1998 Toyota 4Runner Brakes Problems

I WAS IN REVERSE AND A JOLT AND POP OCCURRED IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WHERE MY SON WAS SEATED. HE FELT IT AT HIS FEET AND ALL OTHER PASSENGERS HEARD AND FELT A JOLT. WHEN I RETURNED HOME I CRAWLED UNDER THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED RUST AND STRESS CRACKS ON THE INSIDE OF THE REAR PASSENGER TORSION BAR.WHILE APPLYING PRESSURE WITH MY TWO FINGERS I PUSHED THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME RAIL. THE VEHICLE IS NOT ROAD WORTHY. MY BRAKING PROBLEM OCCURS WHEN I HAVE TO STOP SUDDENLY IN SNOW OR EXTREME WET ROAD SURFACES THERE IS A METAL GRINDING AN NO BRAKES. WHEN THIS OCCURS IN SNOW I WAS IN 4WHEEL HIGH. I HAD NO BRAKES SO I PUT THE VEHICLE IN 2 WHEEL AND HAD BRAKES. IN RAIN I PUMPED THE BRAKES UNTIL I WAS ABLE TO GET BRAKES. ALL DRIVING BRAKES OCCURRED AT 35 MPH IN CITY DRIVING WITH NO ONE IN FRONT OF ME.

NHTSA ID

10861150

Incident

Apr 23, 2016

Mileage

218,206 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 35 MPH WHEN THE BRAKES WERE DEPRESSED BUT DID NOT HOLD AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES YET THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED FOR THE INCIDENT AND THE CONTACT RECEIVED A CITATION FOR THE CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BY THE CONTACTS INSURANCE COMPANY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000. UPDATED 05/18/11

NHTSA ID

10395186

Incident

Mar 31, 2011

Mileage

130,000 mi

I AM AN OWNER OF A TOYOTA 4 RUNNER (1998), AND CERTAINLY A SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS WITH THIS VEHICLE. IF DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL IN AN EMERGENCY (HARDER THAN NORMAL OPERATIONS), THE REAR SEAL (PASSENGER SIDE) WILL BREAK, LEAVING ONLY THREE (3) WHEELS BRAKES TO STOP THE VEHICLE. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH REAR SEALS AT 68K MILES. AGAIN AT 105KMILES THE SAME ISSUE. I STRONGLY BELIEVED THAT THE TOYOTA REAR SEAL IS NOT WITHIN SPECIFICATION OF THE PRESSURE DELIVERED TO THE BRAKE LINES. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS MATTER, SINCE A SAFETY ISSUE EXISTS. *TR THANKS

NHTSA ID

10292994

Incident

May 14, 2009

Mileage

100,300 mi

I LOVE MY 1998 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER SR5 - BUT I HATE THE EXPENSE OF THE BRAKING SYSTEM. IN THE 5 YEARS THAT I HAVE OWNED MY VEHICLE I HAVE HAD TO COMPLETELY REPLACE THE ENTIRE BRAKING SYSTEM PADS, ROTORS, DRUMS, CABLES ETC FOUR TIMES. IT IS NEVER JUST THE PADS. EVERY SINGLE TIME I'VE TAKEN IT IN FOR A BRAKE INSPECTION - THEY ALWAYS NEED TO MACHINE THE ROTORS. AND, NO IT IS NOT MY DRIVING ABILITY. EACH TIME I HAVE HAD TO PAY FOR THIS VERY EXPENSIVE REPAIR (400-600) THE MECHANICS ALWAYS SAY THE SAME THING - "WE SEE THIS ALL THE TIME ON THESE 4WD 4-RUNNERS - THEY JUST DON'T DESIGN THE BRAKING SYSTEMS PROPERLY FOR THIS TYPE OF TRUCK". TWICE I HAVE RUN OFF THE ROAD IN ORDER TO AVOID HITTING SOMEONE IN FRONT OF ME BECAUSE OF COMPLETE FAILURE, ONCE WHILE ONLY GOING 20 MPH. TOYOTA TACOMA'S APPEAR TO NOT HAVE THIS TYPE OF PROBLEM - I THINK AFTER THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN BRAKE SYSTEM REPAIRS AND TWO VERY NEAR ACCIDENTS - SOMEONE AT TOYOTA SHOULD EVALUATE THIS BRAKING SYSTEM AND EITHER OFFER AN ALTERNATIVE OR OFFER A WARNING TO POTENTIAL BUYERS. *NM

NHTSA ID

10179153

Incident

Jan 10, 2007

Mileage

142,650 mi

WITHIN YEAR ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, UNDER WARRANTY. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALERSHIP WAS DUE TO BRAKING EXCESSIVELY DURING RAIN ON LONG DOWNHILL RUN. SUGGESTED TO GEAR DOWN WHICH I NOW DO. SITUATION DID NOT REPEAT EXCEPT THAT I NOW INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCE SIMILAR "PULSATING" WHILE BRAKING. WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER REPAIR SERVICE THAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO REPLACE ROTORS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10164617

Incident

Sep 1, 1998

WHILE COMING DOWN A HILL, STEERING WHEEL BEGAN TO SHAKE TO THE POINT WHERE IT FELT LIKE THERE COULD BE AN ACCIDENT. CONSUMER THINKS THIS MIGHT BE A PROBLEM ALSO WITH OTHER AUTOMOBILES. *AK CONSUMER BELIVED THE FRONT ROTORS ARE THE PROBLEM.*YH

NHTSA ID

8016774

Incident

Oct 15, 2001

WHILE DRIVING AND APPLYING BRAKES THEY TOTALLY FAILED, AND PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR, CAUSING LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID

8009576

FRONT BRAKE VIBRATION. 2ND FAILURE DUE TO WARPED ROTORS. *AK

NHTSA ID

747376

Incident

Nov 18, 1999

BRAKE ROTORS HAVE BEEN REPLACED 6 TIMES DUE TO WARPING. DEALERSHIP INFORMED CONSUMER THAT DEFECT WAS DUE TO DRIVING HABITS OF HIS WIFE. *AK

NHTSA ID

889448

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

BRAKES BECOME SOFT AND PARKING BRAKE HAS INCREASED NUMBER OF CLICKS TO TIGHTEN-THIS HAS OCCURRED AT APPROX 11,000 AND AGAIN AT APPROX 18,000 MILES; TOOK TO DEALER AT APPROX 11,800 INITIALLY WITH THIS COMPLAINT AND THEY ONLY INSPECTED BRAKES (NO ADJUSTMENT)AND SAID BRAKES LOOK ALMOST BRAND NEW. I HAD TO RETURN TO DEALER AND HAVE SHOP FOREMAN DRIVE THE TRUCK WHO THEN TOLD MECHANIC TO ADJUST BRAKES. ONCE AGAIN I AM NOTICING BRAKES ARE SOFT AND PARKING BRAKE TAKES MORE CLICKS TO TIGHTEN (APPROX 18,000). I CONTACTED ANOTHER DEALER WHO TOLD ME THAT THIS IS EXPECTED WITH TOYOTA 4 RUNNERS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE SELF ADJUSTING BRAKES. HE SAID THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE BRAKES CHECKED AND ADJUSTED IF NECESSARY EVERY 5000 MILES (AT AN EXTRA CHARGE OF 30.00 DOLLARS). I EXPLAINED THAT THEY GO OUT OF ADJUSTMENT VERY QUICKLY AND NOT AT EXACTLY EVERY 5000 MILES, THEREFORE THE DEALER WOULD NOT ADJUST THEM UNTIL I HAVE A PROBLEM AGAIN WHICH MEANS I AM SPENDING TIME AND MONEY (BESIDES THE EXPECTED 5000 MILE OIL CHANGE/ROTATE TIRES) WITH A PROBLEM I FEEL MAY NOT BE NORMAL FOR A $32,000 DOLLAR TRUCK AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER WARANTEE OR AT LEAST DESCRIBED AS A COMMON NECESSITY TO CUSTOMERS BEFORE PURCHASE( NOWHERE IN THE OWNERS MANUAL DOES IT STATE THAT BRAKES WILL NEED ADJUSTMENT FREQUENTLY DUE TO NOT SELF ADJUSTING).

NHTSA ID

725522

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

NHTSA ID

717208

Incident

Dec 1, 1998

REAR BRAKE LIGHT FAILED. NLM

NHTSA ID

606330

Incident

Nov 1, 1998

HAD VEHICLE IN REVERSE & USING BRAKES HEARD LOUD CLICKING/GRINDING NOISES. TOOK TO DEALER. *AK

NHTSA ID

832009

Incident

Nov 2, 1998

WHEN DRIVING ON WET PAVEMENT THE ABS LIGHT KEEP COMING ON, AND THE BRAKE LIGHT COMES ON NON-EMERGENCY SITUATIONS WHEN COMING TO A STOP. ALSO, WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES THEY DON'T SLOW THE VEHICLE DOWN FAST ENOUGH, CAUSING VEHICLE TO LOSE CONTROL, ALMOST HITTING OTHER VEHICLES. CONSUMER CAN HEAR THE BRAKES MOVING BACKWARD AND FORWARD, AND THE DEALER CAN'T DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

830188

Incident

Oct 12, 1998