1994 Toyota 4Runner Engine Problems

A COUPLE OF YEARS AFTER PURCHASING THIS TOYOTA 4-RUNNER THERE WAS A RECALL DUE TO FAULTY HEAD GASKETS. THEY LEAKED. A RECALL WAS (SUPPOSEDLY) DONE. 100,000 MILES LATER THE SAME PROBLEM HAD TO BE FIXED AGAIN. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY WERE ONLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ONE FIX. THAT WOULD BE NICE IF THEY HAD ACTUALLY FIXED IT. A (FIX) IMPLIES THAT IT HAS BEEN REALLY FIXED. HEAD GASKETS ARE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAK . . . EVER! SO I AM WONDERING OF THEY REALLY ACCOMPLISHED A FIX THE FIRST TIME. OBVIOUSLY NOT SINCE IT COST ME $2000 TO GET IT FIXED AGAIN FOR THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. IF THEY DID ATTEMPT A FIX THEY CERTAINLY MUST HAVE USED INFERIOR OF DEFECTIVE PARTS SINCE THE SAME PROBLEM NEEDED TO BE FIXED AGAIN. I THINK THERE OUGHT TO BE A LAW THAT IF A RECALL (FIX) FAILS AND NEED TO BE DONE OVER THE MANUFACTURER SHOULD BE LIABLE FOR THE REDO. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID

10507426

Incident

Feb 15, 2012

Mileage

155,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A POPPING SOUND FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED AN ABNORMAL ODOR OF OIL. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND UPON EXITING, NOTICED A FLAME UNDER THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND REPORTED TO THE SCENE. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S HOME. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID

10452644

Incident

Mar 20, 2012

Mileage

100,000 mi

THIS IS A FAILURE THAT HAS NO EVENTS LEADING UP TO IT . I OWN A 1994 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE. THE HARMONIC BALANCER HAS BROKEN MORE THAN 3 TIMES ON THIS VEHICLE. IT SEEMS THAT THE KEY THAT FITS INTO THE SLOT ON THE CRANK SHAFT IS TOO SHORT. THE KEY THAT FITS INTO THE SLOT ALSO KEEPS THE HARMONIC BALANCER IN PLACE AS IT ALSO HAS A SLOT FOR THE KEY TO FIT INTO. WHEN THIS HAPPENS IT IS SUDDEN AND GIVES YOU LITTLE OR NO TIME TO REACT. ALL OF THE INSTRUMENT LIGHTS COME ON AT ONCE AND THE STEERING AND BRAKES FAIL CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. I HAVE SPOKEN WITH DOZENS OF MECHANICS AND TOYOTA OWNERS AND THEY ALL SAY THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THIS VEHICLE. THIS IS NOT ONLY A SAFETY HAZARD BUT ALSO A COSTLY REPAIR. THIS HAPPENED TO MY CAR AGAIN FOR THE FOURTH TIME RECENTLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10324604

Incident

Apr 7, 2010

Mileage

173,000 mi

ENGINE BLOWN HEAD GASKET CAUSED WATER TO LEAK INTO ENGINE CAUSING ENGINE FAILURE. TOYOTA REPAIRED UNDER RECALL SEVERAL YEARS AGO. NOW THE SAME PROBLEM OCCURRED AND NOW IT WILL COST ME $1,900.00 TO REPAIR THEIR POOR QUALITY, OR CRAFTSMANSHIP. WHY CAN'T WE GET TOYOTA TO WARRANTY THIS PROBLEM FOR THE LIFE OF THE CAR. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF POSTS REGARDING THIS MATTER, AND WE CANNOT GET FAIR RESULTS FROM ANYONE. MY FRIEND HAD TOYOTA OFFER HIM $500.00 TOWARDS THE PURCHASE OF A NEW TOYOTA, PRETTY FUNNY OFFER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10318293

Incident

Mar 8, 2010

Mileage

115,000 mi

BLOWN HEAD GASKET ON 1994 TOYATA 4RUNNER. 98K ON ENGINE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10268929

Incident

May 16, 2009

Mileage

98,000 mi

1994 4 RUNNER 4 WD STEERING CONTROL LOCKED UP WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER. *TS ***NAR*** THE CONSUMERS WIFE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE VEHICLE ROLLED OVER AN EMBANKMENT INTO A STREAM. THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TOTALED. *JB

NHTSA ID

10171200

Incident

Nov 27, 2005

I OWN A 94 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH A 3VZ-E MOTOR. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACE UNDER THE RECALL IN 1997 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 45000 MILES. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP JUST REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND NEVER RESURFACED THE HEADS. ON SEPTEMBER 20,2006 HEAD GASKET BLOW AGAIN.IT IS WELL KNOWN ABOUT THE DESIGN FLAW IN THIS MOTOR AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 90700 MILES ON THE MOTOR.I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD MY THAT THEY ONLY FIX IT ONE TIME. I ADVISED THEM THAT THEY NEVER FIXED THE FIRST HEAD GASKET CORRECTLY AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING THERE RECALLS CORRECTED IN A PROPER MANNER.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10169474

Incident

Sep 20, 2006

Mileage

90,700 mi

I OWN A 94 TOYOTA 4RUNNER AND A 94 TOYOTA SR5 PICKUP TRUCK. BACK IN '98 I RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE I BROUGHT BOTH MY VEHICLES TO FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA IN RESPONSE TO THE RECALL. THEY REPLACED THE HEAD GASKETS ON BOTH VEHICLES. RECALL NOTICE: A 3VZ-E HEAD GASKET REPLACEMENT JUNE 26, 1998 VEHICLE: TOYOTA TRUCK 4X4MILEAGE: 46,623 JULY 17, 1998 VEHICLE: TOYOTA 4RUNNERMILEAGE: 38,037 THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY 2006 OF THIS YEAR, MY TOYOTA PICKUP TRUCK BLEW A HEAD GASKET WHEN I CRANKED IT UP ONE AFTERNOON. DENSE SMOKE AND RADIATOR FLUID FLOWED FROM THE TAILPIPE AND THE ENGINE WAS VIBRATING.LESS THAN 12 HOURS AFTER THE HEAD GASKET BLEW IN MY PICKUP TRUCK, THE VERY NEXT MORNING I STARTED MY WIFE'S 4RUNNER TO MAKE A TRIP INTO TOWN. IMMEDIATELY WHEN I STARTED IT, DENSE SMOKE AND RADIATOR FLUID FLOWED FROM THE TAILPIPE AND THE ENGINE WAS VIBRATING EVEN WORST THAN BEFORE. I IMMEDIATELY TURN THE TRUCK OFF. TOYOTA OPENED A CASE# 200602060829. I WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CALL CHAN COLEMAN AT SANFORD TOYOTA AND TRY TO GET A SPECIAL PRICE. I CALLED CHAN AND WAS TOLD I WOULD NEED TO SPEAK WITH SOMEONE IN HIS SERVICE DEPARTMENT. HE TRANSFERRED ME TO SERVICE AND WAS QUOTED A PRICE OF $1,600 PER VEHICLE TO REPAIR. I HAD BOTH VEHICLES TOWED AND REPAIRED BY A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP. BELOW ARE THE DATES AND MILEAGE FOR THE REPAIRS. FEBRUARY 16, 2006 VEHICLE: TOYOTA TRUCK 4X4 MILEAGE: 120,000 FEBRUARY 4, 2006 VEHICLE: TOYOTA 4RUNNER MILEAGE: 102,000 I WAS TOLD BY THE MECHANIC AT THE LOCAL REPAIR SHOP THAT THE REASON THE HEAD GASKETS WERE BLOWING WAS BECAUSE OF A CASTING DESIGN FLAW WITH THE ENGINE HEADS AND NOT THE HEAD GASKETS. THE HEADS HAD DIMPLES WHICH OVER TIME WOULD CAUSE THE HEAD GASKET TO BLOW. THE HEADS ON BOTH MY VEHICLES HAD TO BE RESURFACED TO REMOVE THE DIMPLES. I CALLED TOYOTA WITH THIS INFORMATION BUT WAS TOLD THEY SHOW BOTH MY VEHICLES WERE FIXED IN ACCORDANCE TO THE RECALL AND IT IS A ONE TIME FIX ONLY AND THE OWNER NEEDS TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY AT SOME POINT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10157000

Incident

Feb 4, 2006

Mileage

102,000 mi

PROBLEM WITH 5 CYLINDER ENGINE ON 1994 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. *PH *MR

NHTSA ID

10059398

Mileage

75,000 mi

IN SHORT, I BROUGHT A 1994 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER WITH A WARRANTY BACK IN JUNE 2002 FROM POTAMKIN SPRINGFIELD AUTO WORLD. IN NOVEMBER 2003, THE TRUCK WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW. I HAD THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE PLUS OTHER REPAIRS AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO BE SERVICED WHENEVER THERE WAS A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS SITUATION. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR AND OF COURSE THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PART. I PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR NOT KNOWING THEN THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTED HEAD GASKETS ON THIS MODEL. I HAD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND GUESS WHAT, I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THIS MAY OF HAPPEN BEFORE ME BUT I KNOW THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS SOLD.*AK

NHTSA ID

10056929

Incident

Nov 28, 2003

Mileage

95,668 mi

UNDER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN# 54015, THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ON 5/15/2002 FOR THE SECOND TIME. ONE YEAR LATER THE ENGINE DIED. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE OIL NOT BEING CHANGED. THE CONSUMER SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY TAKEN FOR MAINTENANCE. *PH THERE WAS ENGINE NOISE. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10031726

Incident

Jun 2, 2003

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10017173

Incident

Mar 15, 2003

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

759701

Incident

Mar 20, 2002

CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN VEHICLE, MECHANIC REPLACED A DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSE UNDER THE AIR PLENUM CHAMBER.*JB

NHTSA ID

562570

Incident

Jul 18, 2000

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, PREVIOUSLY RECALLED ONCE AND REPAIRED 5/98 AT 53K MILES, BLOWN AGAIN AT 85K MILES, NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE. HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA - TOLD TO GO THROUGH DEALER THAT PERFORMED RECALL. HAVE CONTACTED REPAIR DEALER, NO RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME. *AK

NHTSA ID

740243

Incident

Jan 25, 2001

NO SUMMERY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

739816

NO EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAK AND CHECKED WITHIN ONE MONTH. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLE COMPLETED THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CAR WITH VERIFICATION. HEAD GASKETS CHANGED UNDER WARRANTY AS DIRECTED 1.5 YEARS PRIOR TO FAILURE. AT 60MPH, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND ENGINE SEIZED UP. DEALER NOTES THAT OIL PUMP FAILED ACUTELY DRIVING THE ROD THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AT ONLY 6 YEARS AND 80,000 MILES WITH FULL MAINTENANCE. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVER WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ON BUSY FREEWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

733286

Incident

Sep 30, 2000

DO TO WEAK MANUFACTURED MATERIAL LIQUID HEATS UP AND IT FLOWS OUT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.*AK

NHTSA ID

864397

WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1/2000, ON 6/1/2000, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A FAST-FOOD DRIVE-THROUGH I WAS STOPPED, I PRESSED ON THE GAS, THE ENGINECHECK LIGHT WENT ON, THE CAR QUIT AND A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR STATED THAT THE PISTON BLEW DUE TO THE BAD HEAD GASKET. THEY FOUND ANTI-FREEZE AND WATER IN THE ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON BEFORE THIS. THE TRUCK SHOWED NO SIGNS OF OVERHEATING BEFORE THIS. TWO MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY.*AK

NHTSA ID

723634

Incident

Jun 1, 2000

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN THEY WERE RECALLED ONCE ALREADY AND REPAIRED IN 12/1998 BY PREVIOUS OWNER. THEY HAVE BLOWN AGAIN ON 11/1999. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS RECALLED ONCE BY THEM. THEY STATED IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED ONCE FOR THE RECALL AND THAT WAS ALL THEY WOULD COVER. FOR ME TO CONTACT DEALER WHO REPAIRED IT (ANDRETTIS AIRPORT TOYOTA) I DID SO THEY WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH ME EITHER. I FEEL THAT SINCE IT WAS RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN THAT TOYOTA SHOULD STILL BE REPONSIBILE FOR CORRECTING BECAUSE IT IS UNDOUBTLY STILL DEFECTIVE. A REPAIR OF THAT COST SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 11 MONTHS. IT SHOULD NOT BE MY PLACE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT I HAVE TO. *AK

NHTSA ID

722287

Incident

Nov 15, 1999

FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET RESULTED IN POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION OF OIL, WHICH LEAD TO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ENGINE. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) MJS

NHTSA ID

550286

ENGINE OIL PAN DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE, THE OIL DOES NOT COMPLETELY DRAIN OUT DURING OIL CHANGES CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS

NHTSA ID

549347

OIL GAUGE READINGS WOULD FREQUENTLY DROP TO LOW DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. DEALER NOTIFIED SOON AFTER PURCHASE. OWNER WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IF NO EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE WAS NOTICED. FINALLY, ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA ID

537716

Incident

Jun 27, 1998

MOISTURE ENTERED THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILTY DUE TO THE THICK SMOKE WHICH CAME FROM THE ENGINE. *AK

NHTSA ID

819419

Incident

Nov 18, 1997

WHEN IN GEAR AND IN MOTION THE TRUCK STOPS. THE DEALER HAS SEEN IT 4 TIMES AND DOESNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS. *AK

NHTSA ID

813598