucks recall. additionally climate control heating, cooling, fan defective, power antenna in-operable.

Recently purchased this vehicle and started cleaning it, after i drove it home and pressure washed undercarriage, pieces of the rear differential started flying off and gear oil started running out of holes. i have a 1971 dodge challenger with original rear end that has never been in garage and have never seen a rearend rust like this. i'm really worried about how strong the axle housing structure is and if it could possible break in half while driving vehicle. *tr

2002 toyota 4runner recall id from nhtsa: 05v225000 auto recall date: 05/17/2005 vehicle component: suspension:front:control arm:lower ball joint estimated vehicles affected: 768379 2002 toyota 4runner defect summary: on certain sport utility vehicles, due to a manufacturing issue in the front suspension lower ball joint, there is a possibility that the surface of the ball of the joint may have been scratched. the ball joint may eventually experience excessive wear and looseness, resulting in increased steering effort. defect consequence: the lower ball joint may separate from the knuckle causing loss of steering control and a crash could occur. *tr

Takata recall. i have a rusty frame that needs to be addressed for safety reasons i was driving on the highway at 55 mph frame cracked and i almost died because of it toyotas have poor frame that should be recalled

Tl* the contact owns a 2002 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the rear axle was leaking fluid. the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop where the contact was informed that the rear axle was severely corroded and needed to be replaced. as a result, fluids were leaking through the rear axle. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure and current mileages were 152,000.

Vehicle is not handling right; body feels very loose and unstable going over bumps in the road. took it to a toyota repair shop who indicated that front, right lower ball joint was loose, worn and needed to be replaced. that ball joint was already replaced by the dealer when purchased in 8/05 as part of the manufacturer's recall. took vehicle back to the dealer where the work was originally done and after 3 hours they confirmed that the ball joint did need replacing. however there is only a 1 year warranty on the replacement and they wanted over $400 to replace it. so you're telling me that i get over 4 years on an allegedly defective ball joint but only 2 years on the supposedly good one? *tr updated 09/28/07. *jb

Dt*: the contact stated having other problems after recall #05v225000 regarding suspension: front: control arm: lower ball joint was performed in 07/06. during the month of 08/06, there was a beeping sound and an unknown light on the dashboard illuminated intermittently, when the vehicle made left turns, or switched lanes. this occurred many times, prior to the incident which occurred on 08/28/06. while changing lanes at 55 mph on a dry highway on 08/28/06, the steering wheel and brakes locked up. also, a vibration was felt coming from the steering wheel. the vehicle pulled over and was turned off. it restarted immediately and the steering wheel unlocked. the vehicle was driven to the contact's residence. the following day, the contact drove to work, contacted the dealer who had the vehicle towed to the dealership. the service manager determined that the problems was due to the rear brakes. both rear brakes were replaced, but the problem persisted. when driven out of the parking lot, the beeping and steering locking had stopped, but the vehicle began pulling to the right. a passerby alerted the contact that part of the steel belts was sticking out of both front tires. on 09/29/06, the vehicle was taken to an independent repair shop who replaced the front tires and determined that the front alignment was in the negative. on 09/29/06, another dealership was contacted, and determined that an investigation would be conducted. the contact expressed that the recall work performed without realignment was what caused the damage to the front tires.

Dt*: the contact stated the recall work for nhtsa recall # 05v225000, pertaining to the lower ball joint, was unable to be performed on the vehicle within the noted 24 hours. the vehicle was taken to the service dealer who determined the repair would take 2 days. the contact stated that the dealer refused to provide a loaner vehicle during that time. the service manager was consulted, who was unable to address the issue. the manufacturer was consulted, who offered to send out paperwork for an investigation.

I received a safety recall notice from toyota concerning a defect with the front suspension lower ball joint in 2002 toyota 4runners (ref nhtsa campaign id number : 05v225000). i contacted toyota on 9 may 2006 to begin the process to replace the defective parts. my situation is unique. i'm in the military and currently stationed in seoul, south korea. there are no toyota dealerships in south korea, however, lexus (owned by the same parent company) is located in seoul. it took the toyota customer service folks til aug to notify me that my issue had been forwarded to toyota hq in japan for resolution. in september i followed up since no one had contacted me about the situation. i was told by toyota that toyota hq had up to 4 months to work the issue. toyota would also not provide the contact information for the office in japan handling the issue and also would not provide the contact information for the vendor that would accomplish the recall work. this is unacceptable as i'm driving my wife and one year old child in this vehicle with an identified defect in the front suspension. any assistance you can provide to have toyota quickly resolve this matter would be greatly appreciated. *nm

On april 17th at 5:45 am while driving on i-465, i felt a loss of steering in the wheel. i did nothing to the wheel, as one would normally do when driving on ice. i was driving in the middle lane, the vehicle crashed into the highway divider and then careened off the road. a carmel police officer came to the scene and an accident report was entered. front ball joint(s) failed and front wheel folded under vehicle; this resulted in the loss of steering and crash on interstate highway. the vehicle hit the concrete highway divider and then bounced across the interstate and off the road. when the vehicle was examined at the repair facility it was suggested that the cause of the accident was the failure of the ball joint. it appears that the lower ball joint(s) were not replaced. the old assembly(s) do not appear to have been touched. there is a consistent pattern of rust on the assembly(s) and nuts that have not been disturbed. i spoke with a toyota representative and was told that my vehicle id was a part of the recall ssc 50j or nhtsa campaign id number: 05v225000. i was also told that the work had been completed at obrien toyota on september 9th 2005. the ssc 50j completion label was not applied to the vehicle. i called the dealership the first part of may and spoke with the service manager, dan johnson, who assured me that the part had been replaced on both front suspensions. he stated that this service was performed by joe, who was one of his best mechanics. my complaint is either that the recalled part was not replaced or that the replacement part does not work. *jb

2002 4runner was unstable after purchase, consumer had tires replaced and an alignment. front and rear tires blew out. consumer received letter of front suspension ball joints after accident occurred. *ts *jb

2002 toyota 4runner front end makes loud noises, when going over high bumps and some stiffness in steering. *ts the battery needed to be replace due to little or no fluids, noises were coming from the front end, the shock were leaking, and transmission fluid was leaking. the consumer requested a replacement of the front suspension/lower ball joints and the leaking shocks at no cost. *sc

April 28, 2005, no injuries. contact states he was wearing a seat belt. it was rainy. and while driving 45 mph vehicle lost control and veered to the right. tried to steer left, but steering wheel would not go left. applied brakes, and they failed. then, hit semi trailer truck on left side. contact has regular maintenance has service records. *ak

Shortly after purchasing my 4 runner, i noticed a distinct shaking and shuddering of the frnt end and especially in the steering wheel. it really became impossible t take he vehicle over 65 mph. i have taken the car in for service and was always told the same thing. there is no problem . i have had new tires put on the car, new brakes and yet the car continues to vibrate to the point that i am now afraid to drive the vehicle. the stering is absolutely maddening and i fear a fatal crash. toyota folsom lake refuses to admit there is a problem and will do nothing. the 2002 toyota wa recalled for the seals failing on the windows. i took it in and they supposedly fixed the seals. they now hang down for all the world to see. great impression for toyota manufacturing company.when you apply the brakes the whole car goes into spasms like it is going to fall apart. the toyota 4 runner is a piece of trash and definitely a lemon from day one. i for one, will never purchase another japanese made car because they do not stand behind their warranties. i have heard every excuse made to man, and in this case, woman. what they fail to realize is word of mouth is the best form of advertizing and sales in the world. would you buy another toyota? not on your life, because i am afraid it is going to cose me and my children great bodily harm. this car needs to be taken off the highways of the usa. fortunately we survived a tire blowout and put all new tires on the car.