Problems with 2005 Toyota 4Runner STRUCTURE

Take to shop for leak tramission line the shop owner said my 4runner has cancer and it growing excessive rotting please help i can't stop the cancer

2005 toyota 4runner structural frame rapid oxidation to structure causing left front control arm to frame (as well as frame itself) to break while in motion at slow speed leaving driveway. i have contacted toyota case# 1712112893 to ask why there is no buyback program on frames that they produced in 2004 that were found defective in tacoma's/4runners that were also used for their 2005 model production 4runners. toyota rep told myself that no campaigns would exist unless otherwise told so (or perhaps investigated for their prior acknowledged defective frames used in previous model years). though i am lucky that this occurred at slow speed i don't know how many other americans may face my situation while at 60-70mph on the highway with their families whom trust toyota for their safety and product reliability that end in ultimate tragedy. i've included photos as well as a clean carfax report to show no prior incidents. thank you.

My 2005 is severely rusted to the point that it is probably unsafe to drive. it has only 106k miles. i've taken it to two frame repair/swap shops. both confirmed that the rust has eaten holes through the frame and that the structural integrity of the vehicle is likely very compromised. they'd said the extent of the rust was the worst they'd ever seen,and that a collision could crumple the weakened frame, putting the passengers and greater risk of injury/death. i even had one of those shops start a frame swap, but they said that every bolt and part would snap and break when they tried to remove it and told me that the labor could exceed the value of the vehicle, if they were even able to finish the job. even without collision i'm worried an axle or tie rod or something will break at high speed and cause a terrible accident. i've submitted a claim to toyota customer service to ask if there was anything they would do (fix, or buy back the vehicle). they said they could not do anything because there is no recall for toyota 4runner frames, but there is an active recall for frame rust on the tacoma, which i believe is the same frame. after looking around online at 4runner forums, i've seen the rust complaint again and again, and in the wake of the kobe metals scandal, i thought it was important to raise my concern with the nhtsa. i'm attaching pictures of the rust and a carfax report showing there has never been an accident on the vehicle.

Frame has rusted similar to tacoma and seqouiya recalls and do not see why they have not been recalled.

Frame rot that should have been included in the tacoma, tundra, sequoia!

The frame is rusting to the point where there are holes in many places also the tow hook rusted off, i am concerned the steering will be affected soon.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4runner. while driving approximately 40 mph, the front passenger side of the subframe separated and caused the front axle to fracture and damaged the front control arm. the vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who indicated that the subframe failure was due to severe rusting and corrosion. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 130,000.

My wife took the vehicle to get a state inspection and was informed it would not pass due to corrosion of the frame. we contacted the manufacturer, nationally and locally, to see what could be done. we were told toyota would not replace the frame and they could not recommend a repair. essentially, too bad. we contacted several body shops and were told toyota repair instructions advise against welding on the frame and their insurance would not cover the repair. so there is no fix. the rust has not been apparent until this years inspection and i guess we were fortunate that is was found. but the car runs great and nobody that didn't look under the car would know about an impending catastrophic failure. toyota did replace frames on similar year tacoma's, tundra's and sequoia's but that was due to a class action law suit. apparently they will not make these vehicles safe without outside influence. at a minimum a notice should be sent to owners advising them their frames should be thoroughly inspected before its too late.

Frame rust issue identical to the frame rust recall issues of tacoma, tundra an sequoia. learned of it when the vehicle was brought in for trade-in, significantly reducing the value of what the trade-in should have been. the vehicle had been to the same toyota service center for 12 years -- they never mentioned it. toyota headquarters said they had no responsibility towards the issue and suggesting bringing the vehicle to another dealer for trade-in to see if they would value the vehicle higher if they didn't notice. a private sale would have been impossible knowing the rust issue now exists.

Received a letter regarding tacoma and tundra was issued a recall. i wonder why 4runner was not included with the recall? upon visual inspection of body frame and comparing to other 4runner, it does have excessive rust on body frame. we tried to bring it up with the dealer, but no avail. trade in was the only alternative. our trust and respect to the agency and hopefully, its not too late before they issue a recall. more power to the agency and god bless america.

Frame is rusted on the front of my toyota that is failed to pass inspection. if required i can send my failed inspection report and pictures of the rusted frame.

Severe frame rust has made the vehicle unsafe to drive. the car has only 54,000 miles on it

I just bought this vehicle in november 2016 from toyota of kingsport. i had a muffler replaced on 3/29/2017 due to a hole. the technician called me back to ask if i was aware of structure damage to the frame. i was not aware of any issues. he pointed out where on both sides of the frame was rusted completely out. the technician stated that the frame was rusting from the inside out. now i am concerned because i drive my children around in this vehicle. i looked to see if toyota had recalled the frame and was unable to find anything but the same model trucks and sequoias have been recalled. i would think that all the 2005 vehicles were made from the same metal.

The vehicle was in for suspension service. the mechanic inspecting the shock system, identified two areas of rust on the frame that a screwdriver easily went through. one on the crossover bar and the other on the rear frame arch.

We were advised that our 2005 toyota 4runner's frame had deteriorated from rust to a point where the vehicle is no longer safe to operate. we purchased this vehicle new, done all the advised service, and taken every precaution to assure longevity. it's unfortunate and disturbing that toyota has 'frame recalls' on 2005 tundra and tacoma trucks but not the 4runner. our vehicle, other than the frame, is in perfect working order. this seems to me a clear case of corrupted or otherwise faulty materials used for the construction of toyota frames for these 2005 dated vehicles. toyota, as a virtue of their own quality standards, should stand behind their products. if they're unwilling, this will should be forced upon them by the regulators.

2005 4runner sport 4.7. i've got 82k miles on it. clean title and record, no flood damage, accidents, ect... the driver's side lower strut mount broke off while driving. the toyota technician at the dealership said it was due to excessive corrosion and the quality of the metal in the area on the frame was so bad it would be unrepairable and a total loss without a new frame. i was going 20 miles per hour driving straight and i lost control and it pulled me to the right,off the road. had this happened at highway speeds it would've been a catastrophic failure and caused a serious accident. the wheel was up against the top of the wheel well and the cv drive shaft was torn out. toyota costumer service said that it wasn't under warranty or recall an offered no course of solution or action. i'd assume a company that boasts upon their vehicle longevity would expect a car to be drivable for more than 82,000 miles before the main structural component of the vehicle fails. this vehicle hasn't been driven excessively in the salt during the winter either and no aftermarket undercoating was applied to the vehicle. i now own a totaled vehicle with no one owning up to a clear factory defect. * toyota replaced a frame in my friend's 2006 4runner sport, with 162k in 2014. i didn't find a warranty or recall on that model either. *tr

Takata recall, went to fix a tire when the tire was removed there was a chunk of metal that was rusted and broken off. the rust is bad all over the frame of the truck. the bolt doesnt look like it is going to hold on much longer.

There is significant frame rust and i am concerned it will result in frame failure and a serious accident. the rest of the vehicle is in great shape as it has been well maintained and garage kept. it only has 135,000 miles on it. i have viewed the significant concerns about this issue on the web along with the nhtsa investigation into this issue. unfortunately at this time toyota is still refusing to fix the issue. what liability does toyota have if the frame fails and it results in a serious injury? i first noticed the issue in 2017 but do not know how long it has been a problem since you have to be under the car or see it on a lift to understand the significance of the issue.

The frame of the vehicle has extensive rust. the metal frame at the front of the vehicle has rusted completely through. the tow hooks are hanging by the remaining metal and can be twisted off by hand strength alone. the cross members have holes rusted thru as well. the main frame beams are corroding from the inside out. the quality of rust prevention of the frame is very poor. as a comparison, the body panels are still in good shape with minimal rust.

Purchsed the vehicle used and the underside/frame is completely rusted.

The rear axle rusted so badly that it started flaking apart. the frame is rusted severely in the areas where the rear suspension components attach. the gas tank skid plate rusted until it began to fall off while driving down the road and all of the areas where it was bolted to the frame completely rusted out. the exhaust also rusted through behind the muffler causing it to fall off while driving down the road. there are holes in multiple areas of the frame. i had to grind,chip, and wire brush the frame with the vehicle on jack stands in order to repaint everything and keep my vehicle going. this took over 100 hours of labor just to compete. i also had to replace the exhaust and the gas tank skid plate. all of the bolts for the skid plates on the bottom of the vehicle were completely rusted through and could not be removed without falling apart and leaving half the bolt in the frame. the xreas suspension system which runs hydraulic lines around the frame also rusted apart and leaked fluid all over everything. the bolts were all heavily rusted and could not be removed to get the lines off the frame. the frame on this vehicle was not adequately coated to prevent it from rusting. this needed to be done with approximately 100,000 miles on the vehicle.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4runner. while the vehicle was undergoing maintenance at an independent mechanic, the contact was informed that the rear subframe was extremely corroded. the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the approximate failure mileage was 145,000.

The undercarriage of my toyota 4runner is rusted and falling apart. the calibers have frozen for the second time in the last year due to rust and the front axle has broken. the 2005 4runner has 69,000 miles on it and when i took it to the dealer the mechanic showed me that rust has taken over the frame of my car and explained that due to the excessive rust it would not be a good idea to fix. this car should be able to go more than 69,000 miles and rust is the reason.

Frame is so badly rusted it is undriveable. you can push a screwdriver through the frame in most places. toyota recalled the frames of their other vehicles in the same year, but left out the 4runner. these 4runners are dangerous.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the frame of the vehicle was severely rusted. the vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the frame needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 189,000. updated 01/04/17*lj

The frame is completely rusted through in several spots to include several brackets on the underside of the vehicle.

Was backing out of a parking space while turning and front-passenger wheel swing arm completely detached from the frame due to severe rust. when attempting to pull onto flatbed tow truck, both front tow-hooks completely pulled out of frame also due to rust. seems that the frame os completely rusted and unsafe on 11 year old vehicle.

Severe frame rust: 2005 4runner sr5 v8 in stratosphere mica blue. vehicle has been driven in michigan and ohio for its entire life of 104,850 miles as of today. vehicle received complete rustproofing of underbody, underhood and body panels when new. despite undercoating and constant washing in the winter, the frame has experienced significant rust. front cross member is rusted almost completely through and is expected to break through soon. trailing arm brackets are becoming thin and i have been warned that when they break i will lose control of the vehicle. holes are starting to rust through on frame. mechanic has informed me that underbody coating can not protect from rust that begins inside poorly made frames and that it will become a serious safety concern in the near future. this vehicle has been washed religiously in winter and all inspection/maintenance records are available. body, interior and driveline are in above average condition, and vehicle has been driven below average miles (9500 per year). how can a car manufacturer make a vehicle frame which rusts out this quickly? the vehicle still looks and drives like new on the outside but will literally fall apart at the seams. this vehicle clearly has the same issue that other toyota's have had with frame corrosion but i see no campaign to assist owners with this issue. i have always loved my toyota's but this problem is so severe that not only will i avoid the brand forever but it will also cause me significant financial distress as i cannot afford a frame replacement nor should i have to replace this vehicle at such a low mileage/age. please help. i don't understand how corrosion this severe is possible on a vehicle which has been cared for this well. i have hundreds of records for this vehicle going back to when it was new.

The frame has rusted and cracked at the front of the vehicle the crack extending to the wheel. none of this would have been visible to a mechanic accept that the skid plate had been removed when a new transmission was installed.

I was driving the vehicle, hit a pot hole. little bit after that, when i came to a stop and started to accelerate, the vehicle started to swirve all over the road and become uncontrollable. i was able to pull over and stop the vehicle. after inspecting the vehicle, the rear component broke off from the frame due to rust. the dealer stated that the suv will need frame replaced due to rust. the vehicle 180k miles tune up was performed at the dealer in winter 2015 and no rust was mentioned upon "complete" inspection. the vehicle is now non operation and is a total lost due to rust. every 30k miles the vehicle was taken to the dealer for maintenance. oil changes were performed every 5k miles with synthetic oil. the car has been garaged for since purchasing it new in 2005. it has never been on the beach. salt is not used on our road.

The vehicle is just 11 years old with about 150k miles. frame is rusted to the point the dealership is refusing to do repairs for fear of breaking the frame and has indicated i need a new vehicle. the vehicle has been stored in a garage since the day it was purchased. this includes work and home. several times a year it was taken to the car wash including undercarriage washes during winter months when possible. it has had every toyota and dealership recommended maintenance performed at the dealership.

The frame of the vehicle is rusted, the rust integrity may result in a steering failure.

Major frame rust could lead to safety issue. please look into this issue.

I purchased this vehicle new in 2005 in virginia. it has spent the last 13 years in north carolina where salt is rarely used on the roads. i occasionally take it on the beach but always fully spray the underbody with fresh water afterwards. about 2 yrs ago i started noticing severe rust near critical welds on the frame. i cleaned, primed and painted these areas the best i could could to try and slow down the rust. yesterday when getting tires mounted my mechanic told me the rust is getting to the point it is a safety issue. i'm getting ready to drive cross country the end of the month so this was not good news. i have maintained the truck meticulously and only have 130k miles on it. i find it hard to believe toyota has not addressed this problem. i can't afford a new truck and selling this one, though it looks and drives mint, will be difficult or impossible once the frame is inspected. i have never had a vehicle rust out like this though i owned many when i lived in the heavy salt using state of ny years ago. there is definitely a problem with these 4runners that toyota is failing to address, i just hope it doesn't decide to fail when i'm 2000 miles from home and driving 70 mph.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4 runner. while driving 40 mph, the vehicle veered left to right. the contact discovered that the stabilitizer bar failed. the vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the frame was rusted and needed to be replaced. the vehicle was not repaired. the manufacturer was notified of the failure. the failure mileage was 112,000. updated 02/18/16*lj *cn

There was no "frame rotting" selection so i just chose what i think is affected. major scaling on the inside. outside looks perfect. well, it seems that the inside rotted so bad that my inner frame rail on the passenger side near the rear track arm had almost rotted through. it is soft like a sponge, but yet the factory toyota frame paint held it together. poking it with my finger and it all crumbled revealing quite a few holes. hood also has a lot of little rusted parts. this didn't happen because of negligence of my part. i take good care of my cars and never had troubles like these with any other car brands.

On july 31, 2015 while traveling east on i-78 near easton pennsylvania at approximately 70 mph the steering wheel in my vehicle abruptly began to shake violently. i was fearful of loosing control of my vehicle. a subsequent inspection by tri-county toyota in royersford, pa to determine the cause of this malfunction revealed extensive rust damage to the frame of the vehicle. the dealer did not offer any remedy to correct the condition to make it safe for me to drive. via email i contacted the executive offices of toyota motor sales, usa. their representative did respond to me but did not offer me any resolution to correct this hazard. she did offer me a $1,500 "loyalty" offer towards the purchase of a new toyota. that response is not acceptable to me. this is clearly a design flaw with this vehicle that make them dangerous on the roads. there are other 4runner owners who have similar experiences with their vehicles. additionally, other toyota vehicles have been recalled for the same condition. my vehicle is in very good condition mechanically because i have diligently adhered to toyota's maintenance schedule. i regularly wash it so that neither the body nor the interior show any undue signs of wear. i am merely seeking reasonable remedy to this issue that was not caused by any fault of mine.

Suv under carriage is extremely rusted

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that the dashboard was peeling and coming apart. the contact was notified by the manufacturer of the potential defect according to a manufacturer's satisfaction campaign, but the part to do the repair was unavailable. the contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the repair. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the failure mileage was unknown.

Right front subframe has rust that has steadily gotten worse despite a 2nd attempt to grind rust off repaint and undercoat. this should not be happening on vehicle that has been meticulously maintained top to bottom including salt and grime removal consistently since purchased brand new . this us soon going to break resulting in vehicle not passing inspection. this should be rectified like the tacoma one picture us the side with holes and undercoating i have been fixing the other sife has no issue

Upon inspection of the frame i have found an excessive amount of rust. this concerns me in two ways, possible frame failure and loss of any value the truck may have. *tr

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4runner. the contact stated that there was extensive rust on the frame of the vehicle, which had completely rotted due to the failure. the frame was coated, but the failure continued. both dealers (sansone toyota, 90-100 us-1, avenel, nj 07001, (732) 815-0500 and bay ridge toyota, 6401 6th ave, brooklyn, ny 11220, (888) 995-2299) provided no solution and the vehicle was excluded from a manufacturer recall. the manufacturer was notified and stated that the vehicle was excluded from a manufacturer recall. the vin was unknown. the approximate failure mileage was 40,000.

Undercarriage (body) rust is continuing to worsen. this has been ongoing for several years. in fact when our 2003 toyota tacoma was recalled for this very same issue, i questioned why the 4runners were not part of the recall to my local toyota dealer and also headquarters. i did not receive favorable answers.

Corroded and rusty frames on most of these year toyota 4runners, including mine.

My 2005 4runner has considerable amount of rust on the frame that has been noticed both by myself and my mechanic my car sits on the same frame as a tacoma which has been recalled for defective frames however the 4runner has not been recalled and has numerous frame problems and complaints on file

Low mileage car and parts of the frame are falling a part. dealer refuses to service car as it is unsafe. toyota says they have no problems with the 4runners rusting just there trucks at this time...?

I own a 2005 toyota 4runner. the frame is rusting so severely that it may not pass inspection next year at this time. i live in pa. i have heard that toyota has acknowledged that they have had frame issues with the tacoma (same chasis), the early tundras (i own a recalled 2000 with same issue), sequoias (same chasis as tundra...... please tell me that the will recall my 4runner. i love the vehicle but the rust on the frame will kill it. *tr

Hello, i have a 2005 toyota 4runner with 57,000 and the frame is badly rusted with a hole in the subframe and toyota says there is no problem with the 4runner frames but does admit they have problems with the tacoma frames and the trucks share the same platforms. what can be done for an owner of a truck that has a frame that is falling apart but no rust on the body? the frames are poorly made and can give out. *tr

My 4 runner has extreme frame corrosion due to poor quality. the vehicle is now suffering numerous safety issues as a result. the frame is not repairable and the vehicle is unsafe to drive. it has less than 100,000 miles. the vehicle will not pass state inspection.

Tl* the contact owns a 2005 toyota 4 runner. the contact stated that the dashboard became cracked from the driver's side to the passenger's side area. the vehicle was not taken to a dealer. the manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. the vehicle was not repaired. the approximate failure and current mileage was 78,000. *tr