2000 Toyota 4Runner Body & structure Problems

The frame is rusted almost in half a mechanic said it's not safe to drive it will kill someone. The car lot that is selling me the car said he can fix it but it's being held together by welds and c foam. He wants me to still pay for it. I've complained about not being able to drive over 45 without swaying badly and they keep doing stuff to it saying it's fixed and it's not. It's to dangerous to drive. I have a video of underneath but it won't let me upload it

NHTSA ID

11549059

Incident

Oct 1, 2023

The frame rusted and is available for inspection. My daughter was driving our 2000 Toyota 4Runner SR5 which I purchased new in 2000 when she noticed the truck started to wobble when she hit small bumps. I drove it to the garage the next day which is 2 miles from my house. It was doing the same for me. My mechanic went to put it up on the lift, he noticed that the frame rusted out. There was nothing he can do at this point. There are many complaints of the same issues with the 2000 Toyota 4Runners with the frames rusting out. If she was driving on the highway, this could have been a lot worse and possibly someone seriously injured or death. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the frame rusting out. The only one to inspect it was my mechanic.

NHTSA ID

11475964

Incident

Jul 14, 2022

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while at a local mechanic he was informed that the sub frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was diagnosed but not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11428584

Incident

Aug 10, 2021

Mileage

140,000 mi

Frame on passenger side (front,left) is rotted. While I was driving on the highway I almost got in an accident because the frame gave out. Now I’m out of car and I don’t want to pay but I’m going to have to thousands of dollars to get the frame fixed. That’s money I don’t have as I am a recent college student trying to pay of his loans.

NHTSA ID

11426516

Incident

Jun 25, 2021

I REPORTED A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE SEVERAL YEARS AGO WITH A DEFECTIVE FRAME WELD ON MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, WHICH CAUSED MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL SUPPORT TO SEPARATE FROM THE FRAME WHILE DRIVING AT 55-60 MPH. THIS CAUSED A SEVERE, UNEXPECTED SWAYING OF THE VEHICLE BACK AND FORTH AND ALMOST COMPLETE LOSS OF CONTROL

NHTSA ID

11402715

Incident

Feb 2, 2017

Mileage

100,000 mi

FRAME IS RUSTED COMPLETELY AND UNSAFE WHICH IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM PLEASE HELP WAS DRIVING HOME CITY STREET

NHTSA ID

11390918

Incident

Jan 12, 2021

TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AND HEARD A "POP." VEHICLE STARTED SWERVING BADLY -- TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. REAR END WAGGING HORRIFICALLY NEARLY HITTING CARS IN OTHER LANES. MANAGED TO GET TO SHOULDER BUT COULDNT SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. GOT VEHICLE OFF AT EXIT AND TO GARAGE. WAS TOLD FRAME SNAPPED AND REAR END CONTROL ARM NO LONGER ATTACHED REAR END TO FRAME. FRAME ROT EXTENSIVE. SCARY AS HELL. NO OTHER RUST ON VEHICLE. THOUGHT VEHICLE WOULD FLIP!

NHTSA ID

11377765

Incident

Oct 7, 2020

Mileage

185,000 mi

VEHICLE STARTED HANDLING POORLY. I HAD RECENTLY REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS AND THOUGHT I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT DONE. BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO POINTED OUT THAT MY REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM BRAKCET ON THE PASSENGER HAD ROTTED AND BROKEN, CAUSING THE SQUIRRELY HANDLING. SHORTLY AFTER, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~70MPH, I HEARD A CLUNK AND THE TAIL END OF THE TRUCK STARTED JUMPING/SWERVING. TOOK BACK ROADS HOME AND ASSESSED THE PROBLEM. LO AND BEHOLD MY DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BRACKET ENCOUNTERED THE SAME FATE. ROTTED AND BROKEN. MY VEHICLE'S FIRST OWNER WAS IN MINNESOTA BUT SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN TEXAS WHERE THERE IS NO SALT ON THE ROADS. I'VE DONE WHAT I CAN TO SEAL AND PREVENT FURTHER RUST ON THE FRAME AFTER PURCHASE AND YET THIS STILL HAPPENS? MY TRUCK IS NO LONGER DRIVE-ABLE AS IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO HAVE MY REAR AXLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME. SO UNTIL I CAN MANAGE TO 1) FIND SOMEONE WILLING TO WELD MY FRAME 2) PAY FOR SUCH A SERVICE I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE... I PAID $2000 FOR THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AGO WITH ONLY 170K MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11349063

Incident

Aug 12, 2020

Mileage

200,000 mi

RUST AND HOLES IN THE FRAME. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329714

Incident

Jun 1, 2020

Mileage

170,000 mi

AS I STARTED TO ACCELERATE AT A BUSY INTERSECTION, MY 4RUNNER STARTED TO JOLT AND ONCE IT BEGAN MOVING IT STARTED A SWERVE MOTION. IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO STOP AS WELL. NO INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON TO WARN ME OF ANY PROBLEM WHILE I WAS ABOUT TO ENTER THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. SO I TURNED OFF THE ROAD. I BROUGHT THE TRUCK TO MY MECHANIC WHO STATED THE FRAME HAD BROKEN LOOSE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THIS WAS NOT DUE TO WEAR AND TEAR, BUT IT WAS IN HIS PROFESSIONAL OPINION A MANUFACTURING RUST DEFECT. HE SAID THIS SHOULD HAVE NEVER HAPPENED. I DON'T HAVE IMAGES AT THE TIME I'M WRITING THIS REPORT BECAUSE MY 4RUNNER IS AT THE SERVICE GARAGE, HOWEVER I CAN FURNISH IMAGES UPON REQUEST.

NHTSA ID

11317137

Incident

Feb 29, 2020

FRAME IS REALLY RUSTING BAD AS IS THE CASE WITH 100S OF OTHER 4RUNNERS. T4R.ORG WILL SHOW HUNDRED UPON HUNDREDS OF COMPLAINTS OF THIS. MY TRUCK ONLY HAS 99K MILES AND THE FRAME IS ALMOST COMPLETELY WRECKED. THIS HAS BEEN AN ISSUE ON THESE TRUCKS FOR YEARS AND NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS IT'S A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE!

NHTSA ID

11307381

Incident

Feb 5, 2020

Mileage

99,200 mi

2000 4RUNNER WITH FRAME RUST/ROT, REAR PASSENGER SIDE RAILING ARM FELL OFF. LUCKY I WAS NOT DRIVING FAST ON A HIGHWAY, IT WAS JUST A SLOW SPEED STREET. TOOK TO TWO FRAME SHOPS, ONE SAID WOULD NOT WORK ON IT SINCE IT'S SO BAD. OTHER SAYS I NEED A NEW FRAME COSTING ABOUT $3400. BODY IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. MY DAD'S 1984 GM BLAZER FRAME IS STILL SOLID AND HAVE A LOT THICKER FRAME!

NHTSA ID

11300361

Incident

Dec 26, 2019

Mileage

10 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THAT THE FRAME WAS CORRODED WITH HOLES. THE CONTACT ALSO FOUND THAT THE REAR CONTROL ARM WAS CORRODED. THE CONTACT WAS UNSURE IF THE VEHICLE COULD BE REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONCTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED AND REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 194,000. *JB

NHTSA ID

11244434

Incident

Jan 1, 2017

Mileage

194,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING SERVICED, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME HAD EXCESSIVE CORROSION AND WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. ON SOME SECTIONS OF THE SUBFRAME, THERE WERE THREE INCH HOLES. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER AND DEALER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 201,000.

NHTSA ID

11233094

Incident

Jul 18, 2019

Mileage

201,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE CHANING THE BRAKES, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. ADDITIONALLY, WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE REAR FRAME DETTACHED. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT CALLED FRED ANDERSON TOYOTA OF ASHEVILLE (777 BREVA ROAD, ASHEVILLE, NC 28806, (828) 585-5825) AND NOTIFIED THEM OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 1907010686. NO FURTHER ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 217,957.

NHTSA ID

11230034

Incident

May 9, 2019

Mileage

217,957 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, A POPPING NOISE WAS HEARD UNDER THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE ERRONEOUSLY PULLED TO THE RIGHT. UPON INSPECTION, THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE SUBFRAME WAS SEVERELY RUSTED AND CORRODED, WHICH CAUSED A SUPPORT BAR TO FRACTURE IN HALF. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE LOCAL DEALER (GREENS TOYOTA OF LEXINGTON, 630 E. NEW CIRCLE RD, LEXINGTON, KY) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

NHTSA ID

11220003

Incident

Mar 1, 2019

Mileage

130,000 mi

FRAME IS EXCESSIVELY RUSTY AND SEVERELY CRACKED, RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. IT BECAME APPARENT WHEN VEHICLE BEGAN TO SWAY DANGEROUSLY WHILE DRIVING STRAIGHT ON THE HIGHWAY AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. SLOWING DOWN DID NOT HELP REDUCE SWAY. SWAY WAS SO EXCESSIVE THAT THE KEYS IN THE IGNITION WERE FORCEFULLY BANGING AGAINST STEERING COLUMN, AND STOPPING DRIVING IMMEDIATELY WAS NECESSARY TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING OVER. FRAME IS CRACKED ON BOTH SIDES, ONE SIDE SEVERELY. PHOTOS INCLUDED.

NHTSA ID

11210672

Incident

Mar 20, 2019

Mileage

199,000 mi

"RUSTED FRAME", MY 2000 4RUNNER SUFFERED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WHEN THE FRAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE REAR CONTROL LINK SUPPORT BRACKETS WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL. WE COULD NOT DRIVE VEHICLE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A GARAGE. WE ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE FRAME CAN BE REPAIRED NOT. I CALLED A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY A RECALL ON PICKUP TRUCKS OF THESE YEARS AND NOT 4RUNNERS. THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR A GOOD PORTION OF ITS LIFE. I RELIGIOUSLY WASH MY UNDERCARRIAGE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS IN PA. I HAVE OWNED 11 TOYOTAS IN MY DRIVING LIFE, I AM 55. SEVERAL OF MY VEHICLES WENT OVER 300,000 MILES AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A FRAME RUSTING PROBLEM UP UNTIL THIS ONE. THE BODY ON THIS TRUCK DOES NOT HAVE A SPECK OF RUST ANYWHERE BUT THE FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING. I FIND IT SAD THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE AND FIX THEM.

NHTSA ID

11205008

Incident

Apr 27, 2019

Mileage

210,000 mi

"RUSTED FRAME", MY 2000 4RUNNER SUFFERED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WHEN THE FRAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE REAR CONTROL LINK SUPPORT BRACKETS WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE BECAME UNSTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL. WE COULD NOT DRIVE VEHICLE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A GARAGE. WE ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE FRAME CAN BE REPAIRED NOT. I CALLED A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY A RECALL ON PICKUP TRUCKS OF THESE YEARS AND NOT 4RUNNERS. THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR A GOOD PORTION OF ITS LIFE. I RELIGIOUSLY WASH MY UNDERCARRIAGE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS IN PA. I HAVE OWNED 11 TOYOTAS IN MY DRIVING LIFE, I AM 55. SEVERAL OF MY VEHICLES WENT OVER 300,000 MILES AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A FRAME RUSTING PROBLEM UP UNTIL THIS ONE. THE BODY ON THIS TRUCK DOES NOT HAVE A SPECK OF RUST ANYWHERE BUT THE FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING. I FIND IT SAD THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE AND FIX THEM.

NHTSA ID

11204965

Incident

Apr 27, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

"RUSTED FRAME" MY 2000 4RUNNER SUFFERED STRUCTURAL DAMAGE WHEN THE FRAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE REAR CONTROL LINK SUPPORT BRACKETS WHILE DRIVING. THE REAR OF THE VEHILE BECAME UNSTABLE AND HARD TO CONTROL. WE COULD NOT DRIVE VEHICLE AND HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED TO A GARAGE. WE ARE TRYING TO DETERMINE IF THE FRAME CAN BE REPAIRED NOT. I CALLED A TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE AND THEY WOULD NOT HELP BECAUSE THERE WAS ONLY A RECALL ON PICKUP TRUCKS OF THESE YEARS AND NOT 4RUNNERS. THIS IS A VEHICLE THAT WAS GARAGE KEPT FOR A GOOD PORTION OF ITS LIFE. I RELIGIOUSLY WASH MY UNDERCARRIAGE THROUGHOUT THE WINTER MONTHS IN PA. I HAVE OWNED 11 TOYOTAS IN MY DRIVING LIFE, I AM 55. SEVERAL OF MY VEHICLES WENT OVER 300,000 MILES AND I HAVE NEVER HAD A FRAME RUSTING PROBLEM UP UNTILL THIS ONE. THE BODY ON THIS TRUCK DOES NOT HAVE A SPECK OF RUST ANYWHERE BUT THE FRAME IS DISINTEGRATING. I FIND IT SAD THAT TOYOTA WILL NOT ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THESE AND FIX THEM.

NHTSA ID

11204951

Incident

Apr 27, 2019

Mileage

200,000 mi

THIS IS A VERY WELL KNOWN ISSUE, MY FRAME ON MY 2000 4RUNNER IS COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT, MY SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED AND BROKE WHILE DRIVING. THERE ARE MANY MANY MANY CASES OF THE 3RD GEN 4RUNNERS RUSTING OUT, A SIMPLE GOOGLE SEARCH YIELDS PAGES AND PAGES OF CORROSION TO FRAMES. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AS OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES IN THIS AGE GROU HAS RECALLS FOR FRAMES.

NHTSA ID

11204058

Incident

Jan 15, 2019

Mileage

155,000 mi

MAJOR RUST/CORROSION ON INSIDE RIGHT FRAME RAIL EXTENDING FROM FRONT SECTION OF VEHICLE'S FRAME TO REAR FRAME. THE FRAME SUPPORTS NEAR TRANSFER CASE AND THE RIGHT REAR CONTROL ARM POSE A SERIOUS RISK OF DETACHMENT. REAR RIGHT CONTROL ARM FAILURE COULD RESULT IN SERIOUS CRASH OR INJURY AT CITY OR HIGHWAY SPEEDS. RUST HAS EATEN THROUGH MOST OF THE RIGHT FRAME RAIL WITH LARGE HOLES. NO ACTION BEING TAKEN BY TOYOTA, NO SHOP WANTS TO REPAIR.

NHTSA ID

11192622

Incident

Dec 2, 2017

Mileage

195,000 mi

THE FRAME ON MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER IS RUSTED OUT ON ONE SIDE OF IT, IT WAS JUST THE SIDE, BUT NOW THERE IS RUST HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF IT AS WELL. THIS IS A VERY BIG ISSUE AND COULD END UP TOTALING MY TRUCK IF I'M NOT WILLING TO SPEND THOUSANDS ON A NEW FRAME/REPAIR. THESE 4RUNNERS ARE KNOWN FOR BEING RELIABLE, BUT ALSO FOR TERRIBLY MADE FRAMES, AND I HAVE RUN INTO THAT UNFORTUNATE CASE. PLEASE ACTUALLY LOOK INTO RECALLING AND REPLACING THESE FRAMES, I KNOW MANY OTHER PEOPLE WITH THIS SAME ISSUE, AND IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE WHY OTHER TRUCKS EXCEPT FOR THE 4RUNNER WERE RECALLED. EVERYONE WITH ONE OF THESE MODELS WOULD GREATLY APPRECIATE A RECALL ON THESE FRAMES. THANK YOU, [XXX] (DO NOT HAVE A SPECIFIC PHOTO OF THE RUST ON FRAME, BUT I DO HAVE ONE OF THE RUST ON THE BODY, JUST TO GIVE YOU AN UNDERSTANDING, THE FRAME IS WAY MORE SEVERE THOUGH) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

11192315

Incident

Sep 3, 2015

Mileage

200,000 mi

FRAME RUST THERE ARE AREAS WHERE THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH. THIS IS RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT AND IT'S BEEN TOLD TO ME IT WAS DUE TO TOYOTA NOT RUST PROOFING THE INSIDE OF THE FRAMES OR COATING THEM AT ALL.

NHTSA ID

11190182

Incident

Mar 20, 2019

Mileage

177,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED TWO SLIPPED DISCS IN THE LOWER BACK, A BRUISED LIVER, A FRACTURED VERTEBRAE, AND THREE MISSING TEETH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

NHTSA ID

11183172

Incident

Jan 19, 2019

Mileage

98,000 mi