Owner-reported complaints naming the other system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1997 Toyota 4Runner submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
THE REAR END PART THAT CONNECTS TO FRAME BROKE FREE FROM WELD ON FRAME CAUSED SERIOUS SWEARVING ON ROAD AT 65 MPH MY KIDS WERE SCARED TO DEATH COULD OF CAUSED A ROLL OVER BUT KEPT IT ON ROAD
WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. THE CONSUMER THINKS THE INCIDENT HAPPENED DUE TO THE FAILURE TO TIGHTEN THE LUG NUTS AFTER CHANGING THE BRAKES. *TC
ON FEB 24 2004 I WAS ADVISED BY ANDREW TOYOTA (GLENDALE WI) THAT I AGAIN NEEDED TO REPLACE BOTH REAR AXLE SEALS AND REAR BRAKES (DUE TO LEAKAGE) ON MY 1997 4RUNNER. THREE PRIOR TIMES, I HAVE REPLACED THE REAR AXLE SEALS AND REAR BRAKES ON THIS 4RUNNER SINCE 2001: 1. MAR 7, 2001-MILEAGE 71,411. 2. DEC 18, 2001-MILEAGE 83,044. 3. NOV 14, 2002-MILEAGE 90303 I PROVIDED DEALER WITH COPIES OF NHTSA PRINTOUTS SHOWING OTHERS' IDENTICAL PROBLEMS WITH THIS YEAR/MODEL 4RUNNER, BUT , OF COURSE, SERVICE MAGAGER AT DEALER DUANE DOMAGALSKI SAID HE AND TOYOTA REP (BEAUMONT) DO NOT THINK THERE IS A PROBLEM. AND, SINCE IT'S OUT THE WARRANTY PERIOD THERE WASNT ANYTHING THEY COULD DO FOR ME. THEY GAVE ME THE IMPRESSION, REPEATEDLY, THAT TOYOTA COULD NOT CARE LESS ABOUT THE NHTSA OR ABOUT PEOPLES' COMPLAINTS, AND THAT IF THE DOT THOUGHT THERE WAS A PROBLEM DOT WOULD ISSUE A RECALL! LEAKING AXLE SEALS MAKE MY REAR BRAKES LESS EFFICIENT AND THIS IS A REAL SAFETY CONCERN. DEALER AND TOYOTA SEEMED ANNOYED THAT I WOULD DARE TO COMPLAIN ABOUT THE 4RUNNER REAR AXLE SEALS. *AK
MY DAUGHTER WAS INVOLVED IN A ROLLOVER ACCIDENT WITH A 1997 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. SHE WAS EJECTED FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE POLICE HAVE EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST THAT SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT. I HAVE TAKEN THE VEHICLE IN TO TOYOTA TWICE TO REPLACE THE REAR SUSPENSION FOR A TOYOTA RECALL. BOTH BEFORE THE RECALL AND AFTER THE RECALL THE REAR END WAS SAGGING AND WAS NOT STABLE. IT IS MY OPINION THAT THE SEAT BELT WAS DEFECTIVE AND THE REAR SUSPENSION WAS DEFECTIVE. BOTH CONDITIONS CONTRIBUTED TO HER DEATH. *NLM IN SPEAKING WITH INVESTIGATIVE SHERIFF THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 38-51 MPH WHEN THE VEHICLE DROVE OFF AN EMBANKMENT. THE VEHICLE ROLLED 2-3 TIMES DOWN A 50-70 FOOT DROP. THE DRIVER'S SEAT WAS DAMAGED REARWARD AND THE DRIVER SLID OUT OF THE SEAT BECAUSE OF THIS DAMAGE. UPON INSPECTION THE SEAT BELT WAS STILL FASTENED. THE INVESTIGATIVE OFFICER STATED THAT DUE TO THE SEVERITY OF THE CRASH AND DAMAGE TO THE SEAT THE DRIVER WAS EJECTED FROM THE DRIVER'S SIDE REAR WINDOW. THERE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE A VEHICLE DEFECT WITH THE SEAT BELT OR SEAT. CW
CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND WITH NO WARNING THE DISC BRAKES HAND LOCKED UP ON THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS
FRONT END OF VEHICLE SHAKES EXCESSIVELY AT SPEEDS OVER 65. AT 80 MILES PER HOUR VEHICLE IS CLOSE TO BEING UNCONTROLLABLE BECAUSE THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF TRUCK SHAKES VIOLENTLY. REPORTED TO DEALER DURING FIRST MONTH OF OWNERSHIP (PENSKE TOYOTA, DOWNEY). DEALER TESTED VEHICLE AND STATED THAT ALL HIGH VEHICLES SHAKE AT HIGH SPEEDS. VEHICLE STILL SHAKING AT HIGH SPEEDS. TOOK VEHICLE TO LONGO TOYOTA FOR 15,000 MILE CHECKUP. NEEDED TWO NEW FRONT TIRES AND WHEEL ALIGNMENT. LONGO REPLACED TIRES FREE OF CHARGE BECAUSE I HAD PROOF OF MY PREVIOUS COMPLAINT AND PROOF THAT PENSKE DID NOTHING TO CORRECT PROBLEM. PROBLEM CORRECTED FOR A FEW MILES THEN STARTED AGAIN. RETURNED TO LONGO TOYOTA IN EL MONTE AND REPORTED PROBLEM AGAIN AND WAS TOLD TIRES NEEDED AIR PRESSURE CHANGED. PROBLEM CONTINUED AND ON NEXT VISIT WAS TOLD TIRES NEEDED ROTATING THAT THEY ARE WEARING UNEVENLY. PROBLEM CONTINUED AND REPORTED AGAIN TO LONGO TOYOTA AND WAS TOLD THAT ALL VEHICLES SHOULD HAVE ALIGNMENT CHECKED EVERY THOUSAND MILES. THIS ANSWER ANGERED ME AND I GAVE UP ON TRYING TO HAVE THE PROBLEM CORRECTED. AT PRESENT, THE TIRES ARE WORN EXCESSIVELY ON ONE SIDE AND DEALER TELLS ME THAT I NEED NEW TIRES. I KNOW I NEED NEW TIRES BUT WHAT I NEED FIRST IS THE PROBLEM WITH THE ALIGNMENT CORRECTED TO PREVENT THE SHAKING AND UNEVEN WEAR.
DRIVER WENT TO CHANGE A FLAT TIRE WITH FACTORY JACK WHICH DID NOT GO HIGH ENOUGH. ALSO, IT BENT AND BROKE, CAUSING IT TO FALL ,LANDING AND DAMAGING ROTOR AND AXLE OF THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE. *AK
MY TOYOTA VIBRATES AS THOUGH IT HAS A WHEEL BALANCE PROBLEM WHEN IT'S DRIVEN BETWEEN 58 AND 65 MPH. MULTIPLE "REBALANCES" AND 3 SETS OF NEW TIRES HAVE NOT FIXED IT. I'VE READ ACCOUNTS OF "DRIVELINE RUNOUT" CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. DEALER HAS ALIGNED THE VEHICLE AND I'VE HAD TIRES BALANCED MANY TIMES TO NO AVAIL. THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN GOING ON SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS NEW.
WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 50-55 MPH AND MAKING A RIGHT TURN, THE RIM ON THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPLIT IN HALF. THE TIRE REMAINED INTACT. DRIVER ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE WHEN THIS HAPPENED. A NOISE WAS HEARD WHENEVER MAKING RIGHT TURNS ABOUT 3 MONTHS OR MORE BEFORE THIS HAPPENED. THE TRUCK IS BEING INSPECTED BY THE DEALERSHIP. *AK
JACK THAT IS SUPPLIED WITH VEHICLE IS INSUFFICIENT FOR THE SIZE OF TIRES.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
Data on this page last refreshed .