1994 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER

I OWN A 94 TOYOTA 4RUNNER WITH A 3VZ-E MOTOR. THE HEAD GASKET WAS REPLACE UNDER THE RECALL IN 1997 WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD 45000 MILES. THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP JUST REPLACED THE HEAD GASKET AND NEVER RESURFACED THE HEADS. ON SEPTEMBER 20,2006 HEAD GASKET BLOW AGAIN.IT IS WELL KNOWN ABOUT THE DESIGN FLAW IN THIS MOTOR AND TOYOTA SHOULD BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THE REPAIR TO BE DONE CORRECTLY. MY VEHICLE ONLY HAS 90700 MILES ON THE MOTOR.I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY TOLD MY THAT THEY ONLY FIX IT ONE TIME. I ADVISED THEM THAT THEY NEVER FIXED THE FIRST HEAD GASKET CORRECTLY AND THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE FOR MAKING THERE RECALLS CORRECTED IN A PROPER MANNER.I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A CLASS ACTION LAW SUIT AGAINST TOYOTA IN REGARDS TO THIS ISSUE. *NM

Mileage: 90,700

CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE 1994 4-RUNNER STEERING ROD. *TS THE CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 05V389000 REFERENCING A STEERING ROD. THE CONSUMER WOULD LIKE MORE INFORMATION ON THE RECALL ESPECIALLY SINCE HIS FATHER, WHO ALSO OWNED A TOYOTA 4RUNNER, WAS KILLED FOUR YEAR AGO WHEN HIS VEHICLE VEERED OFF A FREEWAY. *NM

DT: THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 TOYOTA RUNNER SR5. HE ALMOST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE FROM A PRIVATE PARTY, AND HE WENT ON TO THE WEBSITE TO OBTAIN A CAR FAX REPORT. THE REPORT WAS SHOWING AN ODOMETER READING OF 147124 ON SEPTEMBER 18, 2004. NOW THE CAR IS SHOWING AN ODOMETER READING OF A LITTLE MORE THAN 98,000. THIS HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED TO THE POLICE BECAUSE THAT UNIT WAS OUT AT THE TIME. HE DID LEAVE A MESSAGE FOR THEM TO CONTACT HIM BACK, BUT THEY HAVE NOT DONE SO AS OF YET.*AK

LEFT REAR WHEEL BROKE OFF THE VEHICLE AT 65 MPH. THIS CAUSED THE DRIVER TO LOSE CONTROL, AND VEHICLE FLIPPED OVER THREE TIMES.*AK THE LEFT REAR AXLE BROKE CAUSING ACCIDENT. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED ROAD RASH TO LEFT HAND AND ARM WHICH RESULTED IN PERMANENT SCARING. *NM

Mileage: 153,000

DAYTON TIMBERLINE A/T, P235/75R15, DOT#VDHLTD3110.CONSUMER THAT THE SIDEWALLS BLEW OUT. THE TREAD WEAR ON THE TIRES WAS LESS THAN 10,000 MILES. RIGHT REAR TIRE WENT OUT FIRST. FOLLOWED BY LEFT FRONT TIRE WHICH EXPERIENCED THE SAME DEFECT AS THE RIGHT REAR TIRE.*AK

Mileage: 125,000

PROBLEM WITH 5 CYLINDER ENGINE ON 1994 TOYOTA 4-RUNNER. *PH *MR

Mileage: 75,000

IN SHORT, I BROUGHT A 1994 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER WITH A WARRANTY BACK IN JUNE 2002 FROM POTAMKIN SPRINGFIELD AUTO WORLD. IN NOVEMBER 2003, THE TRUCK WAS DEEMED UNSAFE TO DRIVE BECAUSE THE HEAD GASKETS BLEW. I HAD THE REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE PLUS OTHER REPAIRS AND TOOK THE TRUCK TO BE SERVICED WHENEVER THERE WAS A PROBLEM PRIOR TO THIS SITUATION. I COMPLAINED TO THE DEALERSHIP ABOUT THIS BECAUSE THIS WAS A COSTLY REPAIR AND OF COURSE THE WARRANTY DID NOT COVER THE PART. I PAID OUT OF POCKET FOR THE REPAIR NOT KNOWING THEN THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR DEFECTED HEAD GASKETS ON THIS MODEL. I HAD THE HEAD GASKETS REPLACED BUT WITH NO GUARANTEE THAT IT WON'T HAPPEN AGAIN AND GUESS WHAT, I'M STILL NOT ABLE TO DRIVE THE TRUCK. I DON'T KNOW HOW MANY TIMES THIS MAY OF HAPPEN BEFORE ME BUT I KNOW THE DEALER KNEW OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN IT WAS SOLD.*AK

Mileage: 95,668

WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE SPARE TIRE CABLE BROKE WITHOUT WARNING AND AS A RESULT THE TIRE FELL OFF INTO ON-COMING TRAFFIC. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *NLM

Mileage: 198,000

UNDER TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN# 54015, THE ENGINE WAS REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE ON 5/15/2002 FOR THE SECOND TIME. ONE YEAR LATER THE ENGINE DIED. THE DEALER STATED THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO THE OIL NOT BEING CHANGED. THE CONSUMER SAYS THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY TAKEN FOR MAINTENANCE. *PH THERE WAS ENGINE NOISE. *SCC *JB

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE STALLED WHICH MADE IT DIFFICULT FOR THE DRIVER TO CONTROL THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER WAS NOTIFIED. *NLM

TRANSMISSION WILL INTERMITTENTLY DROP OUT OF 1ST AND 3RD GEAR. WHEN AT A DEAD STOP, TRANSMISSION WILL DROP OUT OF 1ST GEAR WHILE ACCELERATING, CAUSING LOST OF POWER. ALSO WHILE ENTERING THE FREEWAY, TRANSMISSION WILL DROP OUT OF THIRD GEAR, CAUSING LOST OF POWER. THIS PROBLEM HAS HAPPENED AT ABOUT 40, 000 MILES AND AGAIN AT ABOUT 99,000 MILES. DT

CONSUMER STATES THERE WAS A FUEL ODOR IN VEHICLE, MECHANIC REPLACED A DEFECTIVE FUEL HOSE UNDER THE AIR PLENUM CHAMBER.*JB

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOVE VEHICLE. *AK

WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED A VERY UNUSUAL NOISE OCCURS. ALSO, BRAKE PEDAL HAS TO BE PUMPED TO GET VEHICLE TO STOP. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

WHEN APPLYING BRAKES PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR. DEALERSHIP IS AWARE OF PROBLEM.*AK

PRIOR TO ANY KNOWLEDGE OF RECALL, RADIATOR IN VEHICLE BLEW UP, VEHICLE WAS TOWED AND RADIATOR WAS REPLACED, VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MALFUNCTION, AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR WERE REPLACED, HOWEVER VEHICLE STILL FAILED TO OPERATE, UPON SECOND VISIT CONSUMER WAS INFORMED BY MECHANIC THAT THE PROBLEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED, BUT THOUGHT THAT IT MAY BE THE HEAD GASKET AND TO TAKE VEHICLE TO AN OFFICIAL DEALERSHIP, CONSUMER WAS THEN INFORMED BY DEALER OF THE OUTSTANDING RECALL AND ADVISED HIM THAT THE FAILING HEAD GASKETS WERE ALMOST CERTAINLY THE CAUSE OF THE RADIATOR BLOWING UP AND THE OTHER RELATED PROBLEMS, DEALER REPLACED ENGINE UNDER WARRANTY, HOWEVER CONSUMER WAS RESPONSIBILE FOR THE WATER PUMP,VARIOUS BELTS, AND TIMING DEVICES.*JB

VEHICLE SKIDDED AND ROLLED RESULTING IN DRIVER'S DEATH DUE TO CHEST INJURIES AND SUFFOCATION FROM BEING TRAPPED UPSIDE DOWN. *AK

BRAKES AND ROTORS CONTINUE TO FAIL OR WARP-FRONT ONLY-RESULTING IN DANGEROUS WOBBLE/SHUTTER WHEN BRAKEING. NUMEROUS REPAIRS INCLUDING TURNING/REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES AND AT 98800 MILES IT IS IN NEED OF REPAIR AGAIN. ONLY HAVE 12,500 MILES SINCE LAST FRONT BRAKE CHANGE AND ROTOR TURN.*AK

BRAKES AND ROTORS CONTINUE TO FAIL OR WARP-FRONT ONLY-RESULTING IN DANGEROUS WOBBLE/SHUTTER WHEN BRAKEING. NUMEROUS REPAIRS INCLUDING TURNING/REPLACEMENT OF ROTORS AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKES AND AT 98800 MILES IT IS IN NEED OF REPAIR AGAIN. ONLY HAVE 12,500 MILES SINCE LAST FRONT BRAKE CHANGE AND ROTOR TURN.*AK

ENGINE HEAD GASKETS ARE BLOWN, PREVIOUSLY RECALLED ONCE AND REPAIRED 5/98 AT 53K MILES, BLOWN AGAIN AT 85K MILES, NORMAL DRIVING CONDITIONS, REQUIRED MAINTENANCE DONE. HAVE CONTACTED TOYOTA - TOLD TO GO THROUGH DEALER THAT PERFORMED RECALL. HAVE CONTACTED REPAIR DEALER, NO RESOLUTION AT THIS TIME. *AK