TroubleCAR
49
Trouble

2000 Toyota 4runner

Complaints: 379Avg mileage: 152,378 miSince: Oct 2006
CrashFire6 injured

Problem Areas

Structure:Body
177
Suspension
94
Unknown or Other
56
Frame and Members: Underbody Shields
41
Structure:Frame and Members
31
Power Train
19
Steering
18
Structure
14
Power Train:Driveline
8
Fuel System, Gasoline
5

Complaints Over Time

Recent Complaints

AIR BAGS
98,000 miFeb 28, 2019WASHINGTON CROSSING, PA
Crash1 injured

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF ANOHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT SURE IF A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED TWO SLIPPED DISCS IN THE LOWER BACK, A BRUISED LIVER, A FRACTURED VERTEBRAE, AND THREE MISSING TEETH. MEDICAL ATTENTION WAS RECEIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FRAME WAS RUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 98,000.

SUSPENSION
118,000 miJan 11, 2019NORTHFIELD, MN
Crash1 injured

I WAS DRIVING 65 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE WHEN I HEARD A CLANKING SOUND FROM THE REAR, THE CAR STARTED TO SWAY TERRIBLY AND SHAKE AND I LOST CONTROL. I CROSSED OVER THE HIGHWAY LANES, ROLLED A COUPLE OF TIMES AND ENDED UP IN THE DITCH WITH THE CAR UPSIDE DOWN. A WITNESS DRIVING BEHIND ME SAID THE WHEEL OF THE CAR FELL OFF WHILE I WAS DRIVING. AFTER INSPECTING THE CAR, WE SAW THE TIRE'S TREAD HAD BEEN RIPPED OFF, THERE WERE GASHES IN THE TIRE, AND THE REAR LEFT CONTROL ARM HAD FALLEN OFF. THE CAR HAD RECENTLY RECEIVED ITS REGULARLY SCHEDULED ALIGNMENT AND TIRE ROTATION, AND THE TIRES WERE IN GOOD SHAPE WITH ONLY 15,000 MILES ON THEM. THE CAR HAD 118,000 MILES ON IT. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THIS WAS A VERY SERIOUS ACCIDENT. IT SOUNDS LIKE THE SAME PROBLEM TOYOTA HAS BEEN HAVING WITH OTHER 4RUNNERS OF THIS MILEAGE AND OF OTHER TOYOTA MODELS WHICH HAVE BEEN RECALLED DUE TO PREMATURE RUST AND CORROSION OF THE SUSPENSION.THE IS A VERY UNSAFE CAR AT THAT MILEAGE AND I'M LUCKY I SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. IT'S IMPORTANT THAT OTHER TOYOTA 4RUNNER OWNERS KNOW ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE IT FAILS WITHOUT WARNING.

AIR BAGS
150,000 miNov 21, 2015EUREKA, CA
Crash1 injured

TAKATA RECALL. I WAS DRIVING APPROX. 55 MILES PER HOUR ON HIGHWAY 138. I HIT BLACK ICE AND DROVE STRAIGHT INTO A TREE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. I SUSTAINED INJURIES TO MY FACE AND HEAD, FROM SMASHING INTO THE STEERING WHEEL.

STRUCTURE:BODY
110,000 miJun 3, 2015MORGAN CITY, LA
Crash1 injured

THE VEHICLE WAS SEVERELY DAMAGE IN THE FRONT LEFT AND MIDDLE OF THE TRUCK. THE TRUCK AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY CAUSING INJURY.

STRUCTURE:BODY
156,000 miApr 11, 2015FALL RIVER, MA
Crash1 injured

TRAVELING STRAIGHT DOWN THE HIGHWAY AT 65 MPH. I HEAR A LOUD POP AND MY SUV VEERS HARD TO THE RIGHT CROSSING THE LOW SPEED LANE AND BREAKDOWN LANE. FORTUNATELY, THERE WERE NO OTHER VEHICLES NEXT TO ME. SUV MISSED THE GUARD RAIL, BUT CLIMBED AN EMBANKMENT AND CAME TO REST ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. RESULTING IN ME FORCEFULLY TWISTING THE STEERING WHEEL, HITTING MY HEAD ON THE WINDSHIELD AND BRAKING THE SIDE GLASS WITH MY HEAD. AFTERWARDS, LOOKING AT THE VEHICLE, IT WAS APPARENT WHAT HAD CAUSED THE ACCIDENT. SEVERE RUST ON THE FRAME, CAUSED THE SHOCK MOUNT, AND REAR CONTROL ARM TO TOTALLY SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE. *TR

SUSPENSION
197,000 miApr 28, 2014MILFORD, CT
Crash1 injured

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE CAR STARTED ROCKING VIOLENTLY BACK AND FORTH.I APPLIED ON THE BRAKES GENTLY AND THE CAR STARTED TO SLOW DOWN BUT WOULD NOT STOP SHAKING, ALMOST CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER ON ITS SIDE. AS THIS WAS HAPPENING MY HEAD WAS SMASHED AGAINST THE SIDE WINDOW MULTIPLE TIMES, CAUSING A CONCUSSION AND CUTS TO MY HEAD AND BODY. I WAS WEARING MY SEATBELT AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.WHEN I CAME TO A STOP AFTER NEARLY BEING HIT BY ON COMING CARS I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER TO THE SHOULDER, WHILE HITTING THE GUARD RAIL AS I CAME TO A STOP. AFTER I GATHERED MY THOUGHTS AND WHEN IT WAS SAFE, I GOT OUT OF THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND THE REAR CONTROL ARM BECAME COMPLETELY SEVERED FROM THE FRAME DUE TO EXCESSIVE AMOUNTS OF RUST ON THE FRAME. I LOOKED ON THE INTERNET FOR SIMILAR ISSUES AND FOUND THAT THE TOYOTA TUNDRA, TOYOTA SEQUOIA, AND VARIOUS OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES MANUFACTURED IN THE SAME YEAR THAT SHARE THE SAME FRAME AS MY CAR HAD BEEN RECALLED BY TOYOTA DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME THAT COULD POTENTIALLY FAIL AND CAUSE SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. I CALLED TOYOTA EXPLAIN THE PROBLEM AND THEY STATED THEY COULD DO NOTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED. SINCE MY CAR SHARES THE SAME FRAME AS THE OTHER TOYOTA VEHICLES THAT WERE RECALLED WIT THE SAME FRAME AS MINE AND IT'S FAILURE HAS CAUSED MYSELF PHYSICAL HARM AND THE POTENTIAL FOR OTHERS TO OCCUR. FURTHERMORE,SINCE THE CAR IS NOW UNDRIVABLE AND UNSAFE WITHOUT THE FRAME REPLACEMENT THAT IT NEEDS FROM TOYOTA, I FEEL THAT THE TOYOTA 4RUNNER SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE SAME RECALL BECAUSE THE SAME THREATS HUMAN LIFE ARE CURRENTLY PRESENT TO OTHERS AND THE DEFECTIVE DESIGN IS KNOWN BY TOYOTA AND THEY REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT. *JS

SUSPENSION
Mar 5, 2020COVINGTON, KY
Crash

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

STRUCTURE:BODY
63,000 miJan 11, 2018TIJERAS, NM
Crash

DRIVING IN MILD WINTER CONDITION (LIGHT WET SLUSH) ON A MAINTAINED HIGHWAY MY 4RUNNER BEGAN TO FISH TALE. WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO CORRECT THE FISH TALE NO CONTROL INPUT FROM THE DRIVE WOULD CORRECT THE SLIDING MOTION. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SLIDE TOWARD THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. ON THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SLOW TO ALMOST A STOP, HOWEVER, THE REAR END WAS FAR ENOUGH OFF THE SHOULDER THAT IT BEGAN TO BE PULLED BY GRAVITY DOWN HILL. WHILE IT SLID DOWN HILL THE REAR WHEEL HIT A ROCK CAUSING THE AXLE TO SNAP NEAR THE CONTACT POINT OF THE WHEEL. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO ROLL ONE AND A HALF TIMES ENDANGERING FOUR LIVES. THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY HOWEVER NONE WERE INJURED. THE CAR WAS DESTROYED AND NOT ABLE TO BE DRIVEN.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
101,482 miJan 28, 2010BALTIMORE, MD
Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. WHILE ENGAGING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AT A LOW SPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN A PARKING SPACE, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED AND CRASHED INTO A VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE ALSO ACCELERATED INTO AN INTERSECTION AND CRASHED INTO A SECOND VEHICLE AND SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT ALL OF THE BRAKE COMPONENTS WERE REPLACED ON HER VEHICLE. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 101,482.

STRUCTURE:BODY
200,000 miSep 17, 2015CAMBRIDGE, MA
Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE BEING DIAGNOSED BY A MECHANIC FOR A UNRELATED ISSUE, THE MECHANIC INFORMED THAT THERE WAS RUST COMING FROM THE REAR END OF THE FRAME. ADDITIONALLY, THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING ODOR COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST PIPE, THE CADILLAC CONVERTER AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRAME NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

SUSPENSION
Oct 11, 2023Cottondale, AL

The hole underneath frame is rusted into and there is a bunch of wielding done to it and it's very unsafe to drive and the car lot guy keeps saying he wants it back on the road

STRUCTURE:BODY
Oct 9, 2023Cottondale, AL

The frame is rusted almost in half a mechanic said it's not safe to drive it will kill someone. The car lot that is selling me the car said he can fix it but it's being held together by welds and c foam. He wants me to still pay for it. I've complained about not being able to drive over 45 without swaying badly and they keep doing stuff to it saying it's fixed and it's not. It's to dangerous to drive. I have a video of underneath but it won't let me upload it

SUSPENSION
Apr 2, 2023Ann Arbor, MI

We recently looked at this vehicle at Toyota of Ann Arbor car lot. After taking the vehicle to a private Professional Certified Car Inspector we were told that that the passenger side Frame had a catastrophic Crack that ran 7' from front to back and over the forward facing Rear Leaf Spring Shackle Support making the vehicle unsafe for any driving. They showed us the frame damage and showed us how wire mesh and foam spray had been used in an attempt to hide it. We were scared to drive it back to the dealer (we drove very slow). We informed them of the damage and they were very rude and asked us to leave. My only goal here is to insure that this vehicle is not put on the road were it could result in death or injury.

LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES
200,000 miMar 28, 2023Murfreesboro, TN

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated that after disconnecting the battery from the vehicle, it was later discovered that the both the driver’s and passenger’s side doors and the hatch door could not be opened manually or remotely. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 200,000.

SUSPENSION
Jul 28, 2022Huntington, WV

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 !

STRUCTURE:BODY
Jul 26, 2022Lincoln University, PA

The frame rusted and is available for inspection. My daughter was driving our 2000 Toyota 4Runner SR5 which I purchased new in 2000 when she noticed the truck started to wobble when she hit small bumps. I drove it to the garage the next day which is 2 miles from my house. It was doing the same for me. My mechanic went to put it up on the lift, he noticed that the frame rusted out. There was nothing he can do at this point. There are many complaints of the same issues with the 2000 Toyota 4Runners with the frames rusting out. If she was driving on the highway, this could have been a lot worse and possibly someone seriously injured or death. There were no warning lamps, messages, or other symptoms of the problem prior to the frame rusting out. The only one to inspect it was my mechanic.

SUSPENSION
Apr 30, 2022Addison Twp, MI

Frame is rotted out. Mechanic lifted it on hoist and frame is rusted terribly and said not drivable.

SUSPENSION
Mar 19, 2022CHESTERFIELD, VA

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.

STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS:UNDERBODY SHIELDS
140,000 miAug 10, 2021bayonne, NJ

The contact owns a 2000 Toyota 4Runner. The contact stated while at a local mechanic he was informed that the sub frame was completely rusted. The vehicle was diagnosed but not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

STRUCTURE:BODY
Jul 26, 2021Tewksbury, MA

Frame on passenger side (front,left) is rotted. While I was driving on the highway I almost got in an accident because the frame gave out. Now I’m out of car and I don’t want to pay but I’m going to have to thousands of dollars to get the frame fixed. That’s money I don’t have as I am a recent college student trying to pay of his loans.

Other 4runner Years

Other Toyota Models