NHTSA Complaint #10320119 — 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

I AM THE ONLY OWNER OF A 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER SR5 4X4, WHICH I PURCHASED NEW IN1997. WITHIN IN WEEKS OF OWNING AND DRIVING THE VEHICLE, WHILE BRAKING AS I DROVE OVER IRREGULAR ROAD, I NOTICED THAT THE BRAKES WERE NOT GRABBING, L AND THE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT STOPPING, COMMENSURATE WITH THE DEMAND THAT I WAS PUTTING ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. I WAS VERY CONCERNED THAT I WAS GOING TO HIT THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME! AFTER SEVERAL SUCH EXPERIENCE, IN JUNE OR JULY OF 1997, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS ADVISED THAT THEY FOUND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. I STILL OWN AND DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM IS UNCHANGED. BECAUSE I AM AWARE OF THE PROBLEM WITH THE BRAKES, WHENEVER I DRIVE OVER IRREGULAR ROAD SURFACES, BUMPS OR EXPANSION JOINTS I KEEP A CONSIDERABLE DISTANCE AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME. I STILL DRIVE THE VEHICLE, AND THE BRAKE ISSUE HAS NOT CHANGED. ANOTHER PROBLEM THAT I EXPERIENCED WITH THE 4RUNNER WAS THE SHIFTING OF THE BACKEND OF THE VEHICLE WHEN DRIVING OVER IRREGULAR ROAD SURFACES. HOWEVER, TOYOTA RECALLED THE VEHICLE TO MAKE WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE A REPAIR OF THE PROBLEM. ALTHOUGH THE FIX REDUCED THE SEVERITY OF THE SHIFTING OF THE BACKEND, IT DID NOT TOTALLY ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM. *TR