17 of the 163 complaints about the 1997 Toyota 4 Runner are about the tires — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 90,000 miles.
17
Complaints
3
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
TIRES
WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH REAR PASSENGER'S SIDE TIRE SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE. AS A RESULT, VEHICLE ROLLED OVER. UPON IMPACT, AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY.
NHTSA complaint #10059515 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE FIRST TIRE THAT THE TREAD CAME OFF WAS WHILE TRAVELING ON THE FREEWAY - JULY, 2002. NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE OR MYSELF. TOW TRUCK DRIVER CAME OUT AND CHANGED THE TIRE. WENT TO DISCOUNT TIRE TO HAVE THE TIRE REPLACED, THEY REPLACED IT AT NO COST. WHEN I ASKED IF THE OTHERS WERE SAFE, THEY SAID YES, LEAVING THE OTHER DESERT DOG TIRES ON. AUGUST, 2003 - DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AGAIN WITH MY HUSBAND, WE FELT A VIBRATION, PULLED OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND FOUND THAT THE TREAD HAD COME OFF ONCE AGAIN. HAD THAT REPLACED AT DISCOUNT TIRE, WHERE THEY DIDN'T MENTION AGAIN THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE REMAINING DESERT DOG TIRE ON THE VEHICLE. OCTOBER, 2003 - MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, TRAVELING ABOUT 75 MPH, FELT A TIRE GO DOWN, THIS TIME CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL RIGHT, THEN BACK TO THE LEFT. THEN THERE WAS TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL AS HE VEERED DOWN INTO THE MEDIAN WHERE THE VEHICLE ROLLED 6 - 8 TIMES. ONCE AGAIN, THE TREAD HAD SEPARATED CAUSING WHAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN HIS DEATH. LUCKILY, HE DID NOT HAVE ANY SERIOUS INJURIES. THE VEHICLE IS TOTALLED. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THESE TIRES FROM PIRELLI ON JUNE 7, 2001. THE RECALL STATES THAT PIRELLI WOULD NOTIFY THEIR DISTRIBUTORS. DISCOUNT TIRE SHOULD NOT HAVE LET US DRIVE AWAY FROM THEIR LOCATION WITH THOSE TIRES!!
NHTSA complaint #10041635 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
ROLLOVER IN TOYOTA 4 RUNNER - 1997.
NHTSA complaint #10037578 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE TREAD COMPLETELY SEPERATED (NOT ORIGINAL TIRES ON A 97 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER 225/75R15 AWHHJH410600). TS
NHTSA complaint #8021322 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE EXPERIENCED A TIRE BLOWOUT, NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION GIVEN. *SLC ONE MONTH AFTER HAVING THE VEHICLE, A TIRE BLEW, WITH HOLES THROUGHOUT IT, AS IF SOMEONE HAD SHOT IT, CLEARLY IT WAS A DEFECTIVE TIRE TO BEGIN WITH. WHEN THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED THEY REFUSED TO REPLACE THE TIRES . THE CONSUMER WAS VERY DISSATISFIED WITH THOMPSON DEALERSHIP IN HOW THEY HAVE CHOSEN TO HANDLE MATTERS. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING IMMEDIATE ATTENTION CONCERNING MATTER. BRIEFLY READ OTHER INCIDENTS OCCURRED WITH IN THE PURCHASING OF THE VEHICLE. *CB THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPLACED WITH ONLY 35,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE, THE SUN VISOR FELL OFF.
NHTSA complaint #566905 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
RIGHT REAR (PASSENGER SIDE) TIRE "LET GO" WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE INTERSTATE SOUTH OF PUEBLO, CO. THE TIRE DID NOT BLOW OUT. TREAD SEPARATION WAS THE OUTER SIDE OF THE TREAD AND SIDEWALL. TIRE FAILURE WAS NOT CAUSED BY LOW AIR PRESSURE AS ALL HAD BEEN CHECKED THAT MORNING (34LBS). NO NAILS OR OTHER PUNCTURES WERE OBSERVED BY ME OR THE DEALER. THIS TIRE FAILED BECAUSE IT WAS FAULTY. THE LOCAL FIRESTONE REP ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRODUCT FAILURE. ALL 4 TIRES WERE NEW AND HAD ABOUT 30,000MI ON THEM.*AK (DOT NUMBER: W272WL1499 TIRESIZE: P265/70R18)
NHTSA complaint #757350 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
WE HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA AND THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE UNWILLING TO SEE ANY OF THESE THINGS AS SAFETY HAZARDS. ESPECIALLY DOOR LOCKS, TIRES, SEATBELTS. AND WE WERE NEVER TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED BEFORE WE PURCHASED IT "BRAND NEW" IN 1997. WE FOUND THAT OUT IN ERROR AT THE DEALERSHIP (AL HENDRICKSON TOYOTA) WHEN THEY ACCUSED US OF NOT SERVICING OUR VEHICLE. THE SUV WAS CLEARLY A LEMON ALL ALONG. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BE SERVICED BUT THE DEALERSHIP CONVENIENTLY HAS NO RECORDS OF US, EVEN WHEN PROVIDED WITH DOCUMENTED PROOF (RECEIPTS). THERE COMPUTER SAYS "WE DID NOT COME INTO SERVICE OUR VEHICLE." THE 1997 4-RUNNER IS A SAFETY HAZARD. (DOT NUMBER: N/A TIRESIZE: P265/70R16)
NHTSA complaint #751297 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TIRES HAVE BLOWN OUT 3 TIMES WITH PEELING TIRES, 7-5-00, 7-28-00, 7-29-00, BRIDGESTONE DUELER H/T. (P265/70R16) TIRES HAVE BEEN REPLACED.
NHTSA complaint #560633 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRE (P225 75 R15) EXPERIENCED TREAD SEPARATION. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #556771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P225 75 R15 EXPERIENCED CUPPING AND VIBRATION, CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT TIRES P225 75 R15 EXPERIENCED CUPPING AND VIBRATION, CONSUMER WANTS REIMBURSEMENT. *SLC
NHTSA complaint #554730 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
NO SUMMARY( DOT NUMBER: EX BM06247 TIRE SIZE: P235/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #730063 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
2/4 ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES TO MAINTAIN AIR PRESSURE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. OF THOSE TWO TIRES, 1 HAS BEEN REPLACED AFTER SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPERATION, AND THE OTHER IS NEEDING MORE AIR 2-3X/WK, AND IS SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPERATION( DOT NUMBER: W2HH TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #730672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
2/4 ORIGINAL TIRES HAVE FAILED SEVERAL TIMES TO MAINTAIN AIR PRESSURE UNDER NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS. OF THOSE TWO TIRES, 1 HAS BEEN REPLACED AFTER SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPERATION, AND THE OTHER IS NEEDING MORE AIR 2-3X/WK, AND IS SHOWING SIGNS OF SEPERATION( DOT NUMBER: W2HH TIRE SIZE: P225/75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #730672 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
THE SIDEWALLS COMPLETELY SEPARATED FROM THE TREAD WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING OF ANY PROBLEM WITH THE TIRES PRIOR TO THE EVENT. NO PRIOR DAMAGE TO THE TIRE. THE TIRE CAME APART INSTANTLY.( DOT NUMBER: W2HH TIRE SIZE: P225 75R15 )
NHTSA complaint #728677 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES:TREAD/BELT
TOYOTA, 4 RUNNER EQUIPPED WITH FIRESTONE, WILDERNESS/AT TIRES, SIZE P225R7515. HAS EXPERIENCED A TREAD SEPARATION WHILE TRAVELING AT 55 MPH. FIRESTONE HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED.
NHTSA complaint #868597 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TIRES
THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE BLEW WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY. ( GOODYEAR WRANGLER P265/70R16 )
NHTSA complaint #607742 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.