1997 Toyota 4Runner Engine Problems

THE VEHICLE HAD A BAD MUFFLER IN IT SO I TOOK INTO TO THE MUFFLER SHOP AND AS THEY FIXED THE MUFFLER THEY FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE FRAME OF THE CAR IS RUSTED OUT. THERE ARE SEVERAL HOLES IN THE FRAME. I DRIVE MY CHILDREN IN THIS CAR EVERYDAY ( 4 YEARS OLD AND 1 YEAR OLD) CAR IS NOT SAFE AND I AM CURRENTLY OUT A VEHICLE AND CANNOT AFFORD ANOTHER ONE. STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A SOLUTION. THE ENTIRE FRAME IS DAMAGED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10572601

Incident

Mar 5, 2014

Mileage

177,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. SHE STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 35MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF. SHE PULLED OVER AND NOTICED THAT THERE WAS A SMOKE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE . SHE ALSO STATED THAT ALL THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED IN THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL. THE GROUND WIRES WERE BURNT AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO HER RESIDENCE. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALLS AND THAT THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED AND THEY STATED THAT IT WAS THE COMPUTER THAT SHORTED OUT, THERE WERE NO REPAIRS DONE TO THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 195942.

NHTSA ID

10317080

Incident

Jan 1, 2010

Mileage

195,942 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT THE SPEED LIMIT (60 MPH), THE VEHICLE SURGED/JOLTED FORWARD PULLING TO THE RIGHT. I WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF VEHICLE CAUSING ME TO MERGE INTO THE DIRECTION OF A TRACTOR TRAILER. I TRIED TO TURN AWAY FROM TRACTOR TRAILER TO AVOID COLLISION. MY VEHICLE HIT THE REAR TIRE OF THE TRACTOR TRAILER AND I BEGAN TO SWERVE OUT OF CONTROL. MY BRAKES DIDN'T SEEM TO HELP EITHER, THEY DIDN'T FUNCTION. THIS RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE ROLLING OVER 3+ TIMES, THE CAR WAS TOTALED. ALL PASSENGERS WERE HOSPITALIZED BUT NO OTHER VEHICLES OR PEOPLE WERE HURT FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY CONCERN IS REGARDING THE PERIODIC ENGINE SURGE AND/OR JOLTING AND LACK OF BRAKE CONTROL. THIS IS A SAFETY HAZARD THAT MUST BE ADDRESSED IN ORDER TO AVOID FUTURE INCIDENTS. WE WERE VERY LUCKY TO HAVE NOT BEEN KILLED IN THIS AUTO ACCIDENT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10276395

Incident

May 25, 2009

WHILE DRIVING HEAD GASKET BLEW OUT. DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM , BUT DID NOT RESOLVE IT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10091799

Incident

Jul 28, 2004

Mileage

130,000 mi

I HAVE MAINTAINED THE 4 RUNNER'S RECORDS SINCE MY PURCHASE NEW IN 12/96. THEY CLAIM I DID NOT CHANGE OIL FOR A LONG TIME AND CAUSED ENGINE SLUDGE. MECHANIC SAID IT IS VERY SIMILAR TO SETTLEMENT BELOW. TOYOTA OIL SLUDGE FACED WITH A CONSUMER REVOLT OVER LOW MILEAGE ENGINE FAILURES CAUSED BY OIL SLUDGE BUILDUP, TOYOTA HAS BEGUN TO NOTIFY 3.3 MILLION OWNERS OF 1997-2002 TOYOTA AND LEXUS VEHICLES WITH 3.0-LITER IMZ V-6 ENGINES AND ALL 1997-2001 TOYOTA VEHICLES WITH 5SFE 2.2-LITER 4-CYLINDER ENGINES THAT IT WILL COVER THE COST OF SLUDGE-RELATED REPAIRS FOR EIGHT YEARS FROM DATE OF INITIAL SALE. WHETHER THIS WILL SATISFY THE THOUSANDS OF TOYOTA AND LEXUS OWNERS WHO HAVE ALREADY SUFFERED ENGINE FAILURE REMAINS TO BE SEEN BECAUSE TOYOTA'S SPECIAL POLICY FALLS SHORT OF AN EXPRESS WARRANTY. TOYOTA MODIFIED V-6 ENGINES MADE AFTER JULY 2001 BUT HAS NOT RECALLED THE EARLIER ENGINES. THE 2.2L 4-CYLINDER HAS BEEN DROPPED.

NHTSA ID

10070837

Incident

Sep 15, 2003

Mileage

107,700 mi

ENGINE STOP RUNNING, BECAUSE OF SLUG BUILD UP IN 4 RUNNER ENGINE 1997. OTHER CARS IN THE TOYOTA LINE HAVE SAME PROBLEM AND THEY ARE FIXING THE ENGINE FOR FREE, BUT NOT THE 4 RUNNER. THEY HAVE 3 MODELS THAT ARE DOING THE SAME THING, THE ENGINE ARE SLUGGING UP AND CAUSE ENGINE FAILURE. THEY SAID THIS MODEL DOES NOT FALL IN THAT LINE, AND WILL COST ME $9,000 TO FIX, BUT FIRST THEY QUOTE ME $5000. THE OIL HAS BEEN CHANGED EVERY 3000 MILES OR SO, NOT ALL BY THE DEALER. THE DEALER SEEN THIS PROBLEM WITH MY VEHICLE AND DID NOT SAY ANYTHING TO ME UNTIL IT WAS TO LATE AND NOT REVERSIBLE, TO GET MONEY OUT OF THE CONSUMER. I HAD 3 OTHER CARS WITH WHERE HONDA'S AND THEY NEVER HAD THIS PROBLEM, AND TWO OF THOSE HONDA'S HAD OVER 200,000 MILES AND THE OIL WAS CHANGED AT THE SAME INTERVALS AS THE 4 RUNNER. DO YOU THINK THE CONSUMERS HAVE THAT KIND OF MONEY TO FIXED SOMETHING LIKE THIS. $9000 FOR A REBUILT ENGINE, YOU CAN BUY A USED VERY GOOD HONDA FOR THIS PRICE. THIS CAR STILL HAVE A LEAN ON IT. TOYOTA'S SUPPOSE TO BE GOOD CARS, WITH BAD ENGINES. ALL MY PROBLEMS START WHEN I TOOK MY CAR IN FOR A RECALL ON SHOCKS AND AFTER THAT THE ENGINE START LEAKING OIL AND SMOKING WHEN I STARTED THE ENGINE. THE DEALER DID SOMETHING TO MY CAR AND NOW I HAVE TO PAY FOR IT???????????? *NLM

NHTSA ID

10018500

Incident

May 2, 2003

Mileage

101,658 mi

PREMATURE FAILURE OF HEAD GASKETS, TOYOTA REFUSED TO COVER REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

750950

Incident

Aug 17, 2001

CAR ENGINE SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. ALSO, POWER STEERING BECAME VERY HEAVY AND SLOW, AND POWER BRAKES NO LONGER WORKED. *AK

NHTSA ID

717030

Incident

Dec 27, 1999

SLOWED VEHICLE DOWN TO MAKE A RIGHT TURN AND VEHICLE STALLED.

NHTSA ID

535896

Incident

May 16, 1998

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY THE ENGINE STALLED AFTER OWNER APPLIED THE BRAKES. DEALER HAS NOT SEEN VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

822816

Incident

Apr 26, 1998

INTERMITTENT STALLING. *AK

NHTSA ID

533381

Incident

Jan 1, 1997

WHILE SLOWING DOWN AFTER DRIVING ABOUT 40MPH, THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. OWNER STATES THAT ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH CAME ON PRIOR TO STALLING. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURERWERE NOTIFIED. OWNER HAS FILED A CLAIM WITH THE BBB (BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU). *AK

NHTSA ID

821949

Incident

Feb 26, 1998

BLOWN ENGINE GASKET CAUSED COOLANT TO LEAK AND ENGINE TO OVERHEAT.

NHTSA ID

531376

Incident

Jan 18, 1998

BLOWN HEAD GASKET.

NHTSA ID

529531

Incident

Jan 18, 1998