11 of the
312 complaints about the 1999 Toyota 4RUNNER are about the
braking system — 4% of everything
reported for this model year.
Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before
180,000 miles.
Over the years of ownership, my vehicle has been overwhelmed with rust issues. All four axles are rusted to include the brake components. I didn't realize how bad the rusting was until I heard "popping" noise when making turns The rear suspension sway bar link was rusted so bad, it broke free. I had the rack and pinion replaced in August of 2020 because rust ate through the lines. The frame appears to have separations due to rust as well.
NHTSA complaint #11420795 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 160,000 milesBowie, MDCrash
SERVICE BRAKES
I DO NOT KNOW IF THE STOPPING PROBLEM IS THE BRAKES, TIRES, BOTH, OR SOMETHING ELSE. AT ONE POINT I GOT NEW TIRES AND THE STOPPING PROBLEM STILL OCCURRED. MY FAMILY HAS BEEN IN 3 ACCIDENTS WITH OTHER CARS AND MANY MORE INCIDENTS BY THE CAR ITSELF. WHEN BRAKING IN RAIN/SNOW/ICE AND EVEN SLIGHT DAMP ROADS THE CAR SKIDS FORWARD. WE HAVE TO KEEP EXTRA DISTANCE IN FRONT OF NOW COMPARED TO OTHER CARS WE DRIVE. ALSO DURING ACCELERATION ON RWD FROM A STOPLIGHT EVEN DURING DRY CONDITIONS SOMETIMES THE REAR TIRES SPIN OUT/BURN OUT/ HAVE NO TRACTION.
NHTSA complaint #11196179 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 80,000 milesHazard, KY
SERVICE BRAKES
BAD FRAME ROT. NOT SAFE TO DRIVE ANYMORE.
NHTSA complaint #11129247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Buckley, WA
SERVICE BRAKES
ABS LIGHT ;PO500 CODE SPEED SENSOR A SPEEDOMETER NOT WORKING, WONT SHIFT INTO GEAR WITH ABS LIGHT ON WINDOWS MALFUNCTION AND ALL ELECTRIC WINDOWS STOPPED WORKING POSSIBLY DUE TO SAME ABS CIRCUITE AS NOTICED SAME EXACT TIMEFRAME. APART FROM THAT PRIOR MALFUNCTIONS INCLUDE AIRBAG LIGHT STAYS ON NEEDS RESTTING FROM DEALER AND ALSO HORN DOES NOT OPERATE. MISSING/NO FACTORY INSTALLED FOG LAMPS --DEALER WANTS OVER 1,200.00 FOR 2 BASIC FOG LAMPS FROM THEIR PARTS DEPT.
NHTSA complaint #10957316 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Gardendale, AL
SERVICE BRAKES
WENT TO GET AND OIL CHANGE, WHEN MY CAR WAS RETURNED THE CAR STARTED TO VIBRATE VERY TIME I WAS AT A STOP SIGN, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME OVER 12-13 TIMES ALL WITH DIFFERENT CODES... MY CAR KEEPS STALLING AND RESTARTING... THE BRAKES IS MAKING A GRINDING SOUND JUST GOT THE BRAKES DONE... FUEL INJECTION CLEANING ... AND THE RIGHT REAR LIGHT KEEPS MALFUNCTIONING EVEN AFTER I'VE CHANGE THE BULBS ON SEVERAL TIMES...
NHTSA complaint #10899463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 200,000 milesPerry Hall, MD1 injured
SERVICE BRAKES
PERPETUAL REAR BRAKE FAILURE DUE TO LEAKING REAR AXLE GREASE SEALS WHICH THROW GREASE ONTO REAR BRAKE SHOES. SOAKING THEM AND RENDERING THEM USELESS AND INNEFECTIVE. CAUSING UNSAFE BRAKING. ACCORDING TO TOYOTA DEALER, AND SEARS AUTO SERVICE IN DOVER, DELAWARE., REPAIRS SIMILAR TO THIS ARE BEING PERFORMED ON SIMILAR VINTAGE TOYOTA FOUR RUNNER MODELS ON A WEEKLY BASIS. THE AVERAGE REPAIR COST IS OVER $1000,. THIS APPEARS TO BE A VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS DEFECT NOT A STANDARD MAINTENANCE ISSUE AND COULD RESULT IN INJURIES OR DEATH. I HAD NO BRAKE POWER IN A NUMBER OF EMERGENCY SITUATIONS, IN OTHERS MY BRAKING DISTANCE INCREASED DRAMATICALLY, IN A FEW CASES, I'VE HAD THE REPAIRS DONE BUT THE PROBLEM HAS RETURNED,.
NHTSA complaint #10820148 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 286,000 milesAuburn, CA
SERVICE BRAKES
THE REAR AXLE SEALS REPEATEDLY FAIL ON THIS VEHICLE, I'M NOW HAVING TO MAKE A FOURTH COSTLY REPLACEMENT OF BOTH THE REAR AXLE SEAL AND CONTAMINATED BRAKE SHOES. FOR THE FOURTH TIME THE REAR AXLE SEAL HAS FAILED WHICH LEAKS BRAKE FLUID ONTO REAR BRAKE SHOES, RESULTING IN SEVERE REDUCTION OF REAR BRAKING POWER. ALSO, AS A RESULT THE FRONT BRAKES ARE PLACED UNDER UNDUE PRESSURE AND WARPING OF FRONT BRAKE ROTORS OCCURS WHICH MUST ALSO BE ADDRESSED. WHILE I HAVE PREVIOUSLY FILED COMPLAINTS OVER THIS SAME ISSUE SINCE 2005 WITH BOTH TOYOTA AND THE NHTSB, THERE HAS BEEN NO RECALL INITIATED. THE LAST TIME MY REAR AXLE SEALS WERE REPLACED WAS LESS THAN 20,000 MILES AGO. THIS VEHICLE ONLY SEES NORMAL WEAR AND USAGE. I AM NOT THE ONLY COMPLAINT AS MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THE SAME ISSUE BASED ON TOYOTA FORUM DISCUSSIONS AND A SEARCH OF NHTSB COMPLAINT FILINGS. TOYOTA CUSTOMER SERVICE CENTER AGAIN REFUSED TO ASSIST ME IN ANY WAY WITH TODAYS COMPLAINT FILING ON 7/31/12.
NHTSA complaint #10468512 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Littleton, CO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
FULL BLOWN FRAME RUST MECHANIC STATES IS 100% INVASIVE AFFECTING STEERING, ALIGNMENT, BRAKING, AND CHECKING OF DIFFERENTIAL AND REAR-END FLUIDS DUE TO SEIZED COMPONENTS. FRAME IS TOTALLY COMPROMISED, NEEDS TO BE RECALLED AND RECTIFIED.
NHTSA complaint #10434011 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 335,000 milesCarmel, NY
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
UPON A NORMAL MAINTENANCE ON THE FRONT BRAKES MY MECHANIC FOUND THAT THE FRONT FRAME WAS RUSTED TO A DANGEROUS LEVEL. I WILL HAVE TO HAVE PLATES WELDED ONTO THE FRAME TO MAKE IT SAFE TO DRIVE. THIS SHOULD NOT HAPPEN ON A VEHICLE THAT IS ONLY 11 YEARS OLD AND CAREFULLY MAINTAINED. THE VEHICLE IS A 1999 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER.
NHTSA complaint #10324197 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Colorado Springs, CO
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
I HAVE A 1999 TOYOTA 4RUNNER THAT HAS THE SAME PROBLEM WITH THE ABS AS IS BEING REPORTED FOR THE 2010 PRIUS, ONLY WORSE. WHEN THE ABS KICKS IN ON SLICK OR UNEVEN SURFACES, THE VEHICLE GOES INTO A FREELY-FLOATING MODE FOR 5+ SECONDS. THERE IS NO BRAKING CAPACITY AT ALL DURING THAT TIME AND STEERING IS DIFFICULT. THE VEHICLE IS COMPLETELY OUT OF CONTROL DURING THAT TIME. I HAVE HAD MULTIPLE NEAR-MISSES WHICH WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN SERIOUS HARM TO MYSELF AND OTHERS AND A FEW INCIDENCES WHERE I ENDED UP RUNNING OFF THE ROAD (ONCE INTO A RAVINE) OR HITTING MEDIAN STRIPS W/O INVOLVING OTHER VEHICLES. I TOOK MY VEHICLE TO THE TOYOTA DEALER TWICE ABOUT THIS ISSUE. ONCE I WAS TOLD I WAS NUTS, THAT THE ABS COULDN'T POSSIBLY BEHAVE THAT WAY; AND THE OTHER TIME I WAS TOLD THAT, "OH YEAH, THAT'S HOW ABS WORKS." NO EXAMINATION OR CORRECTION WAS OFFERED. MY STRATEGY HAS BEEN TO ALWAYS TOUCH THE BRAKES SO GENTLY THAT ABS DOESN'T KICK IN, BUT THIS WINTERS SNOWY WEATHER HAS DEFEATED THIS PLAN. WHENEVER I BRAKE ON A SLICK, SNOWY SURFACE THE ABS KICKS IN NO MATTER HOW GENTLY I TOUCH THE BRAKES. LAST WEEK, I HAD AN EXTREMELY HARROWING CLOSE CALL WHEN MY VEHICLE WENT CAREENING OUT OF CONTROL INTO AN INTERSECTION WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS PASSING THROUGH IT. THIS WAS ON A SIDE STREET WHEN I WAS MOVING VERY SLOWLY AND HAD BEGUN THE GENTLE BRAKING AT LEAST 30' BEFORE THE INTERSECTION... BUT THE ABS KICKED IN, AND I COULD NOT STOP BEFORE SLIDING INTO THE INTERSECTION. (FOR THE REQUIRED FIELD ASKING FOR THE INCIDENT DATE, I'LL GIVE THE DATE OF THIS MOST RECENT NEAR-MISS, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN MANY INCIDENTS OVER THE YEARS.)
NHTSA complaint #10306189 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
at 132,000 milesGrayland, WA
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
#1 STARTER STUCK TWICE-EVEN REMOVED KEY AND ENGINE KEPT CRANKING. #2 FUEL GUAGE REAES FULL WHEN EMPTY AND VISE VERSA. #3 P0171 ENGINE CODE KEEPS THROWING #4 BRAKES FADE WHEN APPLIED HARD. HAVE REPLACED PADS AND ROTORS AND STILL FADE.
NHTSA complaint #10238740 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.