2008 Toyota 4Runner Engine Problems

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

EXHAUST MANIFOLD CRACKING ON TOYOTA V8 4.7 ENGINE ALLOWING EXHAUST FUMES INTO THE CABIN AND CAUSING DIZZINESS. WHEN DOING MY RESEARCH IVE SEEN PAGES AND PAGES OF THIS ISSUE KNOWN TO TOYOTA ABOUT THE 4.7 ENGINE THAT IS USED IN A NUMBER OF THERE MODELS FROM LEXUS TO THE TUNDRA PICK LINES AND ANYTHING THAT USES THE 4.7 ENGINE. THIS IS DEADLY BEING IN THE MIDWEST AND YOU HAVE YOUR WINDOWS UP AND HEAT ON IN THE WINTER OR SUMMER WITH AC ON. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

NHTSA ID

11181062

Incident

Feb 14, 2019

Mileage

124,000 mi

WHENEVER I ACCELERATE ON THE UPHILL OR HIGH ACCELERATE THEN ODOR BECAME REALLY HORRIBLE, HARSH SMELL, SMELL LIKE TNT FIREWORK, EITHER MATCHES THEN EGG ROTTEN. I SUSPECT THE EXHAUST SYSTEM SEEM FAULTY. I WENT MULTIPLE AUTO SHOP THEY MENTION IT COULD BE RELATED TO EXHAUST MANIFOLD BUT WHEN I DESCRIBED THAT THE ODOR CAME OUT FROM OUTSIDE NOT INTERIOR AIR VENT THEN THEY STARTED TO RE-CHECK MY EXHAUST AND SAID I AM ALL GOOD TO DRIVE AS WELL, ITS "OK". THE ODOR IS FRUSTRATING, ANNOYING. AND THE STEERING, I DON'T KNOW HOW DID MY CV AXLE IS LEAKING, I HOPEFULLY IT WILL NOT BREAK OUT WHEN I'M DRIVING TO OTHER STATE.

NHTSA ID

11131095

Incident

May 31, 2018

Mileage

119,000 mi

ENGIENE/POWERTRAIN COMPUTER/MODULE CHECKED. HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED FOUR TIMES BY THE DEALER AND CONTINUES TO GIVE THE SAME FAULT IN THE CAR. THE FAULT IS THE FOLLOWING AS IT RUNS AND BRAKES THE SECOND BEAUTIFULNESS OF THE TRASMISSION IS LEFT. AND WHEN HE RELEASES THE BRAKE A LITTLE, THE THROAT IS THROWN TO THE FRONT GIVING A BLOW. HE DOES IT MANY TIMES IN THE DAY. BY UNTOYOTA 4RUNNER 08 ENGINE CONTROL MODULE (ECM) DEFECTIVE.

NHTSA ID

11023740

Incident

Sep 15, 2017

Mileage

119,266 mi

MY TRUCK HAS HAD A SULPHUR SMELL FOR A LONG WHILE. I WAS ADVISED THAT THERE IS A SERVICE BULLETIN ON IT. T-SB-0346-09. I CONTACTED TOYOTA AND RECEIVED A CASE # FROM SUSAN ON AUGUST 28,2017. THAT # IS 1708280670. SHE ADVISED ME THAT I AM 3,000 MILES PAST THE MILAGE THAT TOYOTA ACCEPTS. THIS IS AN EMISSION ISSUE AND I FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD ASSIST IN THE REPLACEMENT COST. THE SERVICE BULLETIN HAS TOYOTA REPLACING A FRONT AND REAR PIPE ASSEMBLY WHICH INCLUDES CATALYTIC CONVERTERS. THE ISSUE HAS BEEN KNOWN FOR A WHILE AND THEY SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THIS SYSTEM NOT WAITED FOR PEOPLE TO COMPLAIN. BY NOT RECALLING IT THEY AVOID MAKING LEGITIMATE EMISSION/ENGINE REPAIRS. THE SULPHUR SMELL NOW HAPPENS MOST OF TIME THAT I DRIVE IT NOW. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT ELSE THAT I CAN DO. THE TOYOTA DEALER HAD ADVISED ME TO CONTACT TOYOTA.

NHTSA ID

11020431

Incident

Aug 28, 2017

Mileage

83,000 mi

DURING A MAINTENANCE VISIT TO EAST COAST TOYOTA OF CARLSTADT, NJ AN "UPDATE" TO THE ECU COMPUTER SYSTEM WAS PERFORMED. AFTER THIS "UPDATE" I NOTICED THE ENGINE STALLING, THEN RECOVERING AND AUTO THEN SURGING FORWARD. THIS WAS EXPLAINED BY TOYOTA AS "SMART TECHNOLOGY" TO MODIFY ENG/ECT SYSTEM. IN MY OPINION THIS IS A DANGEROUS "FIX": EXAMPLE --WHEN TRYING TO ENTER A TRAFFIC LANE FROM A DEAD STOP, WITH FOOT ON BREAK IF YOU ATTEMPT TO ACCELERATE THE ENGINE CUTS OUT- SENDING YOU INTO TRAFFIC WITH A LAG INSTEAD OF A POWER BOOST. I ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THIS MODIFICATION UNDONE BY TOYOTA BUT THEY EXPLAINED THEIR POSITION AS BELOW: WE APOLOGIZE FOR YOUR CONCERNS WITH THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY INSTALLED IN YOUR 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. AS WE PREVIOUSLY INDICATED, IN RESPONSE TO CUSTOMER'S CONCERNS WITH THEIR VEHICLES, TOYOTA WORKED WITH THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION (NHTSA) TO COME UP WITH THIS REMEDY, WHICH IS THE INSTALLATION OF THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY. BECAUSE THIS REMEDY WAS MANDATED BY THE GOVERNMENT (NHTSA), WE ARE UNABLE TO REMOVE THE SMART STOP TECHNOLOGY. YOUR EMAIL HAS BEEN DOCUMENTED AT OUR NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS. IN MY OPINION THIS CHANGE DOESN'T FIX ANYTHING - IT IS DANGEROUS- YOU CAN'T ACCELERATE FROM A "HOLDING" BREAK POSITION (FOOT ON BREAK AND GAS) AS RECOMMENDED BY SOME DEFENSIVE DRIVING INSTRUCTORS.. I AM REQUESTING THAT THE NTSB LOOKED INTO THIS TOYOTA MODIFICATION (BEFORE UPDATE CODE 33562000,AFTER UPDATE 3356200) , DETERMINE IT'S EFFICACY (OR LACK OF ) AND DEVISE A BETTER FIX THAN THEIR SO CALLED "SMART TECHNOLOGY". *TR

NHTSA ID

10649497

Incident

May 8, 2014

AFTER HAVING TIMING BELT REPLACED BY TOYOTA DEALER BOB TYLER OF PENSACOLA, FLORIDA; WHILE DRIVING BELT CAME APART LEADING TO LOSS OF POWER, CONTROL, AND MAKING EMERGENCY STOP. TOYOTA FEELS THAT FAILURE IS NORMAL IN LESS THAN 6 MONTHS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10536395

Incident

Aug 12, 2013

Mileage

104,000 mi

MY TOYOTA 4RUNNER HAS A CONSISTENT AMMONIA SMELL THAT LEAKS INTO THE CABIN. THIS HAS GONE ON FOR A MONTH AND HATCH TOYOTA DENIES IT'S A PROBLEM. MY WIFE AND I FEAR FOR OUR HEALTH BECAUSE OF THIS ODOR. THE FORUMS REPORT THIS PROBLEM AS FAR BACK AS 2003, BUT TOYOTA SAYS THEY ARE UNAWARE OF ANY PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID

10422802

Incident

Jul 19, 2011

Mileage

38,000 mi

STARTED MY 2008 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. NEVER TOUCHED THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL. ENGINE RACED UNCONTROLLABLY TO AROUND 7-8000 RPM AND SHUDDERED TERRIBLY. IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE ENGINE OFF AND THEN TRIED IT AGAIN. DID SAME THING. TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE THEY SAID THEY COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE SYMPTOMS AND SAID THERE WEREN'T ANY CODES STORED IN THE COMPUTER. WAS TOLD THEY WOULD CALL TOYOTA TECHNICAL TO REPORT ISSUE. NEVER HAVE BEEN CONTACTED. THIS INCIDENT ONLY REINFORCES THE BELIEF THAT TOYOTA HAS ISSUES OTHER THAN THE "RECALL FIX". I BELIEVE THAT IT IS AN ELECTRICAL/COMPUTER PROBLEM. IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT MY VEHICLE IS NOT EVEN ON THE RECALL LIST. *TR

NHTSA ID

10316962

Incident

Jan 21, 2010

Mileage

9,422 mi