There are 50 owner-reported suspension complaints for the 2000 Toyota 4Runnerin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
Frame is rotted out. Mechanic lifted it on hoist and frame is rusted terribly and said not drivable.
The frame is rusted thru in many places that hold the rearend in the frame and along the side rails of this 4 Runner Toyota 2000, the suspionsion arm rusted and broke free from the frame.
Section of frame broke and fell to the pavement. Vehicle bouncing and went off road causing damage to front driver side bumper, turn signal light housing, headlight. Extensive Back frame rusting has made vehicle dangerous. Frame has many soft spots. Both back shocks rusted and broken. Replace shocks but frame will eventually brake. This is my only vehicle. So, I will continue to drive and pray that this vehicle stays together and doesn't result in death. Front frame and suspension are also rusted and rusting. Please help !
TRAVELING ON INTERSTATE AT 65 MPH AND HEARD A "POP." VEHICLE STARTED SWERVING BADLY -- TOTAL LOSS OF CONTROL. REAR END WAGGING HORRIFICALLY NEARLY HITTING CARS IN OTHER LANES. MANAGED TO GET TO SHOULDER BUT COULDNT SEE WHAT WAS WRONG. GOT VEHICLE OFF AT EXIT AND TO GARAGE. WAS TOLD FRAME SNAPPED AND REAR END CONTROL ARM NO LONGER ATTACHED REAR END TO FRAME. FRAME ROT EXTENSIVE. SCARY AS HELL. NO OTHER RUST ON VEHICLE. THOUGHT VEHICLE WOULD FLIP!
VEHICLE STARTED HANDLING POORLY. I HAD RECENTLY REPLACED THE REAR SHOCKS AND THOUGHT I NEEDED AN ALIGNMENT DONE. BROUGHT IT TO MY MECHANIC WHO POINTED OUT THAT MY REAR UPPER CONTROL ARM BRAKCET ON THE PASSENGER HAD ROTTED AND BROKEN, CAUSING THE SQUIRRELY HANDLING. SHORTLY AFTER, WHILE DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~70MPH, I HEARD A CLUNK AND THE TAIL END OF THE TRUCK STARTED JUMPING/SWERVING. TOOK BACK ROADS HOME AND ASSESSED THE PROBLEM. LO AND BEHOLD MY DRIVER'S SIDE UPPER CONTROL ARM BRACKET ENCOUNTERED THE SAME FATE. ROTTED AND BROKEN. MY VEHICLE'S FIRST OWNER WAS IN MINNESOTA BUT SINCE THEN IT HAS BEEN IN TEXAS WHERE THERE IS NO SALT ON THE ROADS. I'VE DONE WHAT I CAN TO SEAL AND PREVENT FURTHER RUST ON THE FRAME AFTER PURCHASE AND YET THIS STILL HAPPENS? MY TRUCK IS NO LONGER DRIVE-ABLE AS IT'S EXTREMELY UNSAFE TO HAVE MY REAR AXLE DISCONNECTED FROM THE FRAME. SO UNTIL I CAN MANAGE TO 1) FIND SOMEONE WILLING TO WELD MY FRAME 2) PAY FOR SUCH A SERVICE I AM WITHOUT A VEHICLE... I PAID $2000 FOR THIS CAR LESS THAN A YEAR AGO WITH ONLY 170K MILES ON IT.
RUST AND HOLES IN THE FRAME. *TR
DUE TO THE DREADED ' TOYOTA ROT ' FRAME FAILURE THE SPARE TIRE MECHANISM HAD RUSTED OFF GOING DOWN US HIGHWAY 25 IN KENTUCKY AND PUT A POOR MAN AND HIS CHILDREN IN HARMS WAY. TOYOTA DOESN'T CARE ABOUT THEIR CUSTOMERS THEY JUST WANT YOUR MONEY !!! I FEEL THIS PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED TOYOTA SHOULD HAVE RECALLED THESE VEHICLES KNOWING THE FRAME ISSUES HAVE EXISTED SINCE THE MID 90S!!!! WHEN I LOOK UP MY VEHICLE IT HAS ZERO RECALLS SHAME ON YOU TOYOTA THERE SHOULD BE A REMEDY EVEN IF IT'S SPLITTING THE COST WITH YOUR CUSTOMER. VERY UNSATISFIED
THE UNDER FRAME ROTTED OUT AND BROKE WHILE TRAVELING ON HIGHWAY AT 65MPH, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE VEHICLE STARTED WEAVING BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY. ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE BEFORE SLOWING DOWN.PULLED OVER BECAUSE WE THOUGHT WE HAD A FLAT. WAS NOT THE CASE. GOT BACK ON THE ROAD AND ANY TIME WE WENT OVER 45MPH IT STARTED TO VIOLENTLY WEAVE BACK AND FORTH. LUCKILY WE DID NOT ROLL OVER OR CRASH WITH AN AUTISTIC CHILD IN THE BACK OF THE 4RUNNER OR MY VERY ILL HUSBAND ON OXYGEN. IF NOT ADDRESSED OR RECALLED SOON, SOMEONE IS GOING TO GET SERIOUSLY HURT OR WORSE. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. MY 4RUNNER ONLY HAS 168,000 MILES ON IT. *BF CONTACT STATED VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE SHOP FOR REPAIR BUT WAS TOLD IT WAS NOT REPAIRABLE.*JB
MY 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH 180,000 MILES ON THE CAR, HAS ABUNDANT AMOUNT OF RUST. BEING A DAILY DRIVER IT IS NEAR THE POINT THAT IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THE FRAME IS COMPLETELY ROTTED. DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE ANY FURTHER. AS A SOLID RUNNING CAR, IT WOULD BE A WASTE OF MONEY TO JUNK THE CAR.
WAS DRIVING TO WORK ONE MORNING AND MY FRAME BROKE AND CAUSE MY REAR DIFFERENTIAL TO SHIFT CAUSE ME TO HAVE TO TOW MY VEHICLE.
FRAME ON BOTH MY 2000 4RUNNERS IS ROTTING OUT BOTH BODIES ARE IN PERFECT SHAPE CANT WAIT TO SUE TOYOTA WHEN THEY FAIL .
FRAME RUSTED AND TIRE CAME DETACHED FROM CAR WHILE DRIVING. FELT LIKE DRIVING ON ICE
THE FRAME WHERE THE LOWER CONTROL ARM MEETS IS RUSTING OUT AT AN ALARMING RATE. IT IS GOING TO BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE IN A FEW MONTHS WHEN THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARMS WILL BE RIPPED OFF FROM THE FRAME RAIL. THERE IS ALMOST NO RUST ON THE BODY OF THE TRUCK AND IT SPEND MOST OF ITS LIFE IN ARIZONA OUT OF THE SALT BELT. IN ONLY 5 YEARS THE FRAME HAS STARTED TO DESEGREGATE AND IT HAS BEEN CLEANED REQULARLY. I'VE STARTED UNDERCOATING IT WITH PETROLEUM BASED PRODUCTS AND RUST CONVERTERS/ INHIBITORS AND IT IS STILL JUST METING AWAY. THE RUST HOLE HAS GROWN TO OVER 2 TIMES THE SIZE IT WAS 2 MONTHS AGO. I'M REALLY DISAPPOINTED THAT THE FRAMES ARE THIS BAD, I HAD GM VEHICLES OLDER AND LESS MAINTAINED DO BETTER THAN THIS.
DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY IN MY 2000 4RUNNER, IT STARTED TO SWAY BACK AND FORTH VIOLENTLY, IT WENT INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THANK GOD THE ONCOMING TRAFFIC WAS FAR ENOUGH AWAY, I HAD TIME TO GET IT BACK IN MY LANE. IF NOT, I WOULD HAVE BEEN A CASUALTY. I GOT IT HOME AND CHECKED UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE AND FOUND OUT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED THROUGH. THE WHOLE FRAME WAS RUSTED, HOLES EVERYWHERE YOU LOOKED. I JUST SPENT $2,000 ON NEW TIRES AND OTHER REPAIRS THREE MONTHS AGO. NOW THE 4RUNNER IS USELESS, I CAN'T BELIEVE THIS WAS NOT A SERIOUS SAFETY RECALL. WITH ALL THE 4RUNNERS ON THE ROAD THERE IS GOING TO BE A LOT OF PEOPLE KILLED. YOU DON'T KNOW WHEN THIS IS GOING TO FAIL UNTIL IT THROWS YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC AND KILLING EVERYONE IN YOU CAR AND OTHER INNOCENT PEOPLE IN THE OTHER CARS THAT YOU COME IN CONTACT WITH. THIS HAS TO BE A SAFETY RECALL AND HAVE TOYOTA REPLACE THESE DEFECTIVE FRAMES. THIS 2000 4RUNNER IS IN EXCELLENT SHAPE, NO RUST ON EXTERIOR AND RUNS GREAT. DOES NOT BURN OR USE ANY OIL. BAD DEFECTIVE RUSTY FRAME WHICH WAS A POOR DESIGN OR LACK OF PREP IN MANUFACTURING.
DRIVERS SIDE BRACKET HOLDING REAR WHEEL SNAPPED OFF WHILE STOPPED. UNABLE TO DRIVE VEHICLE AS IS.
THE ENTIRE FRAME UNDER THE VEHICLE IS ROTTING AWAY THE VEHICLE IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND WILL NOT PASS THE PA. STATE INSPECTION
FRAME CORROSION ISSUES NEED TO BE ADDRESSED. WILL CAUSE BODILY HARM OR DEATH SHOULD FAILURE OCCUR.
I BOUGHT A TOYOTA YEAR AGO, MY FIRST EVER CAR PAYMENT, COUNTING ON TOYOTAS BEING RELIABLE. NOW I HAVE 4RUNNER IN DRIVE WAY WITH BROKEN REAR TRAILING ARM & FRAME ROTT I WISH DEALER WHICH SHOULD IT TO ME OR TOYOTA WOULD STEP IN. WIFE & 15 MONTH OLD BABY TRAVELING 35-40MPH FELT RIGHT REAR DROP LIKE TIRE WENT SIDE WAYS... TRUCK WOBBLED/ROCKED LIKE BOAT IN WATER. LIKELY NEEDS NEW FRAME
I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT I AM SUBMITTING THIS ON BEHALF OF ALL 3RD GEN 4RUNNERS! IT HAS NOT, YET, HAPPENED TO ME BUT I AM FEARFUL TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL I REPLACE THE PARTS EVEN THOUGH THEY SEEM FINE. AT THE LEAST A BETTER, SAFER DESIGN COULD BE MADE SO THAT WHEN IT DOES FAIL, PEOPLES LIVE AREN'T PUT INTO JEOPARDY. HELLO! I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT 1996-2002 TOYOTA 4RUNNER'S AND THEIR VERY COMMON ISSUE OF THE LOWER CONTROL ARM BALL JOINTS FAILING. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THE VEHICLE IS STOCK OR MODIFIED, FIRST YEAR OR LAST YEAR RUN BUT SOMEHOW TOYOTA ONLY HAS ISSUED A RECALL FOR THE 2001 AND 2002 MODEL YEARS. LEAVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF US VULNERABLE TO A SEVERE ACCIDENT. THE FAILURE POINT IS THE BAIL JOINT AND WHEN IT FAILS IT SEVERS ITSELF FROM THE VEHICLE, PULLING THE AXLE SHAFT OUT AND CAUSING THE FRONT END TO DIP TO THE GROUND CAUSING A VERY UNSAFE DRIVING EXPERIENCE AS YOU COULD POSSIBLY DIE AT ANY SPEED. YOU CAN FIND THOUSANDS OF STORIES ON GOOGLE, IT HAPPENS LITERALLY EVERYDAY WITH PEOPLE REPORTING IN MANY 3RD GEN 4RUNNER FORUMS AND FACEBOOK GROUPS. GOOGLE '3RD GEN 4RUNNER LBJ FAILURE' FOR INSTANCE. WHY DOES TOYOTA ONLY NEED TO RECALL 2 YEARS OF A 6 YEAR VEHICLE RUN? ALL YEARS ARE EQUALLY AFFECTED. TOYOTA IS A NAME OF DEPENDABILITY SO THIS RARE ACT OF BETRAYING THE CUSTOMER AND PUTTING THEIR LIVES ON THE LINE IS JUST SO UNLIKE THEM. CAN YOU PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS AND HELP YA OUT? I HAVE NOT PERSONALLY HAD THIS HAPPEN BUT I CHECK MY LOWER ARMS ALL THE TIME FOR ANY PLAY BUT HAVE HEARD STORIES OF OTHERS WITH DETAILED MAINTENANCE AND IT HAPPENING TO THEM REGARDLESS. IT'S TOTALLY UNSAFE AND A REDESIGN SHOULD BE THOUGHT UP, NEWER GENERATIONS DO NOT HAVE THIS FAILURE PRONE ISSUE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY IF THEY DO FAIL THEY DO NOT MAKE FOR A VERY UNSAFE ENVIRONMENT.
2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER FRAME ROT. REAR SUSPENTION IS SEPERATING FROM THE FRAME, MIDDLE OF THE FRAME HAS A 2 FOOT SECTION MISSING, AND THE FRONT OF FRAME RIGHT BY THE FIREWALL HAS BIG ROT HOLES IN IT. THE TRUCK IS BECOMING UN SAFE TO DRIVE AND HARD TO CONTROL AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS
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Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026