Frame rusted under 4 runner and on bumper told by person working on sway bar links. Stated excessive rust on frame and rear axle.

- Georgetown, KY, USA

Frame has excessive rust and has holes in parts of it. The rest of the body and interior are in great condition. Engine runs well and there are otherwise no major mechanical issues. Upon having a minor repair done, inspection showed that the vehicle was unsafe to drive with the frame in that condition as it is about to crack in half. This seems to be prematurely failing compared to the rest of the vehicle.

- Highland Heights, KY, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4runner. The contact inspected the vehicle and discovered that the entire rear end of the frame completely rusted. In addition, the rack and pinion was faulty and replaced by an independent mechanic. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failrue mileage was 120,000.

- Worthington, MA, USA

2002 Toyota 4 runner SR5, 98,000 miles. Always dealer serviced. This will be my last state nys inspection as I will be unable to have the truck inspected in 2015 due to body frame rot, need to incur costs to replace body frame. Truck is in excellent condition with the exception of frame rot. Have also replaced the bumper, the gas tank shield and have been told front oil pan shield needs replacing as dealer can not perform oil change, due to this problem. I have contacted Toyota waiting for a reply.

- Mahopac, NY, USA

Extensive rust thru on drivers side of frame, rear suspension link rusted to the point where complete failure in coming soon. Last two feet of frame completely gone. Doubt it will pass another safety inspection without significant repair. Rear differential rusted to the point gear oil leaks. This is common on all 4 runners and should be recalled just like the Tacoma.

- Bowdoinham, ME, USA

My 2002 4runner was purchased brand new from Toyota in November of 2001. I live in New York so it does snow 2 or 3 months out of the year. It has been used as a second vehicle to pick up supplies and the like, otherwise it is rarely used. At this time it has approx. 139000 miles. The truck would not start and I took it to a mechanic. I was told there is an extreme amount of rust under the vehicle, the undercarriage, the frame, the gas tank, etc. The problem is the fuel pump but because of so much rust, removing the gas tank to change the fuel pump may cause damage to the components connecting the tank to the frame of the vehicle. It is a shame that Toyota sells a vehicle that may need to be junked due to the amount of rust it has. I understand that many other owners have the same problem with the 4runner and something should be done. I bought a 1999 Camry brand new prior to the 4runner and I had it for 12 years before giving it to a friend who still drives it to this day and it has no rust. The 4runner runs great all of the years I have owned it but I am being told by my mechanic that it is possible the body of my truck could fall from the frame. At 139000 miles this should not be happening. Toyota should offer some kind of repair to these issues. My truck looks almost brand new except for some rust on the front and rear bumpers and now I may have to junk it.

- Putnam Valley, NY, USA

There is excessive rust on the frame rails which support the body of the vehicle thus weakening the critical supportive components. This creates a possible dangerous situation which may go unnoticed until failure occurs. This has been a common problem with other Toyota vehicles and should be addressed for the 4runners.

- Matthews, NC, USA

Vehicle frame, front & rear bumpers and undercarriage have excessive / unsafe rust corrosion.

- Bellvale , NY, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Toyota 4runner. The contact stated that the frame and undercarriage was severely corroded. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 110,000 and the current mileage was 110,500.

- North Berwick, ME, USA

(there was no category offered for frame). During a recent automotive service for brakes on 9-26-13 for my 2002 Toyota 4runner, I was notified of a rust perforation in the frame body near a rear support mount for the axle making it unsafe for operation. This is a situation where rust forms in the interior of the frame and works its way out destroying the structural integrity of the vehicle. It seems the service technician used to work at a Toyota dealership and knew exactly where to look from his prior experience with other 4runner failures. The Toyota dealer informed that this would not be covered. My ?02 4runner is from the same generation (3rd) and of similar design to the Tacoma that was recalled for this the dealer instructed me to contact the torrance, ca Toyota customer service as his dealership would be unable to assist in anyway. It was clear they had encountered this before. Through discussion with Toyota ca they have no intention of providing any means of relief for a known and well documented safety problem. One rep did comment that the Tundra and sequoia had been recently added to the recall but the 4runner was "not yet? on the recall list. It seems Toyota views the products to be different due to the body style differences or us vs Japanese built products. They also clearly have no intention to escalate internally. I was instructed to file a complaint with NHTSA and ntsb. Research on line shows that there is a very widespread issue that Toyota is clearly choosing to ignore. Web information suggests that cold climate and the axle bracket in close proximity to the exhaust, are primary factors. How can you recall one model for a rusted frame due to safety but not another" personal photos available. Huge numbers of photos and reports available online - search " rusted frame 4runner" or similar.

- West Lebanon, NH, USA

I have already filed a safety complaint regarding my sudden acceleration accident approximately 4 years ago. I noticed that Toyota has issued a recall for this problem for Toyota 4runners going back to 2003. My vehicle is a 2002. Basically, I'm writing to urge NHTSA to asktoyota what is different about the gas pedal assembly from 2003 to 2002 because there is no doubt there was a major malfunction with my car and if the assemble & parts manufactures is the same from 03 to 02 then the recall should be extended. Also, the other main reason I'm writing you is so that there is a record of me requesting my vehicle be included in the recall so that way if something happens to me again we will have a record of it.

- Laguna Beach, CA, USA

I have a 2002 Toyota SR5 4runner with extreme frame rot frame the inside out. Experts agree that I have only a year or two left with this frame. I have had repairs to pass inspection but this is only a band aid. I understand that I live in a state where road salt is used, but to have the frame rot from the inside out shows a design flaw or inferior steel used fro the frame, possibly inadequate corrosion protection. Just a bad scenario not which way you put it. Rot from the inside out is just unacceptable.

- Cheswick, PA, USA

Large amount of rust on the underbody, gas tank shield and front brakes. Just purchased this vehicle used with 39K miles and have been finding lost of corrosion. Tried to use rust remover and neutralizer and wire brush. Hope I can get it under control before the entire thing falls apart.

- Hansville, WA, USA

I have a 2002 Toyota 4runner. It's under my wife's name but I am the one that's in charge of automotive issues. The bumpers have been hanging down on the front and rear. As I drive around the city, I've started to notice majority of the 4runners in the same model having the same issue. This makes me think that there is a defect. I believe it's a safety defect especially since bumpers are not just for cosmetic reasons, its highly effective in a crash situation. It's a safety issue because it is also linked to the airbag sensors and I am afraid that it may go off at any time. I've gone on forums and found that others talk about this also. They also talk about rusting around the bumper area which is something I have on my 4runner also. I hope your department looks into this matter thoroughly and get back to me about it.

- Austin, TX, USA