1994 Toyota 4 Runner engine problems

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I OWN A 94 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH A 3VZ-E MOTOR. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACE UNDER THE RECALL IN 1997 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 45000 MILES. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP JUST REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND NEVER RESURFACED THE HEADS. ON SEPTEMBER 20,2006 HEAD GASKET BLOW AGAIN.IT IS WELL KNOWN ABOUT THE DESIGN FLAW IN THIS MOTOR AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 90700 MILES ON THE MOTOR.I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD MY THAT THEY ONLY FIX IT ONE TIME. I ADVISED THEM THAT THEY NEVER FIXED THE FIRST HEAD GASKET CORRECTLY AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING THERE RECALLS CORRECTED IN A PROPER MANNER.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE.

NHTSA complaint #10169474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

PROBLEM WITH 5 CYLINDER ENGINE ON 1994 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. *PH

NHTSA complaint #10059398 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

IN SHORT, I BROUGHT A 1994 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER WITH A WARRANTY BACK IN JUNE 2002 FROM POTAMKIN SPRINGFIELD AUTO WORLD. IN NOVEMBER 2003, THE TRUCK WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW. I HAD THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE PLUS OTHER REPAIRS AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO BE SERVICED WHENEVER THERE WAS A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS SITUATION. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR AND OF COURSE THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PART. I PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR NOT KNOWING THEN THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTED HEAD GASKETS ON THIS MODEL. I HAD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND GUESS WHAT, I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THIS MAY OF HAPPEN BEFORE ME BUT I KNOW THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS SOLD.

NHTSA complaint #10056929 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

UNDER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN# 54015, THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ON 5/15/2002 FOR THE SECOND TIME. ONE YEAR LATER THE ENGINE DIED. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE OIL NOT BEING CHANGED. THE CONSUMER SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY TAKEN FOR MAINTENANCE. *PH THERE WAS ENGINE NOISE. *SCC

NHTSA complaint #10031726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

NHTSA complaint #10017173 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #759701 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

PRIOR TO ANY KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL, RADIATOR IN VEHICLE BLEW UP, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND RADIATOR WAS REPLACED, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION, AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO OPERATE, UPON SECOND VISIT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, BUT THOUGHT THAT IT MAY BE THE HEAD GASKET AND TO TAKE VEHICLE TO AN OFFICIAL DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED BY DEALER OF THE OUTSTANDING RECALL AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE FAILING HEAD GASKETS WERE ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CAUSE OF THE RADIATOR BLOWING UP AND THE OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBILE FOR THE WATER PUMP,VARIOUS BELTS, AND TIMING DEVICES.

NHTSA complaint #562570 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, PREVIOUSLY RECALLED ONCE AND REPAIRED 5/98 AT 53K MILES, BLOWN AGAIN AT 85K MILES, NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE. HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA - TOLD TO GO THROUGH DEALER THAT PERFORMED RECALL. HAVE CONTACTED REPAIR DEALER, NO RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME.

NHTSA complaint #740243 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

NO SUMMERY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE.

NHTSA complaint #739816 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

NO EVIDENCE OF OIL LEAK AND CHECKED WITHIN ONE MONTH. ALL REQUIRED MAINTENANCE ON VEHICLE COMPLETED THROUGHOUT THE LIFE OF THE CAR WITH VERIFICATION. HEAD GASKETS CHANGED UNDER WARRANTY AS DIRECTED 1.5 YEARS PRIOR TO FAILURE. AT 60MPH, COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER AND ENGINE SEIZED UP. DEALER NOTES THAT OIL PUMP FAILED ACUTELY DRIVING THE ROD THROUGH THE ENGINE BLOCK. RESULTED IN A TOTAL LOSS OF THE VEHICLE AT ONLY 6 YEARS AND 80,000 MILES WITH FULL MAINTENANCE. VERY DANGEROUS TO DRIVER WITH COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER ON BUSY FREEWAY.

NHTSA complaint #733286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:COOLING SYSTEM:RADIATOR ASSEMBLY

DO TO WEAK MANUFACTURED MATERIAL LIQUID HEATS UP AND IT FLOWS OUT THE TOP OF THE FUEL TANK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED.

NHTSA complaint #864397 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE IN 1/2000, ON 6/1/2000, I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A FAST-FOOD DRIVE-THROUGH I WAS STOPPED, I PRESSED ON THE GAS, THE ENGINECHECK LIGHT WENT ON, THE CAR QUIT AND A HUGE AMOUNT OF SMOKE CAME OUT OF THE TAIL PIPE. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP WHERE WE BOUGHT THE CAR STATED THAT THE PISTON BLEW DUE TO THE BAD HEAD GASKET. THEY FOUND ANTI-FREEZE AND WATER IN THE ENGINE. NO WARNING LIGHTS WENT ON BEFORE THIS. THE TRUCK SHOWED NO SIGNS OF OVERHEATING BEFORE THIS. TWO MINUTES LATER, I WOULD HAVE BEEN ON THE FREEWAY.

NHTSA complaint #723634 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN THEY WERE RECALLED ONCE ALREADY AND REPAIRED IN 12/1998 BY PREVIOUS OWNER. THEY HAVE BLOWN AGAIN ON 11/1999. I CONTACTED TOYOTA ABOUT THE PROBLEM SINCE IT WAS RECALLED ONCE BY THEM. THEY STATED IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED ONCE FOR THE RECALL AND THAT WAS ALL THEY WOULD COVER. FOR ME TO CONTACT DEALER WHO REPAIRED IT (ANDRETTIS AIRPORT TOYOTA) I DID SO THEY WILL NOT COOPERATE WITH ME EITHER. I FEEL THAT SINCE IT WAS RECALLED FOR THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND IT HAS HAPPENED AGAIN THAT TOYOTA SHOULD STILL BE REPONSIBILE FOR CORRECTING BECAUSE IT IS UNDOUBTLY STILL DEFECTIVE. A REPAIR OF THAT COST SHOULD LAST LONGER THAN 11 MONTHS. IT SHOULD NOT BE MY PLACE TO HAVE IT REPAIRED BUT I HAVE TO.

NHTSA complaint #722287 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

FAILURE OF THE HEAD GASKET RESULTED IN POSSIBLE CONTAMINATION OF OIL, WHICH LEAD TO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO ENGINE. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) MJS

NHTSA complaint #550286 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE OIL PAN DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE, THE OIL DOES NOT COMPLETELY DRAIN OUT DURING OIL CHANGES CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE OIL PAN DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE, THE OIL DOES NOT COMPLETELY DRAIN OUT DURING OIL CHANGES CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

ENGINE OIL PAN DESIGN IS DEFECTIVE, THE OIL DOES NOT COMPLETELY DRAIN OUT DURING OIL CHANGES CAUSING CONTAMINATION AND DAMAGE TO OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS. MJS

NHTSA complaint #549347 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

OIL GAUGE READINGS WOULD FREQUENTLY DROP TO LOW DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. DEALER NOTIFIED SOON AFTER PURCHASE. OWNER WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO PROBLEM IF NO EXCESSIVE OIL USAGE WAS NOTICED. FINALLY, ENGINE COMPLETELY SEIZED UP DURING NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS.

NHTSA complaint #537716 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

MOISTURE ENTERED THE ENGINE BLOCK, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO BECOME INOPERATIVE. ALSO CAUSING LOSS OF VISIBILTY DUE TO THE THICK SMOKE WHICH CAME FROM THE ENGINE.

NHTSA complaint #819419 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE

WHEN IN GEAR AND IN MOTION THE TRUCK STOPS. THE DEALER HAS SEEN IT 4 TIMES AND DOESNT KNOW WHAT THE PROBLEM IS.

NHTSA complaint #813598 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

THE TRUCK BURNED A LOT OF OIL, CONSUMER THINKS IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, DEALER SAID IT IS NORMAL WEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE .

NHTSA complaint #803742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR

THE TRUCK BURNED A LOT OF OIL, CONSUMER THINKS IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER, DEALER SAID IT IS NORMAL WEAR . PLEASE DESCRIBE .

NHTSA complaint #803742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.