1996 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER

HELLO, I WAS INVOLVED IN AN AUTO ACCIDENT OVER THIS WEEKEND DUE TO A DEFECTIVE TIRE. THE TIRE BLEW FOR NO APPARENT REASON CAUSING ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND SMASHING INTO A CEMENT CONCRETE DIVIDER. THE TIRE IS A GOODYEAR WRANGLER RT/S. I DID SOME RESEARCH ON THE INTERNET AND FOUND MANY MANY MANY OTHERS WITH THE SAME TIRES HAVE HAD THE SAME OR SIMILAR ISSUES WITH THE TIRES BLOWING OR TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE. PLEASE DO ALL YOU CAN TO PREVENT THESE TIRES FROM KILLING ANYONE. THANK YOU, TRUC NGUYEN BELOW IS JUST A FEW COMPLAINTS I FOUND WHILE DOING MY RESEARCH FOR YOUR REVIEW. THESE TIRES ARE DEFECTIVE AND THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE WARNED! CHERYL OF TAXARKANA TX (3/10/04): MY HUSBAND WAS DRIVING MY NEW CAR, A 2002 ISUZU AXIOM. THE TIRE BLEW FROM THE SIDEWALL AND HE LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT THE CENTER WALL UNDER AN OVERPASS. DID ABOUT $6,000 IN DAMAGE. THE POLICEMAN WHO DID THE REPORT SAID TIRE DEFECT. THE GENERAL MANAGER FROM M&M GOODYEAR SAID, TIR

Mileage: 160,000

OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM. COOLANT IS LEAKING AND OIL SLUDGE IS BUILDING UP WITHIN THE MANIFOLD. IT IS USING 2 TO 3 QUARTS OF OIL ON A MONTHLY BASIS AND SMOKING WILL BADLY WHEN FIRST CRANKED. CAR CHECKED BY TOYOTA DEALERSHIP AND SAYS NOTHING IS WRONG WITH CAR. *JB

Mileage: 132,405

HAPPENED TO NOTICED FLUID AROUND RIM. REPEATED REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK. BELIEVE BACK SPACING OF SEAL AGAINST THE ABS RING IS OF A QUARTER OF INCH. CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AND CREATE LOUD GRINDING HUM. BRAKES HAVE BECOME SOAKED IN GEAR OIL. CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND SMOKE PROFUSELY. BELIEVETOYOTA IS AWARE OF ISSUE. *AK

HAPPENED TO NOTICED FLUID AROUND RIM. REPEATED REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK. BELIEVE BACK SPACING OF SEAL AGAINST THE ABS RING IS OF A QUARTER OF INCH. CAUSING VEHICLE TO VIBRATE AND CREATE LOUD GRINDING HUM. BRAKES HAVE BECOME SOAKED IN GEAR OIL. CAUSING BRAKES TO LOCK UP AND SMOKE PROFUSELY. BELIEVETOYOTA IS AWARE OF ISSUE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING CONSUMER LOST STEERING CONTROL AFTER GOING OVER A PUDDLE OF WATER IN THE ROAD. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO HIT THE MEDIAN. VEHICLE WAS TOWED. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. EVOQ FILED BY: EVELYN PRITCHETT 540-286-7169. *AK RECALL # COULD NOT BE FOUND BUT THE CONSUMER SENT IN A COPY OF A SAMPLE RECALL NOTICE FOR 1996-1998 TOYOTA 4 RUNNERS DUE TO A COMBINATION OF HEAVY LOADING OR RUFF ROAD CONDITIONS. *TC

WHILE DRIVING AT 120 KMPH, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE TIRE BLEW. THE CONSUMER MANAGED TO PULL OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. THE CAUSE WAS NOT DETERMINED. DUNLOP#26560R16 DOT#DB72A16 . *LA *LA

Mileage: 54,000

RECALL 02V021000 CONCERNING REAR SUSPENSION. CONSUMER HAD RECALL REPAIRS DONE ONCE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *AK

Mileage: 85,000

HEAD GASKET BLEW ON 5VZ-FE ENGINE. THIS WAS EXACTLY 3 YEARS & 53K MILES AFTER THE TOYOTA SSC (SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN) X01. IN WHICH THEY REPLACED THE FAULTY HEAD GASKETS ON MY 4RUNNER. ALSO REPLACED AT THE TIME WERE THE; TIMING BELT, WATER PUMP, & THERMOSTAT. THE TRUCK HAS HAD ALL OF IT'S DEALER/MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED SERVICES AND OIL CHANGES. UPON TEAR DOWN THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP FOUND THAT BOTH ALUMINUM HEADS WERE CRACKED BETWEEN THE VALVES AT 2-3 PLACES.

Mileage: 113,413

I AM THE OWNER OF A 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER. THE 5VZ-FE BI-METAL ENGINE SUFFERED A CATASTROPHIC FAILURE. ACCORDING TO THE THE AUTHORIZED DEALER (TOYOTA 101 OF REDWOOD CITY), THE ENGINE OVERHEATED WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY LED TO THE ALUMINUM HEADS TO CRACK AROUND THE VALES. I AM AWARE THAT TOYOTA HAD A NATIONAL RECALL ON THE HEAD GASKETS FOR THE 5VZ-FE V6 ENGINES FOR MOST MODEL TRUCKS (4RUNNER & TACOMA) MANUFACTURED IN THE 1990'S.THE RECALL WAS UNDER THE GUISE OF A SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN SSC-X01. I BELIEVE THAT THE DEFECTIVE HEAD GASKETS ARE THE CORE REASON FOR THE CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF MY 4RUNNER'S ENGINE. I CONTACTED TOYOTA MOTOR SALES CORP. IN SAN RAMON, CA & TORRANCE, CA ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS COMPLAINING OF THE ENGINE FAILURE. I ASKED FOR ASSISTANCE & GOOD WILL WARRANTY, BUT RECEIVED UNSATISFACTORY SERVICE. I FEEL THAT TOYOTA HAS NO INTEREST IN TAKING RESPONSIBILTY FOR THEIR DEFECTIVE PARTS. LEAVING CONSUMERS TO PAY FOR THE COSTLY REPAIRS. I AM SEEKING THE FAIR AND REASONABLE REPAIR

Mileage: 113,413

AFTER MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE REAR SUSPENSION RECALL 02V021000 PERFORMED THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE . THIS HAS OCCURRED ON FIVE SEPARATE OCCASIONS.*AK *NM

Mileage: 130,000

CONSISTENT BRAKE PAD CRACKING ON TOYOTA HIGH PERFORMANCE, TRD, BRAKES. THE TRD SEMI-METALLIC BRAKE PADS HAVE BEEN REPLACED TWICE IN THE LAST 6 WEEKS AFTER HEARING AND FEELING GRINDING NOISES WHEN BRAKES ARE APPLIED. INSPECTION WITH THE DEALER VERIFIED THAT THE CONTACT PORTION OF THE BRAKE PADS EXHIBITED HAIRLINE CRACKS THROUGHOUT THE PADS. THIS OCCURRED BOTH TIMES. TRD WARRANTED THEM AND REPLACED THEM BUT IT HAPPENED AGAIN. THEY ARE ONLY PAYING FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF THE PADS AND NOT THE LABOR INVOLVED. ALEX BOLDMAN, A CALIFORNIA TRD REP HAVE DENIED HEARING REPORTS REGARDING ISSUES WITH THESE PADS. IN CONTRAST, A MATT FLORES, WITH DALY CITY TOYOTA, HAS HEARD MANY COMPLAINTS SO FAR. TRD DENIES ANY PROBLEMS WITH THEIR BRAKE PADS. *LA

I HAVE A 1996 4RUNNER AND I HAVE NOTICED THAT IT VIBRATES WHEN I BRAKE HARD, ESPECIALLY WHEN I GO DOWNHILL. I CAN FEEL IT IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WHEN I APPLIED THE BRAKES MY TRUCK STARTED SHAKING LIKE A EARTHQUAKE. IT WAS VERY SERIOUS. I ALMOST LOST CONTROL AND I COULD HAVE DIED. IT ONLY HAS ABOUT 70,000 MILES ON IT. BRAKE PADS ARE OK. PLEASE CHECK THIS WEBSITE TO SEE SIMILAR PROBLEM. HTTP://TOYOTAOWNERSCLUB.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.PHP?ACT=ST&F=5&T=1147& *PH

Mileage: 84,500

THE 1996 TOYOTA 4RUNNER HIT A STOP SIGN POLE AND A BIG TREE AT 50 TO 60 MPH DURING WET WEATHER. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS TOTALED AND THE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY, RESULTING IN THE COLLISION OF THE DRIVERS HEAD TO THE STEERING WHEEL. *NLM

Mileage: 2

CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL REGARDING THE REAR SUSPENSION. *AK *JB

PER THE CONSUMER THE DEALERSHIP IS REFUSING TO HONOR THE RECALL FOR THE REAR SUSPENSION 02V-021, TOYOTA MOTOR, CLEVELAND OH, 216-321-9100 .*JB

CONSUMER NOTICE WHILE TRAVELING EXHAUSTS LEAKING SOUND COMING FROM THE ENGINE. VEHICLE WAS SERVICE BY DEALER TECHNICIAN NOTICE CORROSION ON THE CROSSOVER PIPE. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. TS

CONSUMER HAD REAR SUSPENSION REPAIRS PRIOR TO RECALL SSC20A NOTIFICATION. DEALER REPACKED AND ADJUSTED REAR AXLE AND REPLACED BEARINGS. CONSUMER IS REQUESTING REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES INCURRED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE. *TT

FRONT BRAKE PADS FAILED, DEALER LUBRICATED CALIPERS, REPLACED BRAKE PADS AND TURNED ROTORS. DEALER ALSO REPLACED REAR BRAKE SHOES, AND BRAKE FLUID. ABS RETAINER RINGS WERE REPLACED ALSO. *TT

CONSUMER RECEIVED RECALL 02 V 021 000. CONTACTED DEALER, AND PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE.*AK

SEATBELT WOULD NOT RELEASE. REPEATED ATTEMPTS WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. HAD TO CUT BELT TO RELEASE 12 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER WHO WAS IN PAIN DUE TO EXTREME TIGHTNESS OF BELT.*AK