2008 Toyota 4Runner Body & structure Problems

The contact owns a 2008 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle for the State Inspection, he was informed that the vehicle could not be inspected due to severe subframe corrosion. The contact stated that her son, an independent mechanic, later determined that the entire subframe and suspension of the vehicle were severely corroded. The contact stated that the vehicle was undrivable. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 83,600.

NHTSA ID

11495789

Incident

Nov 25, 2022

Mileage

83,600 mi

I'm experiencing major frame rust mainly at the crossbeams and all over the frame. Metal is literally crumbling away if I touch if. I don't even want to remove the rust to prepare for anti-rust coating since there may not be much metal left. Its only at 150k miles and shouldnt be crumbling away this fast. Just recently had to replace muffler and tailpipe since the muffle connection literally rusted away. Tacomas were able to have their frames replaces. The 4runner has a similar if not identical frame due to them sharing the same underlying platform. This should be pretty obvious that 4Runners need to be a part of that recall.

NHTSA ID

11460612

Incident

Dec 20, 2017

Lots of rust on frame and body. This is certainly an excessive amount. Many other owners of the 4runner between 2003-2009 are experiencing the same problem.

NHTSA ID

11419592

Incident

Jun 3, 2021

ENTIRE UNDERBODY OF CAR IS RUSTING OUT, TAIL GATE ALREADY HAD 2 BODY REPAIRS BUT KEEPS RUSTING OUT. MANY PARTS AT JUST 150K WERE ALREADY REPLACED DUE TO SEVERE RUST- MOST SUSPENSION PARTS, TRANSMISSION COOLING LINES, EXHAUST , SKID PLATES ALL FAILED. BRAKE CALIPERS FAILED 4 TIMES IN IN 6 YEARS.

NHTSA ID

11341782

Incident

Jul 15, 2020

EXCESSIVE FRAME RUST IS RENDERING THE VEHICLE UNSAFE TO OPERATE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11329197

Incident

Jun 16, 2020

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT HEARD A RATTLING NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED AND THE TOP CONTROL ARM POST WAS MELTED. ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC STATED THAT A MOUNTING PLATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD NOT BE DRIVEN BECAUSE THE CONTROL ARM COULD DETACH AND STRIKE THE FUEL TANK. THE LOCAL DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 162,000.

NHTSA ID

11257775

Incident

Aug 1, 2019

Mileage

162,000 mi

VEHICLE'S FRAME IS VERY CORRODED OVERALL AND IT HAS MORE THAN 15 INCH LONG HOLE IN THE FRAME ON THE PASSENGER FRONT FRAME RAIL. IT HAS BEEN CHECKED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND DETERMINED UNSAFE TO DRIVE. VEHICLE HAS ONLY 90,000 MILES AND IT IS OVERALL IN EXCELLENT CONDITION.

NHTSA ID

11235258

Incident

Jul 18, 2019

Mileage

90,000 mi

I HAVE NOTICED A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF RUST ON THE FRAME OF MY VEHICLE. THE RUST IS APPARENT IN MANY PLACES ALONG THE FRAME, INCLUDING PARTS THAT ARE INTEGRAL TO THE CHASSIS, SUCH AS THE DIFFERENTIAL. I HAVE READ ON MANY FORUMS THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THIS MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE. I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW MY OPTIONS FOR REPAIRING THIS ISSUE WHICH IF LEFT UNATTENDED WILL DAMAGE PARTS (E.G. DIFFERENTIAL) THAT ARE CRITICAL TO THE NORMAL FUNCTIONS OF MY VEHICLE,

NHTSA ID

11182728

Incident

Feb 27, 2019

Mileage

90,400 mi

BACK HATCH UNLATCHES ITSELF WHEN HITTING A BUMP AND FLIES OPEN. THIS HAS OCCURRED MULTIPLE TIMES, OBSERVED BY SEVERAL FAMILY MEMBERS.

NHTSA ID

11119416

Incident

Aug 11, 2018

Mileage

147,000 mi

TOYOTA ISSUED A SHORT TERM WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT, EXPIRING MARCH 2018, FOR A KNOWN SAFETY DEFECT. I BELIEVE THAT THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS ARE SIGNIFICANT AND THAT THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL AS OPPOSED TO A WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT. THE DEFECT IS IN THE REAR WINDOW SEAL AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; USE OF THE DEFROSTER CAN CAUSE THE WINDOW TO BLOW OUT. MY CAR HAS A SIGNIFICANT BODY DEFECT ADJACENT TO THE REAR WINDOW SEAL, AND THE SEAL IS DAMAGED, INDICATING THAT THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING TO HAPPEN. I SPOKE WITH CORPORATE TOYOTA; THEIR STANCE IS THAT THEY WILL NOT DO THE REPAIR UNTIL AFTER THE WINDOW BLOWS OUT. IT IS LIKELY THAT TOYOTA HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS FOR SOME TIME, AS THERE IS INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET ABOUT THIS, BUT HAS ONLY RECENTLY NOTIFIED OWNERS. WHEN I SPOKE TO TOYOTA, THEY ASKED WHAT THE MILEAGE WAS. I TOLD THEM IT HAD JUST REACHED THE 100,000 MILE MARK - AND THEY SAID THAT THE CAR WAS ALMOST 10 YEARS OLD AND HAD LASTED WELL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION ON MY PART LED TO THE KNOWLEDGE THAT RECALLS DO NOT HAVE TO BE PERFORMED AFTER 100,000 MILES, WHICH PROBABLY EXPLAINS THE DELAY IN NOTIFYING OWNERS, AND IN CALLING THIS, WHICH IS A DEFINITE AND SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE, A "WARRANTY ENHANCEMENT" INSTEAD OF A RECALL. MY CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION, OTHER THAN THAT, AND THE CHOICES WHICH I HAVE ARE TO AVOID USING THE DEFROSTER (NOT A VIABLE OPTION IN THE NORTHEAST), DO NOTHING AND WAIT FOR THE WINDOW TO BLOW OUT (NOT A SAFE OPTION); PAY FOR THE REPAIR MYSELF, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT, OR SELL THE CAR, WHICH I CAN'T DO IN GOOD CONSCIENCE, KNOWING THE POTENTIAL RAMIFICATIONS OF THAT DEFECT. TOYOTA STATES THAT THE ISSUE DOES NOT OCCUR WITH ALL CARS - THAT IS LIKELY TRUE. CARS IN DRY CLIMATES WITH MINIMAL RAIN AND COLD WEATHER ARE PROBABLY UNLIKELY TO MANIFEST; CARS IN THE WET AND SNOWY NORTHEAST, WHERE I LIVE, ARE PRESUMABLY MORE LIKELY TO MANIFEST.

NHTSA ID

11034032

Incident

Oct 1, 2008

EXCESSIVE RUSTS ON FRAME WITH CONCENTRATIONS AROUND MOUNTINGS OF CRITICAL COMPONENTS LIKE SUSPENSION, GAS LINES, BRAKE LINES ETC.

NHTSA ID

10985538

Incident

May 9, 2017

Mileage

120,000 mi

IN MY OWN WORDS, I HAVE A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4X4 WITH ONLY 27,000 ORIGINAL MILES AND THE CHASSIS IS COMPLETELY RUSTED THRU, WITH HUGE BIG HOLES ON THE CHASSIS. TOYOTA USED SOME VERY CHEAP METAL AND DIDN'T SPRAY ANY CHASSIS PRETECTION FROM RUST. THE REAR DRIVER SIDE SHOCK MOUNT RUSTED COMPLETELY THAT THE SHOCK FELL OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING, NOW THERE IS NO MOUNT FOR THE SHOCK NOW. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL ON A CURVE THAT WAS A LITTLE BUMPY, AS I PASSED THE CURVE MY 4RUNNER FELT LIKE THE BACK KEPT SLIDING, I FELT LIKE IT WAS ALMOST ABOUT TO FLIP OVER. THERE ARE RECALLS FOR ALL OTHER TOYOTA SUV BUT NOT FOR TOYOTA 4RUNNER WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE IF THEY USED THE SAME METAL TO MAKE THE CHASSIS. MY CHASSIS IS EVEN MORE RUSTED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONER HAS A SMALL DRIP RUBBER TUBE WHERE THE AIR CONDITIONER DROPS ANY AC CONDENSATION. I DON'T FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY 2008 4RUNNER BUT IT ONLY HAS LESS THAN 27,000 ORIGINAL MILES... CAN YOU. RELIVE THAT. I EVEN HAVE PICTURES AND VIDEOS TO PROVE IT. SMH AND I REALLY LIKE MY 4RUNNER.

NHTSA ID

10958992

Incident

Mar 1, 2017

Mileage

26,400 mi

HEAVY CORROSION CAUSED THE REAR TORSION BAR TO DISCONNECT FROM THE REAR END WHILE I WAS DRIVING IN OCT. 2015. THE FRAME AND FRONT END SUSPENSION IS NOW VERY CORRODED. YOU CAN PUT YOUR FINGERS THROUGH THE BOTTOM OF THE FRAME JUST IN FRONT OF THE REAR WHEELS. THIS VEHICLE ONLY HAS 69,400 MILES ON IT. *TR

NHTSA ID

10948545

Incident

Oct 13, 2015

Mileage

61,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FLOOR OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY RUSTED. THE CONTACT CALLED A LOCAL DEALER WHO REQUESTED THAT THE VEHICLE BE BROUGHT TO THE SHOP FOR PICTURES. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC ADVISED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE FAILURE WAS REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 92,000.

NHTSA ID

10936593

Incident

Dec 20, 2014

Mileage

92,000 mi

FRAME IS EXTREMELY RUSTED AND TOYOTA NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS PROBLEM. I ALSO HAVE VARIOUS SMALL PIN POINT RUST SPOTS ALL OVER THE 4RUNNER ON THE PAINT.

NHTSA ID

10747337

Incident

Aug 10, 2015

Mileage

90,000 mi

THERE IS CORROSION IN THE FRAME AND DRIVE-TRAIN COMPONENTS. THERE IS PITTING, RUSTING THROUGHOUT THE FRAME UNDERCARRIAGE AND THE SUSPENSION AND DIFFERENTIAL COMPONENTS. THIS BARELY 4YR OLD VEHICLE IS A SOUTHERN VEHICLE. REGARDLESS, THIS CORROSION IS A SAFETY ISSUE IN ANY VEHICLE LET ALONE IN A 4RUNNER WITH A SERVICE INCEPTION DATE OF 11/30/2008 WITH 19K MILES. THIS IS TOTALLY IRRESPONSIBLE OF THE MANUFACTURER AND THEY CLAIM IT IS NOT COVERED BY WARRANTY. YES, IT (SHOULD BE) COVERED BY WARRANTY AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IT IS MANUFACTURER'S LIABILITY TO CORRECT SAFETY/QUALITY ISSUE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10485047

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

Mileage

18,000 mi