2005 Toyota 4Runner Tires & wheels Problems

The contact owns a 2005 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that the subframe was rusted. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who repaired the TPMS, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the frame was rusted and recommended that the vehicle no longer be driven. The mechanic referred the contact to the manufacturer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 200,948.

NHTSA ID

11560604

Incident

Dec 15, 2023

Mileage

200,948 mi

THESE TIRES ARE NOT SAFE. THEY DO NOT PROVIDE ADEQUATE TRACTION ON DRY OR WET SURFACES. THEY ARE EXTREMELY SLIPPERY AND DANGEROUS. THEY SPIN WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT ON BOTH DRY AND WET ROADS. I'VE HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES WHERE THEY'VE SPUN MY WHEELS OR CAUSED MY CAR TO FISHTAIL. YESTERDAY, THEY CAUSED A SERIOUS AND SCARY INCIDENT WITH MY SON IN THE CAR. WE WERE PUT IN A SITUATION WHERE WE COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED. WHILE TURNING LEFT AT A SIGNAL AT LOW SPEED THE TIRES SLIPPED AND CAUSED MY CAR TO GO SIDEWAYS IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS. AFTER THE LAST SLIDE MY CAR JUMPED A CURB AND WE ENDED UP IN A GRASS AREA ALONG THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE AND NOT OVER CORRECT THE WHEEL. WE WERE AT RISK OF HITTING A SPEED SIGN, HAVING OTHER CARS RUN INTO US OR RUNNING INTO OPPOSITE TRAFFIC. THESE TIRES SHOULD BE RECALLED! THEY ARE TBC THUNDERER R007S MADE BY TBC CORP.

NHTSA ID

11065275

Incident

Jan 25, 2018

Mileage

204,179 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER, EQUIPPED WITH COOPER DISCOVERER ATR TIRES, SIZE: 265/65/17. THE CONTACT WAS TRAVELING 55 MPH WHEN A VIBRATING SOUND EMITTED FROM THE TIRES. THE CONTACT CONFIRMED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE TIRE WAS FLAT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY TREAD SEPARATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 52,000.

NHTSA ID

10462228

Incident

Jun 15, 2012

Mileage

52,000 mi

THE CABLE ON THE SPARE TIRE LIFT MECHANISM FREYED AND BECAME STUCK. THE SPARE TIRE WOULD NOT COME DOWN ALL THE WAY. WHEN I DID GET IT DOWN, I INSPECTED THE CABLE AND IT WAS BADLY DAMAGED BY THE RETRACTION MECHANISM. CABLE COULD HAVE EASILY FAILED AND DROPPED THE SPARE TIRE ONTO THE ROAD WHILE DRIVING. TOYOTA HAS RECALLED A SIMILAR MECHANISM ON THE SIENNA MODEL, HOWEVER, THEY TOLD ME IT WAS NOT ON RECALL FOR THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER. FAILURE OF THAT CABLE ON THE EXPRESSWAY COULD CAUSE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. TOYOTA WANTS $250 TO REPLACE THE MECHANISM WHICH IS A POOR DESIGN AND WILL FAIL AGAIN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10435378

Incident

Nov 4, 2011

Mileage

119,230 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. THE CONTACT NOTICED A METAL CAP ATTACHED TO THE VALVE STEMS WAS FROZEN, PREVENTING HIM FROM REMOVING THEM. AS A RESULT, HE WAS UNABLE TO ADD AIR TO THE TIRES. THE CONTACT EXPRESSED CONCERN OVER POSSIBLY LOSING CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND CRASHING DUE TO THE TIRES BEING UNDER INFLATED. AN AUTHORIZED DEALER REFUSED TO REMOVE THE FROZEN CAPS AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE TIRE SENSORS WOULD FRACTURE IF THEY DID SO, AND HE WOULD BE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS GOING TO CONTACT THE DEALER ON THE CONTACT'S BEHALF. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 47,241.

NHTSA ID

10399561

Incident

May 9, 2011

Mileage

47,241 mi

I AM CONSTANTLY HAVING TO TAKE MY CAR INTO MY TIRE DEALER, BECAUSE THEY ARE LOSING TIRE PRESSURE, AND THE TPMS TIRE SENSOR INDICATOR IS SHOWING THE TIRES ARE LOW. I AM CONCERNED THAT THIS IS A SERIOUS DANGEROUS SITUATION. I FEEL TOYOTA SHOULD REPLACE THESES DEFECTIVE SENSORS AT NO CHARGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10389617

Incident

Oct 5, 2010

Mileage

50,000 mi

THE TPMS SENSORS ON MY 2005 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FAILED WHEN THE METAL VALVE STEM CAPS PROVIDED WITH THE CAR CORRODED TO THE VALVE STEM THREADS. THE VEHICLE HAD ROUGHLY 60K MILES ON IT WHEN THIS BEGAN TO OCCUR. I INQUIRED ABOUT THIS AT THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE ISSUE WAS CAUSED BY ROAD SALT AND THE METAL CAPS ON METAL VALVE STEM THREADS (DISSIMILAR METALS). I WAS ALSO TOLD THAT TOYOTA RECOGNIZED THE CAUSE OF THE ISSUE AS THE METAL CAPS AND REPLACED THEM WITH PLASTIC CAPS ON NEWER 4RUNNERS. THE DEALER WAS UNWILLING TO REPLACE THE TPMS SENSORS ON MY VEHICLE HOWEVER WITHOUT HAVING TO PAY FOR THE PARTS AND LABOR (~ $500 JOB). THE TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE HOTLINE TOLD ME THE SAME STORY ON TWO OCCASIONS. AFTER SEARCHING ON A TOYOTA 4RUNNER FORUM, I DISCOVERED THIS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM ON MANY 4RUNNERS. MY TPMS SENSORS WERE REPLACED WITH REGULAR VALVE STEMS BY A LOCAL TIRE SHOP, WHICH IS WHAT IS CURRENTLY ON MY VEHICLE. TO DATE, I HAVEN'T HAD AN ISSUE WITH THE TIRES AS I REGULAR MONITOR THE PRESSURE MANUALLY. I AM CONCERNED WITH THE ISSUE AND TOYOTA'S UNWILLINGNESS TO RECONCILE THE SAFETY CONCERN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326241

Incident

Jan 1, 2008

Mileage

60,000 mi

2005 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER SR 5 SPARE TIRE BRACKET/ HOLDER SEVERELY PREMATURELY RUSTED. DEALER UNABLE TO REMOVE SPARE TIRE. LUBRICANT APPLIED BY DEALER TO NO AVAIL. BRACKET/HOLDER DEFECT MAKES SPARE TIRE UNAVAILABLE FOR USE AND CAN LEAD TO BRACKET/HOLDER FAILURE. DEALER UNABLE TO REMEDY LEAVING VEHICLE OWNER WITH NO SPARE AND POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC EVENT WHILE VEHICLE IN USE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10326188

Incident

Apr 16, 2010

Mileage

38,000 mi

MY 05 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS PRESSURE MONITORS AND THE VALVE CORES CONTINUE TO LEAK AIR, MAKING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO DRIVE, SINCE THE TIRES ARE CONTINUOUSLY LOSING AIR AND GOING FLAT. HAVE TO CONSTANTLY BE STOPPING AND PUTTING MORE AIR IN THEM. TIRE SHOP SAYS THE STEMS HAVE TO BE REPLACED THROUGH TOYOTA, SINCE THEY ARE PART OF THE TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SAFETY SYSTEM. TOYOTA JUST PUTS AIR IN THEM AND SEND ME ON MY WAY. THIS HAS BEEN HAPPENING SINCE 07. EVEN WITH EXTENDED WARRANTY, THEY WILL NOT REPLACE THE STEMS. I JUST DO NOT DRIVE THE TOYOTA MUCH ANYMORE, SINCE I DO NOT THINK IT IS SAFE. I HAVE OTHER VEHICLES TO DRIVE. BUT WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SAFE VEHICLE AGAIN. I HAVE SPOKEN TO TOYOTA HQ AND THEY REFER ME BACK TO THE DEALER.. I DO NOT LIVE CLOSE TO THE DEALER, SEVERAL HOURS DRIVE TO GET THERE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10272635

Incident

Jun 8, 2007

Mileage

30,000 mi

TIRE STEM VALVE CAPS ARE UNABLE TO BE REMOVED DUE TO A DEFECT IN MANUFACTURING (ALL 4 TIRES PLUS THE SPARE). I AM UNABLE TO ADD OR REMOVE AIR FROM THE TIRES CAUSING A SAFETY HAZARD. THE MANUFACTURER ACKNOWLEDGES THE PROBLEM BUT REFUSES TO REPAIR OR REPLACE AT NO CHARGE. THE ONLY OPTION OFFERED BY THE MANUFACTURER IS THEY HAVE OFFERED TO BREAK THE PART OFF AND CHARGE US TO REPLACE IT (>$500 REPAIR). NO ACCIDENT HAS YET BEEN CAUSED. *TR

NHTSA ID

10243511

Incident

Sep 26, 2008

Mileage

66,540 mi

DRIVING WEST ON INTERSTATE 8 AT APPX 77 MPH; 60 MILES EAST OF YUMA WHEN RIGHT REAR TIRE SIDEWALL BLEW OUT. VEHICLE SWERVED SEVERELY BUT WAS MANAGEABLE. ROADWAY WAS DRY, 90 DEGREES F, NO DEBRIS, TIRE STILL IN OWNERS POSSESSION. *TR

NHTSA ID

10207303

Incident

Oct 27, 2007

Mileage

30,079 mi

I HAD JUST BEGUN ACCELERATION FROM A STOP SIGN WHEN I HEARD A NOISE AND THE 4RUNNER BECAME LOOSE ON THE BACK LEFT. IT WAS MAKING A NOISE LIKE I HAD NEVER HEARD BEFORE. I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AFTER ABOUT 100 YARDS. ON INSPECTION, THE SIDEWALL HAD BLOWN IN A STRAIGHT LINE FROM ABOUT 2 INCHES FROM THE RIM TOWARD THE TREAD CREATING A NEARLY STRAIGHT GASH THAT I COULD STICK MY ENTIRE HAND INTO. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO GOSCH TOYOTA (THE DEALER WHO SOLD ME THE VEHICLE 8 MONTHS AGO). THEY SAID THEY DO NOT TAKE CARE OF WARRANTY ISSUES WITH TIRES. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AMERICA'S TIRE AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT BRIDEGESTONE FOR WARRANTY AUTHORIZATION. BRIDGESTONE WAS NOT OPEN. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED TO TRY TO CALL THEM ON WEDNESDAY. *JB

NHTSA ID

10161344

Incident

Jul 3, 2006

Mileage

12,960 mi