2002 Toyota 4Runner Body & structure Problems

Frame rot

NHTSA ID

11531971

Incident

Jul 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while inspecting underneath the vehicle, he noticed that there was a hole in the subframe and that the subframe and sway bar were corroded. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ID

11522804

Incident

May 18, 2023

Mileage

160,000 mi

Frame is excessively rusted. The recall that already exists for this issue only covers certain frames from Japan made with this steel. However, the same frames were imported to America and a large percentage of 4Runners were made with the same steel and didn’t receive a recall. Mine is one of them.

NHTSA ID

11482461

Incident

Aug 23, 2021

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH through a slight right curve, the vehicle independently shifted from side to side without warning nearly causing the vehicle to flip. The contact had an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle and the mechanic discovered severe corrosion throughout the entire subframe of the vehicle. The mechanic informed him that the entire subframe needed to be replaced to ensure safe driving. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

NHTSA ID

11461138

Incident

Mar 18, 2022

Mileage

115,000 mi

Premature rusted frame throughout, vehicle is garaged and well maintained 117,000 miles on my 2002 Toyota 4Runner. Auto body specialist estimates $3k-$4k to restore, at least.

NHTSA ID

11451258

Incident

Jan 1, 2019

Frame and rear passenger control arm bracket, rotted out .only there, 2 nd time this has happened, same spot but on my previous 2001 4runner

NHTSA ID

11443916

Incident

Apr 17, 2021

Had vehicle inspected on Oct. 1 ,2021 for road trip to North Carolina from Washington, DC. Was informed that my vehicle is unsafe by the automotive shop (name withheld) due to [rusting] frame front suspension components' threads rusted off on bolts that hold suspension, control arms, and shocks on both front and rear areas + body of vehicle located where shocks bolt to the body. I also had two other shops (names withheld) assess the state of the frame and suspension + and was told that the vehicle has maybe 1 year or so until the frame falls apart. Given I am the original owner, have gargage-kept my vehicle, have very low-mileage - 74,000 miles, and have maintained the vehicle immaculately and am aware of rusting problems with other Toyota [truck] frames, etc. this seems to be a defect in the manufacturing process. I know there have been recalls on Toyota's other trucks due to Toyota's failure to add [enough?] rust inhibitor/preventative to the molten steel when forming the frame for many models of their trucks.

NHTSA ID

11438485

Incident

Oct 14, 2021

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that while receiving routine maintenance repair on the vehicle, the independent mechanic informed the contact that the subframe was rusted. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.

NHTSA ID

11431008

Incident

Aug 26, 2021

Mileage

136,000 mi

After having my 4 runner in for routine maintenance, my mechanic informed me that my frame was in bad condition and rusting through. Doubtful it has a year left and he advised me to junk it as fast as I can. 180;000 miles - so much for Toyota’s lasting a long time.

NHTSA ID

11424088

Incident

Jun 16, 2021

FRAME IS SHOWING EXCESSIVE RUST ALL OVER, A KNOWN PROBLEMS WITH 4RUNNERS AND TOYOTA TRUCKS. AUTO REPAIR SHOP SAYS VEHICLE PROBABLY HAS ONLY 1 YEAR OF LIFE LEFT BEFORE UNSAFE AND UNDRIVABLE. CAR HAS ONLY 100000 MILES ON IT, 1998 4RUNNER WE HAD MADE IT TO 250000 MILES- UNACCEPTABLE.

NHTSA ID

11413734

Incident

Apr 6, 2021

Mileage

100,000 mi

I RECENTLY HAD MY VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE AND TO GET NEW TIRES. WHILE ON THE LIFT, THE MECHANIC POINTED OUT TO ME THAT THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER'S SIDE IS BEGINNING TO RUST THROUGH. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AND AS I HAVE RESEARCHED POSSIBLE REPAIRS, IT APPEARS THAT THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS YEAR AND MODEL. THIS SHOULD BE RECALLED.

NHTSA ID

11405965

Incident

Mar 30, 2021

Mileage

278,000 mi

THE FRAME IS RUSTED OUT AND IS MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO BE ON THE ROAD. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THIS FRAME, IT'S ALREADY BEEN RECALLED ON THE TOYOTA TACOMA AND IT'S THE SAME IDENTICAL FRAME. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN RECALLED YEARS AGO. JUST MAKING A NORMAL TURN ON A BEND IN THE ROAD MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE UNDER CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11403610

Incident

Oct 12, 2019

Mileage

202,000 mi

EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. HAVE HEARD OF OTHER TOYOTAS FROM THE SAME TIME THAT WERE RECALLED BUT NOT THE 4RUNNER EVEN THOUGH IT SUFFERS THE SAME ISSUES.

NHTSA ID

11399712

Incident

Mar 2, 2021

Mileage

149,000 mi

2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, ORIGINAL OWNER WITH ONLY 110,900 ORIGINAL MILES ON IT! VEHICLE HAS SEVERE RUST/ROT DAMAGE TO PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE FRAME. EXTENDS FROM MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER TO REAR CROSS MEMBER. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY. REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY SOON, AS I'M STARTING TO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70+ MPH). THANK YOU!

NHTSA ID

11361721

Incident

Sep 16, 2019

Mileage

110,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT BECAME AWARE THAT THE SUBFRAME UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE SUBFRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE REPAIR WAS STILL PENDING. TOYOTA OF LINCOLN PARK (1561 N FREMONT ST, CHICAGO, IL 60642) WAS CONTACTED BY PHONE AND INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 120,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11322518

Incident

Jan 8, 2020

Mileage

120,000 mi

RUST/ROT DAMAGE TO PASSENGER SIDE FRAME. EXTENDS FROM MIDDLE CROSS MEMBER TO REAR CROSS MEMBER. ALSO SIGNIFICANT RUST DAMAGE TO REAR SHOCK MOUNTS. FAILED INSPECTION AS A RESULT. THE REST OF THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION AND WELL MAINTAINED. SAFETY ISSUE FOR MY FAMILY.

NHTSA ID

11311971

Incident

Feb 24, 2020

Mileage

232,000 mi

VEHICLE HAS 188,400 MILES, RUNS FLAWLESSLY. BOUGHT 2005, 45K MILES,TOYOTA DEALER CERTIFIED USED SUV. ROTTED THRU REAR TRANSFER CASE 3 YRS AGO, REPLACED FROM A WRECK. SEVERE PROGRESSIVE ENTIRE FRAME RUST/ROT NOTED IN YEARLY PA INSPECTIONS, NOW CANT PASS INSPECTION & PILLARS ALMOST ROTTED THRU..UNSAFE TO DRIVE. EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED CANT PULL TRAILER SAILBOAT & M'CYCLES, NOW SITS IN DRIVEWAY USELESS.

NHTSA ID

11217338

Incident

Jan 1, 2016

Mileage

184,000 mi

I PURCHASED THE 2002 4RUNNER IN 2014. AT THAT TIME, THE 4RUNNER ONLY HAD 79,000 MILES AND HAD BEEN CARED FOR METICULOUSLY. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN FOR ROUTINE SERVICE OVER THE PAST 5 YEARS. UPON TAKING THE 4RUNNER IN DUE TO A VIBRATION AND CHECK OF THE DIFFERENTIAL, THE MECHANIC CALLED ME IN TO LOOK AT THE FRAME WHILE IT WAS UP ON THE LIFT. BELOW IN THE ATTACHED PHOTOS, THERE IS EXTENSIVE RUSTING OF THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL, AXLE AND FRAME. THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND THE ISSUE WAS FOUND DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE. THE RUSTED FRAME AND DIFFERENTIAL HAVE RENDERED THIS VEHICLE PRACTICALLY VALUELESS AND UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID

11217310

Incident

May 24, 2019

Mileage

128,000 mi

VERY EXCESSIVE RUSTING AND CORROSION ON THE FRAME NEAR WHERE THE LEADING ARM ATTACHES ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. HOLE HAS DEVELOPED VERY QUICKLY, ONLY IN THE SPAN OF A COUPLE YEARS. WHEN GOING AROUND LEFT CORNER >15MPH, A CLUNKING NOISE CAN BE HEARD FROM THE PROBLEM AREA. VERY OCCASIONALLY A SIMILAR NOISE CAN BE HEARD WHEN GOING THROUGH RIGHT TURNS. VEHICLE HAS SPENT MOST OF ITS LIFE IN SOUTHERN MINNESOTA, ALTHOUGH SOME TIME HAS BEEN SPENT IN SOUTH FLORIDA. REPAIR WILL BE NECESSARY SOON, AS I'M STARTING TO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING LONG DISTANCES OR AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (70+ MPH). THANK YOU, HAVE A NICE DAY. *TR

NHTSA ID

11209402

Incident

May 20, 2019

Mileage

220,000 mi

RIGHT FRAME RAIL IS VERY RUSTED TO THE POINT OF NON REPAIR. UNABLE TO REPAIR SUSPENSION DUE TO UNABLE TO REMOVE BOLTS THAT HOLD SUSPENSION TO FRAME.

NHTSA ID

11208039

Incident

May 13, 2019

WE PURCHASED A 4RUNNER FOR OUR 18 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER TO DRIVE THINKING IT WOULD BE SAFE, ESP IN MN. SHE WAS DRIVING HOME FROM COLLEGE (130 MILES) AND NOTICED IT HAD A BAD VIBRATION, ESPECIALLY OVER 40 MPH. IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. WE WERE OUT OF TOWN AND WHEN WE GOT BACK, BROUGHT IT TO THE SHOP, ONLY TO BE TOLD THE FRAME WAS RESPONDED BEYOND REPAIR (SEE PHOTOS). NOT ONLY DOES THAT SCARE ME FOR MY DAUGHTER, BUT SHE HAS BEEN DRIVING IT A FEW YEARS AND HAD FRIENDS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS IN THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAS RELATIVELY LOW MILES FOR IT'S AGE AND BASED ON TOYOTAS REPUTATION OF LONGEVITY, WE NEVER EXPECTED THIS SORT OF ISSUE. WE'RE THANKFUL SHE WASN'T HURT, BUT ARE CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS DRIVING A VEHICLE AND NOT KNOWING IT COULD LITERALLY BREAK IN HALF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD!

NHTSA ID

11196149

Incident

Mar 8, 2019

Mileage

140,000 mi

THE FRAME OF THIS 4RUNNER HAS BEEN EXPERIENCING EXCESSIVE RUST SINCE THE TIME I GOT IT USED FROM A DEALER. ONCE THEIR UNDERCOATING WORE OFF, MY MECHANIC REPLACED RUSTED UP BRAKE LINES BACK ABOUT 9 YEARS AGO. HE SAID IT WAS BECAUSE THE FRAME WAS VERY RUSTY AND THEY DID A NEW RUST TREATMENT. FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS I HAVE BEEN BATTLING ISSUES RELATED TO THE FRAME. A PLATE WAS PUT IN TO STRENGTHEN AN AREA. IT ONLY HAS 164K ON IT, I REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION AT 125K, AND THE BODY IS IN GOOD SHAPE. JUST THAT THE RUST IS SPREADING EVERYWHERE UNDERNEATH. WE TRIED TO GET IT ADDRESSED IN THE PREVIOUS TOYOTA FRAME RECALL BUT IT WAS NOT FOR THIS AGE FOR WHATEVER REASON. EVERY REPAIR HAS BEEN MORE DIFFICULT DUE TO RUSTING BOLTS, MUFFLERS RUSTING EARLY, BRAKE LINES BUSTING DUE TO RUST, THE TOW HITCH RUSTED THROUGH. NOW THERE IS A GAPING HOLE IN THE REAR SIDE OF THE FRAME SUPPORTING THE CAB. AFTER BEING UNDER THE CAR TRYING TO SCRAPE RUST OFF, AND TO PUT SOME RUST RESTORE/PROTECTION, I SAW THE NEW HOLE AND GOT FED UP. SO I SEE YOU ARE NOW INVESTIGATING THIS YEAR 4RUNNER TO ADD TO THEIR RECALL. PLEASE...DO! SOMETHING SERIOUS COULD HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING IT AND IT WILL JUST STAY MOSTLY PARKED UNTIL THIS IS RESOLVED. BRAKE FAILURE WHEN MY SON WAS DRIVING WAS ALREADY SCARY ENOUGH. THANK YOU.

NHTSA ID

11194759

Incident

Jun 15, 2016

Mileage

145,000 mi

VEHICLE FRAME HAS CORRODED, FRACTURED ESPECIALLY ON PASSENGER REAR OF VEHICLE. MANY HOLES ALONG FRAME. WAS HEARING LOUD THUNKING IN REAR OF VEHICLE TOOK IT IN FOR A VISUAL INSPECTION AND FOUND THE ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11193162

Incident

Apr 1, 2019

Mileage

215,000 mi

I WAS DOING AN OIL CHANGE AND NOTICED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED VERY BADLY . I THINK THAT THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL ON THIS MODEL 3RD GEN 4RUNNER (1999-2002)THIS IS THE SAME FRAME AS THE TRUCK THAT WAS RECALLED ,SO THIS SHOULD BE INCLUDED .IF THIS FRAME BREAKS IT WILL HURT OR KILL SOME ONE .

NHTSA ID

11187330

Incident

Mar 11, 2019

Mileage

199,432 mi

FIRST, THE MOTOR BLEW FOR NO REASON AT 152,000 MILES. I REBUILT THE CAR AND HAD A NEW MOTOR PUT IN. I WAS NOT AWARE OF THE RUSTING FRAME ISSUE, HOWEVER, AFTER DRIVING THE VEHICLE WITH A LOVELY NEW REBUILT MOTOR FOR ABOUT ONE YEAR, THE FRAME ROTTED BEYOND REPAIR CAUSING THE POWER STEERING TO GO OUT. I DON'T DRIVE MUCH, SO THERE WAS NO EXCESSIVE EXPOSURE TO SALT. THE CAR WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT WAS AN EXCEPTIONALLY COLD DAY. I STARTED THE VEHICLE AND FOUND THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD FROZEN AND LOST ALL THE FLUID AS A RESULT OF THE STEERING RACK BEING RUSTED AND WEAKENED. THE REPAIR SHOP TOLD ME THAT THE FRAME AND ROCKER PANELS ARE SEVERELY COMPROMISED TOO BADLY TO BOTHER FIXING THE STEERING RACK. THE CAR IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.

NHTSA ID

11185623

Incident

Feb 15, 2019

Mileage

158,000 mi