2005 Toyota 4Runner Powertrain (other) Problems

I have a 2005 Toyota 4runner with frame rust that has caused everything under my 4runner to rust. Toyota knows these frames have problems with rust and corrosion and have done nothing, I am far from being the only one with this complaint or problem. It is up for inspection anytime. I have taken it to get work done at shops and been turned away because of the amount of rust on all bolts, lines, all metal under truck causing it to be a liability. I cant even get my skid plates off to fully address the issue. The metal is starting to split on the main frame by the tire, it is rotting from inside. Rust has always been there but last couple years has gotten really bad. So much rust my gas tank strap has broken but so much rust I cant get the skid plate off to fix it.

NHTSA ID

11737968

Incident

May 5, 2026

- The undercarriage and frame have had premature rusting for years. The car is otherwise in excellent condition due to my care of it over the last 20 years. 5 years ago, a service person at my local Toyota dealership said, "I'm really disappointed in Toyota, I've never seen rust like this." I have now recently been told by a local service shop that it's time to get a new car. The lines are all corroded for the power steering, etc, and he was unable to even "touch them," and said that the rust issue is no longer safe, and we shouldn't drive far from home. - We are now unable to drive the car much, as we live in the country and have far communities. With a [XXX] , we are unwilling to drive the car over 45 mph, or more than 10 miles for fear of an accident after reading about the manufacturing defect in this model of the 4-Runner. - It has not been inspected by the above stated people. - no warnings, I would not have know the vehicle had such severe premature rusting issues if it weren't for a service person telling me such. -My vehicle has under 140k miles on it, and I've taken exceptional care of it over the past 20 years. I could have sold it for 10k given its condition, and low mileage, but it is now likely worth nothing given the manufacturing defect which caused premature rusting. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11672178

Incident

Jun 1, 2025

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST AND UNDERBODY RUST. MOST WELD POINTS AND FRAME ASSEMBLY IS DEGRADING FROM RUST. TRANSMISSION COOLANT LINES HAVE CRACKED AND LEAKED.

NHTSA ID

11361581

Incident

Jul 1, 2020

EXCESSIVE UNDERBODY RUST, RUSTING FRAME JOINTS, AND ROTTING FRAME MEMBERS FROM THE INSIDE OUT.

NHTSA ID

11360357

Incident

Aug 31, 2017

Mileage

198,500 mi

VEHICLE HAS VERY EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST. HOLES THROUGHOUT ENTIRE FRAME MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE. RUSTING FROM THE INSIDE OUT DUE TO NEGLIGENCE ON TOYOTAS PART. THIS VEHICLE HAS THE SAME EXACT FRAME THAT WAS RECALLED ON THE TACOMAS, TUNDRAS AND SEQUOIAS. PLEASE TELL ME WHY THE 4RUNNER WAS LEFT OUT?

NHTSA ID

11321132

Incident

Apr 12, 2020

Mileage

130,000 mi

2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 WAS TAKEN INTO A CERTIFIED TOYOTA MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE UNDERCARRIAGE OF THE VEHICLE, NAMELY THE FRAME AND OTHER ASSOCIATED PARTS. HE WARNED THAT IT WOULD BE DIFFICULT TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE ON THE VEHICLE IF THE FRAME IS ROTTED THROUGH. THE VEHICLE WAS PUT ON A LIFT FOR INSPECTION.

NHTSA ID

11180197

Incident

Feb 13, 2019

Mileage

228,000 mi

THE REAR AXLE RUSTED SO BADLY THAT IT STARTED FLAKING APART. THE FRAME IS RUSTED SEVERELY IN THE AREAS WHERE THE REAR SUSPENSION COMPONENTS ATTACH. THE GAS TANK SKID PLATE RUSTED UNTIL IT BEGAN TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD AND ALL OF THE AREAS WHERE IT WAS BOLTED TO THE FRAME COMPLETELY RUSTED OUT. THE EXHAUST ALSO RUSTED THROUGH BEHIND THE MUFFLER CAUSING IT TO FALL OFF WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. THERE ARE HOLES IN MULTIPLE AREAS OF THE FRAME. I HAD TO GRIND,CHIP, AND WIRE BRUSH THE FRAME WITH THE VEHICLE ON JACK STANDS IN ORDER TO REPAINT EVERYTHING AND KEEP MY VEHICLE GOING. THIS TOOK OVER 100 HOURS OF LABOR JUST TO COMPETE. I ALSO HAD TO REPLACE THE EXHAUST AND THE GAS TANK SKID PLATE. ALL OF THE BOLTS FOR THE SKID PLATES ON THE BOTTOM OF THE VEHICLE WERE COMPLETELY RUSTED THROUGH AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED WITHOUT FALLING APART AND LEAVING HALF THE BOLT IN THE FRAME. THE XREAS SUSPENSION SYSTEM WHICH RUNS HYDRAULIC LINES AROUND THE FRAME ALSO RUSTED APART AND LEAKED FLUID ALL OVER EVERYTHING. THE BOLTS WERE ALL HEAVILY RUSTED AND COULD NOT BE REMOVED TO GET THE LINES OFF THE FRAME. THE FRAME ON THIS VEHICLE WAS NOT ADEQUATELY COATED TO PREVENT IT FROM RUSTING. THIS NEEDED TO BE DONE WITH APPROXIMATELY 100,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID

11141370

Incident

Nov 2, 2016

Mileage

100,000 mi

STSTIONARY REAR AXEL HOUSING RUSTED -LEAKING OIL-INFERIOR STEAL JUST LIKE THE FRAME THAT WAS REPLACED

NHTSA ID

10936399

Incident

Dec 12, 2016

Mileage

127,000 mi

EXCESIVE RUST UNDER BODY. EXHAUST SYSTEM AND FRAME.

NHTSA ID

10926250

Incident

Oct 4, 2005

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER. IN ADDITION, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CHECK ENGINE AND VSC WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTO STORE WHERE A TECHNICIAN PULLED UP DIAGNOSTIC TROUBLE CODES. THE CONTACT SPOKE WITH A LOCAL DEALER WHO STATED THAT, BASED ON THE CODES PROVIDED, THE VEHICLE WOULD BE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 05V123000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000.

NHTSA ID

10865106

Incident

May 15, 2016

Mileage

103,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHEN THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP, THERE WAS A TWO SECOND DELAY BEFORE THE VEHICLE JOLTED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT FELT AS THOUGH SOMEONE HAD REAR-ENDED THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND BECAME PROGRESSIVELY WORSE OVER TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE DRIVESHAFT WAS LUBRICATED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10819952

Incident

Nov 27, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

LOW MILEAGE CAR AND PARTS OF THE FRAME ARE FALLING A PART. DEALER REFUSES TO SERVICE CAR AS IT IS UNSAFE. TOYOTA SAYS THEY HAVE NO PROBLEMS WITH THE 4RUNNERS RUSTING JUST THERE TRUCKS AT THIS TIME...?

NHTSA ID

10726194

Incident

Sep 25, 2014

I HAVE A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER AND IT HAS A LOUD CLUNK IN THE DRIVETRAIN EVERY TIME I STOP.WHEN IT CLUNKS IT ALSO LUNGES FORWARD CAUSING A FEW CLOSE CALLS I HAVE ADDRESSED THIS ISSUE WITH TOYOTA AND THEY SAY IT IS A NORMAL OPERATING CHARACTERISTIC. THE PROBLEM OCCURS IN THE 03-06 4RUNNERS,TACOMAS AND LEXUS GX470 TOYOTA HAS A T.S.B ON THE LEXUS MODEL ONLY NOT THE TOYOTA 4RUNNERS OR TACOMAS WHICH MEANS AT LEAST TO ME THAT IT IS A DEFECT!!! I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THEIR IS NO TSB SO THEY CANT DO ANYTHING I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND GOT NO RESPONSE. IF THEY WILL FIX THE LEXUS VERSION WHY NOT THE TOYOTA VERSION??? *TR

NHTSA ID

10360552

Incident

Aug 27, 2009

Mileage

125,000 mi

2005 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER SPORT EDITION. HAD CAR PARKED IN DRIVEWAY. CAR WAS IN PARK WITH NO KEY IN THE IGNITION. 4-YEAR OLD CHILD CLIMBED INTO CAR AND PUT CAR GEAR-SHFT INTO NEUTRAL (NO KEY IN IGNITION AND FOOT WAS NOT ON BRAKE PEDAL). CAR ROLLED OUT OF DRIVEWAY INTO A BUSY ROAD. ANOTHER CAR NEARLY HIT THE 4-RUNNER. DRIVER OF OTHER VEHICLE STOPPED AND HALTED OTHER TRAFFIC BY HONKING THEIR HORN. OWNER OF 4-RUNNER HEARD HONKING, CAME OUT OF HOUSE AND FOUND 4-RUNNER SITTING ACROSS THE ROAD WITH THE 4-YEAR OLD CHILD STILL IN IT. CONDITION OF PUTTING 4-RUNNER INTO NEUTRAL WITHOUT KEY OR FOOT ON BRAKE PEDAL WAS TESTED SEVERAL MORE TIMES AND FOUND TO BE REPEATABLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10353624

Incident

Aug 28, 2010

Mileage

62,800 mi

WHEN BRINGING VEHICLE TO A STOP, THERE IS A VERY LOUD CLUNK THAT CAN BE PHYSICALLY FELT SHUDDERING THROUGH THE ENTIRE VEHICLE. MANY MANY TRIPS TO THE DEALER RESULTED IN NOTHING. THERE IS A TSB FOR THE LEXUS EQUIVALENT OF THE 4RUNNER WITH THIS PROBLEM. THIS MEANS THEY ADMIT THERE IS A PROBLEM, BUT REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT ON NON-LEXUS VEHICLES. UNACCEPTABLE. IF THE DRIVESHAFT IS IMPACTING THAT HARD EVERY TIME THE VEHICLE STOPS, IT IS A MATTER OF TIME BEFORE EXCESSIVE WEAR WILL CAUSE A SAFETY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10318809

Incident

Mar 9, 2010

Mileage

1 mi

WHEN COMING TO A STOP VEHICLE TENDS TO SHIFT INTO FIRST GEAR LATE, RIGHT AT STOPPING AND IT FEELS LIKE A BUMP OR SOMEONE HITTING YOU FROM BEHIND. THIS DEPENDS ON HOW FAST THE VEHICLE IS STOPPED. IF STOPPED FASTER, THE VEHICLE NEVER SHIFTS INTO FIRST GEAR AT STOPPING. AFTER THE BRAKE IS RELEASED THE VEHICLE FEELS AS IF SHIFTING FROM SECOND TO FIRST GEAR. MANUALLY DOWN SHIFTING THE VEHICLE IN ALL GEARS FEELS NORMAL EXCEPT FROM SECOND TO FIRST. THERE IS A HESITATION BETWEEN THESE GEARS, THE VEHICLE COAST AS IF IN NEUTRAL FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS THEN SHIFTS INTO FIRST GEAR. THIS WEBSITE ALSO DESCRIBES THE "BUMP" FEEL FROM OTHER OWNERS, SEARCH FOR "BUMP" HTTP://TOWNHALL-TALK.EDMUNDS.COM/DIRECT/VIEW/.F0DACC5/175. *TR

NHTSA ID

10314922

Incident

Feb 14, 2010

Mileage

100,000 mi

EVERY SO OFTEN MY 2005 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER WILL LURCH FORWARD AT A STOP. ITS LIKE THE VEHICLE IS BEING REARENDED. THIS OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING AND AT RANDOM TIMES DURING A TYPICAL DAY. THE TRANSMISSION WILL ALSO LOCK IN 4TH GEAR IF WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE THE VEHICLE SLOW SUDDENLY - THIS IS CORRECTED BY PULLING OFF THE INTERSTATE, SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE AND WAITING A FEW MOMENTS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10312726

Incident

Feb 22, 2010

1. HAPPENED SINCE ABOUT 15-20K MILES ON MY 2005 4RUNNER (I'M THE FIRST AND ONLY OWNER). 2. OCCURS WHEN COMING TO A STOP, LARGE CLUNK SOUND AND VEHICLE JOLTS FORWARD RIGHT AFTER A FULL STOP. 3. NOTHING HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT THE FAILURE. EACH TIME THE TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE TECH TAKES IT FOR A RIDE THEY CANNOT REPLICATE IT, I WENT ONCE AND WAS NOT ABLE TO REPLICATE IT AT THAT TIME. HOWEVER, THERE ARE NUMEROUS ONLINE FORUM DISCUSSIONS ABOUT THE ISSUE (SEE THIS ONE: HTTP://WWW.TUNDRASOLUTIONS.COM/FORUMS/4RUNNER/53302-4RUNNER-V8-CLUNK-IN-DRIVETRAIN/). APPARENTLY A RECALL FIX FOR THE LEXUS 470 (SAME AS A TOYOTA 4RUNNER LIKE MINE) HAS BEEN PROVIDED FOR LEXUS OWNERS BUT NOT FOR TOYOTA OWNERS. THE PARTS TO SOLVE THE ISSUE ARE IDENTICAL. TOYOTA DEALER SERVICE DEPARTMENT STATED UNLESS TOYOTA MOTOR CORP. ACTUALLY ISSUES A RECALL AND PROVIDES DETAILS ON A FIX, THEY ARE NOT ABLE TO DO ANYTHING SINCE WE CANNOT REPLICATE IT WHEN THEY ARE SERVICING MY 4RUNNER. *TR

NHTSA ID

10289044

Incident

Jan 1, 2007

Mileage

15,000 mi

SEVERAL TIMES A DAY WHEN I COME TO A STOP IN MY 2005 4RUNNER I HEAR A CLUNK AND IT FEELS LIKE SOMEONE HAS JUST REAR ENDED ME. THIS HAS HAPPENED SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE AND IS GETTING WORSE. LEXUS HAS A TSB FOR THIS EXACT SAME COMPLAINT YET TOYOTA PRODUCTS DO NOT. WHY IS THAT? TSB#DL002-07. *TR

NHTSA ID

10265472

Incident

Mar 10, 2009

DRIVESHAFT CLUNKS AFTER COMING TO A STOP ALSO ON ACCELERATION FROM A STOP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10247702

Incident

Jun 5, 2008

Mileage

30,000 mi

IN GENERAL, WHEN I PULL UP TO A STOP I SOMETIMES FEEL A CLUNK. THEN, WHEN I START AGAIN, IT FEELS LIKE THE BRAKE RELEASE IS DELAYED WITH ANOTHER CLUNK. THERE'S A FEW LEXUS GX470 OWNERS (SAME ENGINE AND DRIVETRAIN AS 4RUNNER) THAT ARE COMPLAINING AT OTHER SITES. I'VE BEEN TOLD THE TWO PIECE DRIVESHAFT GETS AIR COMPRESSED INSIDE, AND WHEN THE COMPRESSION LEAKS OUT, YOU GET THE CLUNK. LEXUS IS APPARENTLY FIXING THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10206146

Incident

Oct 17, 2007

Mileage

34,090 mi

WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS DRIVING 35 MPH IN HER 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER A BOOK SLID INTO THE SHIFTER KNOB AND KNOCKED IT OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO REVERSE. *NM ON TWO MORE OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED ON A RAMP LIKE HILL AT A STOP LIGHT, THE CONSUMERS FOOT WAS OFF THE BRAKE, AND BEFORE THE CONSUMER COULD APPLY THE GAS A LOUD CLANKING NOISE FOLLOWED BY A RATCHETING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE DRIFTED BACKWARDS. *SC THE CONSUMER TEST DROVE ANOTHER VEHICLE AND THE SAME NOISE WAS HEARD, THE MECHANIC ALSO HEARD THE NOISE BUT STATED IT WAS NORMAL AND WAS NOT SURE OF THE SEVERITY OF IT. *JB

NHTSA ID

10115560

Incident

Mar 1, 2005