NHTSA Complaint #10422513 — 1997 TOYOTA 4RUNNER

THIS DESCRIPTION IS A SUPPLEMENT TO ODI # 10423371 WHERE BALL JOINT FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE ON THE SAME VEHICLE. I INVESTIGATED AND FOUND THE LOWER BALL JOINT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE THAT FAILED IS PART # 43330-39585. THE REPAIRED PART IS #43330-39415, BOTH MANUFACTURED BY TY (TOYOTA?) WHICH SUGGESTS THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ORIGINAL. WHEN ASKED, TOYOTA DID NOT INFORM US OF THE PART CHANGE AND ASSURED US THE DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER BALL JOINT IS SOUND. THE PART 43330-39585 (LOWER BALL JOINT) IS IN THE 4RUNNERS DATED '91 UP TO 2004. THERE ARE RECALLS OF THIS PART NUMBER ONLY IN THE 2001-2004 TIMELINE. TOYOTA RECOMMENDS INSPECTION EVERY 15,000 MILES. TOYOTA DEALERSHIP PROVIDED ME WITH A MULTI-POINT INSPECTION 3500 MILES PRIOR (4 MONTHS AGO) AND PROVIDED ME WITH A POSITIVE (GREEN) CHECK IN ALL AREAS OF INTEREST INCLUDING SUSPENSION AND CV JOINT. THERE WERE NO WARNING SIGNS TO THE FAILURE AS THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP HELPS DEMONSTRATE. OUR FAMILY HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF A HIGHWAY DRIVE AND LOOSING A WHEEL AT THOSE SPEEDS WOULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER. ANY OTHER EVENTS AS THIS PLEASE FILE A COMPLAINT. THIS SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE TO HAPPEN TWICE ON THE SAME VEHICLE. PLEASE INVESTIGATE THIS THOROUGHLY AND PROVIDE ME WITH ANSWERS. *TR