Problems with 2004 Toyota 4Runner STRUCTURE

Significant rust throughout frame, as well as many components around the engine.

Excessive rust on frame. deteriorated structure near radiator and skid plate.

Frame rusting badly. front cross member already completely rusted through.

2004 4runner. frame is extremely rusted and truck will become dangerous to operate in the very near future. truck is garage kept and well maintained. no body rust or other issues. 100,500 miles.

The frame of the 4runner is rusting through and has cracks, and holes. it is becoming unsafe. this is not surface rust, but the frames are literally rusting away. toyota needs to replace these frames as they did the tacoma's from the same year that were a similar, if not identical frame.

Frame recall needed. i have bad rust in my frame despite regular washings and care taken. is it a widespread problem and it is unsafe to drive. please help!

Excessive rusting of the frame. holes developing in main frame members.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota 4runner. while viewing the undercarriage of the vehicle, the contact observed that the frame was rusted. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the contact was informed that the vehicle's warranty had expired. the failure mileage was approximately 202,000.

Vehicle has severe rust on frame and perforation of at least one crossmember. other toyota models that share this frame have been recalled (tacoma, sequoia).

Frame is rusting in key areas making the vehicle unsafe to drive untill repairs are made to the frame. there are rust holes near the cross arm and above the rear control arm and the spare tire detached while driving due to rust.

I took the vehicle in for inspection and was told the vehicle has frame rust in several places and would not pass inspection. i was informed of the tacoma, sequoias and tundra recall and since the 4runner is the same frame not sure why the 4runner was not included.

My frame has 10 plus holes in it all over the vehicle, it's sitting in my driveway as it will split in two any second by the transmission cross member, toyota it's time to start recalling these frames as there are millions of complaints

Heavy frame rust and corrosion occurring in a garaged 4runner with only 65,000 miles to date. very advanced for mileage, and soon to be a structural and safety concern. crossmembers, frame, and suspension attachments. two exhaust shields have had to be reattached. also, my dashboard is cracking despite being garaged, and my second set of factory aluminum wheels have had the clearcoat and finish crack off and are very unsightly.

The frame is rotting ..and i can not stop or prevent it ..eventually the entire frame will fall apart..causing a safety concern for me and my family ..i bought a toyota for its dependability..not how fast it would kill me

Frame and rear axle housing rust - caused the upper control arms, which prevent rotation of the rear axel, to disconnect from the housing/frame. also, steering has become stiff and bumpy as you turn the wheel. this may be due to front crossmember rust or rust on the steering universal joint.

The frame is completely rotted out since 2017

My 2004 4runner, with less than 80,000 miles, has significant and overwhelming under carriage rust. there is a frame rot hole. one of the trailing arm brackets on the axle has rusted to the point where the trailing arm was no longer connected. this is one of the points where the axel is connected to the vehicle and keeps the axel from rotating. there are front suspension parts completely rusted to the point my vehicle can no longer receive a successful front end alignment. these are the biggest problems, there are several other issues due to unbelievable rust.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that part of the vehicle's frame was rusty. the front cross member that supported the skid plate was missing and needed to be replaced, not repaired. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was determined that the vehicle was structurally unsound. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 74,500.

The rear sway bar has rusted completely away from the frame. while i was driving and on the freeway. rusted heavy on frame and underbelly

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota 4runner. the contact took the vehicle to be inspected and was advised that the frame was rusted and needed replacement. there were no recalls for the vehicle. the failure mileage was unknown.

Frame has way too much rust for a vehicle of this age. exhaust manifold ticking noise. both are well documented issues with this model year....

Frame badly rusted, during tire change lifted car with toyota jack and it went inside frame, front tow hooks rusted off and fell off, half of bar supporting oil hoses rusted off.

Frame very badly rusted. seems to be a common complaint. why is nothing being done?

Rust erosion of the frame resulting in danger in driving the vehicle. vehicle has been garaged kept for it's entire life and maintained on a regular basis. frame is now near deterioration.

I took my vehicle to freedom toyota in hamburg, pa to get serviced and they told me my frame was rusted that bad that it would not pass inspection, and could not be repaired. this is very upsetting, because it's only 12 years old. i have a 1998 toyota 4runner previously and that was 14 years old before i got rid of it with 324,000 miles. the bumpers were known to rust out on those, and the frame was rusted on that one also, but not aware of the extent. i can only hope that toyota will replace my frame, otherwise i will never buy another toyota again. the service guy, nicky at freedom toyota said that he didn't know if there would be a recall on the 04 toyota 4runners or not. i have two young children and i only hope that nothing happens to me or my children due to driving it with a rusted frame until i can get a new vehicle or get my frame replaced by toyota.

We have just discovered the underside and frame of the vehicle is completely rusting out, with only 80,000 miles on it. we live year-round in nc where we get very few snowfalls with subsequent salt used on the highway. however, the rust is prevalent and comprehensive. we are taking it to determine the extend of the damage and what it will take to repair.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota 4runner. the contact discovered that the entire undercarriage of the vehicle was rusted. due to the rust, the brake lines started to rust and caused the vehicle to have complete brake failure. there were no warning indicators illuminated. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who confirmed that the entire undercarriage had accumulated rust, which led to the brake failure. the mechanic recommended that the contact get rid of the vehicle. the contact had the brake lines repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure via email, but the contact had not received a response. the contact spoke with koons westminster toyota (375 baltimore blvd, westminster, md 21157, 410-876-6400), but they did not assist. the brake lines were repaired; however, the rust still remained. the failure mileage was 180,000.

Va state safety inspector today pointed out excessive rust on frame, particularly passenger side rail with most serious safety concern right in front of rear passenger side wheel. rust is far beyond what should be normal given life of the truck and mileage only at 117k. researching and this appears to be a systemic toyota manufacturing problem with 4runner (and other toyota models) of this age. toyota should repair these frames as they will start presenting serious safety problems.

The entire frame and underneath the vehicle is rusted from front to back.

Extensive rust all over the under-body and frame of the vehicle, despite regular car washes to rinse off any salt.

Cross member under radiator that the tow hitches connect to are completely rusting out and falling apart as well as the skid plate noticed this hooking up ropes to secure my kayaks. the paint on the tire rims are pealing and corroding

I own a 2004 toyota 4 runner that has a really bad rust problem around the lower radiator support. it has 145000 miles and it's been garage kept most of it life ..

Letter from congressman fitzpatrick on behalf of constituent re rust on her 2004 toyota 4-runner. she is looking for a solution to this predicament in order that her car may pass inspection. *smd the consumer was informed by her mechanic, rust was found on the vehicle. *jb

Rust rot on frame of body, will probably not pass next in inspection noted by thompson dealership. toyota fixed other models, but am ignoring my model.

Premature heavy rusting on frame rails and crossmembers

The entire front frame on my 2004 toyota 4runner rotted within the last year. it was deemed unsafe to drive after going in for a routine inspection. shameful since the body was in good condition and the car ran great. toyota should be held responsible for fixing these frames. i had no choice but to get rid of it.

Tl* the contact owns a 2004 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer to get an inspection sticker. the mechanic observed rust and holes on the frame of the vehicle. the vehicle failed inspection. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 98,000.

Rust eat my frame into

Have seen extreme rust on my frame, so bad i can pick off chunks with my hand. i know toyota is in denial but what is really being done over this issue.

Frame rust - frame rear upper control arm has fully rusted through, creating a very dangerous condition where vehicle control can be lost and cause an accident or fatality. toyota dealer would not replace or repair frame due to vehicle out of warranty. found out rust after replacing shocks. welded extra material and painted as an interim action.

The frame of the vehicle is completely rusted to the point where it will not pass inspection.

I have a 2004 4runner which is meticulously kept. the entire front frame which supports the radiator had to be cut out and replaced. there where also multiple spots on the frame rail where steel plates had to be welded on for it to pass inspection. i've been told that there are not enough complaints for anything to be done about the frame. however, anyone i talk to, personal or at shops, is aware of the issue. something has to be done about this before someone gets seriously hurt or worse!

These vehicles are plagued by rust on the frame and components attached to the frames. there is the potential that this can cause a hazard due to failure of critical components of the vehicle. this issue effects multiple vehicles and is not an isolated incident. frames degrade just like the ones on the tacoma yet no action is being taken to ensure the safety of 4runner owners.

There is excessive rust/corrosion on the frame of the truck. the skid plates completely rusted off the truck in 2010. the transmission lines have corroded to the point they have to be replaced. the engine oil cooler and radiator supports have rusted through. the exhaust rusted off the truck in 2010 as well. currently there is extensive corrosion on the frame of the truck and the suspension components. these issues appeared in 2010 and i have been fighting them ever since. mechanically the truck runs great, never a problem, however the vehicle's frame is disintegrating due to corrosion.

I have already received information on the interim g1c. this is also about the frame on my vehicle which is rusted very bad. the rear passenger arm mount has already broken. there are also holes in the trave and the long pieces of metal on the frame. the skid plates are also rusted. also the tow ring on the passenger side is getting ready to snap. i have been learning more information about this problem with some toyota vehicles. i am afraid that i am riding in a very dangerous vehicle. i was just wondering if anything can be done about this, since toyota is aware there is a problem with rust. when the arm mount broke i was driving with my children in the car, the rear end of the vehicle was bouncing all over the place. it scared us all becase we did not know what was going on. i w

Frame has rust holes in front cross member that runs under radiator. tow hook is unusable. professional inspection of entire frame indicated that frame has numerous rust spots that are unsafe. all frame attached undercarriage components are so rusted that removal of parts is is impossible. cannot find any welding shops that are willing to weld the frame to keep it from total failure in the future. the body panels are rust free. i believe the vehicle's frame should have lasted a lot longer than 11 years . dealership will not replace or warranty the excessive rust problem. i believe this problem is a safety issue that should be addressed by toyota.

The frame of my 2004 toyota 4runner has considerable rust that exceeds normal wear and age. considering the recall associated with the tacoma of the same year it seems prudent and responsible for toyota to stand by their reliability slogan and remedy this situation, as there are many others in the same condition as mine.

My 2004 4runner with $144k miles was recently discovered to have a six inch hole in the frame due to rust, and based on md safety inspection requirements, this vehicle presents a significant safety hazard and can not be registered. the dealership informed me the repair would be a complete frame replaced at a cost of $18-20k. i have maintained my vehicle meticulously throughout it's life with mostly dealership maintenance and at no time did any mechanic or service department mention excessive rust or holes in the frame. i spoke to toyota customer service and although they have recall programs for tacoma and sequoia vehicles due to similar frame rusting problems, they are unwilling to acknowledge that any flaw exists with excessive corrosion in the 4runner models. it appears to me that toyota has a serious safety problem related to this generation of 4runners, and since they are unwilling to even acknowledge the problem exists, it appears this is an issue that requires governmental/nhtsa intervention. i can't imagine how many other 4runners are on the road with similar compromised frames, and i would hate to see an accident due to frame failure at high speed or during tight cornering. please look into this issue to prevent any inadvertent injury or death.

The outside of my 4runner is rust free. the frame however has extensive rust issues. i have had to have sections cut out and rewelded because it would not pass inspection. the steering column rusted out and had to be replaced because the steering stopped responding.

Frame has started rusting near welds and holes. very poor prevention of rust by toyota. skid plates totally rusted out and fuzed bolts. rear diff housing is also rusty. car will probably fall apart in a year or two.