Problems with 2003 Toyota 4Runner STRUCTURE

The frame is rotting and cracking. it was bought brand new and has been used for short commutes. it is now unsafe for me and my kids.

There is extensive rust damage on the frame towards where the transmission connects to the engine. in 1-2 years, my 4runner will need frame repairs, if not sooner.

While my 2003 toyota 4runner was in a service appointment, i was notified that the frame has severely deteriorated due to corrosion and rust. i was able to inspect and document the corrosion with photographs. the vehicle will soon become unsafe to operate or drive.

Took vehicle for new muffler. advised not only muffler rusted through but the frame has extensive rust and deemed unsafe.

The frame of the 2003 toyota 4runner became so rusted that when trying to put the car on the lift at a mechanic shop, the frame began to crumble and fall apart at the point where the lift contacted the frame. the entire frame has multiple points where the metal has rusted away and become very weak, compromising the structural integrity of the frame and potentially weakening areas where steering and suspension components attach to the frame.

The frame is rusted away but the body is perfect. purchased as is. was not informed in writing about the bad frame

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the vehicle would not pass inspection because the frame was corroded. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic for diagnostic testing or repairs. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. when the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for routine maintenance, the contact was informed that the front bumper and the frame were severely corroded with holes and the corrosion penetrated the radiator support, the rear passenger side trailing arm, and the interior frame of the front passenger door. the mechanic advised the contact that the vehicle was unable to be driven. the manufacturer was contacted. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was 165,232.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. while having routine maintenance performed on the vehicle, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the frame was rusted on the passenger side. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the local dealer was not contacted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was contacted and did not assist. the failure mileage was 171,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. while driving various speeds, the vehicle shook and vibrated. the vehicle was taken to heritage toyota owings mills (9801 reisterstown rd, owings mills, md) where it was discovered that the subframe had experienced severe rusting. the cause of the failure was not determined. the manufacturer was notified of the failure and did not assist. the failure mileage was 153,000.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. while the contact was performing routine maintenance on the vehicle, he found that the vehicle's frame was corroded with holes. the corrosion extended to the exhaust system that connected to the muffler. the fuel tank cover was also corroded. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be repaired. the manufacturer was not notified. the approximate failure mileage was 100,000.

Went to inspect my 4 runner, was told i have major rot and rust on the frame they are unable to inspect, vehical is unsafe to have on the road. my suv is mint with low miles how can this be. i always take care of my vehicals.

My frame is seriously rusted and needs replacement making my vehicle unsafe. there is rust in numerous locations. i just visited a repair shop and they told me that i would need to reinforce or replace the frame. the cost for reinforcing the frame is over 5000 dollars. the vehicle is in great shape other than the frame and i was hoping to drive it for at least a few more years. your department has found similar issues with other toyotas that have exactly the same issue and are built upon similar frames made exactly the same way. these models include the tacoma, sequoia, and tundra. it is my opinion that toyota failed to treat their frames properly and the dealer failed to take the necessary steps to inform me of the issue when the vehicle was brought in for regular maintenance.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. the contact took the vehicle to toyota wallingford (859 n colony rd, wallingford, ct 06492) where it was diagnosed that the frame was severely corroded and the vehicle was not safe to be driven. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure mileage was 134,363.

Rear axle badly rotted. car has 66,000 miles on it. requires replacement which is apparently an extremely expensive and sensitive process. the corrosion seems to be extraordinarily premature and due to substandard frame materials and treatment of same. acton toyota had already welded in a frame bar 2-3 years ago. called (800)331-4331 (toyota motor manufacturing)spoke with a customer service rep (angie) and her supervisor (maria) who stated that the warranty on the frame expired in 2006, they were clear about toyota's position that they will do nothing w/o a factory recall. this is, apparently, not an isolated issue. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2018/inbc-dp18002-73038.pdf https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2018/toyota-4runner-frame-rust.shtml https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/toyota-rusted-frame-settlement.shtml https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2016/toyota-tacoma-rusted-frames-lawsuit.shtml

Rear axle badly rotted. car has 66,000 miles on it. requires replacement which is apparently an extremely expensive and sensitive process. the corrosion seems to be extraordinarily premature and due to substandard frame materials and treatment of same. acton toyota had already welded in a frame bar 2-3 years ago. called (800)331-4331 (toyota motor manufacturing)spoke with a customer service rep (angie) and her supervisor (maria) who stated that the warranty on the frame expired in 2006, they were clear about toyota's position that they will do nothing w/o a factory recall. this is, apparently, not an isolated issue. https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2018/inbc-dp18002-73038.pdf https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2018/toyota-4runner-frame-rust.shtml https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2017/toyota-rusted-frame-settlement.shtml https://www.carcomplaints.com/news/2016/toyota-tacoma-rusted-frames-lawsuit.shtml

Our 4runner's frame is rusting away and toyota refuses to fix their mistake. the frame is similar to the tacoma that was recalled and repaired, so i contacted them and was informed that they weren't going to fix our 4runner that has the same issues. i was less than pleased with their response. this could've quite easily caused a severe accident. luckily my mechanic caught it in time before that happened

Excessive and premature corrosion has developed at various locations on the vehicle frame such that i am concerned about the structural integrity of the vehicle frame and it's impact on the operational safety when i'm driving this vehicle. it appears that the corrosion has originated on both the external frame surface welded seams and also from internal frame surfaces. i took proactive measures to have my frame treated for corrosion resistance by an after market vendor in an attempt to abate early signs of corrosion but the corrosion from internal surfaces has now worked it's way thru showing clear holes/gaps/separation in the frame structural components. rusting from the inside out adds to my concern about the vehicle operational safety. my vehicle has had all regular, scheduled maintenance performed by a toyota dealer whom has also pointed out the structural issues resulting from corrosion. i learned about and was shown the corrosion problems directly from the dealer service department while my vehicle was elevated on a lift in a service bay. attached are pictures taken recently (5/17/19) while at the dealer of the more obvious problems at various locations on the frame.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to repair the rear bearing. the technician diagnosed that the rear frame was rotted and had holes. the dealer was not contacted. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 16,000. the vin was not provided.

Excessive frame rust causing vehicle to fail safety inspection.

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 toyota 4runner. while the vehicle was undergoing a wheel alignment, it was noticed that the frame was rusted. the vehicle was taken to white river toyota (802-299-2800, located at 303 sykes mountain ave, white river junction, vt 05001) where it was confirmed that the frame was rusted and the vehicle would not pass the state inspection. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the failure mileage was approximately 140,000. the vin was unknown.

The entire frame is rusted. the front section has rotted thru and the right section has rot thru more than half way pass the muffler area. above the spare tire carrage is rotted and the tire carrage is siezed. i found this while jacking up the truck for an oil change and hear the frame crumble.

Excessive frame rot. 4runner should of been part of the tacoma recall and is absurd it was not in the first place. my whole passenger side frame rail is gone. i have had to constantly fix weld new metal to it.

I own a 2003 toyota 4runner that i purchased new. the vehicle has ~129k miles and was garaged kept to 11/2015. it recently failed pa state inspection due to a rust hole in a frame rail. since 11/2015, the vehicle is driven less than 5k miles a year. prior to this event, i have never owned a vehicle that experienced a rust hole in the frame. i did some research and found that frame rust in 4th generation 4runners is an issue. after looking at the hole and the amount of rust on the frame it is obvious to me that more rust holes will occur. toyota created this problem and has a moral and ethical obligation to their customers to make it right! toyota needs to own the problem, not their customer! i truly believe that the nhtsa needs to issue a recall because it is a safety related issue affecting the structural integrity of the vehicle.

Significant frame rust has compromised the safety of the vehicle. several holes have perforated through the frame and it has been deemed unsafe to drive due to frame rust. toyota needs to replace these 4runner frames.

Takata recall my 2003 toyota 4runner failed state inspection today for the first time ever due to extreme frame rust. the vehicle is totally unsafe to drive because of rusted out holes in the metal frame . yes, if i drove over large pothole or involve in a collision, this vehicle would separate in pieces and not to mention what level of bodily harm you would sustain . even though my odometer reads 255,000+ miles, the engine seems to be able to run another 200,000 plus miles with no electrical or mechanical issues and body looks fantastic for the year. on-the-hand vehicle frame below is in horrible condition, with holes rusted through the metal and no signs of any under coat paint protection (hate to lose such a wonderful vehicle). please add my vehicle and safety concerns to the list of other 4th generation toyota 4runners owners facing the same frame rust issue.

Our 2003 toyota 4runner has an unsafe frame from completely rusting through. the rear end of the vehicle, after being involved in a minor accident completely collapsed in on itself, bending the 1/4 inch steel support bracket. the frame shows the same type of rust throughout.

Excessive rusting on frame

My 2003 toyota 4runner will no longer pass inspection and is no longer safe to drive as the frame is rotted beyond repair on the driver's side rear. while attempting to have new tires put on and am inspection done we noticed the severe rust/ holes and also a crack in the weld. the rest of the frame is pretty ugly as well, i did not look over the entire frame but i'm sure there are probably other areas that are very bad. i've read about catastrophic failure due to frame rot in these models. toyota has to do something about this. i'm supposed to get a phone call from toyota tomorrow and if they continue to do nothing about it then i'll start calling all the news stations and start spreading the word. i have 45 thousand dollars invested in the company thus far and will never spend another cent on them if this issue isn't resolved.

I took my 4runner to the dealership that is was purchased and was informed that it needs a new frame due to excessive rust/rot. i am being told that it is beyond repair and is a safety issue at this point.

I was warned by my toyota dealer that my 4runner may be unsafe to drive due to the amount of rust on the frame. the entire frame has rust spread out and it has a few really bad areas. i bought the vehicle used and i was told that there was a spot that was rusted through and needed a bracket to be welded over it. in the image attached you can what the general state the frame is in but it does not show the worst areas. i don't have a car jack available so its difficult for me to take pictures of the whole frame.

I had some issues with my car and the mechanic put the car up on the lift and saw some holes created by corrosion into the frame of the truck. i understand that the toyota tacoma has the same frame and was recalled. why is it that the same frame on a different vehicle and from the same manufacturer, toyota, isn't being recalled on teh 4runner? i insist that there be a recall and will hold all accountable.

The back of the truck frame has rusted through. stationary. front axle pics included as well. rust, wear and tear. not sure when it happened bc the dealership sold the vehicle to me like this. rusted metal proves it happened awhile ago. plus someone tried to weld it to cover up the problem. i've also put in a radiator and new muffler was completely rusted through.

Severe frame rust

Excessive frame rust has resulted in the frame almost completely disappearing, making the vehicle unsafe to drive and forced to be taken off the road. there is less than an inch of frame holding the rear right axle in place

I purchased this vehicle a week ago. it appears the dealer themselves never inspected the vehicle prior to my purchase. if they had, they would have know it was an unsafe vehicle to drive due to the amount of rust to the suspension, frame, and everything underneath. just today, a toyota mechanic had told me that it is unserviceable. if i had owned this vehicle for years, that finding wouldn't be as painful to hear. but having owned the vehicle for a week, this has made me very angry. it only has 88k miles on it. i am now afraid to drive the vehicle.

Frame broken

Excessive frame corrosion

I was driving the vehicle and normal highway speed on the interstate. when i let off the accelerator, the vehicle lurched to one side, causing the vehicle to cross into the other lane. when i applied the accelerator again, the vehicle lurched in the other direction, requiring me to apply corrective action to maintain control. upon inspection, the passenger side rear suspension link support had mostly separated from the frame due to rust. i can bend it back and forth with my hand. i have not driven the vehicle since due to safety concerns. it is difficult to control the vehicle, especially a highway speed.

Extreme rust on the undercarriage eating completely through the frame.

I purchased my 2003 4runner brand new. the vehicle has 70,000 original miles. never in an accident. the truck is garaged. always maintained by toyota. not a scratch on the truck. interior looks brand new. however the frame has excessive rust. found a few spots that will eventually needs to be addressed. toyota needs to step up and fix the rust problems

I have had this vehicle for many years and i "know" it. i noticed that he steering wheel had a vibration albeit slight, this was something new as well as a noise i could hear under the car. i brought it home complained to my husband - he looked under the car & was appalled - the frame is so rusted he was able to stick his finger through the failing frame! i am afraid this vehicle will kill me! what if it decides to completely break at an axle or part of the undercarriage. do i drive it and take the chance of getting hurt or killed before someone will order a recall. we can send photos if necessary as this will most certainly add validity to the concern.

Currently the frame rust is very severe and is getting to the point that i am becoming hesisitant to have it out on the road. there are areas around suspension components and axles that are very rusted which could potentially lead to casualties if the mounts were to fail.

Excessive frame dusting causing driving problems

Frame is rotting apart. several holes and cracks

We were hearing a noise in the rear suspension (lh) when braking or accelerating. the car was not stable to drive. we lift the vehicle and found that the frame is rusted due to the manufactuer did not protect it at the factory. the rear left suspension bracket was almost dissapeared. the vehicle was dangerous to be driven. we had to reinforce the affected part to keep the vehicle in service, but the frame is rotten. the engine, body and interior are in perfect condition but the frame.

Frame rusting out

Frame holding/securing radiator, skid plate is rotting away. took too dealer/service dept.( kool toyota) and they took several pictures to add to the hundreds theyve already taken and submitted.

The frame on my suv is very rusted and causing continuous problems. i've had to replace numerous parts underneath my car (sway bars, tie rods). just the other night while driving home in a snow storm, i completely lost my brakes. two of the main brake lines were completely corroded. a new frame would solve a lot of my problems. they've recalled tacomas and sequoias, wondering what the hold up is on the 4runner recall?

I was driving my 4runner at about 20 miles per hour when it suddenly jerked to the right. i stopped and got out to see the frame had rotted apart and one of the suspension bar mounts had dropped. luckily no one was hurt. i contacted toyota and they said there was nothing they could do for me.