1998 Toyota 4 Runner problems

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR

WITHIN YEAR ROTORS HAD TO BE REPLACED, UNDER WARRANTY. WAS TOLD BY SERVICE MANAGER AT DEALERSHIP WAS DUE TO BRAKING EXCESSIVELY DURING RAIN ON LONG DOWNHILL RUN. SUGGESTED TO GEAR DOWN WHICH I NOW DO. SITUATION DID NOT REPEAT EXCEPT THAT I NOW INTERMITTENTLY EXPERIENCE SIMILAR "PULSATING" WHILE BRAKING. WAS TOLD BY ANOTHER REPAIR SERVICE THAT I WOULD EVENTUALLY HAVE TO REPLACE ROTORS.

NHTSA complaint #10164617 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

RE: CAMPAIGN NUMBER 02V021000 COMPONENT: SUSPENSION I WAS TOLD BY JAY AT TOYOTA (800 3314331 EXT 5)THAT THIS RECALL DOES NOT APPLY TO MY 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5. PLEASE RESEARCH & REPORT. I WAS GIVEN THIS CAMPAIGN NUMBER BY EFI AUTO SERVICE. MECHANIC STATED THAT HIS WIFE TOOK HER 1998 4 RUNNER SR5 INTO THE DEALER & REPAIRS WERE MADE. WHAT DETERMINES WHICH AUTO WILL BE SERVICED BY THIS RECALL.

NHTSA complaint #10159171 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT

1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER LEFT FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BALL JOINT FAILED CAUSING THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL TO BECOME DISENGAGED, BREAKING THE TIE RODS AND THE FRONT HALF AXLE. ***NO ANSWER REQUIRED***.*MR *JB THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THEY REFUSED TO PROVIDE ANY ASSISTANCE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY.

NHTSA complaint #10132361 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

CHILD SEAT:HARNESS:STRAP/WEBBING

CONSUMER'S CHILD IS NO LONGER ABLE TO FIT IN THE GRACO COMFORT SPORT CHILD SEAT EVEN THOUGH IT IS SUPPOSE TO FIT UP TO 40LBS.*MR *TT THE CONSUMER WISHES TO WITHDRAWAL HIS COMPLAINT BECAUSE HE HAS LEARNED OF A DIFFERENT WAY TO ADJUST THE SEAT.

NHTSA complaint #10130224 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

I WAS DRIVING ON HWY. 45 ABOUT 65 MPH. MY SISTER AND NEPHEW WERE IN THE VEHICLE WITH ME. ALL OF A SUDDEN, WE HEARD A LOUD POP. I FELT THE POWER GO OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND PROCEEDED TO PULL OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY - ALMOST HITTING ANOTHER VEHICLE. MY NEPHEW SAID IT SOUNDED LIKE WE GOT A FLAT TIRE. THEN WE NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN WE GO TOUT, WE NOTICED OIL ON THE GROUND -UNDER THE VEHICLE. WE LIFTED THE HOOD - AND NOTICED A HOLE IN THE ENGINE BLOCK. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED TO A GAS STATION, AND THEN PICKED UP THE NEXT DAY BY THE REPAIR SHOP. THE VEHICLE IS UNDER WARRANTY WITH GAP INSURANCE. THE REPAIR SHOP IS TELLING ME THE WARRANTY DOES NOT COVER IT, AND THAT IT IS NOT A MANUFACTURE MALFUNCTION. I ALSO HAD JUST WITHIN LESS THAN A MONTH AGO, HAD TO HAVE THE STARTER REPLACED, PRIOR TO THIS HAPPENING.

NHTSA complaint #10122412 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

MY 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WAS SITTING IN THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT WITH THE SHOULDER BELT ON. WE PARKED AND SOME HOW SHE GOT TANGLED UP IN THE BELT. WHEN I PUSHED THE SEATBELT RELEASE BUTTON IT LOCKED UP AROUND HER WAIST AND WOULD NOT LOOSEN TO GET HER OUT. EVERY TIME I MOVED HER TO GET HER OUT IT WOULD LOCK UP MORE UNTIL SHE WAS STANDING IN THE BACK SEAT WITH THE BELT SO TIGHT AROUND HER WAIST THAT IT WAS LEAVING MARKS AND I HAD TO CUT THE SEAT BELT TO GET HER OUT. THIS CONCERNS ME AS A PARENT THAT THE BELT LOCKS WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND IN PARK. I CONTACTED THE TOYOTA DEALER AND THEY ARE GOING TO ORDER ME THE SEAT BELT WE WILL BE NEGOTIATING WHO IS GOING TO PAY FOR THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10120541 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS

I HAVE A 1998 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER AND THE TAIL LIGHTS CONTINUE TO BLOW. ONE OF THE LIGHTS IS CONTINUOUSLY OUT, BUT IT IS USUALLY THE LEFT SIDE MORE THAN THE RIGHT. I HAVE NOTICED THAT SEVERAL OTHER 4RUNNERS ALSO HAVE BLOWN TAIL LIGHTS. IS THIS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT/RECALL?

NHTSA complaint #10114263 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WITH 50 000 MILES, CONNECTING ROD BROKE WHILE DURING NORMAL USE, SHOT OUT THE ENGINE BLOCK, FLUID SPILLED, ENGINE SEIZED AND CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO ENGINE BLOCK; NEW ENGINE REQUIRED.

NHTSA complaint #10110703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:DIFFERENTIAL UNIT

DRIVING ON FREEWAY 5 AT SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA FROM THE SURFACE STREET AT 35 MPH, I HEARD A THUMP AND THE 4 RUNNER SLOWED TO A STOP. THE TRAFFIC WAS HELD TO A SCREETCHING HALT AS THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. I MANAGE TO PUSH IT TO THE EMERGENCY SIDE PARKING. IT WAS TOWED TO FRANK TOYOTA OF NATIONAL CITY SAN DIEGO, CA. THERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE REAR END AXLE GEAR HAS BEEN STRIPPED. I JUST ARRIVED TODAY SURVIVE A THIRD TOUR OF IRAQ AND THIS HAPPENED. THIS NEARLY COST ME MY LIFE AND POSSIBLY A LOT MORE PEOPLE.

NHTSA complaint #10104202 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

WE WERE ON VACATION DRIVING FROM ATLANTA, GA TO DAMARISCOTTA, ME. ON THE MORNING OF SATURDAY AUGUST 7, WE BEGAN OUR SECOND DAY OF TRAVEL JUST OUTSIDE OF HARRISBURG, PA. WE WERE ENTERING THE INTERSTATE WHEN WE HEARD A LOUD POP AND THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE BADLY. WE IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE CAR, A 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH FEWER THAN 60,000 MILES ON IT, TO HARRISBURG TOYOTA. THE DEALER EVENTUALLY TOLD US WE HAD A BROKEN ROD AND NEED A SHORT BLOCK REPLACEMENT, FOR WHICH WE WERE CHARGED $5500, INCLUDING $3900 IN PARTS.

NHTSA complaint #10090768 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

MY 1998 TOYOTA SURGES AT STOP LIGHTS. IT DOES NOT DO IT ALL THE TIME. I WILL START TO KEEP A RECORD OF WEATHER CONDITIONS. AND IF I HAVE THE A/C ON. I TRY TO KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT SOMETIMES IT HAPPENS WHEN I TAKE MY FOOT OFF THE PEDAL. I HAVE BEEN VERY LUCKY SO FAR. TOYOTA DOES NOT SEE IT AS A PROBLEM. THE DATE IS A GUESS.

NHTSA complaint #10082889 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TIRES

4 DUNLOP RADIAL ROVERS 235/75 R15 INSTALLED 2 OR 3 YEARS AND 30,000 MILES AGO ON MY 1998 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. I ALWAYS MAINTAINED RECOMMENDED PRESSURES AND JUST ROTATED THEM MYSELF LAST WEEK AFTER OUR PREVIOUS LAS VEGAS TRIP. ON OUR WAY BACK FROM LAS VEGAS JULY 19, 2004 2 PM NEAR FONTANA THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE PROGRESSIVELY UNTIL IT WAS UNDRIVEABLE ABOVE 45 MPH SO I PULLED OVER TO A SMALL TURNOUT. I CHANGED THE LEFT REAR TIRE THAT I FOUND HAD A MAJOR BULGE (3 INCH DIAMETER BUBBLE ON SIDEWALL WHICH CONTINUED ANOTHER 3 INCHES INTO THE TREAD.) CHANGED IT TO THE SPARE AND CAR STILL SHOOK WHEN DRIVEN. FOUND OUT THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE WAS WORSE, ABOUT 1/3 THE CIRCUMFERENCE WAS BUBBLED MAKING THE TIRE LOOK EGG SHAPED FROM THE SIDE. LOOKS LIKE MORE THAN TREAD SEPARATION, POSSIBLY BROKEN BELTS SINCE THE BUBBLES HAD AIR PRESSURE. DROVE 10 MILES TO A DISCOUNT TIRE CENTER AND HAD 2 TIRES CHANGED AT A PRORATED CHARGE (KUMHO VENTURE) THEY KEPT THE OLD TIRES. 45 MILES LATER AND JUST BEFORE MY EXIT ON THE FREEWAY THE CAR BEGAN TO SHAKE. LUCKILY WE HIT TRAFFIC NEAR OUR EXIT AND WE WERE GOING 10 MPH WHEN THE THIRD DUNLOP WENT TOTALLY FLAT. I WILL HAVE THAT TIRE AND THE 4TH ONE CHANGED TODAY.

NHTSA complaint #10082281 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE EARLY IN THE MORNING CONSUMER HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE ENGINE. HE PROCEEDED TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE ,BUT THE ENGINE CONTINUED RUNNING, IMMEDIATELY HE DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY, STILL THE ENGINE WAS CONTINUED TO RUN.

NHTSA complaint #10081449 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TIRES:SIDEWALL

WAS DRIVING DOWN I-95 AT 70 MILES AN HOUR AND MY FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE EXPLODED. THE SIDE WALL BLEW OUT ON MY SUV. MY TIRES ARE 109S S2 KELLY SAFARI SUV, WITH GOODYEAR AS THE SUPPLIER. I TOOK THE TIRE INTO GOODYEAR AND TOLD THEM THAT I DID NOT FEEL SAFE WITH THOSE TIRES, THEY HAD LESS THAN 30,000 MILES ON THEM.

NHTSA complaint #10078404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER

REAR PASSENGER SEAT BELT MADE A LOUD NOISE AND COMPLETELY UNRAVELED FROM ITS RETRACTION COMPONENT (MOUNTED ON THE PILLAR) WHILE IN USE. SEAT BELT NOW REMAINS EXTENDED, AND WILL NOT RETRACT, EVEN WITH ASSISTANCE.

NHTSA complaint #10062703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:MODULE

THIS TRUCK (AUTO, 6 CYL, 2WD) SOMETIMES STALLS, BUT ONLY WHEN COMING TO A STOP, ALWAYS IN MOTION, NEVER AT IDLE, JUST AS IF THE KEY WERE TURNED OFF. OCCURS VERY INTERMITTENTLY (7 TIMES SINCE SEPT 2003)... MECHANIC INFORMED ME THAT NOTHING HAS REGISTERED ON THE COMPUTER. INTERSTATE BATTERY IS 8 MONTHS OLD. EVERY OTHER TIME, I'VE PUT IT IN PARK AND IT STARTS RIGHT UP, BUT THIS MORNING IT WOULDN'T START FOR ALMOST TWO MINUTES IN A BUSY INTERSECTION. A FRIEND ALSO HAS 1998 4RUNNER; SAYS IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO HER OVER TWO YEARS, BUT LESS OFTEN. THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THIS CAN'T BE A COINCIDENCE, AND IT CAN'T JUST BE THE TWO OF US. I SPOKE WITH TOYOTA TODAY, BUT MINE IS THE ONLY COMPLAINT THEY HAVE ABOUT THIS.

NHTSA complaint #10054679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

CONSUMER STATED WHILE TRAVELING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WOULD STALL. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN NOTICED A MOUSE HAD CRAWLED INTO THE MASS AIR FLOW .

NHTSA complaint #10038120 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

TIRES:TREAD/BELT

WHILE DRIVING LEFT REAR TIRE TREAD SEPARATED AND DAMAGED THE REAR FENDER OF THE VEHICLE. FIRESTONE WILDERNESS AT II TIRE. *AK

NHTSA complaint #10034055 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS:FRONT:BUCKLE ASSEMBLY

CONSUMER STATES THAT REAR LEFT SEAT BELT DOES NOT UNLOCK. DEALER NOTIFIED.

NHTSA complaint #10029394 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.